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Why I am running
A number of people have asked me why I’m running for Oro Valley Town Council. I always tell them, “What a great question.” It’s a complicated question. I’ve always been interested in local politics but never really had time to get involved. Once I retired, I realized I did have time. We love living in Oro Valley and want to see it remain basically as it is. We grew up in Oregon and saw several towns that were “really cool” turn into towns with populations exceeding 100,000 that simply grew too big. Like Arizona, we shared a border with California, and the population just spilled over into our state. Growth just for the sake of growth is not necessarily what we all want.
I’ve been involved with the OV Path Forward 10-year plan since it started, and I remember the early meetings where citizens asked for more restaurants, more retail stores and services, and less traffic. I see a lot of candidates talk about “smart growth,” and I think we all have a different definition in mind. Here’s mine: Fewer apartments and more condos and townhomes in the multifamily category. We’re better off with owners than renters.
Keeping Oro Valley’s character
We are a community of mostly single-family homes. That is one of the reasons we moved here, and I bet that is the reason most people moved to Oro Valley.
Oro Valley’s finances
Construction sales tax and builders’ fees are falling, and we need to make up for that lost revenue or we’ll have to reduce capital spending and/or current services and/or reduce staff. The Oro Valley Town Council is pursuing annexing the area around Oracle and Ina to pick up retail sales tax from established stores and the residential area around those stores. I think this is a great idea!
Relevant experience
I have been on the Rancho Vistoso HOA Board since 2021 and the President since 2023. Rancho Vistoso is around 40% of Oro Valley and has many of the same issues as the Town. We have 6,400 homes and an annual budget of $3.5 million. I’ve also served on the Town’s Parks & Recreation Advisory Board from January 2020 to December 2023 and was reappointed in January 2025 and am the current Chair.
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Learn more about Matt Wood here.
