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PAYSON ROUNDUP
75 CENTS
F R I D AY | O C T O B E R 3 1 , 2 0 1 4 | PAY S O N , A R I Z O N A
Food drive falters BY
Payson gets a cut
Fall’s Final Flare
Voter approval of excise tax would provide $800,000 annually for roads BY
ALEXIS BECHMAN
BY
PETE ALESHIRE
ROUNDUP EDITOR
Pete Aleshire/Roundup
Tips for fall color treks BY
DENNIS PIRCH
ROUNDUP OUTDOOR COLUMNIST
The fall months with the last days of Indian summer offer the hiker and other outdoor enthusiasts perfect weather conditions to view the changing colors of the leaves before the winter snows arrive. In the northern tier of states, the fall foliage has already reached its peak with the rainbow of colors in the numerous species of deciduous trees. Obviously, Arizona far to the south, is a bit later with the peak colors happening the last week of October at the 5,000to 6,000-foot level just under the Mogollon Rim.
Arizona has extreme elevation changes where the climate can vary from the alpine forest to the arid desert valley. This can dictate when the color peaks. Payson sits at 5,000 feet elevation in the foothills of the Mogollon Rim which can rise to 7,500. The area has a number of small canyons that harbor ash, maple, oak, aspen, sycamore and cottonwoods, creating brilliant color displays at this time of year. In the northern region of the Tonto National Forest, the heavy ponderosa pine growth covers most of the hillsides and steeper canyons, but at the canyon floors where there may be year-round See Final flare, page 9A
Secretary of state candidate Terry Goddard swept through Payson Thursday pursuing his full-throated crusade to force disclosure of the sources of “dark money” that increasingly dominates political campaigns. “Arizona’s the Cayman Islands of dark money,” said the former Arizona attorney general, now locked in a dead-heat race with former state senator Michele Reagan for the office that oversees elections. “Arizona’s where dark money goes to play.” He noted that the host of supposed citizen education groups that now don’t have to disclose the source of their funding have pumped some $15 million into state elections this year. That doesn’t include $300,000 the group 60 Plus Association dumped into attack ads on Goddard this week. The group was originally established as a nonprofit to advocate for privatizing Social Security, but has become one of a host of groups that now operate their own campaigns without disclosing donors. Goddard vowed to push for laws that would force the groups to disclose their sources of funding if they get involved in political campaigns and take out ads, just as candidates and political action committees must now do. If the Legislature refuses to adopt disclosure laws like those in California and a host of other states, he vowed to Secretary of state candidate Terry Goddard and his wife, Monica, made a stop in Payson Thursday. See Goddard, page 7A
Marchers rally to recall victims of domestic violence BY
KELLY GRIFFITH
ROUNDUP INTERN
A heartening 120 walkers turned out on Wednesday to celebrate life and survival this year at Time Out’s Annual Candlelight Walk. Those in attendance proudly expressed their support with candles, glow sticks and signs that said things like, “Stand up for your rights” and “Break the silence.” After singing a few songs of celebration, members of Time Out and Pastor Donovan Christian of Expedition Church, which sponsored the walk this year, spoke at the short program that followed the walk. The marchers turned out to honor the victims of domestic violence in Gila County, with crosses scattered all over town before the
Keith Morris/Roundup
About 120 people marched Wednesday to help the Time Out Shelter raise awareness of the leading cause of violent crime in Payson. event. Domestic violence remains the most common violent crime in Payson and the most dangerous call officers answer. Reports of domestic violence are one of the
few categories of crime that rose during the recession in the past few years. Elizabeth Keddington, advocate for community awareness for
made this year’s walk possible and gave special thanks to Chuck Bailey, who is the man who made See Marchers, page 2A
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Time Out, was the first to take the stage. “Let’s get out there and end this,” said Keddington. She thanked everyone who
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VOLUME 25, NO. 87
Goddard’s secretary of state campaign focuses on revealing political donors
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WEATHER Weekend: Mostly sunny with a chance for rain. Details, 9A
See Payson, page 2A
Dark money crusade
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See Community, page 2A
That would be a huge boost to the town’s streets and roads fund. Currently, Payson spends about $2 million a year on its roads. Garrett said this doesn’t even cover maintenance. The town used to spend $500,000 slurry sealing the streets annually, but now can afford only $50,000. The town has also canceled road projects because it just doesn’t have the money, especially after the Legislature diverted hundreds of millions of dollars from the gas-tax-based HURF fund that would normally go to cities and towns. Instead, the money now goes to the Department of Public Safety and the Department of Motor Vehicles. Garrett said if Prop. 404 passes, the town could finally consider overhauling Manzanita and Bonita streets, both badly in need of repair.
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For the first time in its 20-year history, the Town of Payson may receive a chunk of the half-cent transportation excise tax if voters agree to extend it. For the last two decades, the transportation excise tax has generated $30 million in transportation improvements for Gila County. All of the money went to roadway improvement projects in the county, but the towns of Globe and Payson didn’t get a cent. This time if voters approve Proposition 404, the county will receive half of the money while the towns will split the rest based on population, said LaRon Garrett, assistant town manager. Payson could get about 28 percent of revenue generated through the tax or $750,000 to $800,000 annually.
ROUNDUP STAFF REPORTER
With its cupboard bare, the Payson Area Food Drive is limping along. Chuck Proudfoot, who is directing the drive, said Thursday that backers are gearing up for a major holiday push with the demand for food from needy families and retirees ever constant. “Donations are down and we are feeling it,” said Jim Bridges, co-president of the Payson St. Vincent de Paul Food Bank. Last year, the PAFD tried to run a food drive year-round, given the success of holiday drives over the past five years. But that effort struggled with many businesses and groups not participating and residents unable to give. “I call it compassion fatigue,” Proudfoot said. This year, organizers are once again focusing on a holiday food drive, often one of the busiest times of the year for food banks. Last year, the community food drive brought in nearly $54,000. This, combined with $12,000 carried over from the 2013 drive kept two area food banks going for most of 2014. In October, the PAFD coffers dried up with treasurer John Wilson writing the last check to St. Vincent de Paul Food Bank. The St. Vincent de Paul Food Bank received about 72 percent of the donated money, or $35,000. But the money couldn’t stretch to cover the hundreds who show up every week for assistance. The Community Presbyterian Church Food Bank off Main Street got $27,000 from the food drive. Both food banks receive food deliveries monthly from United Food Bank of the Valley, but rely heavily on donations. Neither food bank knows what United Food Bank will send them from one month to the next. It could include meat, bottled water or just miscellaneous cans. They rarely get eggs or canned fruits. Volunteers try to include at least canned fruits and vegetables, cereal, a meat product and bread. If they don’t get supplies from United, both food banks buy groceries locally, often spending thousands at Walmart, Bashas’ and Safeway. Ironically, the PAFD has learned that many of these stores have changed their corporate policies and will no longer let the PAFD place food collection boxes inside their stores. This could deliver a huge blow the drive’s food collection. Proudfoot said he is looking into other drop-off locations, including the fire stations and businesses, but doesn’t yet know where they will place food collection boxes. The group is hoping residents
ALEXIS BECHMAN
ROUNDUP STAFF REPORTER
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