Legislative Victory in AZ! - Self-Storage Talk

teri_l · #1 (**permalink**) 1st July 2009, 02:34 PM

The Arizona legislature was up all night bickering over the state budget. Amazingly, it also voted on about 30 bills, one of which led to a huge victory for self-storage operators in the state. I spoke this morning with Richard Marmor, who spearheaded HB2435 on behalf of the Arizona Self Storage Association. He gave me the scoop:

Legislative Victory for Arizona Self-Storage Operators!

So, AZ managers and operators ... what do you think? What about the rest of you -- does this give you hope?

Just so you're aware, it's possible that Gov. Jan Brewer could still veto this bill. Word is she's peeved over the budget skirmish. Keep your fingers crossed!

Gina6k · #2 (**permalink**) 1st July 2009, 02:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by teri_l

What about the rest of you -- does this give you hope?

Simple answer is no!
Reuter's article on the California budget crisis here. IOUs are going out in CA, and then there is the issue on interest to be paid on the IOUs, and we're in a heap of hurt. Fire season is upon us and we're laying off firefighter, law enforcement and State workers are facing three days per month with no pay. Although trimming the fat in Sac is a good thing in my humble opinion, but this state is in serious financial trouble.

Maybe Guvenator Ahhnold (sic) should do a Hollywood blockbuster end-of- days type movie on the budget crisis and get us out of the hole?!

alexlekas · #3 (**permalink**) 1st July 2009, 04:41 PM

when any state's lawmakers get together, hope is usually in scarce supply, right alongside reason and responsibility. Lots of states have tried to tax self storage. It is amazing that while businesses and individuals find ways to reduce expenses, govt innoculates itself from the logic of that approach, seeking instead ways of sucking even more blood from constituents.

What Gina describes in CA is typical - when in doubt (doubt defined as a public not willingly accepting tax increases), threaten to lay off teachers, cops, and firemen. Oddly, there is never a word about trimming any layer of high five-figure to six-figure bureaucracy, and there are plenty within the public sector earning that. Are they all worth it? Good question. Are they all necessary? Better question. Perhaps some who have been through layoffs at their companies can explain to displaced colleagues why a deputy assistant superintendent is crucial but they are expendable.

Better stop before this gets into high gear.

Mel Holsinger · #4 (**permalink**) 1st July 2009, 05:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by alexlekas

when any state's lawmakers get together, hope is usually in scarce supply, right alongside reason and responsibility. Lots of states have tried to tax self storage. It is amazing that while businesses and individuals find ways to reduce expenses, govt innoculates itself from the logic of that approach, seeking instead ways of sucking even more blood from constituents.

What Gina describes in CA is typical - when in doubt (doubt defined as a public not willingly accepting tax increases), threaten to lay off teachers, cops, and firemen. Oddly, there is never a word about trimming any layer of high five-figure to six-figure bureaucracy, and there are plenty within the public sector earning that. Are they all worth it? Good question. Are they all necessary? Better question. Perhaps some who have been through layoffs at their companies can explain to displaced colleagues why a deputy assistant superintendent is crucial but they are expendable.

Better stop before this gets into high gear.

Let me chime in here. Our Board of Directors(volunteers all) have worked very hard to get this and other legislation done for our members and this is another example of what hard work, dedication and commitment can accomplish. Richard is an amazing person, he puts in almost a full time job on behalf of our Association ( Arizona Self Storage Association) and this bill will significantly lower our operating costs.

This is a call to all of you who are not a member of your state Association, Please join and help get things like this done for your state.

Congratulations to Richard and the entire Association.

Mel Holsinger · #5 (**permalink**) 1st July 2009, 05:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by alexlekas

when any state's lawmakers get together, hope is usually in scarce supply, right alongside reason and responsibility. Lots of states have tried to tax self storage. It is amazing that while businesses and individuals find ways to reduce expenses, govt innoculates itself from the logic of that approach, seeking instead ways of sucking even more blood from constituents.

What Gina describes in CA is typical - when in doubt (doubt defined as a public not willingly accepting tax increases), threaten to lay off teachers, cops, and firemen. Oddly, there is never a word about trimming any layer of high five-figure to six-figure bureaucracy, and there are plenty within the public sector earning that. Are they all worth it? Good question. Are they all necessary? Better question. Perhaps some who have been through layoffs at their companies can explain to displaced colleagues why a deputy assistant superintendent is crucial but they are expendable.

Better stop before this gets into high gear.

Got to love the passion, you could not have said it better. Funny how when all construction has stopped in my area the city & county cannot lay off all the unnecessary inspectors, plans reviewers, etc who now have nothing to do? The city planning & zoning department being reduced? I do not think so, and believe me, they are starting to have trouble explaining to people why they are still employed.

alexlekas · #6 (**permalink**) 2nd July 2009, 08:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mel Holsinger

Let me chime in here. Our Board of Directors(volunteers all) have worked very hard to get this and other legislation done for our members and this is another example of what hard work, dedication and commitment can accomplish. Richard is an amazing person, he puts in almost a full time job on behalf of our Association ( Arizona Self Storage Association) and this bill will significantly lower our operating costs.

This is a call to all of you who are not a member of your state Association, Please join and help get things like this done for your state.

Congratulations to Richard and the entire Association.

dittos on the congratulations. Gotta love the drive and dedication of folks working to get something done. It is often characterized as a bad thing, but self-interest is one of the best motivators on the market and, in this case, the volunteers who pursued their self-interest have created ancilliary benefits for a lot of others.

It has been an active year for associations across the country as they find themselves having to respond to issues that weren't on the radar just a few years ago.

Lisa T · #7 (**permalink**) 2nd July 2009, 10:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mel Holsinger

Got to love the passion, you could not have said it better. Funny how when all construction has stopped in my area the city & county cannot lay off all the unnecessary inspectors, plans reviewers, etc who now have nothing to do? The city planning & zoning department being reduced? I do not think so, and believe me, they are starting to have trouble explaining to people why they are still employed.

Oh Mel, they find work to keep themselves busy. Here in Orlando they drive around to storage facilities that have moving trucks, and issue warnings if the truck is in the parking lot in front of the facility.

Apparently when your storage truck has information about your facility on it, then it is no longer considered to be a truck by our public servants in zoning, it is considered to be a sign, and therefore can't be visible from the street unless you apply for and pay for an annual sign permit for the truck.

So then I asked how to apply for a permit and how much it costs each year...to which I was told, "Well you can't get a sign permit for it, it's a truck!"

sigh..................

To top it all off, I CAN have U-Haul trucks in my front parking lot, because
U-Haul isn't our primary business, we just can't have the storage truck up front. So then I ask him how come the U-Haul Center up on the corner a block away from us CAN have their U-Haul trucks out front, since U-Haul trucks ARE their primary business. Didn't get an answer to that one. Guess it's less trouble to aggravate storage facilities then to take on U-Haul Corporate.

So anyway, my point is, those guys are definitely earning their paycheck....NOT!!!!

Mel Holsinger · #8 (**permalink**) 2nd July 2009, 10:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lisa T

Oh Mel, they find work to keep themselves busy. Here in Orlando they drive around to storage facilities that have moving trucks, and issue warnings if the truck is in the parking lot in front of the facility.

Apparently when your storage truck has information about your facility on it, then it is no longer considered to be a truck by our public servants in zoning, it is considered to be a sign, and therefore can't be visible from the street unless you apply for and pay for an annual sign permit for the truck.

So then I asked how to apply for a permit and how much it costs each year...to which I was told, "Well you can't get a sign permit for it, it's a truck!"

sigh..................

To top it all off, I CAN have U-Haul trucks in my front parking lot, because
U-Haul isn't our primary business, we just can't have the storage truck up front. So then I ask him how come the U-Haul Center up on the corner a block away from us CAN have their U-Haul trucks out front, since U-Haul trucks ARE their primary business. Didn't get an answer to that one. Guess it's less trouble to aggravate storage facilities then to take on U-Haul Corporate.

So anyway, my point is, those guys are definitely earning their paycheck....NOT!!!!

Who ever said logic needs to be applied when it comes to government service?

Gina6k · #9 (**permalink**) 2nd July 2009, 12:49 PM

In our little 'burb they actually did layoff City employees. From inspectors to two of the three ladies that run the community owned projects, our Community & Cultural Center, Aquatics Center and the Indoor Recreation Center. It's gotten pretty quiet at City Hall, but at least our leaders are showing some fiscal responsibility.

We still have a small surplus from the better years, and our RDA funds, but being proactive and with a lot of debate and community involvement the cuts were still made. At least in our City we are actually recruiting two more police officers (with Federal Stimulus Funds maybe?) and are trying to hold our own.

The State however is in the tank -

State Controller John Chiang started the IOU print run this morning... 3.36 million dollars worth of them!

From Reuters -
"Due to its steep decline in revenue, California risks running out of cash later this month to pay all of its bills unless its books are balanced quickly. To conserve cash, State Controller John Chiang plans to issue IOUs by Thursday to state vendors, some local agencies and various recipients of state aid, including the elderly, disabled and college students.

Chiang plans to send $3.36 billion in IOUs this month to help make $10.9 billion in other payments, including money owed to investors holding California's debt. "The general obligation bonds will be paid," he told Reuters. "California has never defaulted on its debt obligation and we don't plan to do so."

California, which had the eighth largest economy in the world in 2006, according it its Legislative Analysts' Office, now needs to reassure Wall Street because state officials see the need to sell $7 billion to $9 billion of short-term debt once there is a budget agreement."

Sorry, I also wanted to add in my congratulations to Arizona for what you've accomplished! Getting Legislative changes through is a real accomplishment. Congrats to all involved for their hard work.

teri_l · #10 (**permalink**) 2nd July 2009, 03:19 PM

Hey guys ... A new development. Someone submitted a comment to the press release we posted to the ISS website yesterday about this legislation. He has some very interesting things to say about the "brilliance" of this bill, going so far as to suggest that the changes made to the lien law only show how lazy storage operators can be. Thought you might want to read the full post and offer a response. You can either read the press release HERE and click on "Read Comment" at the bottom, or just jump right to this page:

http://www.insideselfstorage.com/cms...ticleid=264208

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