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The Maricopa Association of Governments (MAG) is a Council of Governments (COG) that serves as the regional agency for the metropolitan Phoenix area. MAG is the designated Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) for regional planning in the Maricopa region. MAG provides regional planning and policy decisions in areas of transportation, air quality, water quality, and human services. When MAG was formed in 1967, local elected officials recognized the need for long range planning and policy development on a regional scale. They realized that many issues such as transportation and air quality affected residents beyond the borders of their individual jurisdictions. MAG was founded in the spirit of cooperation. MAG members believe that by uniting, they can solve common problems, take an active role in long range regional issues and address concerns that affect all of the communities. Click for more information on the history of the Maricopa Association of Governments or MAG's Purpose. You can also contact one of MAG's staff members for additional information. More information can be found in the MAG General Information Booklet. Message from the Chair
Our economy is improving. Our five-year Transportation Improvement Program contains about seven billion dollars worth of projects that mean jobs and economic vitality for our region. Through the efforts of our Economic Development Committee and the Joint Planning Advisory Council, we will continue to work with regional planning organizations in Pinal and Pima counties to position our collective region, known as the Sun Corridor, to be competitive in the global economy. One important priority will be for us to identify the corridor’s key economic drivers and find ways to grow those opportunities. One key area of focus for MAG this year will be working to improve our trade relations with Mexico and Canada and enhancing the flow of commerce into Arizona. I was fortunate to meet with President Obama’s executive team about the need for investment in border transportation infrastructure, to help us compete with other border states like Texas that are far outpacing Arizona in trade relations. The president’s team assured me of the administration’s desire to work with Arizona leaders and our southern neighbors in a positive and proactive way. With our border serving as the gateway for $26 billion worth of imports and exports, I am looking forward to helping in that capacity in my role as chair. Many additional important issues face our region, and we have some big jobs ahead. Major projects include building the South Mountain Freeway, which has been identified by the Regional Council as a priority project, and continuing our efforts to address dust pollution. We are completing a number of major studies, such as the Freight Transportation Framework Study and a study to assess the feasibility of managed lanes for this region. We are exploring the implementation of 3-1-1, which would allow residents to call a single number with questions about municipal services. We will be developing population projections and estimates for the region. We will also continue our impressive work in the human services arena, where we continue to tackle difficult issues such as aging services, domestic violence and homelessness. In addition to the above, there are many other ways MAG works to improve our region, including overseeing the 9-1-1 emergency telephone system, standardizing building codes, developing uniform requirements for public works projects, and working to identify ways to improve safety on our streets, roads, and highways. In conducting all of these activities, we rely on an active public involvement program through which we continually seek input from Valley residents to provide their thoughts and guidance on these many plans and programs. I am confident that we, as MAG, have the desire, the drive and the talent to accomplish these tasks in ways that will make all of us proud. The underlying concept of MAG is that local governments, which are closest to the people, should exercise the initiative, leadership and responsibility for addressing local problems through regional cooperation. MAG has remained true to this mission since its inception in 1967, and we will continue to serve this region by seeking ways to improve the lives of all Valley residents. I look forward to serving MAG and the residents of this region in the year ahead. Sincerely, |
Thank you for your interest in the Maricopa Association of Governments. It is my honor to serve as the current chair of MAG. Having served on the Regional Council for six years, I have been fortunate to see how cooperative efforts result in better service delivery for our residents. I am excited to lead the organization at a time that we have many opportunities before us.