REFERENCE TITLE: restoration; Cherrybell mail processing center

State of Arizona

House of Representatives

Fifty-fifth Legislature

Second Regular Session

2022

HCM 2002

Introduced by

Representative Dalessandro

A CONCURRENT MEMORIAL

urging the united states congress to take action to fully restore operations at the tucson postal processing and distribution center.

(TEXT OF BILL BEGINS ON NEXT PAGE)

To the Congress of the United States of America:

Your memorialist respectfully represents:

Whereas, the Tucson Postal Processing and Distribution Center (Cherrybell) serves the entire southern portion of Arizona, covering the counties of Pima, Santa Cruz and Cochise. Currently, Southern Arizona is facing a potential economic downturn due to the initial decision made by the United States Postal Service (USPS) Board of Governors to close Cherrybell; and

Whereas, more than 1.8 million people and 23,197 businesses use the Cherrybell postal services. According to USPS officials, over 2.6 million pieces of mail go through Cherrybell each day as it is the 15th largest facility serving the 33rd largest population area in our nation. The processing and sorting operations at Cherrybell that are proposed to be moved to Phoenix affect approximately 300 jobs in Southern Arizona; and

Whereas, Southern Arizona, which includes both the Tohono O'odham nation and Pascua Yaqui tribal lands, encompasses the California and Arizona border at Yuma, south to Nogales and across to Douglas and Bisbee in Cochise County and the military installations located at Fort Huachuca and Davis Monthan, and depends on the Cherrybell Post office; and

Whereas, Southern Arizona is home to many military veterans who depend on the USPS both for timely delivery of medical prescriptions and for employment, as the USPS employs more veterans than any entity other than the United States Department of Defense; and

Whereas, in an extensive community survey conducted in 2015, 84% of individuals and 86% of businesses reported a noticeable delay in mail delivery due to the partial closure of Cherrybell; and

Whereas, consolidating the processing of mail services to Phoenix will result in further mail delivery delays for Tucson. The Phoenix postal processing facilities have struggled to handle the existing volume of mail they are responsible for due to staffing shortages and other operational challenges, which demonstrates the need to improve processing capacity in this state; and

Whereas, the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has emphasized the importance of reliable postal delivery; and

Whereas, Tucson City Council Member Richard Fimbres went on record opposing the closure of Cherrybell and requested that the Council work directly with Tucson's congressional delegation and community members to frame a campaign to protect the vital jobs at Cherrybell; and

Whereas, former Pima County Recorder F. Ann Rodriguez objected to the closure of Cherrybell and firmly believed that, due to the higher number of voters each year on the permanent early voting list, this change would clearly impact the activities of the state and county elections officials in Arizona and would cause a detrimental impact to voters. The information provided to the public by the USPS is based entirely on economic considerations with no apparent regard for the impact of the change on the fundamental right of all citizens to vote and, in particular, the significant additional detrimental impact to Native American voters in the region; and

Whereas, the people of Arizona applaud the efforts of United States Senators Kyrsten Sinema and Mark Kelly, Representatives Raul Grijalva and Ann Kirkpatrick and the other members of the Arizona Congressional Delegation who have asked for more detailed and complete information regarding the proposal Cherrybell closure; and

Whereas, thousands of people have written letters and signed online petitions urging the USPS Board of Governors not to close the Cherrybell mail processing center.

Wherefore your memorialist, the House of Representatives of the State of Arizona, the Senate concurring, prays:

1. That the Congress of the United States protest the proposed closing of the Tucson Postal Processing and Distribution Center and take any action necessary to fully restore operations of this vital postal facility.

2. That the Secretary of State of the State of Arizona transmit copies of this Memorial to the President of the United States Senate, the Speaker of the United States House of Representatives and each Member of Congress from the State of Arizona.