To the editor,
Recently, Judith Lang Zaimont — a Maricopa resident, Guggenheim Fellow, and internationally-recognized composer whose music is performed all over the world — made five phone calls before reaching someone who could answer a simple question: how much are the new pickleball courts costing us?
The answer: up to $1,252,000. Six pickleball courts and two sand volleyball courts. Roughly $156,500 per court.
That conversation started me thinking, not just about pickleball or arts funding, but about something bigger: How does Maricopa decide what to invest in, and who is holding that process accountable?
The budget is a values statement
Every budget is a set of choices. Right now, Maricopa spends over $200,000 on a single annual music festival, while homegrown arts organizations — some serving this community for a decade or more on volunteer energy alone — receive a fraction of that in structured support. I’m not opposed to the festival. But I think it’s fair to ask: are we seeing a return on that investment? And are we applying the same scrutiny to every line item?
Our bodies need movement — recreation matters. But our spirits need something too. Music. Visual art. Theater. Dance. Storytelling. These aren’t luxuries. They’re what turn a collection of houses into a community with a soul. And right now, our budget tells a lopsided story.
A history worth learning from
Maricopa once had a Nonprofit Funding Program that dedicated city dollars to public service organizations. It was well-intentioned but collapsed under its own subjectivity — decisions driven by personal relationships, no formal application process, no accountability for outcomes. We shouldn’t repeat that. But we also shouldn’t let a flawed process become an excuse to invest nothing thoughtfully.
What I’m actually proposing
I’m not asking the city to write blank checks. I’m asking for something more disciplined — and something the arts community should welcome too.
A formal, competitive grant process. Clear eligibility criteria. Demonstrated community impact. Accountability for how funds are spent. The city and arts organizations should be partners in this — working together on fundraising strategies and building sustainable revenue streams. Public dollars serve as a catalyst and that partnership benefits everyone.
If we can spend $156,500 on a single pickleball court, then a modest, structured arts investment — with real accountability built in — deserves a seat at the budget table.
Balance, not a blank check
I know the hard questions. How do you fund the arts when we need more firefighters? How do you tell seniors no when revenues are tightening? How do you justify discretionary spending when property tax cuts have already reduced revenue by over $800,000?
These are exactly the conversations a city council member must have — honestly and publicly. I don’t pretend they have easy answers. But I also don’t accept that the only alternative to imperfect past programs is deliberate neglect of our cultural institutions.
Growth without culture is just sprawl. The cities people stay in, raise families in, and build pride in are the ones that invest in all of who their residents are — not recklessly, not subjectively, but intentionally, with clear priorities and measurable outcomes.
Maricopa deserves that kind of leadership. That’s what I’m running to provide.
Chrystal Allen-O’Jon
Maricopa City Council candidate
![The Rotary Club of Maricopa will host a Pinal County candidate event at the Maricopa Community Center on May 28, 2026. [Monica D. Spencer]](https://inmaricopa.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/20260522-spencer-rotary-club-flyer-graphic-300x200.jpg)
![A trio of campaign signs sit on the southeastern corner of John Wayne Parkway and Bowlin Road on May 21, 2026. [Monica D. Spencer]](https://inmaricopa.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/20260521-spencer-campaign-signs-2-300x200.jpg)
![The Rotary Club of Maricopa will host a Pinal County candidate event at the Maricopa Community Center on May 28, 2026. [Monica D. Spencer]](https://inmaricopa.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/20260522-spencer-rotary-club-flyer-graphic-150x150.jpg)
17 Responses
Oh, fun! More “bridge building” by complaining about tax cuts. How dare people keep their money when there are artists out there going unappreciated! Using our money to provide recreation spaces is what a city should do, using the same taxpayer money for arts organizations is absurd. Especially in a city of less then 100,000 people.
People are struggling to make ends meet and Mrs O’Jon is upset that $800,000 of YOUR money is staying in YOUR pocket! We should be ashamed, she will use that to fund all the unappreciated artists, but we are keeping it to pay for food and fuel.
Seriously though, it’s not the duty or purpose of a small city to fund arts. There are several private, state and federal programs and organizations that can and do cover that.
Hi there and although I appreciate the response, I actually never said (reverse tax cuts – read again). I am simply saying let’s be honest about costs.
Some people lost the right to complain about struggling to make ends meet when they literally voted for this outcome.
🔥🔥🔥👍👍👍
Omg, out of all the things the city “needs”, you believe “arts” is a priority? Although it would be selfish, I hope you would at least benefit financially, otherwise that’s a very very ignorant statement…. SMH
Chrystal, you have my vote. $156k for a 2000 sq ft court is just beyond crazy. I could build a court in my back yard for a fraction of the cost. The current town council must be getting their pockets lined at our expense. And they are pushing for a $100,000,000 park that nobody wants which points to a corrupt group of politicians with their hands on the purse strings. Meanwhile inadequate streets connecting the highest growth area of Maricopa are not even given a thought. The most beneficial use of tax payer $’s is to make daily life more livable to those who pay those taxes. We do not need to be a destination city until we are a livable city.
Thanks for understanding my point.
was nice to meet u at copper sky dog park this morning. hopefully in the future u can visit again.
Hi Joe it was nice meeting you as well. I plan on visiting again.
Another candidate wanting tax dollars spent on maybe a fraction of the population?What about the seniors that make up I’m willing to bet way more populous than artists.These California transplants want to bring their crazy lifestyles to Maricopa ,a once safe,quiet and very livable community.But she fits right in with what we have presently making decisions for a select few even when the polls said no to mass dense housing.Stop it.
Your comment “fraction of the population”? A real Council member recognizes that there are trade-offs so every community member is honored. If you read the article you’ll see I mention trade-offs for good of the whole. Thanks for the input.
There’s plenty of senior artists. Without art, you’d have no homes, cars, clothing, etc. (because there wouldn’t be a literal design to make those things aka ART.) Art is literally EVERYWHERE if you’d take three seconds to look around you. And please, elaborate what a “crazy California lifestyle” is? I’m not from there, but I do see a lot of comments like this and nobody seems to want to explain what that means. I’m guessing something bigoted that you’re too afraid to say.
It’s a whole silly thing. I doubt any of them remember why they are supposed to hate Californians in the first place. They just know Fox News and their social media algorithm told them to.
But if MAGA cowboy Chad Bianco (current Riverside County Sheriff) is elected governor, which is a real possibility, they will reverse course.*
*see “The Epstein Files, Trump’s Implication In”
Funny how the “Don’t Tread on Me” crowd has an absolute need to be told what to do, eh?
😂
It’s genetic. They’re all descended from poor white indentured servants who came to the New World rather than get hanged in Debtor’s Prison back in England.
They need a rich white man to order them around…
Old man, don’t you get tired of city council candidates and/or inMaricopa reporters dunking on you in the comments section?
Seriously, who gave Grandpa a phone? You know he’s not supposed to have unsupervised access to the Internet!