Council candidates discuss Carefree economic issues
by Brian DiTullio

CAREFREE – Fiscal responsibility is the theme of both candidates for a seat on Carefree Town Council, and voters will decide next month who has the better approach.

Ballots for the May 15 election will be mailed out April 16.

David Schwan and David Burnell Smith recently answered five questions posed by The Desert Advocate relating to town issues.

1. How would you address expanding Carefree’s water infrastructure in a fiscally responsible way?

Schwan: We need to move prudently forward as cash allows. It’s going to be a 10‑year plan to put all the improvements in place. We can only do it at a slow rate.

Smith: We need to do a study to improve the service we have now. I’ve received several complaints that the water in this town is too expensive for what we’re getting. Once we’re done with that, we can look at expansion. Then we need to do it in a way that our customers don’t pay more.

2. How would you balance building Carefree’s contingency fund versus paying for the town’s needs as it grows?

Schwan: Carefree has always had a history of having a large contingency fund balance. It is council’s judgment on how much to spend. Personally, I think $3 to $5 million is an appropriate amount. We just need to use it for substantial improvement projects as they come up and still keep a reserve. The town needs to have a reserve there.

Smith: We need to make sure there are no more extravagant projects like the firehouse. I have a budget‑conscious attitude. If we don’t cut spending and the revenue doesn’t come in as expected, we’ll be in trouble. In the future we should put big‑money projects to a vote of the people.

3. What do you feel is the best way to handle economic development in relation to the Easy Street project and the limitations of zoning and the town’s borders?

Schwan: Carefree’s zoning needs to stay the way it is.

The commercial zoning is appropriate; there should be no new commercial zoning. We need to use what we have to its best advantage, and Easy Street is an example of that.

Smith: We’ve got to get back to promoting tourism. We have to get those tour buses back in the community. We have to get together with Cave Creek and do some promotion, with the

Superbowl next year, and encourage people to come stay up here. There’ll be a lot of people coming to this area; why don’t we get a part of that money.

4. How do you feel about Carefree’s sales tax–is it too high?

Schwan: For the present, the sales tax is appropriate. In two or three years, it will need to be reviewed. Commercial development may allow us to reduce it. Remember, Sedona has a sales tax of 9.35 percent. Carefree’s is 9.3 percent. I don’t know anyone who stopped going to Sedona because the sales tax is too high.

Smith: It’s too high. I would’ve voted against it. The shop owners aren’t happy about it, either. We need to be more competitive. But it’s tough. We have to watch our budget. If we can cut our own (town) budgets, we can cut our sales tax.

5. Do you see any reason to propose a property tax?

Schwan: No. I see no reason to look for a property tax. Besides, any such tax would have to be voter‑approved.

Smith: Absolutely not. I would never support a property tax and I would never vote to establish a property tax.