photo by John Zierow

The city of Flagstaff is gearing up for the next ten years.

City and neighborhood planners are developing a plan to address concerns for Flagstaff and the surrounding area.  The plan will last until the year 2022 when it will need to be revised and rebuilt.  The ten year plan will take two and a half years to finish before residents in Coconino county can put it to a vote.

Photo by John Zierow

“The economy is at the top of the list of problems Flagstaff is facing,” said City manager Kevin Burke.

Other issues include commercial development, downtown parking and drinking water.  The ten year plan can be used by local agencies ranging anywhere from educational boards at NAU and CCC or by construction developers to prepare for the future.

photo by John Zierow

A plan was presented to the city council in February to raise the environmental service fees included in the water bills of Flagstaff residents.

The purpose of the plan is to use the fee to create a self-sustaining program for the environmental sustainability division of the city.  The current fee is $2. In June, city council members will vote on whether or not to raise the service fee to $6.

The current fee presently brings in $90,000 annually. While this may seem like a lot, it is not enough to pay for all the projects the Environmental Sustainability division undertakes.  The rest of the required funds are subsidized by the city. Service fee increases would triple the revenue devoted to supporting the program.

Environmental Sustainability Manager, Rebecca Sayers, said “It’s important for the public to know about these programs and to get involved in the city council vote.  We want people to be educated on the subject so they know whats going on and so there is some accountability in the city.”  She said that if the council doesn’t vote to increase the fee, many of programs like litter clean up, hazardous waste removal, public education and environmental code enforcement might be discontinued.

Some residents of Flagstaff think the increase is worth it. “I’m fine with paying four extra dollars if it means we are taking better care of the environment,” said Evon Peter of Flagstaff.  If the fee increase is approved, the new charges will be applied in early fall.

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With Vice President Joe Biden by his side, and White House aids close at hand, the massive spending bill was launched forward.   From Denver Colorado, where the stimulus plan was signed, the president flew to Sky Harbor Airport in Phoenix.

The next day, President Obama, escorted by motorcade, visited none other than Dobson High School, where he discussed his plans to reverse the nation’s housing crisis.  He spoke for just over half an hour and eager onlookers waited for hours on end just to see the president.  Many people inside the school came rushing out of the building in excitement after having shook the presidents hand, but no one on the street got more than a moment’s glimpse of the presidents limousine as it passed by the school.

Some were gathered to cheer on President Obama, but others, like Angela Roy of Prescott, were there to protest his policies.  “The first 700 billion didn’t work.  This trillion wont work.  What about the next trillion?  That ain’t going to work either,” said Roy.

The stimulus plan devotes $50 million to stem the foreclosure issues facing many Americans.  The plan also pledges large tax refunds for first time home buyers.

According to Windermere Real Estate Broker Mike Bianchi, the bill will be a positive step in the right direction.  “Every time they pass a bill like this, it’s like bricks building a foundation for the housing market,” Bianchi said.

The housing crisis is a matter of having too many sellers and not enough buyers, said Bianchi. “It’s simply supply and demand.”

The goal of the $50 million is to help prevent more homes from being put on the market as a result of foreclosures, while at the same time, increase the number of buyers through tax incentives. Officials are hoping the market will balance and property values will begin to rise.

Many in the audience at Dobson High were happy with what Obama had to say.  “Its about time the people who need help are finaly getting it,” said Aru Anula of Phoenix.

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