Jean Stockton’s View

Background and Community Awareness

• Many new San Tan Valley residents are unaware of the area’s history and ongoing issues with county-level governance
• Residents who previously lived in incorporated cities expect similar service levels but don’t receive them under county government
• County government is not designed to provide the same level of municipal services that cities offer

Current Law Enforcement Coverage Issues

• San Tan Valley currently has only 6 deputies assigned per shift according to Sheriff Teeple
• Stockton calculates this means 18 total officers across all three shifts to cover the entire San Tan Valley area
• She heard from someone that the number might be 24 officers, possibly accounting for weekend or other coverage, though she was not certain
• This staffing level is insufficient even for responding to traffic accidents alone

Public Safety and Traffic Concerns

• The area experiences rollover accidents on a 45 mph roadway, which typically indicates either T-bone collisions or excessive speeding
• Stockton observes that many drivers exceed speed limits by 20-25 mph, traveling 65-70 mph in 45 mph zones
• The community currently faces significant issues with both traffic accidents and speeding violations

Urgency of Incorporation Decision

• Stockton emphasizes that waiting to incorporate will only make problems worse
• She warns against delaying until the population reaches 320,000 people while still relying on only 6 patrol officers
• Current public safety issues including accidents and speeding will likely worsen without addressing law enforcement capacity, which Stockton believes incorporation could help achieve
• She questions when would be an appropriate time to incorporate if not now, given existing service deficiencies