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July 19, 2023 www.DesertMessenger.com 15 Facebook.com/ DesertMessengerNews Quartzsite, AZ -Town of Quartzsite voters are being asked to consider a One-Time Override option on the November 7, 2023 ballot. Resolution 23-02 was approved by Quartzsite Council on January 24, 2023. The Resolution states, "The Mayor And Council of the Town of Quartzsite believe it to be in the best interest of the Town to seek a one-time expenditure override of $1,100,000 in excess of the Town's expenditure limitation for the 2024-25 fi scal year as a result of the undercount from the 2020 census and the associated reduction in the Town's expenditure limitation." WHAT IS THE EXPENDITURE LIMITATION? • Quartzsite, like all cities and towns in Arizona, is required to have a balanced budget where spending (expenditures) cannot exceed available revenues. • Additionally, in 1980 Arizona voters approved a constitutional amendment designed to limit the annual expenditures of all Arizona cities and towns. The law requires that each municipality adopt a lim- it on its annual expenditures based on a formula that is set by the state. This is known as the state-imposed expenditure limitation. • As Arizona municipalities began experiencing the growth that we still see today, with their revenues and budget demands growing, it became apparent that the state formula set no longer refl ected the revenue and expenditure needs of a rapidly growing state. • The Arizona Constitution was then amended to provide options to accommodate these growing fi nancial needs. One of these op- tions allows voters to authorize the Town Council to adopt an alterna- tive method for setting the Town's expenditure limit. This is known as the Alternative Expenditure Limita- tion. • Expenditures cannot exceed the town's expenditure limitation, thereby creating the required bal- ance budget. During the regular meeting on Tuesday, July 11, 1023 Quartzsite Council members approved tenta- tive annual BUDGET and expendi- ture limitation for fi scal year 2023- 24. The vote was unanimous. Town Manager Jim Ferguson said, "We've had additional adjustments this year since the last budget work session. The council has given a lot of attention to this budget. I'd like to thank our staff for their hard Proposition 401 work, especially to Kiki for putting up with all of us during this diffi cult time. Once you adopt this budget the public has time to make com- ments and then it comes back to the council. You can make changes only if it is a lower amount." Quartzsite Deputy Manager Kiki Tunnel told the council, "We still will receive revenues, and we still have it in our reserves, but we can't spend it. It's not lost." Resolution 23-02 states, "Council has called for an election to be held on November 7, 2023, to submit to the qualifi ed electors of the Town for the purpose of determining the following proposition: QUESTION: Shall the Town of Quartzsite be authorized a one-time override to expend $1,100,000 in excess of the Town's constitutional expenditure limitation pursuant to Article IX, Section 20, of the Arizo- na Constitution for the Town's fi scal year ending June 30, 2025? Voters can respond with either YES or NO. The Town has prepared a pam- phlet to assist voters in being pre- pared to exercise your right to vote in the November 7, 2023, election. Deadline to register to vote is Tues- day, October 10, 2023. Early voting begins October 11, 2023. An Early Ballot may be re- quested up to 90 days before the election by calling the La Paz County Recorder's Offi ce at (928) 669-6136. The last day to request an Early Ballot by mail is October 27, 2023. Please be advised that the U.S. Postal Service does not forward election mail. Any qualifi ed elector may vote an Early Ballot in person until 5:00 p.m. on November 3, 2023, at the La Paz County Record- er's Offi ce located at 1112 Joshua Ave., Suite 205, in Parker, Arizona. Satellite voting in Quartzsite date to be determined. For additional information contact Quartzsite Town Hall at 928-927- 4333 or visit www.QuartzsiteAZ.org Poi Spinning for Seniors Classes thru summer Poi is a ball on a cord (or in a sock) that you spin in circles around your body. Sound simple? It is! And it's also super fun, affordable, and sci- entifi cally proven to help your brain and body feel amazing. It is believed that Poi originally came from the Maori of New Zealand. Today, poi continues to play an important role in Maoridom and across the globe as a form of performance, play, and fi tness and now in Quartzsite, too! Last year, Quartzsite resident Sha- nana Rain Golden-Bear became qualifi ed as a Poi For Seniors Certi- fi ed SpinPoi Instructor from Dr. Kate Riegle van West from New Zealand. Golden-Bear was the third certifi ed SpinPoi instructor in the United States. Dr. Kate Riegle van West is a scientist, artist, and entrepreneur with a passion for play and wellbeing. She completed her PhD in the health benefi ts of poi at the University of Auckland, where she conducted the fi rst study to scientifi cally investigate the effects of poi on physical and cog- nitive function. She was awarded the Future Leader Award from the Royal Society of New Zealand and the Best Doctoral Thesis Award for her work in the poi/health fi eld. Poi has the perfect mix of physical and cognitive elements to keep your brain and body engaged. It's playful. It's rhythmic. It's challenging (yet achievable!). And it's backed by rig- orous scientifi c evidence: a clinical trial found that after just one month of poi practice, participants im- proved their grip strength, balance, and attention. Classes are held each Monday at 10:30am at Quartzsite Senior Center, 40 Moon Mountain Ave. Classes are donation based with $1 minimum to the Senior Center. Poi socks will be provided for your use. Sitting and standing movements will be taught. For more information visit www.QuartzsitePoi.com or call Rain at 928-916-4235. Desert Messenger offers FREE Classifi ed Ads! Here's the small print: Items for sale under $500. Private Party Only. 1 per month. Yard/Garage/Craft Sales, Wanted, Give-a-ways, Free, Lost & Found, etc. (non-commercial) For more information, contact Rain at 928-916-4235 or Email: Editor@DesertMessenger.com