I have paid my $36 Environmental Fee. However, that does not relieve my concern over the need for a permanent solution to the town’s need for a reliable and sustainable revenue stream.

It is rather like putting a band aid on a broken leg; no real cure for the problem. A study of the town’s budget (available on the Town website) indicates that projected revenues will increase by about $300,000 per year over the next five years.

Expenditures will increase at a rate approximately twice that, resulting in an increasing annual deficit, beginning in FY 16-17, of $371,960 and growing to over $674,000 by FY 19-20. As state law does not allow a town to operate with a deficit, the need for new revenues is more than a nice idea.

It is my personal opinion that the budget estimates are optimistic in both revenue and expenses. We all know that if one does not spend the monies needed to properly maintain a home or auto that the frequency and seriousness of needed repairs is sure to follow.

The town has been operating on a shoestring for the past several years and, frankly, Fountain Hills is beginning to look older and more tired.

The cost of needed repairs grows continually, as does the frequency. One significant example I noticed recently is the poor condition of the shoulders on the two-lane portion of Fountain Hills Blvd. The loose gravel is washed or worn away, creating a situation that could lead to an accident.

We all love the town and are interested in finding a way to restore it to the prime conditions that attracted us in the first place. Make the effort to become informed and communicate to your council and those who are planning to run in the next election.