The election is upon us and WeSERV Candidate Interview Workgroups have completed their interviews and candidate forums. It has been a busy year beginning in January when our Southeast Valley chapter interviewed Tempe candidates in preparation for the March elections. West Valley and Southeast Valley chapters interviewed candidates in May and June running in the August primary elections and finally in September our West Valley and Cochise Chapters interviewed candidates running in the November election.
If you would like to see the candidates WeSERV endorsed running for office, you can see the complete list at www.weservgad.org. click on Candidates and Elections.
As you look over your ballot for the Tuesday election, you will see judges are on the ballot. Depending on where you live you may have several or a few judges to re-elect. Those of you in Maricopa County are looking at 55 judges. So how do you make a decision on which judges to re-elect? I posted a blog last week with resources and tools to help you judge the judges.
In my blogpost I also provide links to two resources, both from Justice Scalia. The first is an interview on C-Span in which Justice Scalia describes how to judge a judge. The second interview was with PBS News Hour.
On October 20th WeSERV was able to host ADEQ, the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality at our West Valley office. Wendy Flood and Tereza Marks presented updated information to members on superfund sites, site cleanup, septic tank and UST resources and a variety of other information members and their clients need or want to know.
Last October I posted several ADEQ maps. You can find them at www.weservgad.org, click on Maps.
This was an in person event, but we recorded it. Look for the video at www.weservgad.org. In addition to the video, I placed links to several of the maps on the weservgad.org website in October of 2021. The maps are interactive so you and your clients can zoom into a particular parcel of land.
Last week, WeSERV hosted small roundtable discussions with property managers and the Department of Revenue. One at our Southeast Valley office and one at our Peoria office. The Department updated us on several improvements and resources. First of all, the new PMC only email has been active since early summer. Do not use the old PMC data email.
An updated tool you may not have seen, when you submit TPT, there is the ability to click a button to show the entire amount of TPT due and to see each property and its amount owed. This preview page will help you to see if there are any discrepancies prior to submitting TPT. The DOR has reviewed and updated their rounding, so rounding errors converting to fines should be no more.
DOR has also created a PMC only webpage with checklists and video tutorials. I would like to thank the Department for spending two mornings with us. We appreciate their continued conversation and process improvements.
Our members in the City of Maricopa have identified problems and confusing elements of the newly updated City of Maricopa sign ordinance. As a result, WeSERV has sent a letter requesting clarification of various elements in the ordinance and providing suggestions for a better, less confusing ordinance. You can read the letter sent to the city at www.weservgad.org.
Most likely you are aware the United States Supreme Court is in session. Here are a few of the cases you may find interesting:
Sackett v EPA – 303 Creative v Elenis – and two Arizona water cases: Department of Interior v Navajo Nation and Arizona v Navajo Nation.
The CFPB is back in the news. In September a complaint was filed against the CFPB regarding the agency’s 2022 update to its unfair, deceptive or abusive acts and practices or UDAAP for short. The complaint says the CFPB misinterpreted its UDAAP authority when it added discriminatory conduct under UDAAP.
The second case is a ruling form the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals. In that ruling the court found the funding mechanism for the CFPB is unconstitutional since the agency gets its funding form the Federal Reserve not the legislature through the appropriations process.
The week of November 14th, the Government Affairs City Liaison teams will be meeting with cities in West Valley and Southeast Valley to update them on the real estate market and trends. Each city will get an update from their WeSERV liaison team and the cities will be able to have a conversation and update our liaisons on items of importance at the city.
Our November Government Affairs meeting will be on November 9th, from 10:30am to 12noon. All WeSERV members are invited to attend in person or via zoom. Please register to attend whichever attendance option you choose.
WeSERV GAD: Advocating for private property rights, the right to private contract and YOUR business!