By Caitlin McGlade | The Republic
Several West Valley cities raised taxes as the recession hit budgets across the region, but even as the economic recovery has money coming back into city coffers, some of these taxes appear to be here to stay.
Glendale, Goodyear and Buckeye increased sales taxes several years ago to avoid sweeping cuts, and now Glendale is expected to extend its hike indefinitely rather than let it expire in 2017.
The move will keep Glendale’s tax among the highest in the Valley, just behind Buckeye.
Glendale’s city sales tax rate rose to 2.9 percent from 2.2 percent in 2012. City leaders had warned of shuttered libraries, hampered services and even police and fire cuts, but told residents that the 0.7 percentage-point increase would sunset in five years.
Now, leaders are asking residents to heed similar warnings as they prepare to keep the tax in place without a sunset.
