One of the reasons I have tenaciously been opposing the proposed property tax is because of the way in which the Crystal Lagoon project was suddenly thrust upon us.

Three council members – Kavanagh, Yates and Tolis – met as an informal work group with people from the company that builds the Crystal Lagoons and beach projects. Note: This is not the norm for such a meeting, but it is a way of not breaking the open meeting laws.

Once the well-prepared presentation was made, it was pushed for at a full council meeting, and the three were successful in getting a consensus to go ahead with a $38,000 study.

How could these council members not know how almost all of the citizens of our town would feel about distorting the very identity of our town; our fountain, lake and the most beautiful park in Arizona? They knew we did not have any money in the town funds to do this, but were hoping to get us to pass a bond to pay for it.

Now, all of a sudden, they say we must have $7 million for the town to survive. At a recent meeting, it was brought up again that we need to put money aside for a new liner and for repair of the pumps at the fountain. So again, I ask our mayor, all the town council members, the town manager, and the finance director: Why can we not use the $2.7 million, which is listed as “unassigned money,” in our audited financial statement under fund balance classifications, for those repairs?

Are the people not entitled to an answer? I am still waiting for the answer from our mayor.

Remember: Once you approve this tax, you have no control over how it will be spent.