The race in District 2 should be a quick lesson in politics for newcomer Robert Robuck.
The Sahuarita resident has no experience, but says he’s in the race to win even if it’s against Ramon Valadez, who has more than a decade of experience.
Valadez was appointed to his position in 2003 to fill Dan Eckstrom’s political shoes. When Eckstrom retired from county politics, he picked Valadez to be his successor. Before Pima County, Valadez paid his political dues in the state House of Representatives and state Senate beginning in 1996.
Robuck moved to Sahuarita in 2003, and is an active opponent of Augusta Resource Corporation’s Rosemont Mine. He told the Tucson Weekly when he and several neighbors discovered their water wells were temporarily depleted after Augusta drilled for water on nearby property he knew he needed to challenge the mine.
When he discovered the county did not require Augusta to do a hydrology study and his calls to the county went unanswered, he thought running against Valadez was a good way to get his concerns addressed.
Valadez, however, feels the county has been the loudest voice against the mining operation, and has worked to get the company to do a hydrology study. Much of this revolves around what he says is the biggest issue the region faces – water.
“It is not land that is going to drive growth, but water or the lack there of,” Valadez says. “I look forward to trying to find some creative solutions that allow us to be a sustainable community.”
District 2 Fun Facts
District 2, which stretches from southside Tucson to Sahuarita, is home to about 32,800 Democrats, 15,700 Republicans, 590 Libertarians, 170 Greens and 20,300 voters who aren’t registered with those parties.
Candidate Web sites
Democrat Ramon Valadez
Democrat Robert Robuck
ScrambleWatch 08 
Valadez: “I will sell out the Pima taxpayers any day or night as long as the developers keep taking care of me $$).”
No, just being against the mine doesn’t make you an environmentalist since it is a pretty safe position. Who the heck wants to contaminate their water and help the rich get richer for max of 500 likely temporary jobs?
Been there, done that. Just look down South.
Robert Robuck has a Web site:
http://www.ElectRobuck.com
That statement by Valadez that he is the “best candidate” would be true if Ramón Valadez was running for the association of special interest and big money!
Valadez doesn’t care about the common citizen.
Valadez never shows up a Democratic Party meeting or events.
Basically Valadez is a DINO (Democrat In Name Only) and the money Valadez has raised and received clearly backs up this point.
If you want to see honest Pima County board of Supervisors which by the way also serves as the BOARD OF ELECTIONS, Vote for Change and Honest Government…
Vote for – Robert Robuck
In regard to your comments in the lesser of two evils endorsements and the proposed Rosemont Mine.
1. Everyone has the right to speak out against it. Mr. Valadez did not speak at any of the Forest Service Open Hearings even though his District stands to be heavily impacted by the proposed project, and aside from one rumored sighting in Green Valley did not attend any of the 9 Forest Service Scoping Meetings
2. Mr. Valadez could assure his constiuents in the colonia in the Sahuarita Heights area that they do not have to sign a well owners agreement with Rosemont Copper and they could still have the right to sue for damages, unlike what the attorney Mr. Holub is telling them.
3. Mr. Valadez could impose conditions against any proposed electrical substation that would be sited in his District specifically for the proposed Rosemont Mine as substations are permitted by Pima County.
4. Mr. Valadez could have met with Mr. Robuck when he wanted to discuss subsidence issues related to Rosemont Copper’s current well drilling activities in the Sahuarita Heights area, instead of ignoring his requests to meet.
5. Mr. Valadez could remove the 2008/2009 District 2 Bond Committee Appointee who is a member of Triangle Ventures who therefore is one of the partners who sold the Rosemont Project to Augusta Resources. He was also a member of the bond committee when the sale took place.
6. Investors calculate community opposition to a project into the value of a stock, so, when you say there is not much Pima County can do, I strongly disagree.
You said speak now or forever hold your peace. I am speaking. Thank you.