Our Town Council is telling us that if we care about public safety, we will vote to pass a property tax in May. Conversely, I guess that means that if we vote “no” on the property tax, then we don’t care about public safety. I find this illogical, incorrect, fear-mongering, and extremely insulting! Of course everyone wants public safety! How ridiculous to insinuate otherwise! Some of us would simply like to know that the Town Council has implemented some belt-tightening themselves, and has exhausted all other options before coming to us for more money after they already have us on the hook for a $32million water project.
And I don’t believe that they have tightened their belts – as evidenced by the hiring of several full-time employees, all the consulting fees they continue to pay out, as well as legal fees. And I know for sure that they haven’t exhausted other options first. Just look at the NE corner of Cave Creek Road and Carefree Highway, and the disgraceful way two potential developers have been treated and run off. A well thought-out plan to develop this corner could net the Town of Carefree close to $1.3million per year. That would negate the need for a property tax. We do have a full-time Economic Development Director. What has he been doing?
Carefree Town Council, stop trying to scare us. If we don’t vote for a property tax, our fabulous Rural Metro first responders will still be there for us. Stop insulting us. Of course we care about public safety! Look to yourselves first to see where you can save on the budget, and where you can develop to bring in more income before you put your hands in our pockets again.
Wendy Mattes
Carefree
