CRAMA March 2008 Update

After a cold winter the heat is on its way and many of you will be leaving for greener pastures. So here is the latest on the Memorial Airfield.

The meeting in February at the Sun Lakes Country Club was a success. Close to 200 people attended, including Maricopa County Supervisor Fulton Brock, who addressed the group. He confirmed his continuous opposition to development of the Memorial Airfield and was highly complimentary of CRAMA’s efforts. We also collected many new petitions and quite a few people signed up to help us. Bernie Lee, member of our steering committee and in charge of our petition drive, followed up with a mass mailing to residents of Sun Lakes Country Club. This was another very productive effort. As of this moment the Petition count is at 8778 (!!) with more coming in daily and our campaign to add to this number will continue.

We have been less successful in our efforts to have a face to face meeting with the GRIC Airport Authority. However, we understand that there are some very complex issues that will have to be resolved before any significant changes can take place at the Memorial Airfield. And we shall continue our efforts to establish a dialogue with the people in charge of the airport project.

Certainly the relocation of the two casinos is top priority for the Council. In addition the Arizona Water Settlement Act now finally fully enacted in December 2007 offers some new opportunities to the Gila River Indian Community. As one tribal leader stated: “We’ll anchor our economy to farm reclaimed land to make a living through our ancestral way of life, which is agriculture.” According to AZ Tribune plans are considered to expand cotton, alfalfa and grain crops from about 70,000 acres to 146,000 acres. Nobody seems to be talking about an airport.

But that may change so CRAMA intends to remain vigilant and committed to secure the best for our communities, present and future. We shall continue our “watchful waiting”, keep collecting petitions as well as maintain contacts with our state agencies and legislators. Should anything happen, you will hear from us. You can be sure of that.