‘When we went to her for help, she jumped right in’

By Jim Nintzel
Tucson Weekly, September 18, 2008 (excerpt)

Since taking office, Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords has worked hard to become one of Southern Arizona’s best-recognized political figures. She enjoys warm relations with the press, frequently holds “Congress on your corner” events at local supermarkets and has performed solid constituent service.

That constituent service has won her loyal support among some local Republicans. Ed Honea, the GOP mayor of Marana, says he’s supporting Giffords because she came to the town’s rescue when the Federal Emergency Management Agency wanted to redraw floodplain maps to include many Marana homes and businesses.

Honea estimates that the plan would have cost homeowners and business owners in the town as much as $9 million annually in flood-insurance premiums. Honea says Giffords used political leverage to get the agency to consider elements including the Central Arizona Project canal as barriers to flooding.

A private consultant working with FEMA staff has now developed a study that shows about 95 percent of the property in the original proposal should not be considered part of the floodplain.

“Gabby Giffords was the catalyst in getting FEMA to back off and let us do these studies that showed that the vast portion of Marana is not in the floodplain,” says Honea. “Gabby Giffords talks the talk and walks the walk, and when we went to her for help, she jumped right in.”