Carefree Truth

Issue #233, April , 2013 

 

 

Ex Councilman Greg Gardner addressed the Council about Carefree's past role in contributing to the 501(c)3 non-profit organizations that serve our community.  A number of years ago, Mayor Ed Morgan appointed then Councilman Gardner to create a committee that would make recommendations to the Council on the how much to contribute and to whom.  3% of the budget, approximately $100,000, was contributed each fiscal year.  Mr Gardner pointed out fellow committee members Lyn Hitchon and Ralph Pipp, who were in the audience.  

 

 

 

Interested local non-profits were asked to supply a packet listing their mission statement, financial statement, most recent tax return, and the amount of their request, in advance of the public meeting.  During the meeting, representatives spoke on behalf of their respective organizations, after which the committee submitted their recommendations. The Councils always agreed with the recommendations submitted, and funds were dispersed accordingly.  The committee was disbanded and the contributions stopped in 2009, following the global economic crash.    

 

 

 

Mr. Gardner explained that Carefree and Cave Creek have elected to outsource most social services to the local 501(c)3s which pick up part of the load that is provided by government in the larger cities such as Scottsdale which fund arts, libraries and museums, and said he agrees with Carefree's and Cave Creek's policy for our smaller towns.

 

 

He stated, however, that the non-profit organizations are the glue that holds our community together and that they raise property values.  He added that all communities have capital projects but asked Carefree to once again consider investing in "human capital", which he considers as important as physical capital, and asked that contributions to the 501(c)3 organizations be considered once again in the budgeting process soon to commence.  He suggested that either a capped fixed amount or a percentage of sales tax revenues be used for that purpose, or if all the budgeted contingency funds are not spent, to consider donating from that source.        

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NHLVXB5Bux8

 

 

Lyn Hitchon

 

 

 

Prepared by Carefree Truth

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