I attended the May 17 Council meeting and witnessed the presentation of the most comprehensive study of our dire street situation by Mr. Graham, chair of the Citizen Streets Committee. The qualifications of this amazing committee dwarfed that of our Council and staff. The presentation starts at the 22:45 mark of the meeting video. Don’t take my word, watch for yourselves. Brilliant.

What was appalling was the response of Mayor Dickey and Councilmember Magazine (Chair of Cindy Couture’s election committee). These two Liberal Democrats have been on Council eight or more years. There has been no substantive action by either. So, ignoring the problem, has not fixed it. The backlog of projects has quadrupled in the past four to five years. We are looking at a $60 million problem now, folks. And all Dickey and Magazine could do is lament about the problem and no idea of how to solve it. They have been on Council eight years. It’s their job! And now Dickey wants you to re-elect her for a third term.

Councilmember Friedel was the only Councilmember to show a common-sense start. Do not spend money on nonessential shiny new projects until this is addressed. Had Dickey and Magazine shown leadership eight years ago, we would not have even close to the crisis we now face. The buck stops with Dickey!

Why would you re-elect her to a third term when she has failed to address the biggest deferred liability to Fountain Hills? Estimated $60 million. Her solution has been to fund shiny new projects like $400,000 for a roundabout and stadium step study, so we have no funds to build. And much more.

For the woke Liberal Democrats, here is a clear nonpartisan reason to fire Dickey and not elect her puppet Couture. Vote wisely, eyes wide open.