Court scraps Scottsdale sales tax proposition

(The Center Square)— An Arizona appellate court shot down the City of Scottsdale’s sales tax proposition on Monday.

The proposition would have replaced the 0.2% sales tax set to expire on June 30, 2025, with a 0.15% tax cut beginning July 1, 2025, if passed into law by voters in November.

The ruling said that the “city’s description of the measure” does not mention that a “new tax” is would be implemented for 30 years, and therefore confusing voters on whether to vote “yes” or “no.”

“Today's court decision on Scottsdale's Prop 490 confirms some of the doubts that Councilwoman Littlefield and I shared—which is why we voted not to refer the measure to the ballot,” Councilman Barry Graham tweeted. “Residents deserve straightforward, clear communication from their city government. The court found this ballot measure did not meet that standard.”

A lawsuit supported by the Goldwater Institute took issue with how it was branded as a tax reduction even though the higher tax was going to expire anyways.

“Today’s decision vindicates the rights of taxpayers who deserve honesty from their local officials -- especially when it comes to the money hardworking Arizonans are required to fork over to the government,” the think tank said in a statement. “Local leaders in Scottsdale and across Arizona should consider themselves warned: public officials should not be in the business of deceiving taxpayers so they’ll vote to raise taxes on ourselves,”

The city did not respond in time for publication.