PROP 406 VICTORY! WHAT’S NEXT?

By now you have probably heard that, thanks to the efforts of a vast number of Gilbert residents, whether through your email connections, calls, talking with neighbors, making signs, etc. to VOTE NO, Prop 406 was defeated!
This has been a year long process involving an incredible amount of work. The turnout was very high at 36,141 total votes. We beat the opposition by 4,641 votes. The percentages were 56.42% NO and 43.58% YES.
So, now what. When Thomas Jefferson said, “The price of freedom is eternal vigilance,” he wasn’t joking.
The Majority of the Gilbert Town Council (Linda Abbott, Dave Crozier, Les Presmyk, and John Sentz) had voted to send Prop 406 to the ballot, at a time when they knew it could cost the taxpayers about $250,000 for a special election. That cost came down when Prop 100 was added to the ballot. These Council Members have been persistent in their desire to increase revenue by taxing the private sector. The fact that hundreds of us have gone before the Council to speak to them about how the recession has affected us has been met with a fair amount of indifference. What they have perceived to be most important is the preservation of their reserve funds in addition to the maintenance of our “quality of life” as provided by the Town of Gilbert, compliments of the taxpayers.
Gilbert Watch has shifted gears and is now on “Council Watch” to see what happens next, and take action if necessary. Please look for the next entry titled "Council Watch" to know what to, you guessed it, "watch out for"!