Protecting LD25's Water

It probably won't surprise anyone that water was one of the biggest topics of the afternoon. For Yuma, water isn't simply another policy discussion. It's agriculture. It's jobs. It's our economy. It's our communities. And it's our future. And it's also the reality for ost of LD25.

As Arizona continues working through Colorado River negotiations, we need to protect the Lower Basin and make sure California remains part of the solution.

Yuma has also been incredibly innovative when it comes to agriculture and water. Our farmers understand better than most how to produce more while continually finding ways to use water more efficiently.

The people who live and work there deserve a strong voice in decisions that could affect our water for generations.

I'll continue making sure Yuma and the rest of LD25 have that voice at the State Capitol.

Making Housing More Affordable

Housing affordability was another major topic.

During the forum, I shared something from my own experience. When I purchased my first home, it was small. As my family and circumstances changed, I was able to move into something larger. That's part of the opportunity we need to restore for young Arizonans today.

One of the biggest obstacles is supply. Arizona has a tremendous amount of land, but much of it isn't available for development. When available land is scarce and unnecessary regulations add time and expense to construction, those costs eventually show up in the price of a home.

We need to increase housing supply, reduce unnecessary barriers, and allow the market to build homes at different price points.

Developers will naturally build the biggest homes they can when the incentives push them in that direction. We need an environment where building smaller, more attainable starter homes makes sense too.

Young families shouldn't feel like homeownership is permanently out of reach.

Listening Matters

Not every question at the town hall had an easy answer. That's exactly why events like this are valuable.

Legislators need to hear what families, employers, educators, farmers, and community leaders are experiencing firsthand. Sometimes that leads to legislation. Sometimes it identifies something we need to research further. And sometimes it reminds us that a solution that works in Phoenix may not work the same way in Yuma.

Supporter Highlights

In this section, I will feature stories or testimonials from supporters. Would you like to be featured in a future email and social media? Email me your story to conservativesforcarbone@gmail.com.

HELP KEEP ARIZONA STATE HOUSE RED

As Majority Leader, I work on issues affecting the entire state. But LD25 is home, and I never want the voices of our rural and agricultural communities to get lost in the conversation at the Capitol. Thank you to Arizona Western College for hosting us, to my fellow legislators who participated, and especially to everyone who attended and asked questions. I'll keep listening... and I'll keep taking LD25's voice back to Phoenix. Sincerely, Michael Carbone​ Majority Leader Arizona House of Representatives