Remember this? “I am what I am, and that’s all I am. I’m Popeye, the sailor man.”

We are what we are: a small, quaint, beautiful, noise-free, well-kept, traffic-free, land-locked, small-population town. Surrounded by the McDowell Mountains, two reservations, one state, and one national park. One road in and out to Scottsdale, one road out to Mesa, and the mountains. No street lights, only four traffic lights in town, and three as we leave to Shea Blvd. Population (7/1/18) is 24,717, and growth rate projection by 2023, only 1.56 percent. It’s fair to say, even if we build the annex land, we will never have more than 30,000 year-round population.

A small town only needs a small town staff. We have proven that when we operated with a cut of almost half the staff, and now we contract out about 60 percent of the town’s services. It has been proven that it is less expensive than to provide our own full-time staff and all the equipment necessary, like road sweepers, etc.

We have every service needed, from toddler’s age to our oldest citizens. We have playgrounds and parks, a splash pad, a skate park, a dog park, and lighted soccer, baseball, football fields. The most beautiful Fountain Lake Park, with an amphitheater, veteran’s monument, lighted walking paths, disk golf, lushly landscaped for picnics. Over 100 pieces of art work, three beautiful schools, with all the sports, and extra activities for our kids. Four golf courses and tennis courts. Every type of religious services, physicians, dentists, labs and all our shopping needs.

Where are our crumbling, decaying buildings? I can’t find one! Library and museum built in 2001.Our town is only 30 years old. A $10 million bond for roads will leave millions extra in our budget for infrastructure and maintenance repairs.