Tax hike prompts petition to recall Clovis mayor, commissioners

Jun. 25—CLOVIS — A Clovis city commission vote to hike property tax by $1 per $1,000 of taxable value has resulted in the start of a petition drive to recall Mayor Mike Morris and seven of the city's eight commissioners.

Carlos Arias said he has drawn up petitions to recall Morris and commissioners George Jones, Gene Porter, Chris Bryant, Juan Garza, Helen Casaus, Lauren Rowley and Megan Palla. Arias is having the wording of the petitions reviewed by a local attorney so they're not rejected on a technicality, he said.

Arias isn't drawing up a petition against District 3 commissioner David W. Bryant as Bryant didn't vote for the new property tax.

The tax is to help pay for a $15 million 30-year loan that covers Clovis' share of money promised for construction of the Ute Water Pipeline.

Arias said before the vote he told commissioners if they voted for the tax increase he was going to start a recall petition drive.

"I don't believe property taxes should be increased unless it's by the vote of the people," Arias said. "We have various supporters, local business owners and property owners."

Arias said he knows Clovis needs water to keep the city going, "but the Ute Water Pipeline is not that 'silver bullet.'"

Arias said he believes buying water from ag producers is the city's most readily available and viable solution.

He pointed out producers already sell water in the form of wheat, corn, cattle and other consumables.

"Farmers in our area would be glad to sell us water to help mitigate our shortages," Arias said.

There are circumstances where Arias would drop the recall effort, especially if a commissioner changed their mind at the final vote on the tax.

He said he would also drop the recall effort If the commission decided to put the tax increase to a citizens' vote.

"Let the taxpayer decide, not just the commissioners," Arias said. "That's the whole point of the recall — let the taxpayer decide whether they want this tax increase or not."

Arias said he needs signatures of 20% percent of voters who voted per precinct to have a successful recall petition.

"This is a free country, he's entitled to his opinion and he can do what he wants to do," District 1 Commissioner Garza said of Arias and the recall petition drive.

Garza said he believes commissioners were elected to do a job. He said it's not a popular vote but he believes the commissioners are doing the right thing. He pointed out the tax has a sunset. "It won't go on forever," he said.

"Given the circumstances with water supplies and to keep economic development going we have to have water to do business," Garza said.

District 2 Commissioner Rowley is resolute in the face of a recall petition drive.

"I definitely thought that the commission did what we needed to do," Rowley said.

Rowley said she believes the commissioners did what was best for the community.

"I know not everybody is happy with our votes," she said. "It's never an easy decision to put that on a constituent."

Rowley said it's obvious Clovis needs water.

"This project is moving forward; that train has left the station," Rowley said. "At this point we're not dropping it. We've obligated ourselves to the pipeline money and we have to stand behind that."