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Council hears state legislative package that could cut local revenue and limit municipal authority
Summary
City analyst Rob Whistler warned several bills moving through the state legislature could strip cities' ability to tax certain items, freeze local fees without voter approval, shift online sales-tax revenue, and allow private permitting — potentially costing Apache Junction millions annually.
Rob Whistler, management analyst in the city manager’s office, told the Apache Junction City Council on Feb. 17 that a set of bills at the state Capitol could sharply reduce local revenue and curtail municipal authority.
“These bills would eliminate the ability for cities and towns to tax food for home consumption,” Whistler said, adding that the city could “lose about $3,500,000 annually” if the measure passed. He said the food-tax proposals had not yet been heard in committee at the time of his presentation but stressed looming committee deadlines that could determine their fate.
Whistler also…
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