Log in

Restore the town

Posted

As I am writing this election returns are not in, however, the point of my letter is valid. Regardless of the outcome, the needs of the town remain and the primary task of those we elect is finding a solution to the town’s income shortfall to meet increasing expenses. In addition, they must restore confidence in local government through open discussion and by seeking input from the citizenry. I think they also need to investigate staffing issues; a case could be made that the headcount reductions went too far. Contract workers may not actually save money in the long run.

As citizens, we too have responsibility to participate and to learn where the town’s funds are derived and how they may be spent. The failed property tax referendum demonstrated how little the average town resident knows about things like why the Adero Canyon Trailhead project came about and why we needed to relocate Fire Station #2.

We also need to learn more about the methods of raising revenues and understand the taxes we pay in Fountain Hills are among the lowest in the state. Our taxes are about 0.4 percent of market value and the state average is 0.7 percent. Bonds are not the total solution. They have a limited time impact, but they are also expensive. There is the cost of an election, underwriters’ fees plus the interest. It is something like borrowing money from a title loan company. There is also a limit based on a percentage of assessed valuation, which be can used for bonds, and fiscal responsibility says that you should always retain room for needed projects.

We must understand that the boom days are gone. If we want to restore the town’s image we must put our collective shoulder to the wheel.