Bridwell: Pinal County’s Plan for the Future ‘a recipe for continued disaster’

The $272,000 Pinal Plan for the Future was a huge disappointment and one more colossal waste of hard-earned taxpayer money. Its only value was in the encapsulation of the failure of County leadership over the last decade.

It may take a generation or longer to correct the challenges we face today, and any pursuit of the directions suggested in the Morrison Institute’s proposals will only delay progress.

As the public gathers for the forums planned by the County over the next 10 days, I hope they are not hoodwinked into thinking any of the 17 cool tools are even remotely viable or should be given any further consideration. In my opinion they are a recipe for continued disaster, bigger government and higher taxes.

Here’s a list of 21 initiatives that can immediately help set our County on a path towards recovery from the debacles of a collapsed housing market, failed infrastructure planning, misdirected government growth and exorbitant taxation.

1). The County leaders should admit that they’ve been in over their heads for the last decade and go get some real help. The County manager’s job should be advertised for a nationwide search. Doolittle’s selection was done in a fashion counter to the taxpayers’ best interests. He should compete for the job against the best in the nation and in front of a panel of solid citizens that fairly represent the County.

2). There’s a difference between City government functions and County government functions. The County made a mistake when it got into City business; we need to reverse this process.

3). Place a moratorium on all new major zone changes and planned area developments in the County for the next 12 months. Revise development criteria then let private enterprise meet the new criteria. There’s a 20-year supply of already approved lots on the books. We don’t need to add more approvals until we’ve changed criteria for future development.

4). Encourage and incentivise all existing urban developments in rural settings to incorporate or seek annexation over the next 36 months. Gold Canyon, Arizona City, and Santan/Johnson Ranch should seriously be considering annexation or incorporation. Future developments should be encouraged to take place in existing municipalities.

5). Reverse the impact fee waiver entitlements and place a five-year cap on the exemptions. Any new residential lot built after five years should pay impact fees at the current rates. There should be no more free rides. New growth must pay its own way.

6). Dedicate 10 percent of the property taxes collected annually to augment the impact fees for roadway infrastructure for the next 10 years. The County gave away a half billion dollars in unassessed impact fees that would have paid for roads. Unfortunately, we still have to build the roads.

7). Leverage the impact fee revenues and property tax dedications to build roads today through a bond issue. The current road deficit can be financed and built now and paid for with dedicated revenue streams over the next 20 years.

8). Leave the North/South Freeway expansion and Williams Gateway Freeway to ADOT, the Feds, and private enterprise. Those projects will move forward without County money.

9). Partner with ADOT and the Gila River Indian Community for development of industrial/technology oriented employment centers adjacent to I-10 to provide closer employment for commuter residents. The GRIC has the capacity to induce business growth and relocation that will benefit Pinal County.

10). Work with CAC and the State Legislature to expand Central Arizona College to a state college facility, offering expansive four-year degrees as well as work-force training and education. Better education opportunities will help bring additional commerce and industry to Pinal County.

11). Initiate State Trust land reforms that provide 10 percent of the Trust lands for use by municipalities and Counties as dedicated open space and public facilities. There is adequate State Trust land to allow every County and City to set aside large tracts for future enjoyment by their citizens and to expand regional parks, sports, recreation and entertainment options.

12). Stop using the ½ cent transportation fund to arbitrarily enrich the property values of a select few at the expense of all. Leverage the funds for engineering and soft costs to fund road improvement districts to be repaid by adjacent landowners. If citizens want their roads paved to enhance their values, they should be able to do so – financed by the County and repaid over time.

13). Convert the County Fairgrounds property to more beneficial use. Relocate the fairgrounds operations adjacent to I-10 or U.S. 60 with population centers that will provide substantial profits to the public venues. We can only break even at best for years to come at its current location.

14). Develop a regional sanitary sewer and treatment system to be operated by municipalities and/or the County. Stop enriching private enterprise at public expense. Reclaimed water is important to our future, and it belongs to the public not private entities.

15). Develop incentives for existing private utilities to convert or revert to public entities to protect our future from profiteering at public expense. For a developer to front load utilities to build sub-divisions for their profit is o.k., but the utilities should revert to the public at some future time.

16). Re-enter the landfill business. Phase out private landfill ownership in favor of affordable public facilities. Incentivise use of landfills; increase punitive desert dumping measures. Today’s technology makes landfills a great opportunity and a major public benefit.

17). Fund expansion of regional Industrial Development Authorities, regional Economic Development Foundations and regional Tourism Authorities. These entities are better suited for pursuing future growth and economic opportunities.

18). Impose a cap on property tax value increases and let economic expansion grow the budget. No citizen has received any additional services in exchange for the recent increases in their tax bills.

19). Commit to a 10 percent per year reduction in our property tax rate for the next four years. Live within those means. The County will continue to grow and expand on a per capita basis. There is no need for additional taxes generated by current rates imposed on rising values.

20). Place a moratorium on expansion of the Florence County Complex for at least four years. We have enough issues to deal with. Building more buildings doesn’t provide better government.

21). Stop manipulating the County leadership through the anointment and appointment hierarchy. Provide interim management to run departments until the next elections when officials leave early. Stop masquerading handpicked replacements to run as incumbents. The current method of promoting through nepotism, cronyism and blatant political partisanship must stop.

The future of our County requires tough choices today that will reverse our current direction and place us on a path to more responsive, fiscally constrained government that reports to the people.

Don’t let the discussions at the forums lead us down some primrose path to some fairyland future that can never come to pass. Let’s get down to business that makes a difference today.

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