Imagine if Maricopa County were suddenly much smaller than 4.42 million people in population.
A legislative bill has been offered that could do just that by dividing up Maricopa County into four counties.
The initially proposed boundaries in House Bill 2787, submitted by Rep. Jake Hoffman, R-Queen Creek, would leave much of central and northeast Phoenix in Maricopa
It would also create a new Hohokam County for much of the East Valley, a Mogollon County for northeast Phoenix, Scottsdale and the northeastern part of the county, and a O’odham County that would include most West Valley cities and stretch westward to the current Maricopa County line.
This week, the bill was reviewed by both the majority and minority caucuses.
While few local leaders could be contacted for comment as of this writing, many state lawmakers and party officials have strong takes on HB 2787 — mainly, Democrats opposed to it.
Hoffman said, during a hearing on the bill, the bill is not about creating a Republican advantage. It’s about water, he said.
On Feb. 9, the House Government and Elections Committee, which Hoffman co-chairs, approved the bill on a 7-6 party-line vote. HB 2787 did not have any scheduled hearings, as of late Thursday.
Austin Smith of Wittman, Turning Point’s action director, Arizona Young Republicans chair and a candidate for one of the House seats in District 29, tweeted support after he spoke in favor of the bill.
“We need more representation in Maricopa — not less,” Smith tweeted. “No matter what the Democrats want, we won’t turn this place into L.A. County.”
However, Democrats have voiced opposition, knowing there are significant numbers of registered Republicans in the outlying parts of the Valley, such as Gilbert, Chandler, Mesa, Scottsdale and Surprise.
“This bill is not about representation or water issues,” the Maricopa County Democrats tweeted on Tuesday. “This bill is a way to gerrymander the fastest-growing county in America. Republicans are afraid of Maricopa County turning blue.”
Maricopa County District 4 Supervisor Clint Hickman, a Republican, declined to comment on the bill. Steve Gallardo of District 5 — the lone Democrat among the five supervisors — couldn’t be reached for comment.
Buckeye spokesperson Annie DeChance said the city is monitoring the bill, but “isn’t active” on HB 2787.
Goodyear spokesperson Tammy Vo said the League of Cities and Towns is in opposition on the bill, and the city supports that position.
Jason W. Brooks is a News editor for the Daily Independent and the Chandler Independent.
He covers the Chandler area for both yourvalley.net and the monthly print edition while writing for and assisting in the production of the Daily Independent.
Brooks is a well-traveled journalist who has documented life in small American communities in nearly all U.S. time zones.
Born in Washington, D.C. and raised there and in suburban Los Angeles, he has covered community news in California, New Mexico, Arkansas, Iowa, Nebraska and northern Arizona.
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