Three Tucson City Councilmembers are up for re-election this year, in Ward 3, 5, and 6. Two are scheduled to speak at Democrats of Greater Tucson (DGT) this month, with the third in March.

February 18: Steve Kozachik, Councilmember, Ward 6 – Tucson City Council -Tucson’s newest Democratic Councilmember will discuss, “Tucson’s Gun Buy-Back — The Plan, The Event, What’s Next?”

February 25: Richard Fimbres, Councilmember, Ward 5 – Tucson City Council – “Oh the Changes I’ve Seen In the Tucson City Council”

March 25: Karin Uhlich, Councilmember, Ward 3 – Tucson City Council – “Tucson’s Future”

Democrats of Greater Tucson hosts weekly speakers at their Monday luncheon meetings at Dragon’s View restaurant, 400 N. Bonita Avenue, west of I-10, south of St. Mary’s Road, at high noon. Website: http://tucsondemocrats.org/

Both Kozachik and Fimbres were elected in 2009, winning over their challengers. Then-Republican Kozachik defeated Democratic incumbent Ward 6 Councilmember Nina Trasoff, who had served one term. Democrat Fimbres faced off with Republican political newcomer Shaun McClusky, who later tried to run for Mayor of Tucson in 2011. Fimbres’ wife Mary is a Council aide for Ward 2 Councilmember Paul Cunningham and she also worked for former five term Ward 5 Councilmember Steve Leal, who retired in 2009.

Kozachik changed his registration to a Democrat on January 14, 2013, and prior to that was the sole Republican on the Tucson City Council. This is his first appearance at DGT. I reported the breaking news when he announced his change in political parties (click here).

Uhlich is a two term Councilmember, as she first defeated Republican incumbent Ward 3 Councilmember Kathleen Dunbar for that seat in 2005, then in 2009 defeated two political newcomer challengers Republican Ben Buehler-Garcia, and Green Mary DeCamp. (DeCamp ran for Mayor two years later and defeated fellow Green activist Dave Croteau in their Mayoral primary, but lost in the General to Democrat Jonathan Rothschild.)

I heard on the John C. Scott radio talk show that Buehler-Garcia may be considering a rematch with Uhlich. No other contenders have been mentioned to date, but stay tuned.

2/25/13 UPDATES: Republican Ben Buehler-Garcia has filed papers to run in the Ward 3 Council race. Click here for post about Buehler-Garcia’s candidacy.

Councilman Fimbres’ campaign kick off is on March 9, 11 a.m. at El Pueblo Senior Center, 101 W. Irvington Rd.

Ward 3 Councilmember Karin Uhlich

Ward 5 Councilmember Richard Fimbres

Ward 6 Councilmember Steve Kozachik

Councilman Steve Kozachik Announces His Re-election Campaign

Councilman Steve Kozachik

VoteKoz2013 Campaign Honorary Co-Chairs
Robert Walkup – Former Mayor (R)
Dr. Richard Carmona – Former U.S. Surgeon General (D)
Ms. Carol West – Former Tucson City Council Member (I)

Last week I formally filed papers for re-election to the Tucson City Council, Ward 6 seat. It has been my honor to serve the constituents of this Ward, and of the broader City. I look forward to continuing working on behalf of all residents of the community in the years to come. We’re just putting together the current campaign. You will be hearing more on how it will roll out in the days to come.

Over the course of the past three years I have demonstrated my willingness to study issues individually, and to advocate for policy based on the specific set of facts related to each of them, not being bound by preconceived notions or rigid ideology. The public policy issues we face are too complex to approach the task of governance in any other manner.

Through that process, I have worked with constituents who reflect all political parties. Whether the issues involve business interests, the rights of private property owners, protecting the taxpayers money, labor, or management, my approach has consistently been to listen to the multiple voices as they weigh in on a given issue and work to find the common ground that represents sound public policy.

That approach to governance has resulted in my being in a position to announce today that three highly respected members of our community, each reflecting a different place on the political spectrum have agreed to serve as Honorary Co-Chairs for my campaign. I believe their willingness to attach their names and reputations to my campaign validates the approach that I have taken to create informed and transparent public policy since 2009. I am extremely thankful to Bob Walkup, Dr. Richard Carmona, and Carol West for this showing of support. I am committed to continuing to work in a way that earns their trust, as well as that of the electorate in this community.

Contact
Ann Charles 520-977-5161
VoteKoz2013@gmail.com
rcharles@theriver.com
(520) 977-5161

Also up for re-election this year is 2 term Ward 3 Councilmember Karin Uhlich, who announced her candidacy at Democrats of Greater Tucson (DGT) on Monday, and 1 term Ward 5 Councilmember Richard Fimbres, who is seeking re-election. He is listed as a future speaker at DGT, www.tucsondemocrats.org.

Councilman Kozachik, formerly a Republican and political newcomer, defeated incumbent Democrat Nina Trasoff for the Ward 6 seat in 2009.

All three Councilmembers seeking re-election in 2013 are Democrats.

Randy Parraz in his 2010 campaign

Citizens for a Better Arizona is a newly formed organization of concerned citizens committed to improving the quality of life of all Arizonans – better schools, better health care, better jobs, better government and a better, more civil tone of respect and decency when it comes to solving Arizona’s problems.

This is the group whose President/organizer is Randy Parraz, former candidate for U.S. Senate in the Democratic primary of 2010, which collected over 18,000 signatures in Legislative District 18 in Mesa, Arizona, to recall Republican State Senator (and sitting Senate President) Russell Pearce. Only 7,556 valid signatures were needed for the recall (read my previous blog from May, 2011, click here). Senator Pearce was defeated in the recall election on November 8, 2011 by Republican Jerry Lewis, a political newcomer. This was apparently the first time in U.S history that a sitting state Senate President has been recalled.

Parraz said recently at a house party in mid-town Tucson that he was motivated to begin this recall effort against Senator Pearce only last January, after Pearce was elected to be Senate President. Parraz stated that this Citizens for a Better AZ group was a true “grassroots” non-partisan effort of people of all ages, with about 35 core, committed volunteers, lead by his unflagging belief that despite what others said, the recall could succeed.

To read more about how Parraz ran this successful recall effort, read the Nov. 17, 2011 issue by Stephen Lemons in the Phoenix New Times (click here).

Randy Parraz will be coming to Tucson on Monday January 23, to speak at high noon to the Democrats of Greater Tucson (DGT) at a their weekly luncheon meeting at Dragon’s View restaurant, 400 N. Bonita Avenue (between St. Mary’s Rd. and Congress Ave.)
Cost of the Chinese lunch buffet is $8.50 which includes the tip and a drink.

Citizens for a Better AZ is now raising money on their latest campaign, which is calling for the resignation of Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio, who has served since January, 1993. He has been re-elected four times, and is seeking re-election this November. Arpaio has been under attack for abuse of power & funds, racial profiling of Hispanics, uninvestigated sex crimes against children (wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joe_Arpaio.

For more info or to donate: www.citizensforabetteraz.org. Checks can also be mailed to Citizens for a Better AZ, 1615 N. 36th Street, Phoenix, AZ 85008.