At the heart of the proposed primary property tax is an allotment of $4 million for road replacement and repairs. There are certain facts regarding this aspect of the proposal that are inescapable.

The largest asset of our town is the 187 miles of paved roads. These 187 road miles equate to 390 lane miles, of which 190 lane miles have not been replaced since their installation in the 1980s and 90s. The book value for our roads is $147 million.

The current budget calls for $2 million for road replacement and repair. Without accounting for inflation or the existing deferred maintenance, we will repair our roads every 75 years. This glaring deficiency must be corrected if we are to keep our reputation as a hidden jewel in the Phoenix metropolitan area. Vote yes for the primary property tax.