Payson counsel briefs council on limits of using town resources during bond special election

Town legal staff briefed the Payson Common Council on June 11 about the statutory prohibition on using public resources to influence elections, a presentation the council requested after it called a special election on June 3 to submit a bond question to voters.

The presenter, identified in the meeting as Christina, told the council that state law (cited in the presentation as ARS 9-5-100.14) prohibits a city or town from using its resources—monetary or otherwise—to influence the outcome of an election. "An ARS nine-five 100.14 says a city or town shall not... spend or use its resources including expenditures of monies, accounts, credit, facilities, vehicles, postage, telecommunications, computer hardware and software, web pages, personnel, equipment, materials, buildings, of the town for the purpose of influencing the outcomes of elections," Christina said during the presentation.

Christina explained the analysis is twofold: (1) determine whether a public resource is being used (town-paid…