OPINION — Paradise Valley’s Town Council voted 5-2 to place expenditure-limit (426) and the capital projects accumulation fund exemption (427) on the November ballot. Paul Dembow’s repeated derogatory claims about Mayor Stanton raise a question of their own: why keep attacking the mayor instead of debating the measures?
Similarly, Dembow’s earlier comments about the mayor’s inability to stop the threatened closure of the Town Hall Post Office were inaccurate. After the U.S. Postal Service announced its plans, Stanton, Town Manager Andrew Ching and others worked diligently to preserve it. They reached a rare agreement that kept the post office open. Residents were grateful and reelected Stanton in July.
The proposed expenditure limit adjustments would give the town authority to use available funds when necessary; it would not require the town to spend up to the limit. The separate measures would address spending on improvements such as street and sewer systems. Construction and insurance costs make it especially important to plan for expensive projects and emergencies. Town budgets would still be adopted in public meetings where residents can voice concerns.
