Yuma, Arizona - The Yuma City Council will consider calling for a special election to be held at the same time as the City of Yuma General Election on Nov. 8, 2016, to submit to those persons qualified to vote in the City of Yuma the question of increasing the City's general sales tax by 0.3 percent. The item is scheduled to be voted on during the regular City Council meeting beginning at 5:30 p.m. on Wednesday, July 20, in the Council Chambers of City Hall, One City Plaza.
This ordinance was introduced to the Yuma City Council during their July 6 meeting and is one of five ordinances up for adoption Wednesday.
Per the Yuma City Charter, the City must call an election to increase the transaction privilege tax rate, and the rate increase must be approved by a majority of qualified electors voting on the question. The 0.3 percent increase will be used to fund public safety and road improvements.
Council will also consider a resolution that refers a property rezoning issue to voters on the Nov. 8 ballot. Petitioners who opposed a proposed apartment/townhome development in the area of Avenue 9E and 24th Street obtained a sufficient number of signatures to have this item placed on a special election ballot.
Also on the resolution consent agenda is a development fee deferral for Saguaro Unit No. 2 subdivision.
There are several items on the motion consent agenda, usually considered and enacted with one motion. They include:
- A liquor license request.
- Two special event liquor license requests: one for Fort Yuma Rotary's Beat the Heat Block Party and a separate one for the Humane Society of Yuma's Fur Ball.
- A bid award for the reconstruction of 24th Street from Avenue B to Avenue C. The project cost is $1,568,733.27.
- Authorization of nine subrecipient agreements in accordance with the 2016 Community Development Block Grant Action Plan.
- Authorization of the execution of an agreement with the Yuma Visitor's Bureau Inc., providing funding for the fiscal year 2016-2017 and setting performance standards.
- Authorization of an agreement with the Greater Yuma Economic Development Corporation providing funding for the fiscal year 2016-2017 and setting performance standards.
- Authorization of an agreement with the Western Arizona Council of Governments to provide qualified City utility customers with assistance to meet a delinquent utility bill payment, avoid disconnection for non-payment, and receive educational support regarding conservation and financial management.
- Authorization to execute a grant agreement and accept monies received under the City of Tucson High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area grant program.
Council will consider several items on the adoption of ordinances agenda, aside from the call for a special election regarding the question of increasing the Transaction Privilege Tax, which will be considered and enacted with one motion:
- Two separate amendments to the Yuma City Code: one gives the Fire Chief the authority to regulate the reporting of certain fire or life safety systems by contractors; the other concerns powers of the Housing Authority of the City of Yuma (HACY).
- The rezoning of property located on the northwest corner of 34th Drive and 24th Street.
- Declaration of surplus and real property exchange.
The following ordinances are scheduled for introduction:
- Adoption of the "Amendments to the Tax Code of the City of Yuma for Cities and Towns in the State Collection System Performing Supplementary Local Audits," which were declared a public record during the July 6 regular City Council meeting.
- Rezoning of property located at the northwest corner of 1st Avenue and 10th Street.
Yuma City Council meetings are open to the public, and can be viewed locally on Time Warner Cable (channel 73 for digital subscribers) and online at yuma.peg.tv.
Complete agendas of Yuma City Council meetings are available to members of the public at any time, online, through our City Council Meetings page. From the homepage of the City’s all-new website at www.yumaaz.gov, click on "Minutes, Agendas, Notices" on the left. From that page, click on "City Council" from the choices listed on the top section. From there, you can choose between upcoming Council agendas and previous Council agendas. Meeting agendas and supporting documents are published in PDF format.