You may never have a fire in your home, but likely see the importance of maintaining fire services in the town for the benefit of all businesses and residents.

You probably don’t drive on every single road in town on a regular basis, but understand the value of having well-maintained streets in our community.

It therefore surprises me to hear residents proclaiming that because they do not personally have a student in the Fountain Hills Unified School District they will not be supporting the Maintenance and Operations budget override continuation/increase.

A healthy school district, one that can attract and retain excellent teachers, offer basic programs on par with other districts, as well as challenging and enriching programs that make us unique amongst other communities. It is an integral part of any town, and I believe is vitally important to the long-term survival of Fountain Hills.

Simply Google “what to look for when moving to a new town.” Just about any list you look at will reference schools or education. Wise homeowners know that great schools are an important indicator of the quality of a community as a whole, including its economic prosperity, safety and property values.

To those of you who are considering a no vote, please take a moment to reflect on what I have said above. A yes vote will continue existing funding in addition to providing a small increase.

This increase will cost roughly $3 for every $100,000 of home value. The majority of Fountain Hills residents would likely see their taxes increase annually by a modest $10 to $20, which I feel is a very small price to pay to ensure we thrive as a community.