Carefree will have a runoff for the first time this election season for one Town Council seat between candidates Ted Taylor and Sharon P. Smith. Both ran as members of a slate in the primary election (Ted Taylor ran with George Nelson and Peter Gladkin, while Sharon Smith ran with Sheila Amoroso and Les Hardie). Because many earlier campaign materials expressed common positions held within each slate, we believe it may be helpful now to compare the individual positions of the runoff candidates.
Carefree Unity has taken on two roles in recent Town elections, a reporting role and an editorial (opinion & analysis) role. This article is a report meant to bring voters up to speed by simply reporting the background, policies, and some of the statements of the two runoff candidates. An opinion article with analysis, recommendations and a likely endorsement will follow within several days.
Carefree Unity expresses its thanks to both candidates for responding to requests to clarify and expand on certain elements of their policy positions.
Reason for Running (from Introductory Statement, Candidate Forum)
Sharon P. Smith
An economist by training with experience in labor relations and academic governance, and a full-time Carefree resident since her retirement in 2019.
“Since the pandemic I have been increasingly involved in service to this community. I’m a regular attendee in the Town Council and have helped on special projects, including providing advice on the compensation study and on the economic development plan. For the past three years I have been a member of the Planning & Zoning Commission and it’s connected Boards…
Carefree faces many challenges, both internal and external. If elected I will do my best to work with the mayor, other council members and staff to anticipate and address these challenges. My focus will be to ensure that our collective decisions maintain the legacy (of Carefree).”
Ted Taylor
A special forces veteran who currently works full time for the Department of Housing and Urban Development, and who moved to Carefree in 2020.
“I am running for Town Council because we need to protect our open spaces and peaceful way of life while also bringing in enough revenue to cover the cost of running the Town. It’s a balance and there will be some give and take. I am running because this doesn’t seem to be happening. I will facilitate council and residents working together and staying involved so we can find solutions that support our community and are acceptable to residents…
We need responsible leadership that will control payroll costs, actively protect open spaces, and prepare for declining sales tax revenue before it becomes a crisis.”
Qualifications
Ted Taylor
Professional
Department of Housing & Urban Development (HUD)
More than 20 years operating and owning real estate and retail businesses
Served active duty with Army Airborne and Special Forces units
Carefree
Sky Ranch Community Relations Committee, resigned August 5 (no reason given)
Sharon P. Smith
Professional
Ph.D. in Economics, Rutgers
University President (University of Pittsburgh at Greensburg, 12 years)
Dean of the Schools of Business (Fordham University, 15 years)
AT&T Labor Relations Strategy Team
Federal Reserve Bank of New York
President NASDAQ Stock Market Educational Foundation
Carefree
Planning & Zoning Commissioner, including
Economic Development Advisory Board
Development Review Board
Economic Development Plans
Board of Adjustment
Volunteer Consultant, 2024 Carefree Compensation Study
Policies
Ted Taylor
Maintaining and growing the sales tax revenue base is Carefree’s most important issue.
He supports responsible development of the northeast corner of Carefree Highway and Cave Creek Road and would take a more business-friendly approach to working with existing businesses.
Spending for staffing and services should be dramatically reduced
Town Payroll could be reduced by as much as 50%.
He cites a mix of salary reductions (Town Manager) and staff reductions (Economic Development Director, Town Engineer and Communications Manager are identified as positions that should be reviewed for possible restructuring or elimination)
Many or most Consultant Services have likely been unnecessary.
He stipulates that circumstances do exist for which the hiring of consultants is entirely appropriate, but believes the Town needs to be more rigorous about verifying that projects are really necessary and that staff cannot complete them without consultant support. In particular, he believes the recent signage design and installation effort could have been done by Town staff at a savings, and questions the need for the consultant contract that supports the Town re-zoning initiative.
New Infrastructure Choices are Needed
Supports active Town (non-financial) involvement in protecting as open space the 48 acres of state trust land between Cave Creek Road and Stagecoach Pass east of Mule Train that the local non-profit Carefree Park organization wishes to purchase from the Arizona Land Department to develop as a natural park for community enjoyment.
Supports redirecting some current spending to add miles of additional sidewalks, possibly including new construction from the Boulders entrance to the Carefree Town Center.
Sharon P. Smith
Work to increase economic vibrancy in ways that keep faith with Carefree’s historic image and identity. Will seek ways to support existing businesses by addressing issues that may hinder their ability to grow and prosper and will encourage them to collaborate for their collective benefit and for the Town’s common good.
Supports Frugal Management of the Town’s Resources. First, select the tasks that must be done. Add those that are desirable but not critical only when resources are available or when deferral has a high cost, then manage the most cost-effective way to achieve all selected tasks within the required timing. Use of consultants will occasionally be necessary to gain specialized expertise or to meet required timing.
Prioritize transparency and citizen input. Will follow Sheila Amoroso’s precedent of regularly being available for conversations with citizens at the post office.
Actively plan to increase the Town’s resistance to potential challenges or reversals
- Diversify our revenue streams. Development of the northeast corner of Carefree Highway and Cave Creek Road could provide some new geographic diversity, while promotion of Carefree as a tourist stop or destination could provide an additional source of diversification
- Continue to budget conservatively in order to maintain or expand our reserve funds
- Plan in advance for the possibility of very large Colorado River water reductions in the future
Carefree Unity 9/23/2026
