The Town of Oro Valley has spent more than $350,000 over the past 3 years reaching out to residents to get our opinion on the new General Plan, that we – the voters – will vote on in November. At the top of the list of things we said are important to our families: public safety, parks, roads, and the environment. The purpose of the General Plan is to to guide the Mayor, Town Council, and other committees to make decisions for the town based on what we want for our community.
That money is wasted if we don’t elect a Council that will actually use the General Plan we approve.
Last time the voters approved a general plan, can you guess what wasn’t on the list of things we wanted for the Town? Apartments running the length of Oracle Road. A gas station a quarter mile from an historic site. Cookie-cutter housing developments with 8 homes per acre. Five story buildings obliterating mountain views.
And yet, that’s what we got.
The upshot is this: Last time we approved a General Plan, the Majority 4 promptly tossed it out the window, and did exactly what it wanted. They have to pay back the developers for their campaign contributions somehow.
Anyone want to take bets on what will happen this time around?
This election is critical. I’ll give it to you straight … the people running against the incumbents are in the M-4’s back pocket, and will only continue the pattern of willful disregard for our vision of what our Town can - and should – be.
Re-electing Mike Zinkin, Brendan Burns, and Bill Garner is the only shot we have to break this cycle. They are the only ones who are willing to stand up to the M-4 and fight for what the residents want. Stop letting the special interests have a say, and let’s take back our Town.
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Sara Wright is a life-long resident of Oro Valley and graduate of Canyon del Oro High School. She is a mother of two children, age 6 and 8, who attend Basis Oro Valley Primary. She is currently a second-year student at the James E. Rogers College of Law at the University of Arizona. Previously, she spent a decade in television news, with much of her career spent at KGUN 9 On Your Side. She actively volunteers with the Girl Scouts of Southern Arizona, Pima County Teen Court, and the Volunteer Lawyer’s Program through Southern Arizona Legal Aid.
