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Tusayan budget override election results trickle in
Final results expected May 24

TUSAYAN, Ariz. — The unofficial results of a special election for a one-year budget override for the town of Tusayan shows 28 YES votes and 30 NO votes as of May 23, meaning future expenditures could be controlled by the state.

The special election was held May 21 by the Tusayan Town Council. Final results will be available May 24.

A YES vote for the special election allows the town of Tusayan to exceed the state-imposed expenditure limitation for fiscal year 2019-20 by $18,386,261 and would allow the town to continue to provide existing services and maintain local control of expenditures by Tusayan residents. A NO vote will require expenditures to be limited by the state-imposed expenditure formula.

“These cuts would be devastating to our quality of life,” Tusayan Mayor Craig Sanderson and town council members stated in the publicity pamphlet for the special election. “If Prop 400 passes, the town will still have to live within its means with a balanced budget, but the town can support its citizens with the services they need, expect and deserve.”

The special election was a result of paperwork errors.

In a letter mailed to the town earlier this year, the Auditor General informed the town that it’s alternative expenditure limitation, or Home Rule, has been declared invalid because the town did not submit detailed and summary analyses for review at least 60 days prior to the election last year.

The town’s alternative expenditure limitation vote was nullified after the November 2019 election. Meaning the town’s budget could be set by the state of Arizona for the next four years.

If passed, voters in the special election could approve a year-long budget override for the next two years until the alternative expenditure limitation could be placed back on the ballot.


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