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Mayor's Biography

Mayor Paul Loomis celebrates his 10th anniversary this year as Oro Valley’s first directly elected Mayor, taking office in 1998. During his tenure, Oro Valley has:

  • Grown from 25 to 34 sq. miles
  • Increased in population from 19,000 residents to nearly 44,000 in 2008
  • Increased its annual budget from $33 million to $203.1 in 2008/09
  • Constructed nearly 10 miles of four-lane divided highways
  • Installed nearly 13 miles of multi-use paths
  • Issued more than 8,000 residential and over 1,500 commercial building permits
  • Implemented a reclaimed water system that will now save the community over 300,000 gallons of water annually

As Mayor, he is a member of the Pima Association of Governments (PAG) Regional Council and is the past chair of the Regional Transportation Authority. He also is the Smaller Jurisdiction’s Board Member of the Tucson Regional Economic Opportunities, Inc. (TREO). Paul also serves on the executive board of the Arizona League of Cities and Towns. In 2007, he was appointed by Rep. Gabrielle Giffords to serve on her Solar Advisory Council.

Major Accomplishments

  • In 2001, Mayor Loomis and the Arizona Department of Agriculture assisted and supported the citizens and planners of the Save-a-Plant program, when they gained passage of B.B. 2018, Arizona Native Plants Law Article 1, Sec. 3-9-16, which exempts nonprofit and voluntary associations from permit requirements and fees when salvaging plants from development sites, so long as they replant in a residential development, public park, or other common area. The American Planning Association (APA) selected the Town of Oro Valley Save-a-Plant program as the winner of its Outstanding Planning Award for a Special Community Initiative.
  • In 2003, while chairman of PAG, he led the effort in the state legislature to re-authorize the formation of the RTA. In November 2005, the RTA board approved the RTA plan, which is a working document showing a 20-year, multi-modal transportation blueprint for the Pima County region. The RTA plan was approved by the voters in May 2006.
  • In 2007, the Town acquired Steam Pump Ranch, an historical property that is part of the founding history of Oro Valley. In 2008, the community-developed Master Plan received an award from the Arizona Planning Association (APA) for Best Historic Landmark Planning Project.

Mayor Loomis prides himself on his open door policy and welcomes citizen participation at all levels of government.

Mayor Loomis has been an Oro Valley resident since 1994. He retired in March 2007 after working 34 years for the Dept. of Defense. Prior to moving to Arizona, he lived in the San Francisco Bay area and worked for the United States Navy.