Steady Leadership is Key to Navigating Difficult Times
The COVID-19 pandemic has created a ripple effect that impacts almost every aspect of everyday life. The implications for the Town of Paradise Valley are significant, and your Town Council is working diligently to address those moving forward.
Mayor Jerry Bien-Willner is closely in touch with the Arizona Department of Health Services, the Governor’s Office and other Arizona mayors to keep abreast of the state’s response, and he has been a calm and steady hand during this process.
Personally, I have worked on Town Council to support measures that will assist our Town’s resorts in overcoming the recent economic downturn. Initial effort included:
• Temporarily relaxing Town ordinances to allow businesses to put banner signage out front, so that they can update potential patrons on their business status during the COVID-19 crisis.
• Supporting an expedited application by the owners of the Sanctuary Resort to expand their pool deck to better promote social distancing.
We’re looking at additional ways to support local resorts, restaurants, businesses and faith-based organizations during this time as well, and will continue to listen to resident input on how we can best be of service.
But one of the most critical items we’re working on is planning for the Town’s fiscal future. There’s no denying that the COVID-19 crisis and resulting stay-at-home orders have had a negative impact on our local economy, and on the Town’s revenue base as well.
Recently, the Town Council considered revenue models that included scenarios ranging from relatively quick economic recovery to a more prolonged economic downturn. Right now, we’re working off an estimate that we may see as much as a 40 percent drop in Town revenue this year. It’s as significant a fiscal challenge as our Town has ever faced, and we’re going to have to make a lot of tough choices to balance fiscal responsibility while preserving essential services.
Fortunately, I have been involved in Town government for a decade now, so I have seen how the Town has managed its finances in good times and bad. The good news is that the Town has learned from past economic downturns and has planned appropriately for this unexpected drop in revenue.
As we finalize our budgets for next fiscal year, I will be working with my colleagues to focus on several key priorities:
• Ensuring that critical services such as law enforcement and public safety are as minimally impacted as possible.
• Creating an environment in Paradise Valley were businesses can maximize their opportunities to rebound.
• Continuing to ensure that the Town operates all of its services in as fiscally prudent way as possible.
• Ensuring that despite this downturn, our residents never see a property tax in our community.
With these goals in mind, I am optimistic that the Town of Paradise Valley will emerge from this crisis stronger than ever before — and perhaps we all will cherish the things that make this community great just a little bit more.
I welcome the input of all Town residents as we plan for the community’s future. If you have any questions, comments or feedback, please e-mail me at scott@scottmooreaz.com and I will be happy to connect. In the meantime, I wish all Paradise Valley residents safety and health in the coming days.