How Much Should Creekers Sacrifice?

Propositions 400 and 401 affects all of us. It’s not just about Olesen Road residents or Walmart, it’s a Cave Creek issue. There are two propositions, and regardless of how you personally feel about Walmart or the rezoning of that residential property, if we approve Prop 400, we are telling the Town it’s okay to upzone the residential property next to each of our homes to provide the solutions made by the Town Council for additional sources of revenue.

A lot of thought went into where to put Cave Creek’s commercial core and in 2005, voters approved establishing 240-acres of general and commercial zoning between 28th and 34th Streets. The Town Council’s refusal to insist Walmart locate on this 240-acre commercial parcel is a loud and clear voice from them of their willingness to sacrifice you, your home, your investment and your lifestyle for additional sources of Town revenue whether it be now or in the future. It also tells future businesses that we can be manipulated and bought off. A “No” vote on prop 400 is about each one of us and tells our mayor and council members that they have it wrong; each and every one of us is entitled to the same rights as they have.

P.R.I.Z.E. has heard from residents living on the west side and many are opposed to having a Walmart on this 240-acre parcel. This was a zoning decision put in place before most of you were residents. We cannot undo this upzoning, but you, our west side residents, must understand how a “No” vote on Proposition 400 will protect you in the future. A “Yes” vote for Walmart will not stop general and commercial development on this 240-acre site. In fact, an international banking consortium which funds the building of large shopping malls has been in contact with the Town investigating investment opportunity at this site. The new economic model for the Town recommends vigorously pursuing general and commercial development. The 240-acre parcel is designated as commercial development parcel #2 on page 17 of the White Paper, for those who would like to learn the Town’s intentions for this property.

The Town has already proven it will sacrifice its citizens on Olesen Road for increased sales tax revenue. The proposed Walmart property was once pristine desert and zoned for seventeen homes. For the benefit of Walmart, the Town Council upzoned this property to general commercial. If you own a residential parcel abutting or near the 240-acres, how confident are you that the town will treat you with any more respect than it has treated the citizens on Olesen Road?

If you still feel strongly that a Walmart on Olesen will protect you from commercial development, then vote for Prop 401. But, if you want to preserve and protect your property, vote “No” on Prop 400.

This very same threat can apply to any homeowner, regardless of where they live in Cave Creek, which is why it is imperative for everyone to defeat Proposition 400 as it will affect you, your home, and your lifestyle.

For every Walmart Supercenter, two existing grocery stores go out of business. Some of us may have friends and neighbors that work at these existing grocery stores. They will lose their job if a Walmart is built. Please consider them in your decision. We are not a large town with nameless, faceless people–we are a community and we showed how strong of a community with Spur Cross. We need to rekindle that same, proud spirit to guide our future.

The money Walmart is expected to generate is being spent, several times over, before being earned. The Town Council has said that a Walmart is necessary for sales tax revenue to fund the yearly budget and reduce Town debt. With growing opposition to Walmart, however, the Town Council is not addressing the debt of the Town, but claiming that without Walmart the purchase of open space land is in question. Before casting your vote on November 3rd, ask the Mayor and Council members to detail how the sales tax revenue generated by a Walmart will be used to offset the financial mismanagement that has created the Town debt.

The question has been asked what will the Town do for revenue if Walmart is voted down. Who is saying that it’s our obligation to sacrifice our homes and lifestyle because of the financial mismanagement by our elected officials? Our elected officials didn’t discuss the financial mismanagement with citizens other than to say we needed a Walmart to bail them out. They are not talking about a responsible solution, yet they are imposing on us a Walmart which is to be the end-all-be-all solution to the financial mismanagement issues they created. So in answer to any question that someone raises about what will the Town do for revenue without a Walmart, ask yourself:

“Is it logical that Walmart will be the solution when the underlying financial mismanagement has not been resolved?”