Land use big in Pima's 08 state legislative agenda

Administrator Chuck Huckelberry and his staff run the day-to-day business of Pima County

TUCSON -- Pima County has set its state legislative agenda for 2008, as approved by the Board of Supervisors on Tuesday.

I generally support the county's agenda, especially for State Lands reform.

The agenda also includes local land use and environmental authority, elimination of predatory payday loans, land acquisition around Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, and reimbursement of border related costs.

These are all decent ideas, but I am concerned that given the state budget crunch, $10M for buying land around DM, and state payments to the county for border related expenses, may too costly.

The US Congress, which has failed to pass desperately needed immigration reform due to Republican stonewalling, should be reimbursing counties and states for border related expenses caused by failed US immigration policy. Governor Napolitano is right to keep pushing the feds for reimbursement of state and local costs here.

Congress should also be paying more to protect lands around national military bases such as DM, not counties or states. DM serves our national security, and all Americans should pay for military base needs, not just Arizonans.

More federal money for base support, and everything else, would be available if we'd stop wasting hundreds of billions on Bush/Cheney's failed and unethical Iraq war.

At least my Congressman, Raul Grijalva, voted in favor of debating impeachment of immoral Cheney, which would be a long-overdue good step for America.

One item not on the list that perhaps should be is maximum state support for the much needed Tucson-Phoenix daily passenger rail service.

Starting in 2009, with your help, I hope to be serving the good people of Pima County in the State House, working with the public, county and city to bring home the public-interest support we need.