Page Rejects Property Tax
By Elisha Dorfsmith
The Coconino County Elections Office has just released the unofficial results of today’s general election for the City of Page. Over 75% of ballots cast were NO votes against Proposition 407 which would have created the first ever property tax in the 38 year history of the city.
Today’s vote is the only time Page residents have had a chance to weigh in on the idea of a city property tax. Some media outlets thought Page voters would jump at the prospects of a tax if they just had an opportunity to approve it.
Tonight’s election results can be found HERE.
IRS Protests Planned Tomorrow
By Elisha Dorfsmith
On Tuesday, May 21st, citizens across the country will be holding sign waving protests at their local IRS office between noon and 1:00 pm. These protests are in response to the massive abuse of power by the IRS and the targeting of certain political groups.
From what I understand, there is a protest planned in Flagstaff at the IRS office at 1633 South Plaza Way. If you attend, please send me some pictures. Unfortunately, I have a scheduling conflict and can’t make it.
For further reading, see:
Ron Paul: Fix IRS By Shutting It ‘Once And For All’
Flagstaff Food Freedom Resolution Draft Completed
By Elisha Dorfsmith
At our May 16 meeting, Flagstaff Liberty Alliance voted to move forward with our goal to get a proposed Food Freedom Resolution passed at the City and County levels.
As many of you know, Flagstaff Liberty Alliance has been working to collect signatures from people across the region who support a food freedom ordinance. Our resolution is similar to that ordinance except it won’t have the teeth that an ordinance has. It’s a statement rather than a law.
We feel that a resolution is a big first step in the right direction and will send a powerful message that Northern Arizona supports local food and food freedom.
We will continue collecting signatures at our events for the food freedom resolution. You can find a list of our upcoming events HERE.
For further reading, please see:
Why Does Flagstaff Need A Food Freedom Ordinance?
Local Food A Trending Topic In Flagstaff
Our draft resolution has borrowed heavily from resolutions that have passed in cities and counties across the country. The text of the draft resolution reads:
A RESOLUTION RECOGNIZING THE RIGHTS OF INDIVIDUALS AND GROUPS TO GROW AND CONSUME THEIR OWN FOOD
WHEREAS, the people of the City of Flagstaff historically have maintained and enjoyed the right to raise food for themselves and their families; and
WHEREAS, family farms, sustainable agricultural practices and food processing by individuals, families and small, locally based firms offer stability to our City by enhancing the economic, environmental and social wealth of our community; and
WHEREAS, in this day and age, there are many barriers to people raising their own food and livestock, including the land required for such activities, capital costs, accessibility, time, knowledge, and skills; and
WHEREAS, as part of the right to raise food for themselves and their families, the people have and maintain the right to raise such food on their own land, subject to zoning and land use laws, and where desired, to contract with others to rent sufficient land for the growing of that food, for boarding their poultry and livestock, and for hiring services related to its care, maintenance, raising, and harvesting; and
WHEREAS, as part of that right, the people have the right to own, and where they deem it convenient to share ownership of, such agricultural activities, livestock, and other food producing animals for their own use, enjoyment, and consumption; and
WHEREAS, no local, state or federal law bars any person from raising their own food for use by themselves and their families; and
WHEREAS, in the interests of a vibrant local economy, it is important that the rights outlined above be maintained and that City officials encourage a healthy and environmentally friendly form of small scale agriculture.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Flagstaff City Council supports, endorses, and encourages the recognition of the right and freedom of people to raise their own food, including food derived from agricultural animals, for the enjoyment of themselves and their families, either by their own investment and labor or through the assistance of others through contractual arrangements.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Flagstaff City Council recognizes the right of people to contract with others for the production, processing and delivery of food for home consumption on terms set solely by the contracting parties and not subject to regulations designed for the public sale of such foods.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Flagstaff City Council supports the adoption of local, state, and federal laws that support and encourage the American people to continue and expand the activities of raising food for themselves and their families.
Photo by: Monika Janczuk
Flagstaff Council Moves Forward With Wildlife Feeding Ordinance
By Elisha Dorfsmith
The Flagstaff City Council voted 4-1 this evening to move forward with a proposed wildlife feeding ordinance with Council Member Jeff Oravits casting the dissenting vote. Council Members Mark Woodson and Coral Evans were excused from tonight’s meeting.
Before deciding to move forward, council heard a presentation from Arizona Game and Fish explaining why they believe an ordinance is needed. They listed a variety of diseases that wild animals carry and the problems wildlife cause in residential neighborhoods.
While the proposed ordinance will exempt the feeding of birds and squirrels, bird lovers could still be affected. The representative from Arizona Game and Fish explained that if the wind is shaking your bird feeder and the seed falls out and larger wild animals are attracted, you could get a knock on the door from law enforcement.
Those with fruit trees could also be impacted. If fruit falls out of your tree and it attracts wild animals, you will be in violation of the law.
A handful of residents, evenly split on the ordinance, voiced their opinion to council with one resident calling the situation “a manufactured issue” dealing with one person who has been feeding deer and elk in the Country Club area. Do we really want more laws and bigger government because of one homeowner? She asked.
Council will be revisiting the issue in the coming weeks once City staff prepares a draft ordinance.
Deer eating bird seed.
Local Food A Trending Topic In Flagstaff
By Elisha Dorfsmith
The topic of local food in Flagstaff has long been discussed on social media sites and local blogs (including this one). The subject has taken off lately with two recent articles in the Arizona Daily Sun discussing local beef and restrictions on animal keeping within the City limits.
A lot of people take the food supply on their local store shelf for granted. What many people don’t realize is that most cities and towns across the country only have a 3-day (at the most) food supply on hand. Since most of our food travels a great distance to get here, natural disasters or other catastrophic events could easily disrupt the supply line.
The near complete reliance on outside food is a very shortsighted and dangerous position that we have allowed ourselves to be put in.
Animal Keeping Restrictions
One of the barriers to a local, more sustainable food supply in Flagstaff is restrictions on Animal keeping. Right now chickens and other small animals must be kept at least 50′ from any structure. Very few people in Flagstaff have that much space on their property.
See: Urban Chickens and the City of Flagstaff
The Flagstaff Sustainability Department is currently working with Community Development to revise the animal keeping part of the City Code to ease the excessive restrictions. The details are still being worked out but from what I’ve heard and read I think that things are moving in a very positive direction. Once the changes are ready to present to Council we will need people to speak up and let Council know that Flagstaff supports urban farming.
Food Freedom
As many of you know, Flagstaff Liberty Alliance spent a lot of time working on and collecting signatures for a local Food Freedom Ordinance. After meeting with and discussing the ordinance with several Council members, we have decided that it would be best to start with a resolution at the City and County level.
We’re currently working out the wording of our proposed resolution and will be sharing it with the Flagstaff City Council and Coconino County Board of Supervisors soon. The resolution won’t have the teeth that the ordinance does but it will make a powerful statement and is a great first step in our quest for local food freedom.
Please keep in mind that we have not given up on a future Food Freedom Ordinance. We have just come to the realization that it is more realistic to take the issue on one piece at a time rather than in one giant step that could potentially fail.
Food freedom unites people across the political spectrum and we need to get everyone on board and working together to achieve our goals. This takes time but things are moving in the right direction.
Further Reading
What Is Food Freedom?
http://mendofoodfreedom.com/2011/10/01/what-is-food-freedom/
Food Freedom USA
Raw Milk Now Available At Flagstaff Farmers Market
http://flagliberty.wordpress.com/2013/05/01/raw-milk-now-available-at-flagstaff-farmers-market/
Council To Address Animal Feeding On Tuesday
By Elisha Dorfsmith
At their May 14 work session, the Flagstaff City Council will look into a possible Animal Feeding Ordinance currently being pushed by Arizona Game and Fish. According to Council Member Jeff Oravits, this ordinance should only apply to large game and not squirrels and birds.
The push for an ordinance stems from issues at Continental Country Club where residents are feuding over the right to put food out for deer, elk and other large wild animals.
A petition being circulated around town against the ordinance reportedly has several hundred signatures. Just about everyone I have talked to is opposed to an ordinance. I personally don’t think we need another law that punishes everyone just because a handful of people are having a problem.
International Energy Code
The Council will also be considering adoption of the 2012 International Energy Code. If adopted as is, this code will bring about major changes in how buildings are constructed within the City limits. It will also greatly increase the cost of construction.
The biggest change would be the the requirement of raised heel trusses to accommodate R-49 attic insulation. This change in truss design will necessitate 9′ sheets of siding rather than the standard 8′ as well as possible installation of an air ventilation system because the building would end up being too air tight.
As a member of the Flagstaff Sustainability commission, I have submitted several suggestions for changes to the code. The Flagstaff Sustainability Commission as a whole also voted to officially recommend 1 pint over waterless urinals at our April meeting. Minutes from that meeting can be found here:
http://flagstaff.az.gov/DocumentCenter/View/41891
Should the City of Flagstaff ban the feeding of large game?
The GOP Civil War Over Libertarianism
By Elisha Dorfsmith
In the video below, Matt Welch (Reason Magazine) discusses many of the conflicts in the Republican Party that I’ve talked about in the past on my blog. This “civil war” is taking place from the national to the local level.
It is interesting to note that in many parts of the Country Ron Paul supporters and tea party members have decided to work together to fight the establishment. Strangely, in Coconino County the establishment worked with the tea party to keep Ron Paul supporters out.
As I’ve said many times, the Republican Party is at a crossroads. They can either embrace liberty and grow or push liberty minded people away and become irrelevant forever.
Ron Paul supporters at the 2012 Arizona GOP Convention.
