“Stolen Valor” is the act of a person falsely claiming to have performed valorously in the service of our military. In essence, Pima County has, through its application for Military Installation Fund monies, has not only stolen valor, but taxpayer dollars.
The Military Installation Fund was developed to use taxpayer dollars in defense of military bases from encroachment from their host communities. It was intended that communities would purchase land that might be used in the future in such a way as to hinder the installations’ mission.
And that is why the recent award of Military Installation funds to Pima County to purchase a 50 foot wide, 3 mile long swath of Arizona state land for a mere $300,000 has raised so many eyebrows and concerns.
While the swath of land runs along the perimeter of the Davis Monthan Air Force Base, its current use is a hiking and bike park. As a result, the acquisition by Pima County cannot be justified with a claim that the base was at risk of encroachment.
In a nutshell, Pima County petitioned for $300,000 in Military Installation funds from the state to buy state land that was already a venue for bike riders. The portion that the County wanted will close the bike loop that the County has, according to sources, already spent $52 million on over the years.
Question #8 of the application asks: “Whether and how the proposed project involves a multi-use opportunity (i.e. is there an opportunity for the project to benefit the military installation and the community, including associated airspace military training and ranges).” To which the County responds: Pima County has already submitted an application to the Arizona State Land Department to acquire the first 25 feet of buffer, approximately 20 acres. Pima County will complete the easternmost segment of The Loop, a 131 mile multi-use path, in the acquired area. The Loop is a major economic driver and provides opportunities to improve the health of the community, attract tourists and visitors, and increases the value of the adjacent properties. Investment in The Loop returns 9.4 to 1 on the dollar.
Question #9 asks: “Whether and how the proposed project will mitigate impacts of the military installation on the surrounding community.” The County responds, “The proposed property for acquisition is part of the Houghton Area Master Plan. The majority of the undeveloped land in this area is owned by the state of Arizona and programmed for high-density residential development. Acquisition of this buffer will allow continued use of Davis Monthan AFB’s only shooting range and prevents future noise buffer expenses in the area.
In other words, the State is giving Pima County money to purchase land from it to preserve a shooting range that does not seem to be hindered in any way by the people who are currently using it all day.
It is hard to imagine that this is the best use of taxpayer funds; however, there may be a reasonable argument for it. At least his purchase, unlike the Diamond Rocking K properties purchase the County made using the Military Installations funds, does not take land of the tax rolls.
That being said, the County’s claim that the purchase of the land is intended to preserve the shooting range is absurd on its face. The County is claiming service to the military when in fact, there is none. They are really using money, intended to preserve the military, because they have run out of money.
The Board was asked to pass a resolution allowing the County Administrator to complete an application for the monies on July 2, 2013. The resolution read:
Whereas, Davis-Monthan Air Force Base is one of the primary institutions in Pima County and Southern Arizona, contributing $6.1 billion annually to the local economy, employing 3,994 civilians and creating 4,538 jobs in Pima County; and
Whereas, the community substantially supported the military installation in Pima County; and
Whereas, Pima County is committed to preserving open space, protecting habitat, assisting the Base in fulfilling its mission to ensure the safety of the nation, and continuing the positive economic impacts of the Base for the community; and
Whereas, preserving open space near the Base will also benefit the community by reducing or eliminating long-term exposure to high levels of noise and the high level of risks associated with Base operations and the conveyance of live ordinance; and
Whereas, the acquisition of property to establish a buffer around the Base will assist the Base I fulfilling its mission to ensure the safety of the nation; and
Whereas, the acquisition of property to establish a buffer around the Base will assist the Base in fulfilling the mission to ensure the safety of the nation: and
Whereas, the Military Installation Fund (MIF) is established by A.R.S. 26-262 to allocate monies to acquire private property, real estate, rights to real estate, property management, and infrastructure that is vital to the preservation of a military installation.
Now therefore, be it resolved by the Pima County Board of Supervisors that:
1. County staff is hereby authorized and directed to file a application for Military Installation Fund grant funds to acquire property on the southeastern end of the Base.
Supervisor Ally Miller said she feels like some of the supervisors were duped. “The only documents we received showed that the request was to support the base. Nowhere did they mention or offer any information about completing The Loop. I don’t understand why we would use these Military Installation Fund monies to acquire this property. The application the County submitted seems to be lacking in candor, to say the very least.”
Failed Pima County Supervisor candidate, Mike Hellon, told the public at a candidate forum last year that Chuck Huckelberry has piles of money that he “stashes” throughout his 20 different departments. Hellon claimed that Huckleberry can find money when he needs to. Hellon said that Huckelberry has “a little slush fund.” Referring to Huckelberry, Hellon said, “He’s stashed money all over departments all over County government. Where if you need another hundred thousand here, and another hundred thousand there, you can go get it.”
In that same forum, Hellon said, “I’m with Ally on this one. I think the board has an obligation to take a closer personal interest in the monthly expenses and the monthly revenues and make sure we’re spending the way the budget anticipates.”
According to the minutes of the Military Affairs Commission meeting minutes, Ramon Valadez, who is a member of the Pima County Board of Supervisors, was present.
The minutes read:
b. Cities, Towns and County Applications:
i. Nanette Slusser: Pima County
Pima County is requesting funds to purchase a land buffer ($300,000) and complete construction on a southern entrance to Davis Monthan ($500,000). The total request for MIF funding is $800,000.
ii. Laurie Line Berry: City of Yuma
City of Yuma is requesting $400,000 for a feasibility study to see how they would move the fairgrounds out of the crash zones at MCAS Yuma to a new location.
iii. Maricela Solis: City of Tucson
City of Tucson is requesting $300,000 to complete a sound study regarding the arrival and departure paddle at Davis Monthan.Commissioner Browning indicated that the City of Yuma application has lots of moving parts, and he would like to see the City contribute to the amount of money needed to fund the study.
Mayor Alan Krieger indicated that Yuma is not just a military facility but one of the only joint use airfields for the Department of Defense and general aviation. MCAS is one of the busiest facilities, and the fairgrounds are operational year-round. The proposed study needs to determine how to move the facility, not whether or not it should be done.
Commissioner Storm (See Pima County uses Military Installation Fund to buy open space) indicated that all three could be funded at 73% of the request. Or, the MAC could fund the studies that asked how, not if, something could be done, or fund Pima County alone and table the rest.
MOTION to approve Pima County application: Commissioner Storm
SECOND: Michael Francis
Discussion: Commissioner Storm would approve Pima and table Tucson and Yuma with a focus on action items/deliverables.Approved 9-1, Commissioner O’Keeffe dissents
Co-Chair Atkins: More information on the private property applications is needed and she will review the to-do list with the staff. Staff will come back with the information and enable the MAC to make the best possible decision.
To hear Hellon’s comment listen at approximately the 12:00 mark
Related article:
Pima County uses Military Installation Fund to buy open space
Pima County Supervisor Ally Miller moved transportation projects, were donors retaliated against?