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• Message from Supervisor Gates
• We Must Finally Solve the Broadband Gap
• Join Me: Lighting Up the Future, The Desert Goes Digital
• Recent Interview Regarding The Audit
• Summer Reading Program - Sign Up Now!
• Thank You, Volunteers!
• Latest COVID-19 Vaccine Information
• Quick Links to Helpful COVID-19 Resources
• Maricopa County is Hiring!
• Looking for a Maricopa County Contact?
• Follow Supervisor Gates on Social Media

Message from Supervisor Gates

Dear Friends,

I hope you all had the chance to enjoy our Maricopa County Regional Parks during the beautiful Arizona spring weather.  As heat continues to rise, be sure to hydrate, carry water, and use sunscreen, especially while you are out recreating in the next few months.  Another great way to beat the heat is to get lost in a good book.  The Maricopa County Library Summer Reading Program kicks off on June 1^st with fun challenges and prizes.  See below for more information and a link to register.

I want to take a moment to thank the numerous volunteers who have stepped up and helped out during the COVID-19 pandemic.  From staffing vaccine events to delivering supplies or answering questions from the public in our call center, volunteers have made a huge impact on our county.  Scroll through newsletter to find out how many volunteer hours were donated since December 2020 and what that represents in economic impact.

Finally, I’d like to share with you an initiative that I am very passionate about.  I have the pleasure of spearheading an amazing initiative with industry leaders to bridge the broadband gap.  Below is a column I wrote for the Foothills Focus discussing the issue and what we hope to accomplish.  I invite you to join me and several others on May 18^th for an event to kick off our broadband initiative.  Additional information and a link to register are further down in the newsletter.

As always, please do not hesitate to reach out to my office if you have questions, concerns, or need help finding resources.  You may reach us at 602-506-7562 or district3@maricopa.gov.

All my best,

Bill

We Must Finally Solve the Broadband Gap

Earlier this month, I had an opportunity to share my thoughts on the broadband divide with the Foothills Focus.  Please read on:

Friends, welcome to the first of what I hope are many monthly columns I'll have the fortune of writing for the Foothills Focus.  I am honored to have the opportunity to communicate and share my thoughts with you, my constituents, through yet another medium.  If you're reading this, it is most likely that you reside in Maricopa County District 3, and I am privileged to be your county supervisor.

I want to start off by sharing with you an amazing initiative I have the pleasure of spearheading with Dominic Papa at the Arizona Commerce Authority and Lev Gonick at Arizona State University.  It's called "Lighting Up the Future -- the Desert Goes Digital," and its goal is to finally solve the broadband gap, a gap I know exists for many in the unincorporated areas of District 3.

Tech adoption, smart government  and broadband expansion have always been priorities of mine.  During my chairmanship in 2019, we had a goal to provide as many county services through digital means as possible and to use new technology to more efficiently run county government.  What I didn't know at the time was that only a few months into 2020, our ability to go digital would be tested to the max.

Most of you reading this know that gaps exist in both the rural and urban broadband landscape, and we have tried for years to address the issue.  Then COVID-19 hit and access to the internet became more essential than ever before, and those gaps became roadblocks to participating in the workforce and classroom.  We saw individuals and communities get left out and left behind because they simply could not connect to reliable internet service or, once connected, lacked the digital literacy skills necessary to participate effectively in the new digital economy or remote classroom.  With workplaces and classrooms increasing their virtual footprints post-COVID-19, it is more important than ever before to address the gaps in access to broadband and digital literacy training.  Our economic future depends on it.  

Fortunately, we have a path forward.  Thanks to the leadership of Pap and Gonick, we have been able to create a coalition of community leaders, elected officials and private sector partners who want to see this problem addressed for generations to come.  We have a once in a decade opportunity to apply for and win federal funding to address our broadband needs.  It is uber important we do so with one voice and one plan -- both rural and urban, cities and towns, state and counties.

As we trek forward, I hope to have the opportunity to share in our successes along the way.  My goal is to help District 3, Maricopa County and all of Arizona successfully secure funding to finally address an issue that has persisted for far too long.  I've called on other elected officials, community leaders and private sector partners to sign on to the vision document we've created.  Now is the time to come together and ensure that Arizona doesn't have a single student or worker without access to reliable broadband and that our economic future is ready for the digital age.

Join Me: Lighting Up the Future, The Desert Goes Digital

Join us for Arizona's Grand Canyon-sized broadband and digital equity vision to connect and engage.

While great strides have been made over the past few years to narrow the digital divide, there are still as many as 1 million Arizonans who are unconnected or under-connected to schools, jobs, and healthcare.  The implications for the economy and vibrancy of Arizona are profound and have only sharpened the focus on the need for a statewide, integrated vision.

On May 18 from 4:00-5:00 p.m. Mountain Time, join me along with the Institute for Digital Progress (iDP), Arizona State University, Arizona Commerce Authority and Sun Corridor Network, and an unprecedented coalition of elected officials, business leaders, technologists, educators and grassroots activists for the the official kick-off and overview of the "Lighting Up the Future" vision document -- our big, bold vision for the future of broadband and digital equity for all Arizonans. 

REGISTER FOR THE KICK-OFF

Get a glimpse of a more connected Arizona

Once registered, you will receive a confirmation email that contains the full prospectus for Lighting Up the Future, and we recommend reading ahead of the event. 

Register now for the Lighting Up the Future May 18th kick-off and be part of the change!

Recent Interview Regarding The Audit

Earlier this week, I had an opportunity to speak to The New York Times about why I think the Arizona Senate's audit is eating at the foundation of our democracy.  Click here to read more.

Summer Reading Program - Sign Up Now!

Adventure awaits this summer at your library!  Earn points to win prizes by reading, completing challenges, and attending virtual performances. Registration is now open for the County's Summer Reading Program Maricopa County Reads!  The theme of this year's program is Tails & Tales, encouraging readers to explore the many stories of the animal kingdom.  Sign up now at MaricopaCountyReads.org and get ready to start earning your points on June 1st.

Thank You, Volunteers!

Pandemic Volunteers Provide Nearly $3 Million Value in Maricopa County Since December 2020, volunteers in Maricopa County’s Medical Reserve Corps have donated 94,360 hours of their time to assist in the effort to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic. These hours represent more than $2.9 million in economic value.  We are so grateful for their work in supporting community health! Read more > Volunteers Still Needed! With critical months ahead, will you be one of our Public Health volunteer heroes?  Join the fight and visit GetInvolvedMaricopa.org to sign up!

Latest COVID-19 Vaccine Information

Vaccination Opportunities  Maricopa County’s goal is to make COVID-19 vaccine available to everyone who wants it, wherever they live in the county. We want to meet people where they are at in our community, and to ensure that those who, historically, have had a harder time getting health care can find a COVID-19 shot that is: Available in convenient locations and times Provided in a safe, trusted environment Easy to sign up for Culturally relevant with information in many languages Accessible for people with a variety of functional needs Learn more about our data-driven efforts to provide vaccine for all > Whether you want to search for vaccination sites and appointments, or learn more about vaccine safety and efficacy, we have you covered at Maricopa.gov/COVID19Vaccine.  This page is updated regularly with the latest information.   Get notified about vaccination events in your area >

Who Is Eligible To Get Vaccinated?

Reminder: Resources for Non-English Speakers Maricopa County Public Health has partnered with 2-1-1 to bring Spanish-speaking Promotores on board to assist residents with information on the COVID-19 vaccine and also help book appointments.  If you need vaccine assistance in Spanish, you can dial 2-1-1, Monday through Friday, from 8-5 pm. Salud Pública del Condado Maricopa se ha asociado con 2-1-1 para que Promotores de Salud estén disponibles para contestar llamadas en español y dar información o hacer citas para la vacuna COVID-19. Si usted desea asistencia en español, marque al 2-1-1 y luego 271 de lunes a viernes de 8am a 5pm. Multilingual Call Center Public Health is also answering questions from community members in at least seven different languages including Spanish, French, and Arabic.  Need assistance?  You can dial 602-506-6767 and choose option 3 to be connected to our multilingual call center.

Quick Links to Helpful COVID-19 Resources

Maricopa County is Hiring!

Maricopa County is always looking for motivated individuals to join our team.  Click HERE to see what jobs are currently open. With great benefits, fun health challenges, and amazing people, the Human Resources department at Maricopa County continues to do an amazing job of finding, attracting, and keeping great talent. Is your next career waiting for you at Maricopa County?

Looking for a Maricopa County Contact?

Below is a contact list for Maricopa County constituent services. Don't see what your looking for? Visit our County Contacts Webpage.

Follow Supervisor Gates on Social Media

@BillGatesAZ

@BillGatesAZ

William Gates

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Contact District 3

Phone: (602) 506-7562

Email: District3@maricopa.gov