Rio Verde Foothills' water crisis is not Scottsdale's problem to solve

Joanna Allhands did a great job covering the water problem for the residents of Rio Verde Foothills.

I especially liked her observation that nothing currently being proposed by legislators does anything to address the root cause of the situation.

I have a real problem with the hypocrisy of state legislators who crow about state’s rights and federal government overreach only to turn around and impose their will over cities and towns.

That’s exactly what the current legislative proposals do.

Allhands: No fix for Rio Verde Foothills until this happens

They are trying to force Scottsdale to continue providing water to Rio Verde Foothills residents. Yet these people are not Scottsdale residents, and they pay no taxes to the city.

Scottsdale didn’t create this problem; our Legislature did. And now that very body wants to order Scottsdale to fix a problem that isn’t Scottsdale’s to fix.

Dan Peel, Scottsdale

These crimes cannot happen again

We were proud to join Gov. Katie Hobbs as she announced actions against more than 100 fraudulent Medicaid providers who have been targeting tribal communities and our people.

Fraudulent Medicaid “providers” have exploited our citizens for their own financial gain.

These “providers” target the most vulnerable people in search of treatment services with the goal of using them to defraud the state’s Medicaid program of hundreds of millions of dollars — money that should have been used to rehabilitate and house them.

Instead, people are held against their will and encouraged to continue using drugs and alcohol so that the culprits can continue billing for treatment services that are never provided.

Within weeks of entering office, Governor Hobbs and her team began meeting with tribal leaders and advocates to better understand the depth and breadth of this issue.

Under the leadership of Director Carmen Heredia, AHCCCS has implemented new requirements for behavioral clinics and facilities as an added measure to screen bad actors.

In March, Governor Hobbs signed an executive order establishing the Task Force on Missing and Murdered Indigenous People and charged the task force, in part, to examine the practices of licensed and unlicensed public and private rehabilitation and sober living homes and to propose recommendations.

The people who committed these heinous crimes need to be held accountable by the attorney general and United States attorney.

We are committed to working with the governor and law enforcement to make sure this type of fraudulent activity does not happen again.

Martin Harvier is president of the Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community.

Ned Norris, Jr. is chairman of the Tohono O’odham Nation.

Timothy Nuvangyaoma is chairman of the Hopi Tribe.

Lawmakers ignore climate, health issues

As a lifelong resident of Arizona and a proud Latina, I’ve been longing for the year that our state Legislature finally takes bold action to address the pressing environmental and health issues facing our communities.

Unfortunately, the Legislature’s current session has been a massive disappointment.

We saw hope for bills that would bring electric vehicles and infrastructure to communities in need of better public transportation, a study looking into the future of solar panels on agriculture fields, and a bill that would have planted trees at underfunded schools.

Unfortunately, instead of advancing these popular and urgently needed measures, our elected representatives decided to start their summer vacation.

By continuing to neglect environmental legislation, the Arizona Legislature is also neglecting the state’s most vulnerable communities, including low-income communities, frontline workers and communities of color.

The Legislature is in recess once again, while holding conversations behind closed doors with no transparency.

This inaction also means that Arizona is at risk of losing out on Inflation Reduction Act funding, leaving our people to suffer through heat waves and droughts without adequate support or relief.

As the sunniest state in the country, we should be a leader in the clean energy economy. Instead, our people will be left behind in the clean energy revolution, missing out on job opportunities, and health and financial benefits.

It’s time for Arizona to become a leader in clean energy and environmental justice, and we must all work together to make it happen.

If our elected officials won’t meet this moment with the urgency it requires, Arizonans can and must replace them with ones who will.

Yara Marin, regional director, Vote Solar

Thanks, Arizona, for accepting us

I live in Iowa and am occasionally in Arizona with my mom who has lived and retired in Glendale for 40-plus years. I’m not a snowbird.

Recently I had to put my mom into hospice care in Peoria, and I sold her house in Glendale.

When we first moved her to metro Phoenix in 1978, the Valley accepted us.

You Arizonans have a lot to appreciate — treasures galore under your noses. Go see these things in your Valley and state.

I have lived and worked in the Valley on occasion and have brought back to Iowa many things and memories I will cherish forever.

I listen to my favorite radio station from your area as well. I am writing this as I may never be back again and as my appreciation for all of you in the Valley and surrounding areas.

Thank you for allowing my mom and I to enjoy our time in Arizona. Also, thank you to all the Valley health-care workers for your work and dedication to help families like mine in times of need.

I will miss you, Arizona. Hope somebody from Iowa can repay you someday!

Russ Allen, Mt. Pleasant, Iowa

What’s on your mind? Send us a letter to the editor online or via email at opinions@arizonarepublic.com. And consider joining our moderated Voices: Engaging Arizona group on Facebook.

This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Scottsdale shouldn't solve Rio Verde Foothills' water problems