Photo,
from left, Mayor Diane Joens, Congressman Paul Gosar, Cottonwood Economic
Development Director Casey Rooney, President and CEO of Northern Arizona
Goodwill Industries David Hirsch, Cottonwood City Manager Doug Bartosh, Mingus
Union High School Superintendent Paul Tighe, Verde Valley Medical Center
President and CEO Barbara Dember, and Schoolhouse Restaurant Chef Christopher
Dobrowolski.
By
Diane Joens
Congressman Gosar's Washington DC staff called me last week and informed me the Congressman would be in town touring a local cancer center and Home Depot, and wanted to meet for lunch. I put together a team of different leaders in the community including representatives from economic development, jobs, municipal government, schools and health care. Today we enjoyed lunch in Cottonwood at Schoolhouse Restaurant. We talked about water issues, changes in the health industry and school funding through Payment in Lieu of Taxes, or PILT. PILT is received by schools, counties and other agencies for land owned by the federal government, referred to as federal or public land, which is exempt from local property taxes. The PILT program provides payments to counties and other local governments to offset losses in tax revenues due to the presence of tax-exempt federal land in their jurisdictions. With all the cuts during the recession, every little bit helps the schools with our students' education. President Dember of VVMC shared the excellent partnership between VVMC and Verde Valley Caregivers, where return visits to the hospital have been greatly reduced...one of the lowest rates in the nation. Congressman Gosar was very interested in how that program works, and President Dember will be sending him more information.
We talked about job diversity and the need for livable wages. We shared information about the Holocaust program that Doug Bartosh teaches and the Congressman is interested in learning more. The course reminds each and every criminal justice professional that their true role is to uphold the U.S. Constitution and enforce individual rights and liberties for everyone.
We also met Congressman Gosar’s legislative assistant Trevor Pearson, who was quite knowledgeable. Mr. Pearson grew up in Williams, Arizona.
It was interesting how many topics we were able to cover in a short hour, but we got it done! Thank you Congressman Gosar for spending so much time in your district with your constituents.
Congressman Gosar's Washington DC staff called me last week and informed me the Congressman would be in town touring a local cancer center and Home Depot, and wanted to meet for lunch. I put together a team of different leaders in the community including representatives from economic development, jobs, municipal government, schools and health care. Today we enjoyed lunch in Cottonwood at Schoolhouse Restaurant. We talked about water issues, changes in the health industry and school funding through Payment in Lieu of Taxes, or PILT. PILT is received by schools, counties and other agencies for land owned by the federal government, referred to as federal or public land, which is exempt from local property taxes. The PILT program provides payments to counties and other local governments to offset losses in tax revenues due to the presence of tax-exempt federal land in their jurisdictions. With all the cuts during the recession, every little bit helps the schools with our students' education. President Dember of VVMC shared the excellent partnership between VVMC and Verde Valley Caregivers, where return visits to the hospital have been greatly reduced...one of the lowest rates in the nation. Congressman Gosar was very interested in how that program works, and President Dember will be sending him more information.
We talked about job diversity and the need for livable wages. We shared information about the Holocaust program that Doug Bartosh teaches and the Congressman is interested in learning more. The course reminds each and every criminal justice professional that their true role is to uphold the U.S. Constitution and enforce individual rights and liberties for everyone.
We also met Congressman Gosar’s legislative assistant Trevor Pearson, who was quite knowledgeable. Mr. Pearson grew up in Williams, Arizona.
It was interesting how many topics we were able to cover in a short hour, but we got it done! Thank you Congressman Gosar for spending so much time in your district with your constituents.
