To the editor,

In a recent Town Hall meeting in Hidden Valley-Thunderbird Farms, community residents had a chance to meet with and ask questions of Pinal County Board of Supervisors candidate George Arredondo Sr.

Here is a summary of the questions and answers.

Why are you running for the Board of Supervisors in Pinal County?

“As a native Arizonan who was born in Florence and grew up in Coolidge, I feel I understand the challenges facing all levels of government in Arizona, but feel that my education (master’s degrees in science, education and legal studies) and my experience (18 years as executive and management at the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Coolidge City Council member, 22 years of military service and life as a rancher) give me a unique skill set that I would love to put to work to benefit the residents of Pinal County by becoming the new supervisor for District 1.”

What do you feel is currently the biggest challenge facing Pinal County?

“Growth! While reaching out and having many conversations with residents of Pinal County, both in the cities and in the rural areas, the biggest and most alarming situation they want addressed is the seemingly unmanaged development. A recent InMaricopa article stated that at buildout, just the approved developments within City of Maricopa limits, the population will be 210,000 residents. This level of growth must be managed responsibly. People are telling me that the roads are already maxed out and dangerous. Additionally, there are concerns that Pinal County’s services are struggling to keep up. I feel that risk management and being proactive, not reactive, will help provide solutions, not more problems.

Specific to growth in Hidden Valley and the up to 40,000 more residents at buildout of approved developments, I am listening to you when you say you are very worried about your rural way of life, water supply and the recent alarming amount of power outages during the very hot summer. As a rancher in Coolidge, my neighbors tell me similar concerns. Development just to put ‘more rooftops’ on the map isn’t always the only way for the county to manage growth. A balance between wanting to increase revenue with considering the quality of life for current residents can be handled if it is done in a sustainable fashion. When the infrastructure costs for these ‘rooftops’ outstrips tax revenue for the same, something needs to change.”

At recent Pinal County Planning and Zoning and Board of Supervisors zone change request meetings, we the citizens feel like our rights as existing residents and taxpayers are being ignored while every single zone change request by a developer is being passed. How will you be an advocate for our rural area?

“Back to being proactive and encouraging sustainable development: Population growth and the pressure for the county to pass more housing is pretty much out of control right now. As a guiding tool we look to the comprehensive plan but have to be aware that things are changing really fast around here. As a supervisor, it will be my job to protect the values that were written into the plan and that the current residents have a right to expect; rural character, protecting open spaces, protecting property values and providing safe roads.

Landowner rights should extend not just to the large landowners that are looking to develop but to you guys that have lived here and supported Pinal County for as many years as I have.”

Two other potential sources of income for Pinal County are agriculture and winter snowbirds. Both are multi-billion-dollar industries. Hidden Valley is well known for its (rapidly depleting) farmland and for attracting winter visitors, especially horse people. Do you see a future where they will be given equal consideration and support as a revenue source by Pinal County? Isn’t this just common sense? Would you support these, instead of these high-density developments?

“Absolutely. Diversification is always a good idea. If housing developments replace all the farmland, encouraged by the lobbyists and government, where does it leave the farmers? They should be supported as fully as the developers. Winter visitors offer revenue and create only a half year’s stress on infrastructure, why wouldn’t we as a county encourage them to spend their winter dollars here?”

My name is George Arredondo, and I ask for your vote!

George Arredondo Sr., Democratic nominee for Pinal County supervisor in District 1