San Luis canidate profile: Ponce says sewer plant expansion key to growth

Editor's note: Four candidates for San Luis city council are profiled below. Similar profiles of the remaining four candidates will appear in Monday's edition of The Sun.

SAN LUIS, Ariz. - If this city doesn't expand its water treatment plant, Jose Ponce says, the city's growth will come to a halt once the plant reaches full capacity.

If he is re-elected to the city council during the city's primary election on Tuesday, Ponce said expanding the sewer plant will be one of his priorities for the city.

"Once it goes to full capacity, we won't be able to build homes and grow," Ponce said.

Ponce is one of six candidates competing for three seats. One other seat is being contested by two candidates in a recall election that will appear on the same ballot.

Aside from expanding the sewer plant, Ponce said another project to tackle is to improve the quality of the city's water, which he said contains excessive iron and magnesium.

Construction of the commercial port of entry and the remodeling of the current port are important for the city, Ponce said.

With an increase in crimes such as graffiti and robberies in the city, Ponce said the city needs more police officers.

As a resident of San Luis for nine years, 55-year-old Ponce said he is not looking for any personal benefits while he is a council member.

"I own no business here, and I have no conflicts of interest," Ponce said. "Everything I do is for the benefit of the community."

Ponce said he ran for but failed to win a council seat in 1998. He said in order to be a council member, one does not have to be a career politician.

Ponce grew up in Somerton and moved to San Luis in 1995. He works at Marine Corps Air Station Yuma as an air-conditioning mechanic. He is married with two children from his first marriage and six children from his second marriage.

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Jacob Lopez can be reached at jlopez@yumasun.com or 539-6872.