Citing a digital divide so deep that students are submitting college applications using borrowed Wi-Fi from a McDonald’s parking lot, Arizona’s tribal leaders are illustrating crucial needs for newly allotted federal funds.
While Maricopa County records sees population growth, tribal leaders say their communities that abut the Valley of the Sun can feel the impact of the growth happening around them. Near Scottsdale, the Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community experiences nearly 600,000 vehicles a day on its roads.
“In the fast-growing region here in the East Valley and Phoenix metropolitan area, there is a great need to provide adequate maintenance to the existing infrastructure in the community, and to provide the necessary infrastructure improvements to the members of our community,” says Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community President Martin Harvier.
