I write this as an interested outsider. I have been observing the struggle the community has been having with revenue shortfalls, staff reductions and deteriorating infrastructure. It appears what we have here “is a failure to communicate.”

It seems the problems are not new and was recently addressed with a $6 million tax referendum. The town officials at the time were vilified by the constituency as wasteful and dishonest, with comments that the problem could be solved by cutting spending. The situation seemed to show that approach had been failing for years and that “saving your way to prosperity” is a myth. The council was unable to successfully communicate the reality of the needs and the referendum went down 2-1.

The referendum was also vilified by those waiting in the wings to fill those town council seats, which helped assure its defeat. The “scoundrels” were voted out and the new “enlightened” group took over. They seem to have discovered the magnitude of the problem and that the previous administration was correct.

The current plan seems to be “let’s create a new strategic plan” and implement small, incremental revenue plans to attack the big problem. Their current bailout is to increase the sales tax to attack big infrastructure problems. I don’t think that is what sales tax is supposed to do.

I believe the only way out of this is to put the full press on to make sure all residents know the hard truth, facts and numbers behind the glaring needs. If Fountain Hills’ administrators don’t have the stones to step up with a bold property tax plan that makes the town financially sound and able to pay their bills, they will be only a town with a fountain and bad roads. Baby steps won’t get it done.