Gila River Voters Say No To Loop 202 Extension

SACATON - While a final vote count has yet to be certified, Gila River Indian Community voters have spoken on the subject of the Loop 202 extension south of Phoenix. GRIC voters chose the "no build" option by a vote of 720 for the "no build" option, 603 for the "on tribal land" option, and 158 for the "off tribal land" option. About 6,700 registered voters in seven community districts were eligible to vote in the election.

"There's been a great deal of passion on both sides of this issue, from those who advocated for the economics of building this freeway to those who worried it would harm South Mountain and the environment," said Gila River Gov. Gregory Mendoza. "Tonight, we have a clear direction from the Community; our voters don't want to see this freeway built - not on tribal land or off tribal land."

Voters in Tuesday's election had three choices: "Yes" to build the freeway on tribal land; "no" to building the freeway on tribal land; and "no build," a statement against building the Loop 202 freeway extension at all. In 2000 the Community Council approved a resolution that opposed a freeway across community lands.


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