The Arizona Air National Guard at the Tucson International Airport and Davis-Monthan Air Force Base are so important to the Pima County economy that the Pima County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday voiced unanimous support for their existing and future missions.

Even though the U.S. Department of Defense in August 2012 selected Luke Air Force Base inGlendaleas a new F-35 pilot training center, future opportunities may exist for reserve and foreign pilot training.

The F-35 Joint Strike Fighter is the Pentagon’s biggest weapons program.

The Air National Guard is the region’s 37th largest employer, generating more than $280 million in annual economic benefit. Davis-Monthan, meanwhile, is the third largest public employer in the region, contributing $1.1 billion a year to the local economy.

The Guard’s 162nd Fighter Training Wing is the largest in the country, serving as an
F-16 training unit for National Guard and international pilots on 94 acres atTucsonInternationalAirport. The wing has trained pilots from 28 countries that fly the F-16.

“A big part of the reason I placed this resolution on the agenda is that I wanted to make it very clear not only to other jurisdictions in our region, but clear to our congressional leadership as well as to the leadership in the Pentagon, that this community, its leadership and its elected officials adamantly support Davis-Monthan and the 162^nd and their missions,” said Pima County Supervisors Chairman Ramón Valadez. “I wanted to make that very loud and clear.”

Pima County Supervisor Richard Elías said that while it is important to be cognizant of those who live near the military installations and the need to balance their lifestyles with future missions, he said he felt confident supporting the 162^nd. “They’re very important to our community and very important to the economics of our community,” he said.

A number of local business and community leaders, including the DM-50, the Southern Arizona Leadership Council and U.S. Rep. Ron Barber’s office, expressed support for current and ongoing missions as well.

David Welsh, representing Tucson Regional Economic Opportunities, estimated the economic impact of adding an F-35 component to the mission of the 162^nd could add up to $60 million annually in economic impact to the region.

Mike Varney, President of the Tucson Metro Chamber, likewise applauded the board for its leadership. “One of the things that sometimes gets overlooked is the ripple effect of having both these installations in the community – the number of small businesses who are vendors to these installations and the number of people they employ and the paychecks they create.”

Citizens who are interested in expressing an opinion about the existing and future missions of the Air National Guard are encouraged to contact the Air Force. Letters may be sent to:

The Honorable Terry Yonkers, Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Installations, Environment and Logistics

1665 Air Force Pentagon

Room 4E996

Washington,DC20330-1665

Additional letters may be sent to the following:

Michael B. Donley

Secretary of theUnited StatesAir Force

1160 Air Force Pentagon

Washington,DC20330-1160

General Mark A. Welsh, III

HQ USAF/CC

Chief of Staff, USAF

1670 Air Force Pentagon

Washington,DC20330-1670

General Mike Hostage

Commander, Air Combat Command

205 Dodd Blvd., Suite 100

Langley AFB, VA 23665-2788

Lt. General Burton Field

HQUSAF A-3/5

1630 Air Force Pentagon

Washington,DC20330-1630

General Larry O. Spencer

HQUSAF/CV

Vice Chief of Staff, USAF

1670 Air Force Pentagon

Washington,DC20330-1670

Today the Southern Arizona Buffelgrass Coordination Center (SABCC) hosted a bus tour of Tucson International Airport property where buffelgrass will be removed using a $2.5 million federal grant awarded to Pima County and the airport.  Pima County contributed $145,500 in matching funds, with TIA contributing a $706,000 match. The grant is part of the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s pre-disaster mitigation program.

The Pima County Office of Emergency Management and Homeland Security and Natural Resources, Parks and Recreation Department will be coordinating efforts for Pima County. Pima County will use a portion of the grant to remove buffelgrass from the Mission Road Complex.

Buffelgrass poses an extreme fire hazard. A buffelgrass fire at the airport could shut down runways and cost thousands of dollars for local fire departments, the airport, and business partners located at the airport. The project covers approximately 600 acres at the airport.

The bus toured the perimeter of the airport along runways, Raytheon, and Bombardier properties; every seat was filled with representatives from local jurisdictions, fire departments, and the private sector. “We are happy to partner with the Tucson International Airport on this grant,” Pima County Supervisor Ray Carroll said. “The airport is a critical economic asset to our region, and FEMA recognized that we must protect it from super-charged fire.”

Buffelgrass, an invasive species, is highly flammable, moves rapidly and burns hot enough to melt aluminum at 1400 degrees Fahrenheit. Buffelgrass fires spread at a rate of three feet per second, enough to burn football field in three minutes.

“We recognize the need to protect the critical infrastructure in and around the airport and other parts of the community, and protect institutions in the area that have a tremendous economic impact in the region,” said Mike Hein, Director of Pima County Emergency Management and Homeland Security. The funds will allow TIA and Pima to hit buffelgrass hard in 2013, killing plants and seeds, and then continue to control growth control through regular maintenance.

“Pima County has always been a great partner,” says Sarah Smallhouse, SABCC Board Chair. “In addition to removing and treating buffelgrass, we’ll be using this grant to build capacity in terms of training for landscape contractors and public outreach.

“It not just esoteric; removing buffelgrass is about public safety and economic development.”

In the Sunnyside neighborhood adjacent to the airport, residents look forward to continued good relations with the airport. “We have a lot of schools in the neighborhood, and we want to protect those kids and our houses from fires,” said Becky Quintera, the Neighborhood Association President. She looks forward to public outreach in Spanish and English, including flyers, television public service announcements, and neighborhood meetings.

For more information about buffelgrass, visit the SABCC website: www.buffelgrass.org.

Keep up with Pima County on Facebook at www.facebook.com/pimacountyarizona.

The Pima County Board of Supervisors approved an economic development plan for the County on Tuesday that could ask voters to invest $197 million to strengthen existing employers, attract new jobs and enhance tourism.

The Board approved the plan subject to review by the Pima County Bond Advisory Committee and creation of working groups to consider economic development in rural communities and in central Tucson neighborhoods and downtown.

The Board also voted to increase the County’s annual support of Tucson Regional Economic Opportunities to $500,000, from $350,000. Of that funding, $450,000 is earmarked for administrative and operating expenses and $50,000 would be for special projects that increase the number of high-wage jobs and support the growth industries identified in the economic development plan. None of the County funds can be spent on travel or entertainment.

The approved economic development plan includes:

• $90 million in road and other infrastructure improvements designed to connect and strengthen Raytheon Missile Systems, Tucson International Airport, Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, the University of Arizona Bio Park and Tech Park, and other employment centers along Interstate 10 south of Tucson.
• $30 million to expand employment centers in Marana, Oro Valley, Sahuarita and South Tucson.
• $37 million to expand local museums, including the Arizona Sonora Desert Museum, the Pima Air & Space Museum, the Tucson Children’s Museum and the Tucson Museum of Art.

The plan envisions the development of an aerospace/defense research and business park to build upon the strength of those sectors in Pima County and attract related businesses. It would provide for the realigning of Hughes Access Road to remove an obstacle to potential Raytheon expansion. It would also allow the purchase of more land in the D-M flight departure corridor and develop an aircraft noise abatement program for affected neighborhoods.

It recommends discounting user fees at Kino Sports Complex and building on the County’s efforts to support soccer and bicycling to attract visitors and improve the quality of life for residents.

To see the economic development plan in its entirety, please visit www.pima.gov.