What kinds of jobs are needed to ensure Pinal’s economic future?
To ensure long term economic sustainability, a mix of jobs must be created in Pinal County. Certain jobs, such as retail and service sector, will be created when the population reaches a certain level. However, population alone does not attract high quality, living wage jobs. While it is understood that service sector jobs will begin to close this employment gap as more people move to Pinal County, without a concerted effort to create more than service sector jobs, Pinal County’s economic sustainability and livability will continue to be in question. This is a concern regularly articulated by the public through our Comprehensive Plan outreach. Quality employment has been defined throughout the process as “jobs that provide living wages comparable to those in Maricopa and Pima Counties, that provide full benefits for employees, offer continuing educational choices, and provide advancement career path opportunities.
