Dear Editor,
The honor and integrity of the west are alive and well in Mohave County.
From its picturesque state parks and expanding tourism to the independence and work ethic of its residents, Mohave County contributes to Arizona’s economy, attractiveness and culture in countless ways.
That’s why Arizona will continue to prioritize investments in Mohave County communities.
In the Governor’s Office, we’ve worked consistently to increase funding for programs in our rural communities. Last year, we passed the Drought Contingency Plan — the most significant water policy in 40 years. We also followed through on our commitment to invest in rural broadband.
But there’s more work to be done.
Starting with Internet Connectivity. So we’re tripling our investment in Rural Broadband Grants, providing an additional $10 million for the program.
Through this grant, approximately 35,000 residents in Bullhead City, Fort Mohave and Mohave Valley are gaining access to high-speed broadband services. We’re working to get even more residents connected.
In addition, we’re planning to invest $59 million in Smart Highway Corridors to install over 500 miles of broadband conduit along our rural interstates.
Among these is Interstate 40 along the Arizona-California border. This investment will make our highways safer and smarter than ever before and pave the way for additional private-sector investments to get more Arizonans logged on.
Next, we’re working to bolster our rural workforce. The state has 2,000 unfilled manufacturing jobs outside of Maricopa and Pima counties. We want to do all we can to help fill these gaps.
To start, we’re allocating over $10 million to expand educational opportunities in rural Arizona communities. Of this, nearly $7 million will go directly towards our 10 rural community college districts.
The remaining $4 million will go toward expanding the Arizona Advanced Technology Corridor to supply employers with the skilled workers needed in rural areas. Mohave Community College is one of five districts that will receive this funding — Go Bighorns!
Students at Mohave and other community colleges around the state deserve all the assistance we can provide to help them secure a job after graduation.
My office is developing an innovative partnership, administered by the Local First Arizona Foundation, which is modeled after national best practices to get more people from rural areas into jobs being offered by small businesses.
We’re also continuing to focus on improving Arizonans’ health and welfare.
To provide additional protections for at-risk children, our budget expands the Dependency Alternative Program (DAP) statewide, including to Mohave County, to more quickly and effectively address the needs of children and families involved in dependency court proceedings.
What’s more, the natural beauty of Mohave County’s state parks is second to none. From the pine forests of Hualapai Mountain Park to the glimmering waters of Lake Havasu City State Park, Arizona is focused on preserving these pristine landscapes while creating more opportunities for Arizonans and visitors to enjoy them.
To help these parks thrive, our budget includes $1 million to expand rural tourism development efforts at the Arizona Office of Tourism.
We are making all these investments while maintaining fiscal discipline. Too often in government, the measure of success is spending. Not on our watch.
We’ve worked to reduce the size of state government. As I see it, government should do fewer things, but do the things it does do well.
So through responsible budgeting and a growing economy, we’re letting hard-working taxpayers keep more of their money. And we are starting with those who we can all agree have sacrificed the most: Our veterans.
Arizona’s veterans served our country with honor. They often put their lives on the line to keep others safe. They have earned their benefits.
Instead of taxing their service to our country, we should be honoring it. Our budget does this, by eliminating all state income taxes on our veterans’ military pensions once and for all.
As I emphasized in my State of the State speech at the Capitol, Arizona has needs outside the “Great State of Maricopa.”
And we’re here to tackle them. Every year, every legislative session — as long as I’m in office. Why? Because it’s the Arizona Way.
Arizona Governor Doug Ducey
