Sun City West budget committee backs proposed 4.9% dues increase, defers $300,000 website project pending RFP

Christine Novello, chair of the Sun City West Budget & Finance Committee and the association treasurer, said the committee had consensus to forward the operating budget to the governing board without changes and to move a policy review (FI‑12) on to the board for final consideration.

The decision matters because the committee and residents debated how the association balances one-year operating needs with long-term capital funding. Committee members and residents discussed a $300,000 capital line for a website redesign that the governing board removed on April 17, the mechanics of the reserve fund, a projected $100,000 drop in operating interest income and the recommended 4.9% membership‑dues increase (to $598). Resident Bruce Lees urged cutting the dues rise to 3.5% ($590) and argued the stripped $300,000 could permit a smaller increase; the committee and staff explained why those accounts are modeled separately.

Committee finance staff member Cliff said, "The only change since our last meeting is that the website redesign that was in the capital budget was not voted to move forward in the budget." He and Novello explained the governing board kept the concept but directed the general manager to create a scope of work and specify it in an RFP before funding the project. Novello said that if the RFP and…