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2018 is a year of growth for Maricopa County

In 2018, Maricopa County has built partnerships and optimized resources to improve lives and solve problems.  We’ve taken steps to make our economy stronger; our environment healthier; our government more efficient; and our infrastructure better suited to our long-term needs.  Here are a few larger projects I would like to highlight that demonstrate the economic growth occurring in Maricopa County:

In January, I promised a new commitment from the county to ensure a smart, sustainable future for residents.  This included a proposed partnership with ASU to study how to reduce urban heat and improve air quality.  In November, that’s exactly what we formalized, with the Maricopa County Industrial Development Authority funding a grant to ASU worth nearly three million dollars for their Healthy Urban Environments initiative.  This research will provide the community with practical tools to improve quality of life and economic vitality for future generations.  It is an example of Maricopa County showing regional leadership to bring together innovators and funders to do what needs to be done.

I also promised to do everything in my power to connect more people with jobs that improve their quality of life.  As a county, we delivered on that promise throughout the year with support and funding for the Pipeline AZ project, a new software platform linking job seekers and employers; workforce development programs for industries such as medical technology and for underserved populations; and improvements to our own hiring process as a county government to attract the best and brightest from the public and private sector.

Our growth shouldn’t leave hard-working people behind.  I made a commitment in January to providing more effective, long-term support for those experiencing homelessness.  This year, we invested in affordable public housing such as the Coffelt-Lamoreaux renovation; transitioned to a funding model that prioritizes permanent housing over emergency shelter; and provided support to faith groups and non-profits as they launched the Healthy Giving Can Change A Life campaign, which seeks to connect those experiencing homelessness to more than a meal during the holidays and beyond.

Taken as a whole, these actions represent a significant investment in making the nation’s fastest-growing county a more desirable place to live and work.

This year also saw quick, united action from Board members on a range of other, high-profile issues including: a settlement to the lawsuit over Chase Field that gets county taxpayers out of the stadium business while keeping Diamondbacks baseball in Arizona; the next evolution in our animal care, with plans for a new East Valley animal shelter announced to go along with upgrades to the current central shelter; and Board-ordered election reviews and audits that identified significant issues from the August primary and provided solutions to improve the voter experience in the November general election.

This has been a busy and successful year for the Maricopa County Board of Supervisors, our employees, and our community partners.

I encourage you to click on the hyperlinks above to learn more.

Sincerely,

Chairman Steve Chucri

Maricopa County Board of Supervisors, District 2