PIMA COUNTY – The Pima County Board of Supervisors voted unanimously January 16 to name Supervisor Richard Elías as the new board chair. The District 5 supervisor has served on the board for 15 years, since February 2002, and previously served as board chair from 2006 – 2009.

The board selected District 2 Supervisor Ramón Valadez as vice chair. He has served on the board since 2003 and previously served as board chair from 2010 – 2013.

Chair Elías replaces District 3 Supervisor Sharon Bronson, who had served as board chair since 2014. Supervisor Bronson has previously served as board chair from 1999-2000, and from 2002-2005. The board voted her as acting chair, who serves as chair if the chair or vice chair are both unavailable for a meeting.

The board chair is responsible for, among other things, running board meetings and signing legal documents as required by state statute and County Code.

PIMA COUNTY – Pima County and World View officials Thursday marked the completion of Spaceport Tucson and the headquarters and manufacturing facility the innovative aerospace company will lease from the County.

Pima County entered into an economic development agreement with World View in January to retain the company in Tucson. World View introduced a new, high altitude flight vehicle, the Stratollite, earlier this year. World View was being courted by several other spaceport states in 2015 but chose to stay in Tucson with the stipulation the County construct a building it could lease before the end of 2016.

The County completed construction of the building, 1805 E. Aerospace Parkway, last week and World View received a temporary occupancy permit Dec. 21. Pima County Board of Supervisors Chair Sharon Bronson, District 2 Supervisor Ramón Valadez and County Administrator Chuck Huckelberry presented a ceremonial key to World View founders and principals Jane Poynter and Taber MacCallum to commemorate the completion of construction. Chair Bronson also noted the county completed the building and Spaceport under the $15 million budget.

As part of the incentive agreement, World View also will manage and operate the adjacent county-owned Spaceport Tucson, a 700-foot diameter concrete launchpad the company and others will use to launch high-altitude balloons.

World View, as part of the agreement, is expected to lease the building from the county for 20 years, paying from $675,000 to $1.62 million per year in rent, according to county documents about the agreement. The company agreed to grow its workforce from a current level of 25 employees to more than 400 in five years, with average annual salaries greater than $55,000.

Phoenix-based Applied Economics Inc. in 2015 conducted an economic impact study of World View’s proposed operation and estimated the company could have a $3.5 billion direct and indirect impact on the local economy over the next 20 years.

“This collaboration puts Tucson at the forefront of spaceflight technology development. The support from Pima County shows the commitment to innovation and economic development in this region. We are thrilled to be in the building on time and impressed with how collaborative the process has been with all our partners involved to ensure the successful completion of the Spaceport and World View HQ.” said Jane Poynter, CEO of World View.

World View’s innovative flight technologies offer a unique perspective of Earth from the edge of space. World View delivers meaningful insights to enterprises, agencies, and individuals via two primary business segments: Stratollite un-crewed flight systems and Voyager human spaceflight systems. Stratollites are uncrewed high-tech balloons that operate in the stratosphere. These models will be able to successfully complete long-endurance flight over a specific area of interest and safely return to Earth. Stratollites, in operation today, offer low-cost, long-duration, persistent high-altitude flight for enterprise and government agencies. Using advanced stratospheric balloon technology, Stratollite applications include communications, remote sensing, weather, and research.

World View Overview Brochure

TUCSON, AZ — The Tucson Association of REALTORS®( TAR) have endorsed Ally Miller, Ramon Valadez and Kim DeMarco for seats on the Pima County Board of Supervisors.  TAR additionally endorsed Steve Christy for the Pima County Board of Supervisors in the November General Election.

TAR President Eric Gibbs stated, “Our endorsements of Ally, Ramon, Kim and Steve are based on their records of service and accomplishment for our community as well as their dedication to creating real change in the direction in leadership of Pima County.”

Ramon Valadez has served on the Board for District 2 since September 30, 2003; Ally Miller was first elected in 2012 for District 1. Steve Christy is running unopposed in District 4 and Kim DeMarco is running for the first time in District 3 against a 20 year incumbent.

Gibbs continued, “The Tucson Association of REALTORS® and its over 5,100 members strongly urge you to get out and vote in this very important November General Election.”

Candidate interviews were conducted by the association’s Candidate and Ballot Measures Task Force.