Pima County Board of Supervisors Candidate

Sharon Bronson , a small business owner, has been a resident of Pima County for almost thirty years. Her husband , Otis Bronson, is Writing Department Chair at Pima Community College's West Campus. Their daughter, Kali, is a graduate of Northern Arizona University.

EDUCATIONAL AND PROFESSIONAL BACKGROUND:
• B.S. with Distinction, Business Administration, University of Arizona, (Major in Accounting).
• Owner, Bronson Communications, specializing in business services for small businesses and non- profit entities.
• Beta Gamma Sigma inductee, National Business Honorary.

EXPERIENCE: PAST AND PRESENT
• Member, KUAT Public Advisory Board
• Board Member, Pima County Wastewater Advisory Committee
• Steering Committee, Bonds to Support Our Community College
• Chair, Pima County Board of Adjustment, District 3
• Member, City of Tucson Budget Advisory Committee

AFFILIATIONS: PAST AND PRESENT
• Democratic Party - Precinct Committeewoman
• Neighborhood Coalition of Greater Tucson - member, past Chair and 1993 Citizen of the Year
• League of Women Voter - member
• Arizona Common Cause - former Board Member

RURAL PIMA COUNTY

Much of Pima County District 3 lies outside of metropolitan Tucson. Pima County government has an obligation to protect the unique character of these rural communities, while fostering economic development.

VIOLENT CRIME

Crime, especially juvenile crime, is a problem no one can ignore. Certainly, Pima County must build more jails to take violent offenders off the street. But reducing crime must also include prevention and early intervention strategies. And recent research suggests that prevention strategies are by far the most cost effective in reducing crime.

In the long term, The key to reducing crime lies in forming cooperative partnerships between families, schools, businesses, churches, and law enforcement to devise neighborhood prevention programs and provide opportunities that offer our youths meaningful alternatives to gangs.

GROWTH MANAGEMENT

With the adoption of Pima County's first impact fee, comes the challenge of determining for the first time the real costs of growth and fairly distributing those costs. In these times of declining tax revenues, growth must pay for itself.

The uniqueness of the Sonoran Desert must not fall victim to irresponsible, uncontrolled growth. Specifically, county ordinances must be tightened to promote orderly growth and prohibit the destruction of large saguaros and ironwood trees and other unique desert vegetation Rezonings should have time limits. Building permits should be tied to infrastructure capacity and air quality.

The City of Phoenix now imposes a $13,000 impact fee in some areas. The $1,550 transportation impact supervisors recently imposed on new homes on the county's unincorporated Northwest side is a sham. It pays for less than 10% of the transportation needs of that area. According to Pima County Administrator Chuck Huckleberry, one mile of road costs at least $2.5 million to build.

Pima County must lobby for state legislation allowing counties to assess meaningful school, air quality, and infrastructure (transportation, parks, sewers) impact fees.

Pima County's role in health care extends beyond public health functions.

By law Pima County is mandated to serve the medically indigent. To control costs and maintain quality, Pima County must continue taking an active role in health care. Pima County should keep Kino Hospital, develop an integrated health care delivery system, collaborate with other health care providers like UMC and/or TMC , maintain an active rural health program including funding for a mobile clinic and develop a community based board/committee to oversee Kino Hospital. Privatizing Kino will ultimately translate into higher costs for Pima County taxpayers.

Currently Pima County receives most of its revenues from property taxes. This system is unfair to middle and low income taxpayers and benefits land speculators, developers and big agricultural interests.

While a land speculator may pay $800 a year for over 4,000 acres of prime undeveloped real estate, a homeowner with a modest home valued at $75,000 may pay over $1,100 a year in taxes.

Pima County must actively lobby the state legislature to close this loophole. County Supervisors should direct the County Assessor to immediately re-assess rezoned land at its higher market value.

To protect and promote a healthy business climate in Pima County, the Board of Supervisor must explore alternate funding mechanisms. The Board should seek community assistance in developing a revenue strategy that relies on a combination of funding sources. Many economic experts suggest that user fees, property taxes and sales taxes should be an integral part of any such strategy. Any package developed should include a safety net to protect the working poor and those on limited, fixed incomes and should be referred to voters before final adoption by the county.

The basic water quality issue facing Pima County is how to assure that water (stormwater, wastewater) entering the aquifer is pollutant free and of good quality.

To protect our aquifer the county must:
1. Rigorously monitor wastewater entering the county treatment facilities for compliance with EPA(NPDES) standards.
2. Aggressively monitor the water quality of private wells for compliance with current potable water standards.
3. Use its authority to carry out inspections and surveillance of industrial and construction activity discharges, prohibit illicit discharges; identify pollutant sources and prohibit wildcat dumping.

To accomplish these tasks, PCDEQ and Wastewater Management must be adequately funded. PCDEQ must remain an independent entity.