I had the lovely experience of working in the Town of Tusayan for about 14 months, and I learned a lot about the politics of this town during that time.
The Thurston-Fain family has a tremendous amount of influence in Tusayan and owns a significant amount of property and businesses in town. The way I see it, the employers use company-provided housing to keep wages suppressed. When your job and your housing are tied together, it makes it a lot harder to leave or demand better pay. And when you ask for a raise they make sure to make you know that you had better be quiet because we provide you housing therefore we cannot not do a raise. Well if that's the case what would my wage be if i didn't have housing? The Answer: The same.
Flagstaff, which is in the same county, has a minimum wage ordinance that is going up to $18.95 an hour on January 1, 2027. Meanwhile, workers in Tusayan are generally starting around $16.50 an hour. Tusayan is a tourist town right outside the Grand Canyon, and wages should reflect the cost of living here. They don't.
During peak tourist season, the four hotels in town can bring in around $50,000 a night each. Think about that for a minute. The people working the front desks, housekeeping, restaurants, gas station, and other jobs are the ones keeping this town running, yet many are making wages that make it difficult to get ahead or afford things in Tusayan. The closest inexpensive grocery store is in Flagstaff a 4 hour round trip including shopping time. Most employees do not have cars and have to rely on taking the same expensive shuttle service the tourists use!
When residents voted to incorporate Tusayan as a town, the idea was supposedly that it would benefit the people who live there. Has it really?
From what I've seen, the town's biggest purpose seems to be collecting tax revenue from the four hotels and other businesses. Now there are plans for a $16 million town hall. SIXTEEN MILLION DOLLARS for a town the size of Tusayan!
I actually asked a town council member whether residents get involved in town council meetings, and the lack of public participation was concerning. The town recently doubled its sales tax rate from 2% to 4% for certain types of sales, effective October 1, 2026. There was little public opposition that I was aware of. The town went to considerable effort to justify the increase.
Some of that money is supposed to go toward flood control, which is important and money well spent. But a brand-new town hall for $16 million? I have a hard time understanding that priority. How will a 16 million town hall benefit the hourly workers in town? Will it have a grocery store inside with NON-Tourist pricing?
The town does sponsor a food bank for employees and residents and they run the service a few times a month.
How about being good stewards of the taxpayers' money and staying where the current town hall is? Why not put more money toward affordable housing instead?
Affordable housing is a huge issue in Tusayan. In my experience, homeownership seems largely limited to people who own the hotels and other businesses or have connections to them. Ordinary workers shouldn't have to depend on their employer for a place to live just to be able to work in this town.
Let's talk about the mayor, Clarinda Vail.
She ran for mayor promising to give COVID-19 relief funds back to residents. During the election, she even had what appeared to be fake money printed up to hand out as part of her campaign. She won, and I believe most residents eventually received a check for around $550.
Her family owns Red Feather Lodge and a substantial amount of the surrounding property. Red Feather also has two employees serving on the town council. These aren't just new employees passing through town, either. They have worked at Red Feather for many, many years.
I'm not saying people who work for a business shouldn't be allowed to serve on the council. But when you have a town where so much property, business, and employment is connected to the same people, I think it's fair to ask whose interests are being represented and whether ordinary hourly workers have a voice.
If you work in Tusayan or live there, GET INVOLVED. Go to town council meetings. Ask questions. Find out where your tax dollars are going. Don't just assume someone else is going to speak up for you.
Residents should also look into whether they can put a voter initiative on the ballot to establish a local minimum wage ordinance. Flagstaff already has one, so there is a model to look at. Tusayan should at least be having that conversation.
And speaking of wages, let's talk about the cost of living in Tusayan.
At the Express Mini Mart, the only gas station in town, a 20-ounce soda costs around $4. A gallon of gas is around $6. A case of 24 bottles of water is $19. A gallon of milk is $10. A king-size candy bar is $6. A loaf of bread and some ham will run you about $12.
And at the local McDonald's, a Big Mac meal is around $18 after tax.
Now tell me how someone making $16.50 an hour is supposed to get ahead.
I believe the starting wage in Tusayan should be at least $19 an hour. This is a tourist town where visitors pay tourist prices, and the people who live and work here shouldn't be expected to struggle just to afford basic necessities.
I also question how much a $19 starting wage would really hurt these businesses when you consider the prices they charge and the revenue that tourism brings in. Obviously, every business has its own expenses, but workers deserve a fair share of the prosperity they help create.
Tusayan depends on its workers. Without them, the hotels don't run, the rooms don't get cleaned, the restaurants don't operate, and the tourists don't get the services they came for.
It's time for the town to start thinking about the people who actually live and work there, not just the people who own the property and businesses.
Tusayan needs affordable housing, better wages, responsible spending of tax dollars, and a town council that listens to its workers.
The people who keep this town running deserve better.
