It’s shameful that some residents quickly say “no” to a property tax before looking into facts.

The fact is the Town is digging itself a deep “hole.” Specifically, we are failing to properly maintain our investments; investments that previous residents made in our streets, parks and buildings, not to mention our most prized possession, the Fountain.

Very likely these investments were the reason many of us moved to Fountain Hills in the first place. Unfortunately, today’s hole is being created by a lack of adequate revenues. So, if a property tax is not the answer, then what is? “No” is not a solution!

Back in 2008 the public sentiment was the Town did not have a revenue problem, but rather it had a spending problem and thus our leadership took the logical steps; they cut costs. In the last four years public safety service expenses increased nearly 23 percent, and cuts were made to street maintenance, community center operations, senior services, recreational programs and building maintenance, to name a few areas.

Those cuts achieved the temporary goal of matching expenses to revenue. But service cuts and deferred maintenance cannot be deferred forever; they only get more expensive. The cuts and other unavoidable increases in public safety expenses have generated a projected shortfall of $6 million and the “hole” is getting deeper. What more should be cut?

Our Mayor was recently quoted as saying that the Town is at a “crucial point in its life.” So, isn’t it time that we join her, our Council, and the Strategic Planning Advisory Commission (SPAC) in identifying what needs to be done to make life better? Shouldn’t the community’s vision be about the future of Fountain Hills, rather than about the short-sightedness of a few individuals?