Ciscomani Reviews $7.65 Million in Federal Funding for Graham County Projects
U.S. Representative Juan Ciscomani (R-CD6) visited Graham County on Monday to review four Community Project Funding (CPF) requests totaling $7.65 million for Fiscal Year 2027. The tour included stops in Fort Thomas, Safford, Thatcher, and back to Safford, focusing on key infrastructure and community needs. Ciscomani has requested $42 million across 20 CPF projects for FY2027, bringing his total requested local investments to $102 million across 48 projects since taking office.
In Thatcher, town leaders presented plans for a $3 million reconstruction and widening project along First Avenue, a critical north-south arterial route. The project aims to address safety concerns, including narrow lanes, steep drop-offs, and heavy traffic from schools and residential areas. The redesign will include 12-foot travel lanes, a center turn lane, 6-foot sidewalks, and 5-foot bike lanes, along with improvements to the railroad crossing and undergrounding power lines.
Local officials emphasized the urgency of the project, noting the dangerous conditions for children and the need for better pedestrian and bicycle infrastructure. Rep. Ciscomani commended the town and county for their joint, shovel-ready proposal, highlighting the ripple effect benefits of the project.
Beyond the Thatcher project, Ciscomani’s FY2027 request package includes funding for teacher housing in Fort Thomas ($650,000), expansion of the Graham County Historic Courthouse ($2,000,000), and modern 3D mammography equipment for Mt. Graham Regional Medical Center ($2,000,000). These requests are currently moving through the House Appropriations process in Washington, D.C.