600 Tucsonans Send Letter to the Secretary of the Air Force
CITIZENS OF TUCSON
March 8, 2010
The Honorable Michael B. Donley
Secretary of the Air Force
1670 Air Force, Pentagon
Washington, D.C. 20330.1670
General Norton A. Schwartz
Chief of Staff of the Air Force
1670 Air Force, Pentagon
Washington, D.C. 20330.1670
Dear Secretary Donley and General Schwartz:
The US Congress and the Air Force at one time were united in their efforts to reduce military jets over Tucson, evident from Congressman Morris K. Udall’s Report excerpted below.
Congressman’s Report, Vol. XVII, No.4, Summer 1980.
“First, the Arizona Air National Guard and Davis-Monthan Air Force Base both have agreed to move a substantial part of their traffic to Marana Air Park….The House of Representatives has tentatively okayed expansion of the Marana field, and Pinal County authorities and the Air Force are at work on a lease. The $12 million to $15 million needed for that work should be in the 1982 military budget. In the meantime, the Air Force will spend up to $500,000 for temporary facilities. Continued use of Marana will allow the Air Force and the Air Guard to divert much of their training activity away from population centers.”
For economic reasons, our elected officials have reversed policy and are now advocating for increased training over population centers, leaving many Tucsonans to question their judgment. While we very much appreciate a focus on job creation in Southern Arizona, urban encroachment forces military jets to flyover tens of thousands of homes. The economic benefit of more, louder jets in Tucson will be offset by a loss of homeowner equity and result in a redistribution of wealth from low and middle-income property owners to military contractors. And because a disproportionate burden will be placed on the largely low-income, Hispanic community living near TIA, the result will have the appearance of economic injustice.
Tucsonans have no experience with the F-35, and cannot be asked in an EIS to anticipate the negative impact on our neighborhoods. We do expect our elected officials to defend our property rights and wellbeing, but sadly, this is no longer the case. Should the F-35 be based here, the tens of thousands of property owners around TIA and DM will have little recourse but to sue to recoup what is likely to be substantial losses in property values.
Many more suitable communities will benefit from F-35 training. Thank you for considering economic justice and community support in your F-35 basing decision.
Sincerely,
Signatures Attached
cc: Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords
Congressman Raul Grijalva
Senator John McCain
Senator Jon Kyl
Mayor Robert Walkup, City of Tucson
Mr. David Martin, AETC NEPA Program Manager
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