For my previous blog on Ron Asta (with photo), click here.
Asta served on the Pima County Board of Supervisors from 1972 to 1976, and was the Chair for one year.

Announcement Press Release
Contact: Ron Asta (www.ronasta4mayor.com)

I have lived and worked in Tucson since 1964. I own a home in Tucson. My son was born, grew up and still lives in Tucson. I plan on living here the rest of my life – beginning with this announcement to be the next mayor of the city I have grown to love. But our city is in real need of new leadership.

I am the only candidate for mayor with proven leadership ability in an elected office – as the former chairman of the Pima County Board of Supervisors.

I am the only candidate with experience in urban planning. In fact, I have a Masters degree in Civil Engineering from the UA. And helped set the stage for the Sonoran Desert Conservation Plan.

I used to be a liberal Democrat whose base narrowed with extreme positions…the poster boy for anti-growth in Tucson…which means I am a candidate who admits to making mistakes…and seeing the error of his ways.

Now I’m a conservative Republican…and a businessman. I still care deeply about the environment. But I also want an environment in which our kids can find jobs. I believe Tucson will work again when Tucsonans are working again. So, with age, I’m a lot more committed when it comes to keeping and attracting businesses. And I’ve learned how to build consensus among parties who often have strong disagreements. That requires a strong mayor…the kind of mayor who will stand up for taxpayers and stand up against special interests.

Yes, I am still concerned about air quality, water quality and quality of life. But I am also concerned about our economy… and about a government that continues to make it difficult to live and work here – while it continues to squander taxpayer dollars. There are no excuses for that. In the coming weeks, I will show you how we can reduce restrictions on doing business here…and reduce city spending…without reducing our quality of life. And without reducing police and fire protection. When it comes to public safety, there are no excuses for second best.

While it is not in the mayor’s job description, there are also no excuses for the sorry state of public education in Tucson. When 70% of our high school graduates need remedial math and English before they can take classes at Pima Community College, we have nobody to blame but ourselves. We are failing to bring new business here because of it …. and that is in the city’s job description. I intend to get involved.

Finally, I also have no excuses for a mistake I made 33 years ago…when I stole a steak from a supermarket. I’m human. With nobody to blame but me, it was one of the great humbling experiences of my life. So I am the only candidate who will admit to making mistakes. But I’ve come back strong from each of them. And I hope to use that strength to help get Tucson moving again…get our city back on track…back to where it once was: the country’s best place to live and work and raise a family.

And listen to Ron on KJLL “The Jolt” 1330 AM “Ron Asta’s Tucson” Tuesdays, as high noon.

Campaign contact info: email info@ronasta4mayor.com, phone 520-971-5161, 4225 E. Grant Rd, Suite 1, Tucson, AZ 85712.

Lugo Charities Inc. is pleased to announce that it will be hosting the 2nd Annual Bike-In-A-Box Christmas event on Sunday, December 19, 2010 from 12:00 noon to 2:00 p.m. at St. Augustine Cathedral, 192 South Stone Avenue.

A special invitation to 500 underprivileged children from youth organizations, schools, churches, and children-support agencies in the Greater Tucson area will be attending this special day of giving.

Santa and Mrs. Claus will arrive at 12:00 noon to greet the children. Each child will be treated to a Christmas stocking and receive one of five-hundred (500) bicycles that we are planning to give away, along with a bike safety helmet provided by Tucson Medical Center of the Children’s Miracle Network.

The bicycles will remain in the box so that the parents or guardians can, together with the child, assemble the bicycle in promoting the true Christmas spirit and teaching the children the basic assembly and adjustments to their new bike.

CEO Jesse Lugo with the assistance of John C. Scott (radio talk host with a show of the same name, on KJLL the Jolt, 1330 AM) raised over $27,000 to pay for these bikes, gotten at discount from Walmart at $45 each.

Apparently this is the 11th year of providing these bikes, but in the past volunteers assembled the bikes, but now they are being presented in a cardboard box for the families to assemble themselves.

John C. Scott & Jesse Lugo delivering bikes in a box in 2009

Congratulations to Jesse Lugo and John C. Scott for their hard work, and many thanks to the hundreds of donors who all helped to reach that monetary goal.

Riding a bike safely is a wonderful skill everyone should know. And owning their own bike is probably something most of these children would not have dreamed of, except for the wonderful generosity of the many Tucsonans who helped with Jesse’s project.

For more Information go to Lugo Charities, Inc.

Bike In A Box
P.O. Box 26363
Tucson, AZ 85726
Office:(520) 322-0714

Mondays: former Ward 6 Councilmember Nina Trasoff, “Pima Community College Perspective”, 6 p.m.

Tuesdays: former District 1 Pima County Supervisor Ron Asta, “Ron Asta’s Tucson”, 12 noon

Tuesdays: former Ward 6 Councilmember Fred Ronstadt, “The Fred & Jeff Show” (with his younger brother Jeff), 5 p.m.

Thursdays: former Ward 5 Councilmember Steve Leal, “All Things Political“, 12 noon

Daily: former State Senator John C. Scott, “The John C. Scott Show“, 3 to 5 pm. M to Th, 3 to 4 p.m. Fridays.

Incidentally Scott is also the General Manager of KJLL.

Host John C. Scott sometimes appears on Arizona Public Media‘s KUAT Channel 6 TV’s “Friday Roundtable” political discussion at 6:30 p.m., with reporters/editors from the Arizona Daily Star, Tucson Weekly, Arizona Republic, Green Valley News & Sun, and even sometimes our Editor Mark Evans of Tucsoncitizen.com.

J.D. Hayworth in Phoenix was also a radio talk show host (KFYI 550 AM) after he lost his job as CD5 Congressman, and before he resigned to run for U.S. Senate in Arizona this year against incumbent John McCain.

So stay tuned, for more former politicians evolving into radio talk show hosts & hostesses. Anyone else I missed?