As I read the Mayor’s response to the property tax question in last week’s Times, I wondered what town Linda Kavanagh is living in? Taking “pride” in never levying a property tax is more of a politically inspired mantra than doing what it takes to address the anticipated deficit of our town.

My understanding is that despite the massive trim down of town personnel and the postponing of needed infrastructure improvements for our buildings and our streets, we are nevertheless headed for dire financial circumstances over the next few years. So what is to be done to solve this problem?

I believe that there is no amount of “economic prosperity” and “financial sustainability” that can support our town’s aging infrastructure. Finishing build-out (one-time small revenue generators) and bringing in tax-generating businesses (sales tax) is simply inadequate in solving our infrastructure problems. What I see are neighborhood roads that are crumbling and right-of-way sidewalks that need repair.

What is flaunted as fiscal conservatism ultimately results in downright neglect. Will we have to propose individual bonds for every roadway needing repair?

As part of the Vision Fountain Hills 2016 workshop results, “91 percent of participants support ‘Implementing a Primary Property Tax’ as a potential revenue solution… (and) …94 percent of participants identified ‘Implementing A Primary Property Tax’ as a potential solution for Town Infrastructure.”

To me, that is a clear signal that the smart citizens of our town realize that – in the best interests of our future – we must now seriously reconsider the “elephant in the room” to get us back on keel. But is the mayor listening? For what I perceive, it is more out of political reasons than considered ones that this mayor is avoiding even bringing this option to the table.

Write in Ginny Dickey for Mayor.