Repeal City of Phoenix Grocery Tax - What to do? (Scottsdale: middle-class, sales)

[Potential_Landlord]

It looks like it's crunch time to repeal the Worst Tax of All Times(TM), the City of Phoenix grocery sales tax. There is an article in the Arizona Republic today. This tax hits the poorest the hardest as they have to budget the largest amount for groceries of all people. It doesn't get any more regressive than this. I find it also repugnant to tax the people most who have the least lobby - if you tax the rich or a particular group they will rise heck - but not the poor. What can we do to encourage our city council and major to get rid of this, be it by repeal or shift of the tax burden to the rich?

[Java Jolt]

The tax is probably going to be permanent.

The rich elite get most of the breaks and the poor and middle-class are the ones who bear the burden.

I feel your pain but I doubt if there's anything you can do as one frustrated person.

Maybe organize a group of like-minded people and start a citizen petition campaign. If you get enough signatures it could be put up for a vote on a future ballot.

[Zippyman]

When they enacted it, they did so without notice or allowing comment, specifically to avoid facing the citizens. I think the most effective method to defeat its renewal would be pro-active emails, letters & phone calls - so they know youre watching. I voted against the councilperson from my area who was one of the yes votes, my fellow citizens re-elected her anyway..

[Java Jolt]

Originally Posted by Zippyman

When they enacted it, they did so without notice or allowing comment, specifically to avoid facing the citizens. I think the most effective method to defeat its renewal would be pro-active emails, letters & phone calls - so they know youre watching. I voted against the councilperson from my area who was one of the yes votes, my fellow citizens re-elected her anyway..

I'm not surprised.

Typical politicians promising to work for the people they represent but then working against them by passing sneaky underhanded measures without the public's input.

Clear-cut case of taxation without representation, isn't that unconstitutional?

[Solere]

How about repealing it in Scottsdale and other cities too? If a city with a high median income like Scottsdale takes the lead, then other cities might as well.

[Potential_Landlord]

Thanks for all responses. I sure made the call to my councilman. Hopefully, it will accomplish something. Let's all chime in together to get this monster of a tax out of the way. Thanks everyone.

[observer53]

Originally Posted by Java Jolt

I'm not surprised.

Typical politicians promising to work for the people they represent but then working against them by passing sneaky underhanded measures without the public's input.

Clear-cut case of taxation without representation, isn't that unconstitutional?

Taxation without representation doesn't mean that your councilperson didn't do what constituents might have wanted them to do, sorry. I'm not saying I agree with the tax, but I also don't get the "sneaky underhanded" part. I knew it was coming up for a council vote, and I don't live in Phoenix.

[YAZ]

Originally Posted by Java Jolt

The tax is probably going to be permanent.

It's set to expire in 2015.

If we were to get a referendum going we might be able to vote on it in 2014.

[Bondurant]

From Sal Diciccio's e-mail newsletter:

Police and fire cuts were a hoax. Budget and research numbers released show $107 million doled out for pay raises/bonuses. Not ONE additional police officer hired. Pay raises could have hired 272 more police officers protecting your family. Average total compensation jumps to over $105,000 per employee for over 14,500 employees. Yes you read that correctly. The average cost per employee is over $105,000 per person for over 14,000 employees. Mayor Stanton must follow through on his promise to abolish food tax "by April 2013."

Stanton said what he needed to in order to get elected and look. Now he'll probably move back and entrench himself with the tax and spend wing of the city council. If you want to stay in the loop on food tax updates, DiCiccio's newsletter is a good start. This will stick unless people raise a fuss.

[Zippyman]

Originally Posted by observer53

Taxation without representation doesn't mean that your councilperson didn't do what constituents might have wanted them to do, sorry. I'm not saying I agree with the tax, but I also don't get the "sneaky underhanded" part. I knew it was coming up for a council vote, and I don't live in Phoenix.

The tax was enacted with 24 hours notice. That is underhanded. A public hearing was held a month after the fact. We were told it was temporary, and would only be used to "save" police & fire.. Then they started handing out raises.