I grew up in Chicago, a city with high-rise buildings and every bit of real estate developed with stores and restaurants and businesses. I couldn’t see the sky much, sirens and car alarms kept me up at night, parking was a nightmare, but what excitement!

And now Cecil Yates wants to bring that urban density to the real estate of Fountain Hills. Can you hear my excitement? Cecil wants to develop State Trust Land, use his commercial real estate skills to inform his leadership and update zoning ordinances (he told us so at the mayoral debate). A significant amount of his campaign donations are from those involved with real estate/development.

When commercial real estate expands, boring open desert and expansive blue skies disappear. On the other hand, we could vote for Ginny Dickey. She wants to preserve majestic mountain views, the natural desert and our dark skies while pledging to keep Fountain Hills beautiful, safe and a great place to live.

Urban excitement? I’ll pass. I’m voting for Ginny Dickey.