PHOENIX (AP) - An Arizona House committee has approved a bill that would bypass concerns from nearby towns to the incorporation of a growing Pinal County area known as San Tan Valley.
House Bill 2088 by Republican Rep. Eddie Farnsworth removes a legal provision allowing a city within six miles of a proposed incorporation to block it. Farnsworth says opposition has kept the more than 100,000 residents in San Tan Valley from holding a vote.
The towns of Florence and Apache Junction oppose the bill, as does the League of Arizona Cities and Towns. League lobbyist Alex Vidal testified that the 6-mile rule keeps new areas from hemming in existing cities and has worked well for decades.
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The House Local and International Affairs committee advanced the measure on a 4-3 vote Wednesday.
-This story has been corrected to show the proper spelling of Rep. Farnsworth’s last name.
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