The February 2nd edition of the Sonoran News published a letter to the editor from the Chair of “Carefree Citizens for Responsible Government”. From the letter, one may conclude that the Chair is Carefree’s resident expert on everything from the Carefree Water Consolidation Project, Fire Protection, Land Use and Development and the integrity of members of the Town Government.
The use of catch phrases such as “consume every bit of open desert space,” “Hampton Inn designed for mass tourism”, “government seizure of private land”, “forced industrialization”, “Town Hall deciding what is best”, “Deception has been instrumental”,”
“ADEQ has never received a single complaint,” “costly new water tank,” “permit dense development,” “town officials in private emails”, “increase the water for the development of this corner”, “Town today faces an immediate fiscal crisis”, “chronic underfunding of our essential fire protection”, “automatic aid will run into the millions,” “unsupportable without a property tax,” and best of all; “unbridled expansion, unnecessary infrastructure development and reliance on uncertain revenues”.”
Reading this malarkey would make one think the sky is falling in Carefree. Where is the specific evidence for all of these statements? I believe there is a real motivation behind these claims.
Could it be that all this fear mongering is camouflage because the Chair does not want the water storage tank that is to buried and hidden with landscape on property set aside as a utility easement; just off Tom Darlington Road? It’s curious that after losing in court trying to stop the water tank, this letter appears telling us Carefree has become a mess. The tank must be installed to provide additional capacity for fire protection when West Carefree residents and businesses connect to Carefree’s Water System. The ideal location for the water tank and system wide plumbing has been studied infinitum.
In conclusion, with all due respect, I believe they just want their way – NO WATER TANK IN MY BACK YARD – LET WEST CAREFREE EAT CAKE. Dividing Carefree into water “haves” and “have nots” is an affront to Carefree’s west side residents which constitutes almost 1/3 of the town’s population and 550 connections. Every west side resident I’ve ever spoken to is anxious to connect to Carefree’s Water System and not happy. They don’t vote in Cave Creek but do complain to Cave Creek and Carefree; not ADEQ as postulated.
I have some questions for the Chair:
Why would you possibly deny almost 1/3 of the Carefree’s Residents access to water in the Town in which they live?
If you gain control of the Town Council what specifically would you change? Would you stop the Carefree Water Consolidation Project?
Would you stop all commercial development in Carefree? Would you just secure Daisy Mountain hat in hand?
How would you raise more revenues without a property tax or increasing the sales tax base? Would you ask the voters to approve property taxes to pay for fire protection?
Respectfully,
Mike Johnson
Carefree Town Councilmember
