Ruiz Backpedals on Willow Springs Benefits
Commentary by J.C. Huntington
Posted to PoisonedWells.com August 9, 2001

Pinal County Supervisor, Lionel D. Ruiz

Pinal County Supervisor Lionel D. Ruiz has made a 180 degree turn in his claim that Willow Springs will enhance the local economy by providing professional jobs. 

A month or so ago, Ruiz was claiming the project would bring “important employment opportunities” and would offer jobs requiring professional backgrounds.

Ruiz now admits that the jobs provided would be “remedial” in nature, and sounds unsure that the project will bring any jobs at all.

On June 13, four weeks after approving the rezoning for the first phase of Willow Springs, Ruiz promoted the project in an advertisement Ruiz paid for in The San Manuel Miner.

In his ad, Ruiz claimed the project "is the best development I have seen,“ and said it would "offer long term employment for people with skill and professional backgrounds.”  Ruiz's comments were echoes of  the landowner's claims that "high tech businesses" and "environmental research organizations" would relocate to their proposed project -- once houses had been built. 

Apparently something has happened, because Ruiz has reversed his opinion. 

On August 7, Ruiz admitted to The Arizona Republic that jobs brought by the project would not require professional backgrounds or high skill. 

In fact, Ruiz seems unsure that the project would bring any jobs at all.

"All we're trying to do is maybe bring some jobs. Yes, they're remedial jobs, but you should see how many people are already driving to Tucson for those jobs," Ruiz said.

One wonders what compelled Ruiz to do this about-face (one also wonders what a "remedial job" is). 

Perhaps the fact that the landowner has been unable to name a single firm that will re-locate to Willow Springs had some bearing on Ruiz’s reversal. 

Or, perhaps the fact that the promoter of the project, Remington Properties, has listed an apparently non-existent firm as a consultant for “Business and Economic Development” for Willow Springs had something to do with it.

Whatever the cause, this reversal by Ruiz is an interesting turn of events. 

Ruiz should consider rescinding the rezoning until he becomes more certain that Willow Springs really is in the best interest of his constituents.

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If you would like to ask supervisor Ruiz why he has chosen to retract his claim that the Willow Springs project would provide professional jobs, click HERE.

I would suggest that you request that Ruiz have your email put in the public record for the Willow Springs rezoning. 

The reason for this suggestion is that Pinal County has a record of misplacing information that would normally be part of the public record..