An increase in commercial property and vacant land values may mean extra tax revenue for Scottsdale and East Valley municipalities and school districts, which are struggling to balance their budgets.

When students at Paradise Valley High School take culinary arts classes, they need the proper supplies — stainless steel sinks and commercialgrade freezers and kitchen appliances.

Dr. Janie Hydrick talked values and education while Sen. John McComish defended his record and explained plans for the future during a candidate forum at Mountain Pointe High School on Wednesday night.

Arizona Trade Exchange is growing. A business-to-business barter network, the Mesa-based company offers hundreds of businesses and individuals an advantage in the weathered economy.

Arizona Trade Exchange is growing. A business-to-business barter network, the Mesa-based company offers hundreds of businesses and individuals an advantage in the weathered economy.

East Valley organizers have formed a group to oppose state Sen. Russell Pearce, hoping to build momentum on a local level for a different approach to immigration and other key issues.

East Valley organizers have formed a group to oppose state Sen. Russell Pearce, hoping to build momentum on a local level for a different approach to immigration and other key issues.

East Valley organizers have formed a group to oppose state Sen. Russell Pearce, hoping to build momentum on a local level for a different approach to immigration and other key issues.

Nothing Scottsdale has done or likely will ever do will have as many implications for the future as the creation and continued growth of the McDowell Sonoran Preserve.

Beginning this October, tax bills for Mesa property owners will include a secondary property tax.

Scottsdale’s McDowell Sonoran Preserve, as has been said many times in this space, is the city’s crown jewel, a marvelous plan for perpetual preservation of land to help create what many believe would be the largest such preserve in any U.S. city.

Kenneth Pfrang, whose property at Arizona Avenue and Frye Road caters to auto-related businesses, says it’s unfair for Chandler to tax him for a downtown beautification district when he doesn’t benefit from the program.

Though a proposal before the Gilbert Town Council wouldn’t increase the town’s property tax rate, property owners would still be facing bigger bills.

Though a proposal before the Gilbert Town Council wouldn’t increase the town’s property tax rate, property owners would still be facing bigger bills.

State senators approved their own version of a property tax revolt Monday. Without a word of dissent, the Senate gave preliminary approval to a measure to cap the year-over-year increase in the taxable value of homes and businesses to no more than 2 percent.

State senators approved their own version of a property tax revolt Monday. Without a word of dissent, the Senate gave preliminary approval to a measure to cap the year-over-year increase in the taxable value of homes and businesses to no more than 2 percent.

 Those parents who are attacking East Valley school districts such as Gilbert, Queen Creek and Tempe Union for considering additional requirements for high school students to graduate need to understand the big picture.

Debate on the death tax is alive and well in the U.S. Senate race. Republican incumbent Jon Kyl and Democratic challenger Jim Pederson both want the estate tax changed to help smallbusiness owners pass along their businesses to succeeding generations.

Scottsdale will ask voters this spring to open their wallets to help pay for the expansion of the McDowell Sonoran Preserve and future publicsafety needs.

Sen. Jon Kyl, R-Ariz., released the first TV commercial of his reelection campaign Wednesday, striking back against Democratic challenger Jim Pederson, who has been gaining political traction with three different TV commercials since April 12.

The sweet deal Scottsdale homeowners are getting this coming year on the city’s lowest property tax rate in decades won’t mean much come 2008.

The sweet deal Scottsdale homeowners are getting this coming year on the city’s lowest property tax rate in decades won’t mean much come 2008.

Gilbert Councilman Dave Crozier wants the Town Council to reconsider the town’s recently approved property tax rate — in light of proposed statewide initiatives that would retroactively force governments to decrease tax hikes.

The hours the Scottsdale City Council spent this week battling over the proposed property tax rate appears to have paid off for Scottsdale homeowners.