For those of you who don't know, yesterday was a local election day. Here in Fountain Hills there were only two items on the ballot, two candidates vying for one final Town Council seat and a property tax referendum.

Okay, so it was a short ballot, but the issues were pretty important to the residents of Fountain Hills, especially property owners.

I was very disappointed when I went to the Community Center to cast my vote and the only other people there were the volunteers working at the polling place. I know there were 4 other polling places, but all day long I only saw one other resident wearing a sticker that said they voted, and that was my husband.

I'm surprised that so few residents saw a need to turn out at the polls and cast their vote on such an impactful issue. As a home owner, REALTOR® and real estate investor the issue of a property tax is one that I find very important.

According to AZCentral the results of the poll are in. Good news for home owners, once again Fountain Hills residents have rejected the Property Tax initiative. This is the third time in six years that Fountain Hills voters have said NO to property tax referendums in Fountain Hills. The town has spent a lot of time and money trying to educate the community on the need for a property tax. But, based on the large number of recent letters to the Editor of the Fountain Hills Times in opposition of the proposed property tax, and protesting the Town's recent spending habits, it's no surprise that this initiative didn't pass.

Dennis Contino, who opposed the property tax and is in favor of re-examining and trimming the town's current budget, won the final Town Council seat and will take office on June 5.