The Letter of the Day

No this is not a segment on Sesame Street. But Town mismanager Alex Taft might need Cookie Monster's help.

After the incumbent shenanigans at Tuesday's Council meeting, Quartzsite citizen's have been asking how our new mayor is doing in the face of so much hostility. Well, he seems pleased with the fact that he has acquired a new set of stationary, complete with Quartzsite Town letterhead. And he's using it to send Alex a letter a day...

One letter may have asked why certain Town employees were asked to sign confidentiality agreements, and could Taft please give back the contracts, with a letter of apology. Another letter may have inquired as to what documents Al Johnson the building official was witnessed removing by the arm load from Town Hall the other day. (I speculate that shredding them in the office wasn't authorized.)

Mayor Foster is enjoying the prospect of finally getting to the bottom of all those unanswered questions. He feels that there's so many questions that he's instituting a "Letter of the Day" policy in order to live up to Taft's March 23rd statement that "oversight and transparent actions are important to achieve fair and equitable treatment". Maybe Town Hall will become as transparent as Taft's motives in placing those items restricting the powers of the mayor on  the agenda...emergency response my ass!

Do you have a question for the Town mismanager? Please feel free to post it here in the comment section. Maybe Mayor Foster will ask Taft to answer it!

"Reformists" one up Taft with citizen coup, Foster's assumes mayor position!

Alex Taft the fortune teller-Town Manager never saw it coming. But her smug smile faded quickly as it became apparent that control of the regular meeting of the Quartzsite Common Council was beginning to slip from her clutches and back  into the rightful hands of the people. Maybe those folks who called her infamous psychic hot line should now ask for a refund.

A standing room only crowd would bear witness as the carefully crafted attempt to neuter our newly elected mayor fell flat. Although Winslow, Anderson, Lukkason and Cowell were eager to amend the Town Code code, Jose Lizzarraga abstained, and Bob Kelley (in failing health) was the only Council Member who voted in opposition to the the obvious conspiracy. One by one, citizens, many of whom never speak at or even attend these meetings, stepped up to the podium to voice their opposition to the evenings agenda.

"Why now?" "What does this mean, I don't understand what you're trying to do?" "Why don't you swear in the new Mayor?"  "If you vote for this I can promise you a recall!" were some of the concerns voiced. Taft and company tried to justify the proposals as a necessary reaction to the can of worms opened up by the Steve Bennet swimming pool "emergency", but her argument didn't hold water with the audience.

As the majority voted in favor of the proposed amendments to the Town Code, supporters of Foster remained calm and allowed the Council to show their true colors. They shared a delicious secret...and now that the cat is out of the bag, I will share it with you.

You see dear readers, the Agenda is not official until signed by the "Mayor". A fact that was not lost on our savvy new chief executive officer. I suspect that he may have even winked across the counter at Town Clerk Karen Norris when he picked up the meeting packet earlier that day. She must be relieved that what was surely the worst week at Town Hall is finally over.

With wife Mary seated front row, sore loser Wes Huntley made repeated attempts to silence the crowd. Banging his gavel and ordering the police to remove citizens. After he had motioned to discuss the agenda item to accept the County's election results, Huntley made a pathetic speech, then walked out of the room. As the crowd stood and cheered his departure, leaving Vice Mayor Barbara Cowell to pick up the gavel and call for a vote.

Then finally, the moment everyone had been waiting for; Foster, looking every bit the ex Marine was officially sworn in by doomed magistrate Terry Frausto. (Her recent assumption of dual roles as both magistrate and Town grants administer may violate Article VI, Section 28 of the Arizona Constitution.)

As Ed Foster was seated, someone called out to get rid of Huntley's name placard. A grinning Foster was happy to oblige. Then Foster allowed the people their free expression at "Call to the Public". Many new faces stepped up to the mike to welcome him, and a card was passed around for well wishers to sign before a triumphant Foster closed the meeting.

The informal celebration was at McDonalds, a regular after meeting hang out for incumbents and opposition supporters alike. Stay tuned to see if the "new council" will ever be eating at the same table.

The last gasp of the unholy trinity?

Police Chief Jeff Gilbert, Town Manager Alex Taft, and outgoing "mayor" Wes Huntley just won't accept reality.

Before 10 am, Gilbert was already out of control. Thanks to Councilman Lukkason, his neighbor Russell Sias had already received a warning of potential problems today. (Way to step up Jerry! Congratulations, by the way.) Gilbert was video taped in the parking lot of the post office trying to take out his vengeance against Mike Roth, yet again! Mayor elect Ed Foster arrived on scene quickly to dissipate the tension and send Jeff on his way, with Sias and Jones as potential witnesses for Roth's plausible lawsuit. The rumor this morning is that Jeff and Sondra's ballots cast in Tuesday's election may be under investigation...

When Foster picked up his packet this morning for Tuesday night's Council meeting, he discovered that Huntley and Taft had orchestrated an emergency meeting for 2:30 today. It may have been "posted"somewhere, but it was definitely not posted on the Town website.Among the items hastily placed onto this last minute pre Foster agenda is the final approval of town engineer, and the CDBG grant that Taft's charity is supposed to administrate.

UPDATE:
WELL, IT'S MONDAY MORNING AND THE AGENDA FOR TOMORROW NIGHT'S REGULAR MEETING OF THE COMMON COUNCIL HAS YET TO BE POSTED! IS IT POSSIBLE THAT THE HUNTLEY/TAFT/GILBERT ALLIANCE WOULD CONTEMPLATE SOME DESPERATE STUNT? HOW LONG CAN THE COUNCIL AVOID THE TRUTH? WILL AN AGENDA BE POSTED BY DAYS END?

EVEN IF ALL OF THEIR PET PROJECTS WERE RUSHED THROUGH THE SPECIAL MEETING, THE CONSENT AGENDA CAN ONLY BE APPROVED AT A REGULAR MEETING. AN AGENDA IS BEING DRAFTED THAT INCLUDES THE SWEARING IN OF FOSTER. MORE UPDATES TO FOLLOW...

THIS JUST IN AT 4PM: 
TOWN MISMANAGER ALEX TAFT HAS PLACED ITEMS ON TUESDAY NIGHT'S AGENDA DESIGNED AT CHANGING THE MAYOR'S POWERS UNDER THE TOWN CODE! ALSO ON THE AGENDA COURTESY OF TAFT IS A POSSIBLE REVISION TO THE TOWN CODE AFFECTING KAREN NORRIS' POSITION AS TOWN CLERK. SEE YOU AT 7PM TOMORROW!

SO MUCH FOR "WORKING TOGETHER", IT PROMISES TO BE A KNOCK DOWN DRAG OUT THAT MAY NOT END WITH THE SWEARING IN FOLKS. GOOD THING FOSTER HAS LAWYERED UP ALREADY! CAN YOU SAY REFERENDUMS?

Alex in Wonderland...The Mad Hatter's "tea party" is over!

According to a telephone call within the hour, WE HAVE A NEW MAYOR!

Ed Foster 338

Wes Huntley 311

The only thing left to do now is for Ed Foster to wash the tea cups and clean house. Alex Taft can chase Jeff Gilbert down some other rabbit hole in the land of Far Far Away. Tell Shrek and Fiona that we said "hello"!

The moral of this bed time story? You can only vote against your constituents so many times, before they get angry and vote against you...

Incumbent councilpersons Anderson, Lukkasson, and Kelley retain their seats by a narrow margin.

322 Lukkasson
317 Anderson
315 Kelly
309 Hamilton
308 Sias
254 Moore 

Preliminary Election Results - too close too call...

http://www.co.la-paz.az.us/Data_Folder/Elections/Elections_051810/051810-Summary.htm

It was a record setting vote for Quartzsite, with 49% of eligible voters  making the effort to have their opinion count. There are 49 provisional ballots yet to be verified, and reportedly, a stack of sealed envelope "mail in" ballots that were turned in at the polling place ....so it ain't over yet folks. Currently, Ed Foster is ahead by 7 votes. Notice there is a slight discrepancy in that 605 ballots were cast, but only 590 votes were counted for mayor. Did 15 people make the effort to vote on the Council seats, but not vote for either mayoral candidate? Or did the machine not read the votes ? Stay tuned...

TOWN OF QUARTZSITE MAYOR Total Number of Precincts 1 Precincts Reporting 1 100.0 % Times Counted 605/1234 49.0 % Total Votes 590 FOSTER, ED 297 50.34% HUNTLEY, WES 290 49.15% Write-in Votes 3 0.51%

TOWN OF QUARTZSITE COUNCIL MEMBER
		Total
Number of Precincts		1
Precincts Reporting		1	100.0 %
Times Counted		605/1234	49.0 %
Total Votes		1662
ANDERSON, PATRICIA		291	17.51%
HAMILTON, CHAUNCE		278	16.73%
KELLEY, ROBERT		296	17.81%
LUKKASSON, JERRY		294	17.69%
MOORE, BILL		223	13.42%
SIAS, RUSSELL		275	16.55%
Write-in Votes		5	0.30%

SIGN WARS II: The Vendors Strike Back...

Captain's Log: Star Date Monday 4/26/10: 9:30 am
Oh wait...wrong science fiction parody!

Well, Quartzsite officials eventually noticed that big red sign at Greasewood (or maybe they read about it here and went to see for themselves...), and the Stormtroopers were summarily dispatched.

On the morning of April 26th, Councilman Jerry Lukkason and building inspector Al Johnson were caught having a covert meeting in their vehicles at "Greasewood Greens", behind "The Buck Stop Discount Store". When confronted by the video camera, Lukkason fled the scene, leaving Johnson to face some tough questions off camera.

Minutes later, here comes Al Johnson on foot with Emmett Brinkerhoff from Public Works, tape measure in hand...and they were headed straight for the big red sign.

Brinkerhoff, unsure exactly where the legal boundary was located, had to  leave and come back with the survey map, because "I think" wasn't a satisfactory answer for Quartzsite's "Vigilante Vendor". It seems that Business 10 aka Main St. is now owned by the Town, and only the easement for an undetermined stretch around the intersection at Hwy 95 is still owned by the State. Where the property line really is may be up for debate since the road was widened.

If Brinkerhoff was correct in his assessment, the longstanding landmark signs for the Quartzsite Museum and the Chamber of Commerce, as well as the Greasewood signs are way over the legal line! The end result was that three of Wes Huntley's signs were removed for "encroaching" and the big red sign was relocated to the north east corner of Greasewood. It's even more visible now, right next to the incumbent's signs on the intersection at the traffic light. "YOU CANT FIX STUPID BUT YOU CAN VOTE THEM OUT!" is there for all the world to see. Apparent there has been a ripple effect.

The "STUPID" sign began to have friends! A yellow "STUPID" sign has been making the rounds in the back of someones pick up truck. Others have reportedly been sighted.

On the morning of the incumbent's ice cream social, the dismal turn out was treated to a yellow and red sea of Ed Foster signs. Then, vehicles all around town began sporting the latest accessory...opposition candidate signs!Even Hi Ali Swap Meet on Main St. (the oldest swap lot in Quartzsite) has fought back from the dark side and replaced their Huntley signs with Foster Signs. SIGN WARS will be over tomorrow night. Will the vendors win? Let's hope so, because "stupid is forever" and Quartzsite needs to wise up!

P.S. If you are offended by comedian Ron White, then DON'T PLAY THIS VIDEO! If you are offended by this blog...well exercise your free speech for Wes Huntley and see how far it gets you. 

Residents? Opposition candidates investigated!

Russell Sias' rent receipt, as provided to La Paz County investigators on Monday, 5/10/10 

I smell desperation in the air, do you? In a last ditch effort to disqualify opposition candidates Chaunce Hamilton and Russell Sias, someone has filed a ridiculous complaint that they were not Quartzsite residents. Since misinformation is constantly being disseminated about when or if you are an AZ resident, this seems like as good a time as any to discuss the issue.

Last Monday, investigator Frank Haws of the La Paz County Prosecutor's Office made a special trip down to Quartzsite. He questioned both Chaunce Hamilton and Russell Sias about how long they had been Quartzsite residents. 

Chaunce and Doris Hamilton, "own and have operated 'Rice Ranch' for the last 23 years. This is land which has been in the family for over 65 years!" They live on site, in the home at the south east side of the property. Chaunce's non residency allegation would be laughable if it were not so totally pathetic. I guess someone didn't bother to read his campaign flier!

Russell Sias had no problem producing an annual receipt for "Split Rail",  the Quartzsite RV park that he and Susan lived in for several years before accepting the management position at Crawford's. (see photo at top of post) and in addition to his AZ drivers license and vehicle registration, Sias also has membership receipts for the Rock and Gem Club. "I have no interest in getting involved in Quartzsite politics!" Investigator Haws exclaimed emphatically, as he thanked Sias for his cooperation in clearing up the matter.

And while we're on the subject of residency, it seems that Police Chief Jeff Gilbert, is a  "4 year" resident of 3120 Newport Dr., Lake Havasu City, AZ,

http://www.spokeo.com/search?q=Sondra%20Gilbert,%20Lake%20Havasu%20City,%20AZ&g=name_pipl_scd_state01#:1833172127:1833172057

but Gilbert is registered to vote at 450 N. Pilgrim Pl. in Quartzsite, a property owned by Lowell and Beth Williams (the County Magistrate, Quartzsite Division). This is especially fascinating because according to Councilwoman Barbara Cowell of Arizona Westcoast Realty (the agent) in her Desert Messenger ad (Vol. 6, issue # 108) that particular listing (#38013) has "never been lived in"! Perhaps realizing that the proverbial cat was out of the bag, that phrase was removed from Councilwoman Cowell's subsequent ad (current issue Vol 6 #109). I challenge the police chief to produce at least a utility bill in his name for that address.

The Gilbert's previous home (Rainbow Acres, lot #405 APN 302-32-422) was purchased from Leonard and June Davis on7-27-06, and sold to Joseph Merchant on 2-26-09. Rainbow Acres residents are not part of Quartzsite and therefore not eligible to vote, but a reliable source insists that Police Chief Gilbert was registered to vote while living there ...he reportedly just used the Quartzsite zip code.

Then, on 2-11-10, Jeff and Sondra purchased lots 6 and 7 (on W. Cowell) in the Palo Fiero sub division from former council candidate Eric Larson . Both properties are unoccupied, and have an unfinished home on them. They were allegedly purchased by Gilbert at a substantial discount (after at least one visit by the Police Chief and Building Official, Al Johnson).

Last, and certainly least, the alleged non residency of former candidate Deena Blythe has yet to be resolved. Perjury charges apparently stemming from her application for candidacy have not been dropped, as Blythe predicted. She is due back in the La Paz County Superior Court for a pre trial hearing on June 14th.

So what does the law say about residency? Well, it depends on whether you want to be a resident of Arizona or not. If you move in to Quartzsite on Monday morning, you can go to the MVD on Monday afternoon to change your drivers license and vehicle registration, then drive over to the County Recorder's Office and register to vote. If you don't want to become an Arizona resident, then I advise you to read the following definitions very carefully:

Resident Definition - According to MVD

State law requires that you obtain an Arizona vehicle registration and driver license, immediately if any of the following applies. If you:

• Work in Arizona (other than for seasonal agricultural work) –or–
• Are registered to vote in Arizona –or–
• Place children in school without paying the tuition rate of a nonresident –or–
• Have a business that has an office in Arizona, and that bases and operates vehicles in this state –or–
• Obtain a state license or pay school tuition fees at the same rate as an Arizona resident –or–
• Have a business that operates vehicles to transport goods or passengers within Arizona –or–
• Remain in Arizona for a total of 7 months or more during any calendar year, regardless of your permanent residence.

Out-of-state students enrolled with 7 or more semester hours, are not considered Arizona residents, regardless of employment.

Active duty military personnel based in Arizona who qualify for exemption under the Service Members Civil Relief Act of 2003 are not considered Arizona residents

Resident Definition - According to A. R. S. Title 43, tax code

http://www.azleg.gov/FormatDocument.asp?inDoc=/ars/43/00104.htm&Title=43&DocType=ARS

43-104. "Definitions"

19. "Resident" includes:

(a) Every individual who is in this state for other than a temporary or transitory purpose.

(b) Every individual who is domiciled in this state and who is outside the state for a temporary or transitory purpose. Any individual who is a resident of this state continues to be a resident even though temporarily absent from the state.

(c) Every individual who spends in the aggregate more than nine months of the taxable year within this state shall be presumed to be a resident. The presumption may be overcome by competent evidence that the individual is in the state for a temporary or transitory purpose.

(Editor: There is no legal definition for "temporary" or "transitory" anywhere in Title 43.)

Voter Registration Requirements - According to AZ Secretary of State

http://www.azsos.gov/election/how_to_register.htm

Q: What are the qualifications to register to vote?

Answer:

• Must be a Citizen of the United States of America
• Must be a resident of Arizona
• Must be 18 years of age or more on or before the day of the next regular General Election
• Must not be a convicted felony, unless your civil rights have been restored
• Must not been adjudicated incompetent

How to protect yourself from Police Chief Jeff Gilbert

The Quartzsite Police Department has become deeply divided over it's current figurehead, Police Chief Jeff Gilbert. Leadership sets the tone for policy, both official and unofficial. It's rumored that the officers under Sgt. Will Ponce do not even speak to the officers under Sgt. Xavier Frausto. This cannot be good for the department or the Town. It is also rumored that depending on the election outcome, many of the officers may look for work elsewhere.

If Foster becomes mayor, the Chief's misconduct will likely be sufficient grounds for his dismissal, and the good officers will stay.We cannot afford to lose those good officers, but if Huntley and Gilbert remain, the Town may be left with what many view as a group of petty thugs enforcing the laws for the personal benefit of certain individuals. The police are here to "protect and serve", the whole community.

As the election nears, Gilbert seems to become more unpredictable. So here's some great videos on how to interact with the police...just in case.

Also check out:
http://www.policeabuse.com



Here are some great examples of what to do:

BUSTED: The Citizen's Guide to Surviving Police Encounters

Mohave County, AZ - This sounds a lot like Quartzsite...

This hits pretty close to home, literally and figuratively! It sounds a lot like the "First Amendment" issues, recall petitions, mudslinging and "newspaper" liable here in Quartzsite.

County supervisors served notice of claim

Citing civil rights violations, Golden Valley man asks for $500,000

By JIM SECKLER/The Daily News

Published: Tuesday, May 4, 2010 12:13 AM MDT

KINGMAN — The three Mohave County supervisors were served subpoenas Monday morning in a notice of claim filed by a Golden Valley man.

Luca Zanna, of Golden Valley, filed a notice of claim against District 1 Sup. Gary Watson, District 2 Sup. Tom Sockwell, District 3 Sup. Buster Johnson, Mohave County Manager Ron Walker, Mohave County Attorney Matt Smith, Mohave County Civil Attorney Bill Ekstrom and Mohave County Clerk of the Board Barbara Bracken.

The claim stems from a town hall meeting held in November by U.S. Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz. Zanna is asking for $500,000 in damages for violations to his and his wife’s civil rights and damages to their reputation. The county has 60 days to investigate the claim. If the county does not act on the claim, Zanna will proceed with a lawsuit in federal court in Phoenix, he said.

Ekstrom said the supervisors would not comment on the notice of claim.

Zanna claims his First Amendment rights were violated when Johnson refused to allow Zanna to distribute fliers on McCain’s voting record at the Nov. 13, 2009, town hall meeting held at the county administration building.

Zanna said all he wanted was a public apology and would gladly put the issue behind him if not for a series of letters published in county newspapers since the town hall. One letter by Walker reportedly called Zanna part of the “lunatic fringe” and compared him to Timothy McVeigh. Another letter by Sockwell reportedly made slanderous remarks about him, the notice of claim states.

Zanna, the spokesman for the Mohave County Minutemen, also has started a petition to recall Sockwell based on the letters the Bullhead City supervisor wrote. He needs 3,724 signatures to recall Sockwell in a special election.

Since the town hall, the county has banned weapons from the administration building, hired security guards to wand visitors who enter the building, initiated a dress code for board of supervisor meetings and purchased an X-ray machine and metal detector to screen visitors. Sheriff’s deputies even arrested a Kingman man who brought in a symbolic pitchfork during one board of supervisors meeting.

Source: http://www.mohavedailynews.com/articles/2010/05/04/news/local/doc4bdfba513d97b504530577.txt

If RVers Disappear from Quartzsite - what will the future hold?

After "Meet the Incumbents" (or "Incumbants" if you read the Desert Messenger...) it was reported that our current leaders have no real plan to reverse the downward spiral or grow and encourage the tourism industry here. I can't provide exact quotes because recording devices were apparently prohibited, but it was reported by multiple sources that the dialog centered around the belief that we should all accept that Quartzsite's glory days are over and we just need to find "new sources of revenue". I interpret that as higher taxes, increased rates, more fees, more grants with strings attached and co pays we can't afford to match, and fines for anyone they discover is out of compliance. 

At this week's "Meet Your Candidates", hosted By Crawford's Trailer Park, Ed Foster, Russell Sias and Bill Moore had viable ideas for revitalizing tourism (Chaunce Hamilton was forced to call in sick and the incumbents didn't bother to attend). If you have any ideas on this or any other subject, there will be one more open forum on Tuesday the 11th, from 4 - 6 pm at Crawford's Trailer Park, 315 E. Main St. in Quartzsite.

How is Quartzsite viewed by "snow birds" and other travelers who disperse their opinion to the far reaches of the globe? Do people leave here with a positive experience to share with others along their journey, or was the time they spent here a disappointment? If our visitors are leaving here feeling like the fellow who published the following article and accompanying videos, then we are in a public relations crisis for sure!

http://rvnow.rvtravel.com/2009/02/rvers-disappear-from-quartzsite-in-2009.html

RVers disappear from Quartzsite in 2009

Posted by Jim Twamley at Monday, February 09, 2009

For many years Quartzsite, Arizona has been a Mecca for winter RVers. One long time vendor at the Big Tent told me, “Ten years ago people were so thick you could smell the BO a block away. Not anymore, now you could shoot a cannonball through the middle and not hit anybody.”

I've visited Quartzsite for the last five years and can attest to the fact that things here have changed. Most old timers I talked with told me Quartzsite has lost its appeal and wasn't any fun anymore.

Speaking with the campground host at Hi Jolly BLM campground I learned RVers are still coming but not staying as long. He told me campers now stay only two or three days where in the past they would stay a full two weeks. He says the cost of sewer disposal and fresh water has gone up. He also reports the city is boosting revenue by handing out more $125 speeding tickets. I did notice two speed traps while traveling about town.

Quartzsite vendors complain rent prices have skyrocketed. They used to pay $150 a month for a patch of dirt and now it averages around $1000 or more a month (depending on the size of the dirt). One long time vendor estimates only half the vendor spaces were rented out this year.Don Lasley is a full time RVer and vendor whose store is called, “Lasley's Country Store.” They travel all over the country doing shows, flea markets and swap-meets. He says Quartzsite, “Has been going downhill for the last four years.” He reports that most vendors didn't do well at all this year and the business is, “Nothing like it used to be.”

Dave Skinner a vendor who owns his own building has been doing business in Quartzsite for 26 years. When he first started property taxes were $700 a year now they are $8,000. When I asked him if business was off, he replied that three years ago he was doing $3,000 per month in sales and now he's lucky if he does two to four hundred. The only way he is able to stay open is because he has a thriving mail order embroidery business. He knows many vendors who will not return next year.

What used to be a crowded marketplace is now largely deserted and the people who do meander by are not spending much money. I did discover a vendor selling a snake. Well..., it was a “Gummy” snake, but hey, it was a sale!Things started changing when the big RV dealerships bought up the property on main street. What used to be a sea of vendor stalls is now a slew of RV dealerships (many of which have gone out of business or are on the brink of bankruptcy). Because of the economy RV sales have dried up. It used to be that the Maytag repairman had the loneliest job in town, but now it's the RV salesman!

City Hall also started squeezing more money out of local businessmen by raising taxes and fees (ten times in the case of permits) and so helped to kill the goose that laid the golden eggs. So if only half the available spaces were rented this year, where did all the vendors go?

Many are still in Arizona but they have congregated at other places setting up shop like in Vicksburg, Arizona. I was here early in the morning before any vendors were open, but this is how the old time Quartzsite started.

It appears to me Quartzsite has lost it's luster and will continue to fade as time marches on. This former gold mine has played out and like many ghost towns of the old west will dry up and blow away with the tumbleweeds.

Quartzsite's online reviews...why we need change!

http://www.bestplaces.net/city/Quartzsite-Arizona.aspx

Overview QuickFacts Population: 3,497 Pop. Change: 3% State: Arizona Metro Area: No Metro Area County: La Paz County City: Quartzsite Zip Code: 85344, 85346, ... 3 more Real Estate: For Sale, Home Values

City Overview

As of 2009, Quartzsite's population is 3,497 people. Since 2000, it has had a population growth of 3.04 percent.
The median home cost in Quartzsite is $62,920. Home appreciation the last year has been -6.90 percent.
Compared to the rest of the country, Quartzsite's cost of living is 13.73% Higher than the U.S. average.
Quartzsite public schools spend $5,450 per student. The average school expenditure in the U.S. is $6,058. There are about 17 students per teacher in Quartzsite.
The unemployment rate in Quartzsite is 8.50 percent(U.S. avg. is 8.50%). Recent job growth is Negative. Quartzsite jobs have Decreased by 5.00 percent.
People

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People	Quartzsite, AZ	United States
Population	3,497	301,621,157
Pop. Density	95	80
Pop. Change	3.04%	5.88%
Median Age	66.7	37.6
Households	1,941	108,954,329
Household Size	1.8	2.6
Male Population	50.94%	48.65%
Female Population	49.06%	51.35%
Married Population	69.44%	58.89%
Single Population	30.56%	41.11%

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The 2009 Quartzsite, AZ, population is 3,497. There are 95 people per square mile (population density).

Family in Quartzsite, AZ

The median age is 66.7. The US median is 37.6. 69.44% of people in Quartzsite, AZ, are married. 12.83% are divorced.
The average household size is 1.8 people. 3.18% of people are married, with children. 1.76% have children, but are single.

Race in Quartzsite, AZ

94.22% of people are white, 0.23% are black, 0.29% are asian, 1.87% are native american, and 3.71% claim 'Other'.
5.61% of the people in Quartzsite, AZ, claim hispanic ethnicity (meaning 94.39% are non-hispanic).

Health

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Health	Quartzsite, AZ	United States
Air Quality (100=best)	87	48
Water Quality (100=best)	44	55
Superfund Sites (100=best)	89	71
Physicians per 100k	76.4	169.7

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There are 76 physicians per 100,000 population in Quartzsite, AZ. The US average is 170.

Quartzsite, AZ Health Index

Air quality in Quartzsite, AZ is 87 on a scale to 100 (higher is better). This is based on ozone alert days and number of pollutants in the air, as reported by the EPA.
Water quality in Quartzsite, AZ is 44 on a scale to 100 (higher is better). The EPA has a complex method of measuring watershed quality using 15 indicators.
Superfund index is 89 on a scale to 100 (higher is better). This is upon the number and impact of EPA Superfund pollution sites in the county, including spending on the cleanup efforts.

Economy

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Economy	Quartzsite, AZ	United States
Unemployment Rate	8.50%	8.50%
Recent Job Growth	-5.00%	-3.10%
Future Job Growth	21.50%	26.40%
Sales Taxes	9.10%	6.00%
Income Taxes	3.90%	5.02%
Income per Cap.	$18,623	$24,020
Household Income	$27,525	$44,684
ESTIMATED HOUSEHOLDS BY HOUSEHOLD INCOME
Income Less Than 15K	23.12%	13.64%
Income between 15K and 25K	23.12%	11.21%
Income between 25K and 35K	20.02%	11.46%
Income between 35K and 50K	19.16%	15.84%
Income between 50K and 75K	9.45%	19.28%
Income between 75K and 100K	2.69%	11.53%
Income between 100K and 150K	1.52%	10.70%
Income between 150K and 250K	0.61%	4.43%
Income between 250K and 500K	0.25%	1.31%
Income greater than 500K	0.05%	0.61%
POPULATION BY OCCUPATION
Management, Business, and Financial Operations	5.32%	13.61%
Professional and Related Occupations	13.30%	20.24%
Service	25.51%	14.75%
Sales and Office	32.08%	26.74%
Farming, Fishing, and Forestry	0.63%	0.74%
Construction, Extraction, and Maintenance	11.11%	9.48%
Production, Transportation, and Material Moving	12.05%	14.44%

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The unemployment rate in Quartzsite, AZ, is 8.50%, with job growth of -5.00%. Future job growth over the next ten years is predicted to be 21.50%.

Quartzsite, AZ Taxes

Quartzsite, AZ,sales tax rate is 9.10%. Income tax is 3.90%.

Quartzsite, AZ Income and Salaries

The income per capita is $18,623, which includes all adults and children. The median household income is $27,525.

Housing

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Housing	Quartzsite, AZ	United States
Median Home Age	24	27
Median Home Cost	$62,920	$202,300
Home Appreciation	-6.90%	-4.60%
Homes Owned	52.86%	64.07%
Housing Vacant	40.96%	14.48%
Homes Rented	6.33%	21.45%
Property Tax Rate	$9.32	$13.28
OWNER-OCCUPIED HOUSING UNITS BY VALUE
Less Than $20,000	30.85%	3.01%
$20,000 to $39,999	12.64%	4.37%
$40,000 to $59,999	12.58%	5.74%
$60,000 to $79,999	11.61%	7.07%
$80,000 to $99,999	8.42%	8.41%
$100,000 to $149,999	14.00%	19.74%
$150,000 to $199,999	6.43%	14.06%
$200,000 to $299,999	1.82%	16.59%
$300,000 to $399,999	0.97%	8.21%
$400,000 to $499,999	0.28%	4.53%
$500,000 to $749,999	0.40%	4.75%
$1,000,000 or more	0.00%	1.86%
HOUSING UNITS BY YEAR STRUCTURE BUILT
1999 to October 2005	9.18%	10.15%
1995 to 1998	7.00%	6.69%
1990 to 1994	11.15%	6.70%
1980 to 1989	24.45%	14.75%
1970 to 1979	33.15%	17.11%
1960 to 1969	7.47%	12.78%
1950 to 1959	3.80%	11.64%
1940 to 1949	1.23%	6.64%
1939 or Earlier	2.57%	13.55%

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The median home value in Quartzsite, AZ, is $62,920. Home appreciation is -6.90% over the last year. The median age of Quartzsite, AZ, real estate is 24 years.

Quartzsite, AZ Apartments and Rentals

Renters make up 6.33% of the Quartzsite, AZ, population. 40.96% of houses and apartments in Quartzsite, AZ, are unoccupied (vacancy rate).

Crime

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Crime	Quartzsite, AZ	United States
Violent Crime	2	3
Property Crime	3	3

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Quartzsite, AZ, violent crime, on a scale from 1 (low crime) to 10, is 2. Violent crime is composed of four offenses: murder and nonnegligent manslaughter, forcible rape, robbery, and aggravated assault. The US average is 3.
Quartzsite, AZ, property crime, on a scale from 1 (low) to 10, is 3. Property crime includes the offenses of burglary, larceny-theft, motor vehicle theft, and arson. The object of the theft-type offenses is the taking of money or property, but there is no force or threat of force against the victims. The US average is 3.

 Climate

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Climate	Quartzsite, AZ	United States
Rainfall (in.)	4	36.6
Snowfall (in.)	0	25.2
Precipitation Days	17	101
Sunny Days	307	205
Avg. July High	108.2	86.5
Avg. Jan. Low	38.3	20.8
Comfort Index (higher=better)	44	44
UV Index	6.1	4.3
Elevation ft.	877	1,062

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Quartzsite, AZ, gets 4 inches of rain per year. The US average is 37. Snowfall is 0 inches. The average US city gets 25 inches of snow per year. The number of days with any measurable precipitation is 17.
On average, there are 307 sunny days per year in Quartzsite, AZ. The July high is around 108 degrees. The January low is 38. Our comfort index, which is based on humidity during the hot months, is a 44 out of 100, where higher is more comfortable. The US average on the comfort index is 44.

Education

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Education	Quartzsite, AZ	United States
School Expend.	$5,450	$6,058
Pupil/Teacher Ratio	17	15.9
Students per Librarian	462	907
Students per Counselor	0	546
2 yr College Grad.	3.14%	8.22%
4 yr College Grad.	6.08%	15.16%
Graduate Degrees	3.78%	7.16%
High School Grads.	70.54%	79.62%

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Quartzsite, AZ, schools spend $5,450 per student. There are 17 pupils per teacher, 462 students per librarian, and 0 children per counselor in Quartzsite, AZ schools.

Transportation

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Transportation	Quartzsite, AZ	United States
Commute Time	17.4	27.4
COMMUTE MODE
Auto (alone)	57.13%	71.32%
Carpool	19.49%	14.52%
Mass Transit	0.00%	2.00%
Work at Home	6.25%	5.46%
COMMUTE TIME TO WORK
Commute Less Than 15 min.	72.53%	28.89%
Commute 15 to 29 min.	11.26%	36.08%
Commute 30 to 44 min.	4.44%	19.35%
Commute 45 to 59 min.	7.68%	7.57%
Commute greater than 60 min.	4.10%	8.12%

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The average one-way commute in Quartzsite, AZ, takes 17 minutes. 57% of commuters drive their own car alone. 19% carpool with others. 0% take mass transit and 6% work from home.

Cost of Living

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Costofliving	Quartzsite, AZ	United States
Overall	114	100
Food	107	100
Utilities	113	100
Miscellaneous	96	100

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Our cost of living indices are based on a US average of 100. An amount below 100 means Quartzsite, AZ is cheaper than the US average. A cost of living index above 100 means Quartzsite, AZ is more expensive.
Overall, Quartzsite, AZ cost of living is 113.73.

Religion

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Religion	Quartzsite, AZ	United States
Percent Religious	24.49%	50.03%
Catholic	7.60%	21.92%
Protestant	8.47%	19.12%
LDS	4.17%	1.57%
Baptist	5.05%	8.16%
Episcopalian	0.00%	8.12%
Pentecostal	1.88%	1.89%
Lutheran	0.76%	2.81%
Methodist	0.79%	3.84%
Presbyterian	0.00%	1.33%
Other Christian	3.16%	4.66%
Jewish	1.01%	2.16%
Eastern	0.08%	0.05%
Islam	0.00%	0.54%

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24.49% of the people in Quartzsite, AZ are religious, meaning they affiliate with a religion. 7.60% are Catholic; 8.47% are Protestant; 4.17% are LDS; 3.16% are another Christian faith; 1.01% in Quartzsite, AZ are Jewish; 0.08% are an eastern faith; 0.00% affilitates with Islam.

Voting

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Voting	Quartzsite, AZ	United States
Democrat	36.549%	48.590%
Republican	62.423%	51.070%
Independent Other	0.079%	0.066%
Independent Liberal	0.059%	0.475%
Independent Conservative	0.890%	0.447%

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36.55% of the people in Quartzsite, AZ are registered as Democrats. 62.42% are registered Republican. Remaining are independent: 1.03%.

 Review:

Quatrzsite is Not Worth the Trip - 2/10/2009
	Have been going to Quartzsite for about 15 years for the flea market and shows and things have been going downhill at this yearly event in recent years. The town has been charging ever more money to vendors to set up their stalls in Quartzsite and over the last couple of years, there has been fewer and fewer vendors showing up. It just isn't worth the trip anymore. Also, there is a police presence in Quartzsite that I'd not noticed in recent years. The town has become a police trap with the cops shaking down out of state tourists - no not me, but I heard complaints from others. There are better places to visit.