4/14/2009 5:52:00 PM U.S. Rep. Kirkpatrick returns to Cottonwood
VVN/Jon Pelletier
Congresswoman Ann Kirkpatrick toured Old Town Cottonwood with local city officials on Tuesday morning, making frequent stops to local businesses along the way. 1st District Representative Kirkpatrick then made a scheduled appearance at the Verde Valley Senior Center where she answered questions about the economy, the budget deficit, Mexican drug cartels, and the general mood of the country, among other topics.
Congresswoman Ann Kirkpatrick returned to Cottonwood Tuesday as part of a two-week whirlwind tour around the huge district.
She talked about the economy, health care and border protection. She also listened to citizens' thoughts. It was part of a tour called "Getting Arizona back on Track."
"The economy was much worse than I dreamed of, when I first got to the U.S. House. I made a priority of keeping people in their jobs and creating new jobs bring home an income to put food on their table.
She repeated points that, it will not be short or easy and that everyone needs to help.
"A lot still needs to be done and I can tell you that this economic recovery is going to take a long time. We will work together to turn things around. My confidence comes from people like you. It is not going to be government that solves the problem, it is people like you working together."
During a morning discussion with business leaders and a walking tour of Old Town, she came away impressed at the enthusiasm to work together to make things happen.
John Ask of the Central Arizona Food Bank said the USDA didn't have any money to feed elderly people and were going to cut them off.
"In the Recovery Act, there is going to be a $250 one-time payment that people will receive in May if you are on Social Security. Those people who rely on a fixed income suffer the most, in an economic downturn," Kirkpatrick said.
"We are getting more requests," Ask noted. "Even school districts are noticing that families of their students are suffering. I am starting up a satellite food bank, so we can get more food out. This valley has been devastated. Our requests have more than tripled."
"I was a Depression baby," remarked one old timer. "I don't think this country is capable of doing today what we did then.
"There were regulations put into place after the great Depression that will prevent the 30 percent unemployment that we saw at that time. But, I think we are going to see double-digit unemployment. While we are seeing some movement, car sales, foreclosed homes are re-selling. There are some signs."
"Health care is definitely something that is connected to the economic downturn," the Congresswoman responded. "At the end of December, people were saying jobs are the most important thing. Now I am hearing much more frequently the need for adequate healthcare."
But, she warned: "In the recovery act, there is money for healthcare and education, but because this is a one-time infusion, it is not meant to replace healthcare and education funding from the state. The federal government required that the states maintain their healthcare and education funding at the 2006 level. But the state of Arizona has not done that and so when you read about Arizona may not get healthcare or education dollars, that is why.
"Everybody has to do their part in this recovery. It doesn't look at this point like Arizona is going to do that."
A woman spoke up about "Tax Day," but also showed a dramatic graphic that illustrated that the projected federal deficit will be deeper and deeper in the coming years. "We are mortgaging our children's future," she emphasized.
Kirkpatrick said, "I am really disappointed that leadership in Washington during the past eight years chose a path of borrowing and spending. And I am hearing that same talk in the state Legislature. And that is how deficits occur. I support a dedicated revenue stream, dedicated to paying down the deficit. So I will be watching that very carefully."
Cottonwood Oak-Creek School Superintendent Barbara U'Ren wanted to know about stimulus dollars for education in Arizona.
"We are still learning about that process and talking to the Governor's Office about how that will happen," Kirkpatrick said. "The two areas that we know about the stimulus money coming into the communities is for law enforcement, helping them to fight the drug problem, and there is money for transportation."
U'Ren said, based on the money coming from the state, the Cottonwood-Oak Creek District has had to provide Reduction in Force notices to employees.
The Verde Independent spoke briefly about Kirkpatrick's talks with business people.
"They are holding on. They are doing everything they can just to hold on right now. We are going to have to see if retail sales improve. That will be critical to small businesses. We are seeing some new sales in the manufacturing sector, but it is going to be a slow recovery."
She said the sense of excitement that Cottonwood is going to get through this gives her the confidence that we are going to recover.
"All along I have said that it is the American people who are going to work their way out of the downturn."
She is a member of the Veterans Services Committee and sponsored a cost-of-living increase for veterans. "I have been talking with veterans and hearing very sad stories, particularly about rural healthcare."
Kirkpatrick is also a committee member of the Small Business Committee as well as the Homeland Security Committee.
She talked about her concerns with the seven "violent drug cartels in Mexico who are bringing drugs through rural Arizona.
Recalling a conversation with an Arizona chief of police, she said, they believe once you get beyond Phoenix you are "home free." She applauded the City of Cottonwood for being the first community in Arizona to restrict the sale of ingredients for the manufacture of methamphetamine, when the Arizona Legislature stumbled on the idea.
