Our town (including those elected/appointed) should listen more to our wonderful Betsy LaVoie and less to those who say no to everything while the town rots.

Betsy has the town's pulse and knows what is good for Fountain Hills. The other folks are against everything. Help our schools? Nope. Fix the Target Center by doing what Scottsdale has done, build residential housing on vacant commercial property? Nope.

Does the town have any forward-looking leaders except Betsy?  She's consistently on top of what's good for our town. And when does a couple of unelected, appointed P&Z citizens become experts on what constitutes “density?” The Target Center has been 50% vacant for years, with some spaces having never been leased (Jason Morris). And this center is huge! But now they worry about filling it up?

Parking will be a problem? No, the proposed apartment developer also owns the whole shopping center and has no problem with “overflow” parking (per Bob Burns). We also have on the P&Z a local realtor who is against the proposed development. Well let's think about that. More rentals could mean fewer home buyers. Well, that is bad for business, if you are a realtor.

So, will more folks living in Town otherwise have a positive effect? Betsy says so. Let's fill up the Target Center (Four Peaks Plaza) and then worry about more sales tax revenue; more State Shared Revenues; more food and gas sales; more employees living near their employer. Now these are some things to really “worry” about.

And let's not lose track of the "lowest performing Target store” in all of Arizona, per Jason Morris. It’s clear Dayton Hudson Corporation has put a target on Target and will close this store if redevelopment does not go forward.

Reader reactions, pro or con, are welcomed at AzOpinions@iniusa.org.