There is an easy test coming up to see how Cecil Yates feels about voters in Fountain Hills.

He is required by law to resign his council seat by the end of May to run for mayor. However, if he does not resign his council seat by April 30, the mayor and her cabal will be able to pick a person of their choosing to fill his council seat for two years, until his term would’ve ended. If he resigns before April 30, you, the voter, will be able to vote on the replacement for that seat in the local election.

So, if Mr. Yates respects that, in a democracy, that choice should be up to the voters, he will resign before April 30. If he thinks a small group of people should be allowed to pick his replacement, he will wait until the end of May.

At this point, there is no need to debate his potential conflict of interest in the Park Place dealings or his involvement in closed-door meetings and foolishly spending money on a lagoon study. If we don't have his resignation from the council by April 30, it is a slap in the face to Fountain Hills voters. It would clearly show that he would not respect the rights of voters if he would happen to become mayor.

If he waits until the end of May to resign, that should be an automatic deal-breaker for all Fountain Hills voters.