Mayor to discuss state of Marana
Arizona Daily Star, April 17, 2008
By Brian J. Pedersen
Amid all the talk of a slowing economy, a housing market in the tank, and local governments scrambling to shore up budget deficits, Marana is doing just fine.
So says Mayor Ed Honea, who will round up all of Marana's prospects this morning during his annual State of the Town address at Marana Middle School.
"The state of the town is excellent," says Honea, whose address will be heard by about 500 people attending a luncheon hosted by the Marana Chamber of Commerce and the Marana Foundation.
"Financially, we're in great shape," Honea said. "We're kind of like everyone else, and are looking for ways to tighten our belts. But you see the county and the city (of Tucson) are both terminating people. We're not doing any of that."
Though Marana's housing growth — which fueled the town's massive expansion over the previous five years — has cooled considerably, Honea said the slowdown in rooftops going up is allowing for other growth-related projects to catch up.
"Residential got ahead of commercial," Honea said. "But now Arizona Pavilions (on North Cortaro Road is filling in, and on Silverbell Road there must be 15 new businesses. You've also got the Ritz-Carlton going in, and the shops on Dove Mountain (Boulevard) and Tangerine (Road)."
In addition, Honea said, large-scale retail centers are planned for along Interstate 10 at Tangerine and at the future Twin Peaks Road interchange.
The town also has three major road projects either nearing completion or about to get started.
Honea notes those projects — on Tangerine Farms, Thornydale and Silverbell roads — will help further connect all parts of Marana with each other to continue the town's goal of being seen as one community rather than a series of separate areas.
"They're all becoming similar now," Honea said of Continental Ranch, Dove Mountain and Old Marana, the town's three main areas. "It used to be where we would have political arguments strictly on where you live. That has almost completely gone away. Things have balanced out."
