Fountain Hills has marvelous assets – parks, streets, community buildings and our Fountain.

Since 2009 our assets and town infrastructure have been underfunded and allowed to deteriorate. It is not a secret, and it’s no one person’s fault. The economic downturn took its toll on town revenues.

In fiscal 2007/2008 the town received $17.2 million in locally generated revenues. By fiscal 2011/2012, local revenues returned only $12.1 million. How did our town leaders address the shortfall? Not by raising taxes at a time when many households were also experiencing economic hardships. Our town leaders cut the town’s expenses to match the diminished revenues.

Among the hardest hit was the town’s infrastructure – roads, parks, buildings and other assets. Funding was cut for maintenance and replacement of the town’s infrastructure. The effect of diminished infrastructure spending was disclosed in the town budgets starting in 2009. These budgets warned that revenue shortfalls, “resulted in a decrease in infrastructure and amenity maintenance.”

Roads are experiencing “serious degradation.” Buildings are below “optimum condition; consequently future budgets will require increasing amounts of maintenance funding to bring the buildings up to standards.”

Since 2009 we have been using and consuming our infrastructure assets with no adequate plan or funding to repair or replace them. The projected cost to make up for the deferred maintenance is at least $5.6 million, and probably higher. The time is fast approaching when we must make critical decisions about our town’s future.

What are the solutions to return the town’s infrastructure to acceptable standards? There are several ideas that the Town Council can consider. The VisionFH project surveyed over 2,000 residents and several solutions surfaced.

Those solutions provide a good starting point. Let’s hope the Town Council approaches their task with a view to the long-term health of our community.