SanTan Sun: 5-16-15; Opinion

Opinion

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May 16 - June 5, 2015

39

Community Commentary

Smart justice is in county’s future State, local economy depends on strong transportation system less overcrowded. And the overall burden on Policymakers across the nation are rethe county budget and our taxpayers will be examining criminal justice, searching for a much smaller. more effective—and cost effective—way to We recently completed a six-month improve what has been a revolving door of evaluation of “Thinking for a Change” crime, incarceration, recidivism and despair.

(T4C), a 25-lesson plan, developed by the I was pleased to hear the Town of Gilbert National Institute of Corrections, designed and City of Chandler opened a united to change the patterns of thinking that get holding facility last December. Having their these repeat offenders into so much trouble. officers drive misdemeanor suspects down The theory is simple. The way you think to the county intake facility to then turn leads to the way you act. Actions become around and transport them back to court behavior. If you change the thinking, you in Chandler or Gilbert the next day didn’t change the behavior. We are using T4C in make sense. Prisoners who need our jails and for our probationers. to be held for more than 24 But we are targeting high risk, hours are still booked in one repeat offenders. Why? They are of our county jails, but having the most likely to reoffend and the short-term holding facility commit more crimes. Improve their keeps police officers in their behavior, you make a larger dent in community and reduces costs to crime. Simple. citizens. This innovative solution Our study found that T4C by public safety employees is to participants are significantly less be commended. likely to recidivate in a six-month So, too, is the reform effort time frame. And those who do underway in Maricopa County. reoffend, take longer to return Denny Barney.

Public safety comprises more to jail than non-participants who Submitted photo than 50 percent of the county’s also recidivate. T4C participants budget, about $1 billion in all. also have fewer jail disciplinary The Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office, incidents. Researchers estimate that just in superior court, adult and juvenile probation, the first wave of T4C participants, some 423 the county attorney, public defender jail bed days have been saved. and Correctional Health are each heavily Other interesting initiatives include the invested. Our departments, along with use of “Peer Navigators” to assist recently our county Justice System Planning and released seriously mentally ill inmates get Information (JSPI) group, have partnered with acclimated back in their communities and Mercy Maricopa Integrated Care and several connect with health services. Preliminary nonprofit providers on several promising evaluations show greatly reduced recidivism research and evidence-based initiatives. among the mentally ill who received a I am a stickler for data. I want to know referral to this program. Other programs how many individuals are in our jails on an include promising new policies in classifying average day (7,900). And what is the average inmates inside the jail system, which could length of stay (27.8 days). And how much reduce jail incidents and focus programming does it cost to book an inmate ($286). And to the higher risk inmates. what it costs to keep an inmate in jail each The results are tentative but clearly day ($85.49). positive. We’re headed in the right direction.

If we can reduce recidivism among the higher-risk offenders, turn them toward Denny Barney is a Gilbert resident and a more productive lives, then our communities member of the Maricopa County Board of will be that much safer, our jails and prisons Supervisors.

BY DENNY BARNEY

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and connecting us to destinations. It’s Our state’s economy relies heavily important that the state highways and on a safe and efficient transportation freeways are maintained and developed system. Without it, Arizona would not according to the increase of population be able to attract many of and workforce. the high-quality employers Locally, Chandler residents that call us home. A reliable are served by the Maricopa system allows communities Freeway, Superstition, Price and businesses to compete, Freeway and Santan freeways, create jobs and prosper and State Route 87 (Arizona through the movement of Avenue). The travel demands people and goods in a timely, between the East Valley cost-effective manner. and Central Phoenix are As the chairman of increasing. Due to this rise, the Maricopa Association the design and construction of Governments’ (MAG) of the South Mountain Transportation Policy Freeway, the final leg of the Jack Sellers.

Committee, I am involved Loop 202, is being bid. This Submitted photo in the 20-year Regional would assist with traffic Transportation Plan, flow on other freeways and along with providing guidance in decrease travel time across the region. the region’s transportation planning.

It’s equally important that our city This committee regularly reviews the streets and transportation programs transportation plan and identifies are also properly maintained, while recommendations related to programs meeting our economic needs. Staff and funding sources. uses socioeconomic data to determine The 20-year Regional Transportation existing and future travel demands.

Plan includes improvements to freeways This information assists in structuring and highways, regional transit, streets the transportation system to serve and and other programs such as bicycle promote land use patterns identified in projects and pedestrian facilities. It Chandler’s General Plan. outlines transportation investments, Bus rapid transit and light rail including safeguards to ensure projects programs are available to commuters. are completed on time and within Valley Metro operates 365 days a budget. Through this plan, an estimated year and offers several bus routes 10,600 jobs are being created and throughout the Valley as well as benefit industries in construction, connections to the light rail system. transportation, communications and Although light rail isn’t available in public utilities. Businesses are attracted, Chandler, there is discussion to extend retained or expand along transportation light rail south on Arizona Avenue from corridors, leading to further job growth the City of Mesa’s current expansion in our communities. project. The Fiesta-Downtown Chandler Transportation programs are Transit Study began in early 2015 and important factors in the success of will be complete by late 2016. This everyone’s daily lives, ranging from a safe commute to supporting commerce SEE ECONOMY PAGE 41

BY COUNCILMAN JACK SELLERS

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May 16 - June 5, 2015

Opinion

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Community Commentary

Price Road Corridor Project: Power, politics and profit the purpose of which is to consolidate Why is it that power, politics and ownership of fractionated lands. profit always seem to be linked together? According to Mendoza, “Our reservation Well, what a difference a day makes with is one of the most fractionated in the the Price Road Corridor 230kV Project, country, but is uniquely positioned to use a plan created to supposedly meet the the program to advance tribal energy and “anticipated” growth in the electric economic development opportunities demand in the area of Chandler known as that will benefit our entire Community. the Price Road Corridor (PRC).

The Gila River Indian Community (GRIC) In the past two and a half years, we’ve is looking forward to participating in the heard that the power need for the Price Land Buyback Program.”

Road Corridor (a 5-square-mile area in The Community will have access South Chandler) is anticipated to triple to $60 million in program funds to during the next 20 years. We’ve heard purchase fractionated interests. Under that the PRC is exploding with growth the Memorandum of Agreement, the and these large employers, like Intel, need Community will dedicate a portion of the power, immediately. We’ve heard that this funding toward the purchase of Schrader Substation “must” be connected allottee interests in lands affected by to RS-28 (yet to be built) because of the SRP’s proposed utility corridor in District need in redundancy in the system.

4. (PRC/SRP’s 230kB Project). Program So how much power does Price Road funds will also be used to purchase lands Corridor need to from Community manage all this members in other growth, reliability districts who have and redundancy? applied to sell their The amount interest under the of power SRP Community’s land claims Price Road consolidation.

Corridor needs is According to 1,100 megawatts GRIC records, or 1.1 billion watts. the Government Enough power to and Management run more than 150 Standing committee million square feet of GRIC (G&MSC) of office building motioned to space or provide Community Council power to every for discussion and single household in possible action Maricopa County. regarding a request Now that’s a lot of to remove the power, SRP! section regarding Fast forward to districts 6 and Jane and Al Andersen. Submitted photo May 8. Just hours 7 on page 11 of before SRP was the resolution supposed to seek approving and authorizing the approval from the Arizona Corporation negotiation of a final agreement based Commission (ACC) for its Price Road on the term sheet between the Gila Corridor 230kV Transmission Line Project, River Indian Community and the Salt the project was temporarily suspended.

River Agricultural Improvement and This temporary suspension was due Power District for a 100-year term as to a vote from the Gila River Indian well as approve the easement between Community Council (GRIC) that rejected the community and SRP for the Price the right-of-way consent its lands, Road Corridor Transmission Line. Is according to John Coggins, SRP’s senior this a “fly in the ointment?” Could this director of system operations. have something to do with why SRP So what does all this mean? What are temporarily suspended the project? the residents of South Chandler and Sun According to Gov. Mendoza, “This Lakes to think about all this? What is the federal money will help address the City of Chandler and Maricopa County problem of fractionated lands on our and their residents to think? Will SRP reservation but it is only a start and $60 continue to try to work with the GRIC, million is not enough to buy all these GRICUA, BIA, District 4 Council and the interests. Council has decided to dedicate allottees? Or will SRP just decide to do a much of these federal funds to facilitate reversal and put the 230kV lines and 160the Price Road utility corridor.” foot poles on private land—and go back The benefits to the Gila River Indian to their alternative routes? Keep your Community Utility Authority (GRICUA), eyes wide open on this one! the Community, and members are What we do know is that on May numerous: 29, 2014, Gov. Gregory Mendoza and • The 230kV structures could be built the Deputy Secretary for the U.S. to accommodate additional GRICUA Department of the Interior, Michael lower voltage lines that could serve Connor, announced a memorandum of substations in District 4 and the agreement between the Community Community. and the Department of the Interior to • The ability to underbuild GRICUA lines facilitate the purchase of individual on the SRP towers could allow GRICUA interests in fractionated trust lands to increase its reliability, reduce located within the reservation. The blackouts and expand service on the agreement was a part of the nationwide Reservation.

Land Buy-Back Program for Tribal Nations, • Partnering with SRP will allow GRICUA

BY JANE AND AL ANDERSEN

to provide the above benefits at a far less cost than if GRICUA were to build these electrical connections on its own.

• An expanded GRICUA system could also provide the power infrastructure to allow the Community and allottees to expand commercial development in the future along Route 101, Route 202 and at the Memorial Airfield Site.

• Allotted landowners would receive monetary compensation either from the program (if they decided to sell their interests) or the right of way across their land (if they decided to retain ownership of their interests).

• Allows for a potential GRIC-owned solar generating plant on community lands.

According to this article submitted by the executive office (GRIC), on May 6, 2014, power demand is anticipated to triple in the Price Road corridor within the next 20 years due to economic growth. They are saying the same thing that SRP is saying! Does our mayor and his economic development office know this?

Triple growth in the next 20 years? In a 5-square-mile area? I guess everything will be going up.

Gov. Mendoza goes on to say, “I will continue to work with council to seek additional federal funding as well as find Community funds to add to our own land consolidated program. Because one third of our reservation is allotted, $60 million is a great start but it does not come close to addressing all the fractionated lands in the Community.”

Power, politics, profits! Follow the money Is money the reason for the temporary suspension of the Price Road Corridor Project? Does GRIC want more money for the right of way, a better deal, more concessions? The stakes could get higher for SRP and the City of Chandler.

So, let’s ask what it would cost SRP to bury approximately 3 miles of highvoltage transmission lines and poles along the railroad track easement, going south from Schrader Substation to the GRIC boundary below Hunt Highway. The new technology out there now is impressive, especially using XLPE cables. Because the railroad stretch from Schrader south to the GRIC boundary already has an

easement, the costs associated with burying this stretch could be minimized.

According to previous feasibility studies, the estimated cost for constructing underground transmission lines ranges from four to 14 times more expensive than overhead lines of the same voltage and same distance.

These costs are typically absorbed by the utilities. The costs are included in the utilities’ rate base. But, regulatory agencies, (ACC) are modifying their approach on this...as they are looking at who would benefit from the power.

SRP has said that it would not be fair to have their over 1 million customers pay for burying the transmission lines as the power would only benefit a small group of residents and businesses. (We’re talking less than $40 per customer, or $3.33 per month per customer for one year...total.)

If PRC is supposed to triple in size in the next 20 years, and the GRIC community is going to receive all these special benefits from giving a right of way on their lands, then how is this considered a small group of residents? How many people truly will benefit?

What does the City of Chandler have to gain from allowing SRP to construct 230kV high-voltage lines and poles through a residential community above ground? It seems unconscionable to allow SRP to put these monolithic poles emitting harmful EMFs, not to mention a devastating loss in property values, next to new home communities, beautiful residential custom home communities and small businesses trying to thrive.

Why would the mayor, the City Council, and local leadership not speak up to change the design and engineering standards set forth when Fulton Homes (Reserve at Fulton Ranch) asked for an area plan amendment to rezone Southshore Area Plan from mixed-use project to single-family residential/ medium density in May 2011?

It looks like not only the residents and businesses of the Price Road Corridor stand to benefit from the additional generated power, but, also South Chandler, parts of Maricopa and Pinal counties, and the entire GRIC community.

If SRP doesn’t want to absorb the cost of burying the lines on this 3-mile stretch

Opinion

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Community Commentary Continued of railroad tracks, then perhaps the City of Chandler should simply change the ordinance in the City plan, making it illegal to construct above-ground highvoltage transmission lines—anything over 69kV in its urban, residential and suburban areas. We’re not sure how difficult it is to change a planning and zoning ordinance, but, it couldn’t be as problematic and costly as fighting SRP. Our City leaders were elected to protect and serve our community. Now is the time to stand up and protect our community from high-voltage power lines and poles, Mr. Mayor. What’s the cost associated with our health, our property values, our children’s future, our community lifestyle, and our ability to attract more businesses because of Chandler’s aesthetic beauty? Priceless!

Our City leaders, our mayor, our local and state representatives have all known

about the SRP/PRC 230kV Project since 2011. What have they done to stop the above-ground transmission lines from invading our city? They wrote a few letters to five people on the ACC in the 11th hour, last week. That’s not what we call “leadership!” Leadership involves standing up for what is right and showing the way! Leadership involves breaking down barriers, overcoming obstacles, speaking truth so that people want to follow and join together on purpose!

Come on Chandler...we can do better.

The time is now...let’s pull our community together, fill the leadership void and get to work! Bury the lines!

Save money; Eliminate some extracurricular activities Investing in public education in Arizona or any other state isn’t just throwing more dollars at it and see if it sticks is the inference of the article.

(SanTan Sun News, May 2) I, as a taxpayer, expect my elected representatives and school administrations to perpetually monitor cost of education dollars with academics the priority over extracurricular activities offered. If budgetary constraints are ongoing issues, extracurricular activities offered

Community Commentary Continued ECONOMY FROM PAGE 39

study will review future high-capacity transit along Arizona Avenue.

Transportation improvements are funded by Prop 400, which is a half-cent sales tax creating revenue that must be used on projects and programs identified in the Regional Transportation Plan, adopted by the MAG. Funds from Prop 400 will soon come to an end. There has been discussion in Congress about possibly raising the federal fuel tax by 10 cents, which could cost the average commuter approximately $5 a month. Without

Jane and Al Andersen have been residents of Chandler since 2004. They can be reached at (602) 684-9300 or info@thegolfrealtynetwork.com.

Letter to the Editor

in the curriculum should be the first to be eliminated (or deciding which ones on a cost basis). Public school teacher tenure is another issue I expect my elected representatives to monitor for results of the children’s academic achievements along with parental and child responsibility. I am not in favor of just throwing more dollars at education and everything will be rosy forever.

Dennis Riswold Chandler

41

May 16 - June 5, 2015

future funding, transportation programs will not be able to meet the demands of economic growth. And that would not bode well for Chandler or the region.

For information on the City’s ongoing transportation efforts, visit www. chanderaz.gov/transportation; and visit www.mag.gov for information on our regional transportation efforts.

Jack Sellers can be reached at jack. sellers@chandleraz.gov. Tweet him at @ jacksellers.

Letter to the Editor

Compliments to contributor on opinion piece This letter is to thank wholeheartedly one of your recent contributors, Elicia Bivins (SanTan Sun News, May 2). Her opinion piece, titled “Invest in education and brighten Arizona’s future, was insightful and well-written”. She has obviously done her homework in citing the facts about Gov. Ducey’s budget and how his and the Republican Legislature’s actions are working against our students and our state’s better interests.

As a parent to two children attending school in Chandler, I was gravely concerned with how aggressively the funds for schools were being attacked. My son’s classroom is housed inside a double-wide trailer, and there is little money for improvements for the schools, much less educational field trips or materials for individual teachers. To think that the public school system can be used as a piggy bank from which to steal tax breaks for multimillion dollar earning companies like Intel and Apple is saddening.

For those who feel deceived by Ducey’s actions, Bivins points out truthfully that this should come as no surprise. Ducey is a businessman.

He is not working for the people, the

taxpayers or the students; he works on behalf of the corporations. Many thanks, Ms. Bivins, for your insight and your strong fact-based argument outlining the problems our state faces in light of these cutbacks. I encourage your readers to review Bivins’ piece and to use this as a base by which to become more informed and involved in our community and our educational system.

It is our job as Chandler and Arizona taxpayers to contribute—give back— to our children for the purpose of their education and preparation for life. Thank you Ms. Bivins, and thank you SanTan Sun for publishing this informative and powerful article.

As my own personal statement, I suggest that in future elections, remember Gov. Ducey and what he is doing to our schools. Consider a vote against CEOs and those candidates who claim they are going to “reform” our educational system; this reform rarely works to benefit the students.

Sheila Myers Carino Estates Chandler

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