Rich Ulery
The Quail Creek Republican Club (QCRC) met on March 21. A standing-room-only crowd filled the Kino Conference Center to hear from recently re-elected Congressman Juan Ciscomani (R-AZ) and Sahuarita Mayor Tom Murphy. QCRC 1st VP Steve Sanford welcomed the capacity crowd, greeted new QCRC members, and introduced Congressman Ciscomani.
Ciscomani has been a regular visitor to Quail Creek and thanked QCRC members for their support in the November election. He provided a comprehensive update on the congressional activities in Washington, D.C., including the rapidly improving conditions at the southern border. He recently hosted a number of freshmen congressmen and women at the border and gave them a first-hand view. He extensively discussed the actions of DOGE (Department of Government Efficiency), led by Elon Musk. He emphasized that the focus and goal of DOGE is to identify where significant savings can be realized by rooting out fraud, waste, and abuse while still ensuring that governmental services continue to be delivered to citizens who truly need them. He specifically referred to services provided by Veterans Affairs and Medicaid. The congressman also addressed the recently passed continuing resolution (CR) which keeps the government running through September and avoids a shutdown. The CR was passed through the budget reconciliation process, which requires only a majority vote in both the U.S. House and Senate. He stressed, however, that any changes to Social Security or Medicare cannot be made through the budget reconciliation process. A majority vote in the House and a super majority of 60 votes in the Senate would be required to make any changes. The congressman summed up his presentation by inviting anyone with questions or concerns to contact his office. He received a standing ovation.
Steve then introduced Sahuarita Mayor Tom Murphy, also a frequent visitor to the Quail Creek Republican Club. Mayor Murphy spoke about several town issues, including economic development, water, and road construction concerns—especially about the intersection of S. Abrego Drive and Nogales Highway. He also provided additional details about the recent Town Council decision to contract with a single trash collection provider. The decision was made to reduce costs for Sahuarita residents and to save taxpayer dollars flowing to the town. The mayor answered numerous questions from all attendees and stayed after the meeting to answer more questions.
Steve Sanford announced that the featured speaker for the April 18 QCRC meeting will be Commissioner Kevin Thompson of the Arizona Corporation Commission. A field trip to the border city of Douglas is planned for May, with a stop in Sierra Vista where Cochise County Sheriff Mark Dannels will give us a personal tour of the County Jail. More exciting meetings and events are planned throughout the year.
For more information about the QCRC and for membership forms, please visit the website at www.quailcreekrepublicans.com.