The Daily Dispatch

Political signs have been dominating street corners and empty lots for more than two months now, but soon many of the signs will have to come down. The election is scheduled for Tuesday, March 11, as 13 candidates vie for the mayor’s position and five city council seats. This is one of the busiest corner for signs. In th mayor’s race, only Dr. Michael Gomez’ sign is missing from the lot. The other three candidate are Michael “Smokey” Molina, Cruz Silva and write-in candidate Natalio Sabal.

On March 11 the community of Douglas will be headed to the election booths to vote for a new mayor and city council.

Douglas voters may not know that Proposition 300–also know as Home Rule– is also on the ballot.

Home Rule allows a city or town to adopt an alternative expenditure limitation with voter approval at a regularly scheduled election for the nomination or election of members of the governing board of the city or town.

Home rule prescribes the method the municipality will use to calculate its own expenditure limitation each year. Approval of a home rule must occur prior to the first fiscal year in which it applies. Home rule apply for 4 succeeding fiscal years, after which the constitutional expenditure limitation becomes effective, unless a new home rule is adopted.

In 1980 the Arizona State Legislature adopted a revenue measure that put a cap on city spending.

For Douglas, in 1980, the base figure was $4,067,476. The amount increased each year based on the city’s population and inflation.

Today, with the yearly increases through home rule vote, the amount for Douglas is now up to $13, 128,512.

Voting for home rule on March 11 will put the new permanent base at $17,190, 988.

The drawback with the state imposed limitation is that it assumes all cities are alike, disregarding the unique challenges of a border city like Douglas.

Home Rule, though, will not raise taxes.

“It’s a revenue issue, no a tax issue” said City Manager Curtis Shook.

Critics of home rule claim that by voting for it, it allows a city to raise taxes or to spend more than the state limitation; that is, in Douglas’ case, beyond the $13 million. Shook said that by state mandate, a city can not deficient spend.

“By law we must keep a balanced budget and a open budget process,” Shook said.

In Arizona 85 percent to 90 percent of cities have adopted Home Rule.