Councilman: Vote YES on Prop 452 to secure energy infrastructure

By Vincent Manfredi

I encourage you to join me in voting YES on Proposition 452 to secure Maricopa’s energy infrastructure future. Proposition 452 will give final approval to what I believe is a well-crafted, 25-year operating contract, known as a franchise agreement, between Southwest Gas and the City of Maricopa.

In my time on the Council I have always strived to put the needs of our residents first. It’s in that vein the franchise agreement was prudently negotiated by City officials to ensure it serves the best interests of our community. A recent poll of Maricopa residents showed respondents’ top two issues are “growth and development” and “jobs and the economy.” It’s hard to overstate the positive impact access to 21st century energy infrastructure has on both. The franchise agreement will help us secure the energy infrastructure our city needs to attract manufacturers, bio-tech companies and other employers that provide high-paying jobs.

I ran for City Council to help Maricopa become a great place to live, work, and do business. Over the past six years we have achieved a lot and our efforts have not gone unnoticed. Maricopa was recently named one of the best places to raise a family, one of the safest cities in Arizona and one of the fastest growing cities. This is all great news, but as Maricopa continues to grow, it is critical we ensure we have the infrastructure in place to attract businesses to our great city.

Voting YES on Proposition 452 will undoubtedly help us continue the positive momentum and growth in Maricopa.

Vincent Manfredi is a City of Maricopa council member and minority partner of InMaricopa.