I have a few questions for council and mayoral candidates.

How would you remedy the problem of vacant commercial space in Fountain Hills? Would you support the creation of a vacant commercial property tax for building owners who allow their properties to stand empty for long periods of time?

These vacant properties are producing no sales tax to benefit the town and they give the impression that Fountain Hills is not a thriving community. Ultimately, that affects property values for us all.

The building that housed Appian Way restaurant and the former Kentucky Fried Chicken location in Target center have stood empty for a decade. Fry’s center is a ghost town. Many other examples come to mind.

What steps would you take to engage these and other building owners and get these buildings occupied by successful businesses that will contribute to our economy?

Second topic; since EPCOR took over from Chaparral, our water bill has doubled and another 28 percent increase is on the way. The town, via its attorney, made an unsuccessful effort to prevent this during the transfer of ownership. Residents are powerless. I’ve talked to the Corporation Commission, whose representative assured me that our rates would only rise about $2 per month. The Commission neither knows nor cares what is happening here.

Is it time for Fountain Hills to own its water company, as many other communities do? This would provide an ongoing revenue stream and might give local residents some control of pricing. Would candidates support a bond issue to buy the water company?