Through “Voices and Choices in the 2012 Election,” the College of SBS invites the Tucson community to engage in a positive dialogue about the election.

Win, Lose or Draw: Cartoon Humor in Campaigns
Tucson Jewish Community Center Ballroom, 3800 E. River Road
Thursday, October 25, 2012; 7-8:30 p.m.

Join us as David Fitzsimmons, a liberal cartoonist with the Arizona Daily Star, and Steve Kelley, a nationally syndicated conservative cartoonist, battle it out using only their well-sharpened pencils and wit. UA Communication Professor and political research guru Kate Kenski will moderate the “debate,” which will be unlike any you’ve ever seen.

To learn about other free events in the series, go to http://web.sbs.arizona.edu/college/democracy

If you have additional questions, please contact the College of Social and Behavioral Sciences at (520) 621-1112.

The College of Social and Behavioral Sciences’s “Voices and Choices of the 2012 Election” is sponsored by Arizona Public Media, the Arizona Daily Star, the Fund for Civility, Respect and Understanding, the Jewish Community Relations Council, the UA Honors College, Tucson Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, Pam Grissom, and Jan Lesher. Event co-chairs are Jan Lesher and Lisa Lovallo.

UA Communication Associate Professor Kate Kenski will attempt to moderate this forum. Now this sounds like fun: a liberal cartoonist battling it out with a conservative cartoonist. Sharpen those pencils! And sharpen your wits.

In celebration of Women’s Equality Day the Women’s Commission is hosting an executive reception at their office, 240 N. Court Ave. from 5 to 7 p.m.on August 26. Invited special guests are Mayor Jonathan Rothschild, Supervisor Sharon Bronson, and Lisa Lovallo, VP of Cox Communications (guest speaker).

Cover artwork courtesy of Maria Jimenez, 2012 PCTWC Art Contest winner. Please RSVP by August 19 to 520-624-8318.

WHEREAS, on August 26, 2012, we honor the hard work and perseverance of those who helped to secure women’s suffrage in the United States, in Arizona, and in Pima County. We reflect also on the sacrifices made by those visionaries so that our daughters and granddaughters will build on the achievements of our past and move forward as one people, one Nation, and one State; and

WHEREAS, the first women’s rights convention, held on July 13, 1848, in Seneca Falls, New York, witnessed the early defenders of women’s rights, such as Lucretia Mott, Elizabeth Cady Stanton, Mary Ann McClintock and Frederick Douglas, signing the Declaration of Sentiments, declaring all women and men created equal and, in one of the accompanying resolutions that called for universal women’s suffrage. After a 72-year struggle, the 19th Amendment to the Constitution of the United States was ratified on August 26, 1920, giving women the right to vote; and

WHEREAS, in 1977, President Jimmy Carter signed the first Presidential Proclamation declaring August 26 as Women’s Equality Day, a precedent followed by every U.S. President who followed him; and
WHEREAS, as we look to the future, we honor the resilience, accomplishments and history of women in the United States and Arizona, and celebrate their extraordinary accomplishments.

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT PROCLAIMED, that the Pima County Board of Supervisors hereby proclaims August 26, 2012, to be:
“WOMEN’S EQUALITY DAY”
and call on all residents of Pima County to celebrate these accomplishments, and to renew our commitment to empower women and girls with full equality in all aspects of life.
PASSED AND ADOPTED this 7th day of August, 2012.
_Ramon Valadez__________________________________
Chairman, Pima County Board of Supervisors
ATTEST:
_Robin Brigode__________________________________
Clerk of the Board

I would like to add also that many women now hold elected public office and are candidates in the upcoming elections. Consider your choices & vote wisely on or before the August 28 AZ Primary.

We’re one year away from Arizona’s 100th statehood date, so here’s what the Arizona Centennial Commission in Phoenix is up to:

“Once in a Lifetime Valentine’s Day” at the State Capitol today, 10 to 2 p.m. at the Senate lawn of the State Capitol,

with 50 Expo booths “highlighting Signature Projects & Events, Legacy Projects and Official Centennial Events”.

Click here for more information if you want to drive up there today.

And bookmark that website for additional events all over the great state of Arizona this year leading up to the Centennial next February. Questions? Write to info@arizona100.org or call the Arizona Centennial Commission at 602-364-3702.

Who’s on this Commission from Southern Arizona: Tucson Mayor Bob Walkup, University of Arizona President Dr. Robert Shelton, and Lisa Lovallo, VP of Cox Communications.

And Happy Valentine’s Day 2011.

(9/10/10 UPDATE: “The change would bump pay to $61,280 for council members and to $76,600 for the mayor”, according to the the Arizona Daily Star news reporter, see link in comment # 3 below).

Link to City Clerk website is: http://cms3.tucsonaz.gov/clerks/campaignfinancereport_2010

The two political committees are:

1. “Protect Local Control, No on 401″

Chair: Tom Prezelski, former LD 29 State House legislator, planner for Pascua Yaqui Tribe
Treasurer: Jim Hannley, investment advisor, Chair of LD 27 for Pima County Democratic Party
info@NoOn401.org
(Additional committee info: Secretary- Angie Quiroz; Spokesperson- Steve Leal, former Ward 5 Councilmember; Communications – Luke Knipe, former blogsite owner/political blogger of “Poco Bravo”)

2. “Tucson Charter Change Coalition (TC3), For Prop. 401″

Chair & Spokesperson: Lisa Lovallo, Vice President & System Manager for Southern Arizona, Cox Communications
Treasurer: David Cohen, CPA at BeachFleischman PC
campaign@tucsoncharterchange.org, 520-798-0900
(Communications – Ann Brown, Senior Media Relations Specialist for Caliber Group, formerly Editorial Page Editor at the Arizona Daily Star)

The vote to place Proposition 401 on the General Election ballot passed by a close 4-3 vote of the Tucson Mayor/City Council on July 7, 2010 (with Councilmembers Cunningham, Kozachik & Scott, and Mayor Walkup voting yes, and Councilmembers Fimbres, Romero, and Uhlich voting no.

Text of 401: “Proposed amendment to the Tucson Charter referred by Mayor and Council relating to providing the Mayor with equal voting authority as the members of the Council; designating specified officers of the City as employees outside of the classified, civil service; providing that the salary of the Mayor be 100%, and the salary of the Councilmembers 80%, of the salary of the Pima County Board of Supervisors; and eliminating staggered elections of the Mayor and Councilmembers beginning in 2013.”

Here’s info in support of Proposition 401 from the TC3 For Prop. 401 political committee’s Communications person Ann Brown:

What the charter changes in Prop 401 will do–

* Equality for the Mayor
Prop 401 gives the mayor the same authority as other council members.

The mayor would have the same voting rights as council members and count toward a quorum. Currently, there are issues on which the mayor may not vote, and only council members count toward a quorum.

* Accountability for department heads
Prop 401 eliminates civil service protection for department heads and their deputies and makes them more accountable to voters and citizens.
· Department heads and their deputies will be accountable to the city managers.
· Lets city department heads be fired for poor performance directly by the city manager.
· Strengthens the city manager’s accountability, making it easier for the mayor and council to fire him or her for inadequate performance.

* Full-time Mayor and Council
Prop 401 aligns the salaries of the mayor and council to those of the Pima County Board of Supervisors.
· Makes the positions full-time, thereby giving an incentive for candidates who need a livable wage to run for office.
· Increases the pool of highly qualified candidates to run for mayor or council offices.
· Salary increase does not go into effect until after the 2011 city council election.
· Does not increase taxes. Full-time salaries will be funded by cost-savings in other Prop 401 changes.

* Elections every four years
Prop 401 eliminates staggered terms; the mayor and council will be elected together every four years.
· Cuts election costs. Savings are estimated at $1.6 million per eliminated election cycle.
· Eliminates half of the city council going into re-election campaign mode every two years.
· Allows the mayor and council to better focus on their responsibilities to voters and citizens.”

However, The NO on Prop. 401 Communications person Luke Knipe responded that their committee does not oppose provision 1 about Mayoral parity/equality, nor provision 4 about holding city council elections every four years. But under provision 2 (department heads), they say that “It just makes it easier for the city’s unelected manager to fire most of them.” Their biggest disagreement is with provision 3, the huge increase in the Mayor/Councilmembers’ salaries, “without any funding source whatsoever.”

Stay tuned for these committees’ websites and to hear more from these 2 political committees about whether to vote for or against Proposition 401 on November 2nd.

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Councilman Kozachik is hosting a town hall on September 16, 6:30 p.m. to discuss this Proposition 401, as well as Proposition 400 (proposed sale tax increase) at his Council office, 3202 E. 1st St. (SE corner of Anderson Blvd., south of Speedway, east of Country Club).