So said Rebecca Ruopp, a City of Tucson employee in the Dept. of Housing and Community Development, in starting off the first Community Key Services Dialogue tonight at the Northwest Neighborhood Center. 7 more meetings in the 6 city wards will be held in October to get feedback from city residents on several questions: 1) what do you like about Tucson and 2) what would you most like to see improved about Tucson?

7 tables of about 10 residents dialogued with each other and a facilitator in answering these initial questions, followed by brief welcomes from Councilmember Karin Uhlich and City Manager Mike Letcher. A budget analysis disclosed that the discussion tonight was to concentrate on the 32% of discretionary funds of the City’s budget.

Then the same tables were asked these questions: 1) What City services do you use? 2) What City services would you maintain or cut, and why? 3) What new resources, revenues or efficiencies should be pursued by the City? 4) What services should the City invest in for our community’s future?

I recognized several activists present at the meeting: John Kromko, Tres English, Dick Bayse, Judith Anderson (Pro Neighborhoods), Jim Murphy (PCOA), and Ben Buehler-Garcia, candidate for Ward 3 Council seat. About 15 City staffers (including TPD officers) were available as resource persons.

No consensus was reached or vote was taken in answering these questions, but records of each table’s discussion with lots of creative, varied responses will be collated and put onto the City website at: www.tucsonaz.gov/dialogues. I question whether these comments won’t just be a compilation of anecdotal responses from all 8 dialogues/ meetings, without any clear mandate from the participants. Let’s wait and see since the website says that the goal of this process is “working together to set city budget priorities”.

The calendar for the upcoming meetings are listed in my previous blog and by clicking on the link above. The next meeting will be on Sat. 10/3 at El Pueblo Neighborhood Center, 9 to 11 a.m. Questions/comments can be directed by email to dialogues@tucsonaz.gov, or by calling 520-791-4204.

Tucson City Manager Mike Letcher wants to dialogue with neighborhood leaders and residents about the city’s budget. Here’s your chance to air your opinions about services provided by the City of Tucson, and even Proposition 200, coming up on the November 3rd ballot.

“The City of Tucson is beginning a new era of communication and collaboration with you – and the first step is the Community Key Services Dialogues.”

Calendar for upcoming 8 meetings in the six city wards, one starting tomorrow for Ward 3 residents:

Mon Sept 28– 6:30pm – 8:30pm Ward 3– Northwest Neighborhood Center, 2160 N 6th Avenue

Sat Oct 3– 9:00am – 11:00am Ward 5– El Pueblo Neighborhood Center Building # 9,101 W Irvington Rd

Wed Oct 7– 6:30pm – 8:30pm Ward 6– Council Office, 3202 E 1st Street

Thu Oct 8– 6:30pm – 8:30pm Ward 4– Desert Sky Middle School, 9850 E Rankin Loop

Tue Oct 13– 6:00pm – 8:00pm Ward 1– Fred Archer Center, 1665 S La Cholla Blvd

Mon Oct 19– 6:30pm – 8:30pm Ward 4– Clements Center,8155 E. Poinciana Drive

Wed Oct 21– 6:30pm – 8:30pm Ward 5– Quincie Douglas Neighborhood Center,1575 E. 36th Street

Wed Oct 28– 6:00pm – 8:00pm Ward 2– Council Office, 7575 E. Speedway Blvd

For more information call 520-791-4204 or email — dialogues@tucsonaz.gov.