Local opinion: Legislator choices key to maintaining quality of life

My grandfather came to the Sonoran Desert nearly a hundred years ago. Amidst the Depression’s uncertainty, he sought opportunity in the West. But my grandfather was not a passive observer. He built his own business and contributed to civic development as Phoenix blossomed into a thriving metropolis. The values engendered by my grandparents were embraced by my own parents, who set the example for hard work and civic responsibility.

Just as Arizona offered unlimited possibilities for my parents and grandparents, I enjoyed many opportunities growing up here. I attended neighborhood public schools and gained a solid foundation for my later education at the University of Arizona. After graduate school and an early career out of state, I returned to Tucson to buy a home, raise my own family, and build a business.

Shortly after returning, I had the opportunity to open a satellite office of a small research company working in national security. Arete Associates wanted to expand into electro-optic system development, and Tucson was the perfect location due to its outstanding technical community anchored by the University of Arizona. Our initial hires drew from local talent and Arete became the employer of choice by providing quality jobs with great benefits. As Arete grew, we recruited the top talent from across the nation and enjoyed a high acceptance rate, with young people attracted by affordable housing, good public schools, and an outstanding quality of life. With such competitive advantages, Arete’s Tucson division grew quickly and has contributed nearly $1B in economic activity to Southern Arizona.

Working families, young people, and life-long Arizonans now have fewer opportunities, and fewer freedoms, than my generation did. Chronic underfunding of public education may cause new businesses to look elsewhere and limit the availability of good-paying jobs. The lower cost of living that brought me back to Tucson has been eroded, and affordable housing has become unattainable for many. The reproductive care that was available to my wife brought us two beautiful children but is at risk of becoming unavailable. Even our public safety is at risk, where the Legislature has failed to fully fund our Department of Public Safety resulting in limited patrols where resources are most needed. And that outstanding quality of life? It will literally dry up if we don’t protect our water resources.

We need to place a priority on funding a comprehensive educational system that is available to all our children and young adults, which will prepare them for satisfying careers in a wide range of fields. We need to protect women’s reproductive freedom, and not criminalize medical professionals who provide compassionate and medically appropriate care. We need to keep health care affordable and available to all Arizonans. We need to prioritize public safety over special interests. And we need to secure our water future before out-of-state conglomerates deplete our shared water resources.

One of my proudest achievements at Arete Associates was to lead the transition to 100% employee ownership. As CEO of an employee-owned company, I worked for the employees, not the other way around. I knew who I worked for.

The opportunities that were available to my grandparents, parents, and my own family can still be available to future generations, but only if we elect legislators who put the needs and interests of Arizonans above the greed and arrogance of special interests. We need legislators who know who they work for.