Fountain Hills is searching for a solution to its financial problems and its revenue shortfalls. Twice voters have defeated primary property tax initiatives. The accepted explanation is voters don’t trust the town’s politicians to decide how any new tax revenues will be spent.

There might be reasons why voters don’t trust our politicians. Below are four statements about the town’s financial problems, and solutions to the revenue crisis. All were made by elected officials at recent Town Council meetings or during the public election campaign.

*FH’s revenue problems will be solved if we just add 10,000 more residents.

*I’m not sure the town has financial problems. The reports prepared by the town financial staff are just their pessimistic views of what might happen.

*All we need is to stop the citizens of FH from spending the $200 to $300 million they currently spend in surrounding towns. They should spend it in FH.

*Growth will save us. We have marvelous projects on the drawing board and in the planning stage. When they are built, our revenue problems will be solved.

These statements are not just political posturing. They are confusing, disingenuous and are among the reasons FH voters don’t trust our politicians.

The lack of trust is tragic. Vision Fountain Hills told the politicians a year ago that a primary property tax is still the preferred and most cost-effective method for solving our revenue problems.

Why haven’t the politicians acted? Based on statements at Town Council meetings, it is because they know they are still not trusted to spend new revenues wisely. They don’t want to risk another defeat on a sensible revenue solution.

Our elected officials seem paralyzed to lead. Voter distrust is cited as the reason. The politicians have only themselves to blame. Our town, however, suffers the consequences.