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Reaffirms his support after hearing their concerns
• Ducey meets with area’s military leaders,
During his visit to Yuma on Thursday, Gov. Doug Ducey met with Col. David Suggs from Marine Corps Air Station Yuma and Col. Ross Poppenberger from Yuma Proving Ground to listen to their concerns and ideas for what actions and policies from the state level could help the two bases.
Ducey opened the meeting by saying that Arizona is going through an economic boom in parts, which gives him room for more action and to extend more resources where they’re needed.
“We’re not going on a spending spree,” he said. “But we can make longterm investments. This is the first year of a four-year term, so we’re just getting started, and as we go forward we’re looking for growth and prosperity.”
Poppenberger said that two concerns are at the top for YPG: infrastructure and jurisdiction.
Under infrastructure, he referenced the need for money to help develop and maintain the 75 miles of road YPG has.
“We have 75 miles of road at YPG, and some of them, especially the main road, are heavily used by traffic,” he said. Poppenberger said it’s hard to keep the funds available for maintenance and improvement. “We had to scrape rubber off a runway, and there goes the money for main road maintenance.”
Under jurisdiction, he referenced the need for the military police at YPG to be able to process civilians who threaten the safety around the base.
Poppenberger said that the military police have had issues with drunk drivers apprehended in La Paz County whom the military police could do nothing about until someone from the sheriff’s office arrives from their office in Parker.
“Our police force can arrest and apprehend them, but they can’t do anything else until the sheriff comes,” he said. Poppenberger shared a story about YPG police arresting a drunk driver who failed a breathalyzer, but when the sheriff arrived, the driver sobered up and was released. “Our police chief is losing his mind over this, so what we’re looking for is concurrent jurisdiction.”
Suggs said that he would like help providing a place for Marines to stay. He said that housing is a concern for the Marines and that they have better housing options in California, which dulls the attraction of working in Yuma.
“We want to keep families in Yuma. The housing market here is a bit tight,” he said. “I’ve got 1,600 Marines I can’t house right now. Some of them are going out and renting or buying single-family homes.”
Overall, Suggs talked at length about the need to incentivize joining the Marines. “We’re asking ourselves, how do you make joining the Marines lucrative?” he said. Suggs said he knows many of the Marines are young and fresh out of school, so he wants to look at ways to help provide education and to help pay tuition.
Ducey affirmed his support and promised to prioritize the issues that they brought before him. Ducey said he recognizes the importance that YPG, MCAS and the Goldwater Range have for the state through what they provide in economic benefits and how vital those resources are to the military.
Poppenberger also talked about the need for more land for YPG because the safety buffer zone will need to grow as larger loads are dropped.
Suggs also said there’s a need to make sure the Goldwater Range minimally affects resources and conservation efforts.
The governor noted that visiting Yuma is always a pleasure.
Ducey said, “It’s great to be back in Yuma. I always get the warmest reception when I come. I’m grateful with what you have been able to accomplish here.”