Editorial: Decision penalizes GV for being too affluent

Pima County Supervisor Ray Carroll should renounce his membership in the Republican Party and become a Democrat.

We're only kidding, but apparently, Pima County Administrator Chuck Huckelberry isn't.

On the surface, it appears he's playing politics with bond money intended to improve Pima County neighborhoods.

With $20 million available after a 2004 bond vote, Pima County has spent $9.6 million so far in the three districts with Democratic supervisors, Ramon Valadez in District 2 ($2.1 million so far), Sharon Bronson of District 3 ($4.1 million) and Richard Elias of District 5 ($3.4 million). The money has been spent on parks, street improvements, community centers and other protects.

Carroll represents Green Valley in District 4. Only $1 million has gone to community centers in his district and the one represented by District 1 Supervisor Ann Day.

Maybe Carroll should have supported Huckelberry's push for a half-cent county sales tax. We say that only half kiddingly.

The Pima County Neighborhood Reinvestment bond calls for the money to be spent in economically or socially stressed areas throughout the county. The money was passed out on a first-come, first-served basis to groups who met certain criteria.

Here's the toughest part. Of the $9.4 million remaining, none will go to the two Republican districts, under an arbitrary cap imposed by Huckelberry.

Republican districts are too affluent to qualify for the money, Huckelberry concluded. He said the three Democratic districts are the only ones with significant economic or social stress, making them the best candidates for the money.

Carroll and Day have cried foul. They clearly understand there are pockets of medium stress and poverty even in affluent areas of Pima County.

The policy is not written in stone, but the arbitrary decision to cut off funding before identifying projects is wrong.

The voters' intent in 2004 was to expand the bond program to the entire county. Of the $20 million, $5 million was earmarked to maintain improvements in Districts 2 and 5. The other $15 million was to be divided equally between urban and suburban/rural stress areas.

Bronson, whose District 3 includes Amado, said Huckelberry is not to blame for the cap. Rather, she blames the city of Tucson for charging the county overhead for projects it managed.

Huckelberry might be doing what's right in his mind for the county. It just does not pass the smell test. The division of money cuts too conveniently toward Democrats.

And if projects have not been identified for the remaining $9.4 million, they should not be limited to the Democratic districts. Give the money to worthwhile projects throughout the county.

Don't dismiss or penalize Green Valley as being too affluent.