Last week a letter writer called an argument made by property tax opponents against a yearly cost of living increase in the May property tax measure “ridiculous.” Another equally ridiculous suggestion some property tax opponents have made is to use bonds for the ongoing maintenance for all our streets.

In 2013 I joined a number of other active community members to form a citizens committee to pass a bond issue to rebuild (not just maintain) Saguaro Blvd. That was a “one shot” deal. That is what you use a bond issue for – one project. Not ongoing street maintenance.

Why? First, street maintenance needs to be done each year in an ongoing program that moves in phases throughout the town.

Second, even if all our roads that are now substandard could be fixed at one time, the chaos such an approach would cause would be intolerable.

Third, you have to sell a bond issue all at once. Each year’s street maintenance bond issue would take an election. Do you want to go through a bond election every year?

Fourth, with a property tax that is assessed every year there are no interest charges so the overall cost to the property owners is less and spread out over time.

Fifth, some kinds of regular street maintenance can’t even legally be paid for with bond funds.

Simply put, if we want decent streets throughout our community, vote “yes” for the property tax. And remember: Good streets protect our investment in our homes and businesses.