Can Tucson experience a Trayvon Martin tragedy? That is the question to be addressed at Monday night’s forum at the Dunbar Culture Center. Trayvon Martin was a 17 year old Black American teenager who was shot & killed in Florida on Feb 26, 2012. Neighborhood watch volunteer George Zimmerman (Hispanic/White 28 year old) has been charged with 2nd degree murder in Trayvon’s shooting.

Correct address for this “Project Hoodie” forum is 325 W. 2nd St. (not what is listed on the poster), just east of Main Avenue, south of Speedway.

Invited speakers:
Tucson Police Department Chief Robert Villasenor
Pima County Attorney Barbara LaWall
Pima County Public Defender Isabel Garcia
Interdenominational Ministerial Alliance Pastor Elwood McDowell
Black Women Task Force Annie Sykes
Tucson Urban League Jonathan Peck
Ward 5 City Councilmember Richard Fimbres
NAACP Dr. Patricia Harris Monroe
Attorney Krisian Salter
Mount Calvary Church pastor LaBryant Friend

When people of color/racial minorities are stopped by the police or security officers, they don’t know if it is prompted by their race (black hair, features, skin color) or because of any wrongdoing.

Ask any minority person if they feel they have been racially profiled by the police and you will be surprised by the answer. At a recent UA Law School forum on political discourse & civility I asked that very question of a Black-American male Yale Law School professor (one of the presenters) who lives in Connecticut, and he answered in the affirmative.

This forum is sponsored by the Tucson branch of the NAACP and the Interdenominational Ministerial Alliance (IMA).

Political reporter Christopher Conover at AZ Public Media had a good report (see above link) about the recent AZ Supreme Court ruling in favor of the City of Tucson’s city-wide, partisan elections (the only city left in the state with this system). In 2009 then – LD 30 State Senator Jonathan Paton (R) pushed through legislation which the Governor signed, to stop this practice, which has been in place via Tucson’s City Charter (and duly voted upon by the City voters). The City of Tucson appealed that legislation. It was a matter of local control by a City vs. whether the State Legislature could overrule the choice by City voters.

Consequently, with this ruling that 2009 law will not go into effect after all, and the next City election in Nov. 2013 will remain partisan (Democrat, Republican, Green, Libertarian, etc.) and the Councilmembers will run city-wide, though they have to live in their respective wards.

One argument against city-wide elections is the case of when a Councilmember can be elected by a majority of the voters of the City of Tucson, but lose in his/her own respective ward. But the argument for city-wide elections is that the 6 Councilmembers vote on issues affecting the entire City of Tucson.

Who’s up for election in 2013: Ward 3 Councilmember Karin Uhlich (D), Ward 5 Councilmember Richard Fimbres (D), and Ward 6 Councilmember Steve Kozachik (R).
Karin was first elected in 2005, and both Richard and Steve were elected in 2009.

The other City Councilmembers currently serving are Ward 3 Karin Uhlich (D), Ward 5 Richard Fimbres (D), and Ward 6 Steve Kozachik (R). They are up for re-election in two years.

The inauguration ceremony is scheduled for 10 a.m. at Tucson Convention Center (TCC) in the North meeting rooms. Thereafter the Pima County Democratic Party is hosting an inauguration luncheon at the TCC Ballroom, also at 260 S. Church Ave. Details for tickets below to this “Moving Tucson Forward” luncheon.

Additional invited guests: former Mayors Tom Volgy and George Miller.

Master of Ceremonies: Elliot Glicksman

Special Live Performance by Calexico and friends!

Congratulations again to the winners of the City’s 2011 General Election.

“In 1999 voters approved the creation of the Rio Nuevo Multipurpose Facilities District (District). The District is both a municipal stadium district and a special taxing district. The voters authorized the District to receive an incremental portion of State-shared funds derived from transaction privilege taxes (i.e. sales tax called TIF Funds) collected from within the District boundaries within the City of Tucson city limits. The District is a State municipal district with the powers, privileges and immunities granted to governmental, municipal corporations for District purposes: a planned multi-faceted development project, including cultural and recreational amenities and improvements, unique historic re-creations, mixed-use developments, etc. The District was reorganized by the Arizona State Legislature in the fall of 2009 and the board re-appointed in March 2010. Expenditure of the TIF Funds collected is now disbursed and managed by the reconstituted Rio Nuevo Multipurpose Facilities District Board of Directors who as of 2010 are appointed by the State’s Governor, President of the Senate, and Speaker of the House of Representatives.”

From: http://rionuevo-tucson.org/

For more info on Rio Nuevo also see this City of Tucson webpage, with financial reports: http://cms3.tucsonaz.gov/rionuevo

This 10 year (1999 to 2009) project has received a lot of attention recently due to conflicts between the City of Tucson Council and the new Rio Nuevo board, re-constituted by the State Legislature in March, 2010. Citizens have been asking about who were the Councilmembers (Democrats, Republicans, one Independent) during these 10 years, and beyond. Here’s the list of who was serving (as far as I remember):

Mayor: Robert Walkup (R), 1999 to present (not running for re-election 2011)
Ward 1: Jose Ibarra (D), 1999 to 2007; Regina Romero (D), 2007 to present (up for re-election 2011)
Ward 2: Carol West (D, I), 1999 to 2007; Rodney Glassman (D), 2007 to 2010; Paul Cunningham (D), appointed 2010 to present (up for election 2011)
Ward 3: Jerry Anderson (D), 1999 to 2001; Kathleen Dunbar (R), 2001 to 2005; Karin Uhlich (D), 2005 to present
Ward 4: Shirley Scott (D), 1999 to present (up for re-election 2011)
Ward 5: Steve Leal (D), 1999 to 2009; Richard Fimbres (D), 2009 to present
Ward 6: Fred Ronstadt (R), 1999 to 2005; Nina Trasoff (D), 2005 to 2009; Steve Kozachik (R), 2009 to present

(Some of these Councilmembers were serving before Rio Nuevo began, but I only list the starting point as 1999 when Rio Nuevo was created).

Those who were serving as elected officials during entire Rio Nuevo project: Mayor Bob Walkup, Councilmembers Steve Leal and Shirley Scott.

Those who came on the Council after late 2009: Councilmembers Richard Fimbres, Steve Kozachik, and Paul Cunningham.

And who were the Tucson City Managers during this time: Luis Gutierrez (1999), James Keene (2000 to 2005), and Mike Hein (2005 to 2009). Gutierrez is retired, Keene is now City Manager of Palo Alto, California, and Hein is Director of Pima County Emergency Management & Homeland Security.

Last November, 2010 I reported on the citizen outrage after an audit on Rio Nuevo was released about $230 million allegedly mismanaged:
http://tucsoncitizen.com/community/2010/11/29/citizens-express-outrage-over-rio-nuevo-mismanagement/

Stay tuned as the City Council and the new Rio Nuevo board have recently agreed to mediate their differences.

Free Movie in the Park and Science & Technology Festival for Kids and
Families

Science is the theme of the 2nd Annual Movie in the Park with Cox
Communications. Co-sponsors include Arizona Technology Council, City
Councilor Regina Romero and City Council Member Richard Fimbres. To help
educate our youngest workforce about the benefits of science and
technology, the event features a festival with science-based fun
attractions for young people.

What: Free Family Fun Movie and Festival in the Park – Kennedy Park
Fiesta Area
Where: 3700 S. La Cholla Blvd – Take I-19 to Ajo, head west
to La Cholla, north on La Cholla and take first left into the Fiesta
Area, which is on the left
When: Saturday, October 1, 4 p.m. to 9 p.m. Movie starts at 7 p.m.
Festival 4 p.m. to 6:30 p.m.

Cox will be showing “Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs,” where a
young girl learns the importance of science and making a difference in
our world. In the animated film, young people investigate how weather
can affect people, plants, and animals.

Volunteers with the non-profit International Council on Systems
Engineering (INCOSE), Raytheon, U of A and The Physics Factory are among
the groups providing a variety of science experiments. Experiments
include making a ping pong ball float. Can you control a ping pong ball
as it floats above a hair dryer? Put your hand-eye coordination skills
to the test while learning about gravity and air pressure. Kids can also
have fun making a dry ice bubble that will grow and grow as it fills
with fog. How big will it get before it bursts? Give it a try and find
out! Non-profit organizations El Rio Health Center Foundation and
Chicanos Por La Causa will be tabling at the event as well as the
Mission Library and others.

The event is free and open to the public. Food will be available for
purchase at the event. You may want to bring a blanket or lawn chair for
the grassy area to watch the film on the big screen under the stars. You
can also bring an ice chest with food and drinks but no alcohol is
allowed. Please call Regina Romero’s Ward 1 City Council office at
(520) 791-4040 for more information and speak with Diana Rhodes, Council Aide.

The next Movie in the Park with Cox will be October 22 at 6 p.m. at Jacobs Park.

Registered voters in City of Tucson (as of April, 2011)

Democrats 99,877

Republicans 56,232

Independents/others 69,735

Libertarians 2135

Greens 857

Total registered voters right now in City of Tucson are 228,836 (all six wards)
which gives the Democrats almost a 2:1 edge over the Republicans, but there are almost 70,000 Independent voters who could vote either way in the primary.

But according to Pima County Recorder F. Ann Rodriguez and UA Asst. Prof. of Communications Kate Kenski, Independents have a low voter turnout, probably because they don’t choose to vote at all or belong to an organized party.

Back in the last City of Tucson election of 2009, with Wards 3, 5 and 6 up for election, 33.5% of the total registered voters (221,316) voted. So 74,168 votes were cast city wide.

Karin Uhlilch (D) received 33,782 votes, Richard Fimbres (D) 37,749 votes and Steve Kozachik (R) 36,451 votes to prevail over their opponents. Uhlich won by only 175 votes over Republican Ben Bueller-Garcia, although the Green Party candidate Mary DeCamp received 4429 votes, which may have taken votes from the Democrat. In 2005 Uhlich had defeated Republican one term Ward 3 incumbent Kathleen Dunbar, in an upset.

Fimbres won by 4573 votes over Shaun McClusky (now running for Mayor) and Kozachik won in an upset by 1756 votes (defeating one term Democratic incumbent Nina Trasoff). Trasoff herself had upset 2 term Ward 6 incumbent Republican Fred Ronstadt in 2005.

How did Steve Kozachik, a Republican win in a predominantly Democratic city?

And with the Democratic voter edge in this city, how did Republican Robert Walkup win 3 terms? He defeated 1) two term Councilwoman Democrat Molly McKasson, then 2) former Democratic Mayor/Councilman Tom Volgy, and lastly 3) Green Party candidate Dave Croteau (no Democrat even ran for Mayor in 2007). See my previous blog “Will Mayor Walkup run again? (click here).

The Mayor’s seat is up for election this year, with Republican Bob Walkup not running for his 4th term. 6 men are currently seeking that position (3 Democrats, 2 Republicans, 1 Green), with nomination petitions/signatures due on June 1st. None of the candidates have served on the City Council, the usual testing ground for qualification to be a Mayor.

Council Wards 1, 2 and 4 are also up for election this year.

Ward 1 Councilwoman Regina Romero (D) has a Democratic opponent (Joe Flores), and almost had a Republican challenger (political newcomer Janet Gallup who filed last week but told me via email that she is withdrawing this week “for several personal reasons that were unforeseen”).
Regina has served for one term and is the incumbent. (In 2007 she defeated Democrat Ken Green in the Primary, then Green Party candidate Beryl Baker in the General.)

Appointed (May, 2010) Ward 2 Councilman Paul Cunningham (D) has a Republican opponent (political newcomer Jennifer Rawson). 4 term Ward 4 Councilwoman Shirley Scott (D) is being challenged by political newcomer Republican Tyler Vogt. Can either Rawson or Vogt upset the incumbent Councilmembers– like Kozachik did in 2009?

It seems that both Republicans and Democrats have served in Wards 3 and 6, with predominantly only Democratic Councilmembers in Ward 1, 2, 4, and 5 (except for one Democrat who turned into an Independent in Ward 2). And Tucson has had long term serving Republican Mayors (Lew Murphy and Bob Walkup).

So maybe it’s personality over partisan party affiliation that determines the winners in the City elections. What do you readers think?

The AZ Court of Appeals ruled recently for the City of Tucson in a challenge to a recent state law that would have mandated Ward only, nonpartisan elections instead of the current partisan, city-wide elections (though the Councilmembers have to live in the Ward they run from). This decision may be appealed to the AZ Supreme Court.

5/13/11 UPDATE: 6 men still running for Mayor (2 Democrats, as 1 dropped out last week, 2 Republicans, 1 Green (one dropped out, replaced by another Green), and an Independent).
Here’s the current list: Jonathan Rothschild (D), Marshall Home (D), Shaun McClusky (R), Ron Asta (R), Dave Croteau (G), Pat Darcy (I). But the list keeps changing…

–”Mike Jenkins withdraws from Ward 4 Council race” (Feb. 20, 2011), click here. 4 term Democratic Councilmember Shirley Scott is now running unopposed.

–”Mayor Walkup to announce he will not run for re-election in his State of the City Address today” (Feb. 22, 2011), click here. Republican realtor Shaun McClusky (who lost to Ward 5 Councilmember Richard Fimbres in Nov. 2009) announced his bid for Mayor in January, as did Democrat attorney Jonathan Rothschild.

—”Marcia Ortega withdraws from Ward 1 Council race” (February 22, 2011), click here. That leaves one term Councilmember Regina Romero facing off with fellow Democrat businessman Joe Flores in the August 30 primary.

–And finally, “Ron Asta announces bid for Mayor of Tucson” (February 23, 2011), click here. Land planner/former Pima County Supervisor Asta faces McClusky in the Republican primary on August 30, then the winner will challenge Rothschild in the General election on November 8, 2011.

Councilmember Paul Cunningham in Ward 2 is running unopposed at this point. He was appointed to that position in May, 2010.

Let the races begin.

2/25/11 UPDATE: Republican J. Tyler Vogt just filed today to run in the Ward 4 Council race. He’s the older brother of LD 30 House Rep. Ted Vogt. Stay tuned for further info (click here for 2/27/11 blog on new candidate Tyler Vogt).

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.

Martin Luther King, Jr. from wikipedia

January 15 was slain civil rights leader Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s birthday. This year the MLK holiday is celebrated on January 17, but I think this year our minds are mostly remembering the recent mass murders here in Tucson exactly a week ago on January 8, 2011 of six innocent persons, along with the shooting of Congresswoman Gabrielle “Gabby” Giffords of CD 8 and 12 other civilian bystanders.

King preached non-violence and marched for civil rights and peace. Yet he was struck down at age 39 by an assassin’s rifle bullet in Memphis, Tennessee.

Our nation was shocked even more when two months later former New York U.S. Senator Robert F. Kennedy was also assassinated by a man with a hand gun, while Kennedy was campaigning for U.S. President. He was 42 years old.

I would like to think that King’s message of non-violence and peace resonated with generations of people after these two horrible assassinations, both in 1968. I had hoped that his death had not been in vain. Now I’m not so sure based on the recent mass attack by an 22 year old armed man in Tucson of an innocent crowd of constituents waiting to talk to their U.S. Congresswoman. 6 brave Americans gave up their lives that Saturday morning.

As U.S. President Barack Obama said at the memorial service at the University of Arizona’s McKale Center on January 12, 2011:

They were fulfilling a central tenet of the democracy envisioned by our founders – representatives of the people answering to their constituents, so as to carry their concerns to our nation’s capital. Gabby called it “Congress on Your Corner” – just an updated version of government of and by and for the people.

Such senseless tragedies, for people just “practicing democracy.”

Let us continue to work towards mutual cooperation, tolerance, acceptance, and civil discourse. On Friday local politicians in Tucson pledged at a press conference to “commit to promote a civil discussion of the issues we face.” Let’s hope they fulfill their pledge.

Please join in the MLK March starting at the U of A Mall (8:30 a.m.) and Festival Celebration at Reid Park (10:30 a.m.) on Monday January 17. Let us together pray, march, and celebrate in Dr. King’s name for all that he stood for.

Violence has no place in our society.

1/17/11 Update: speaking today at the MLK opening ceremony at U of A mall:
Clarence Boykins (organizer of this event for 26 years from Tucson-Southern AZ Black Chamber of Commerce), Congressman Raul Grijalva (CD 7), Mayor Bob Walkup, Pima County Supervisor Richard Elias, former City Councilman Chuck Ford, Councilman Richard Fimbres, Eva Dong Carrillo from Sunnyside School Board. Also attending: City Councilman Paul Cunningham and City Manager Mike Letcher, and thousands of Tucsonans.

:http://azstarnet.com/news/blogs/pueblo-politics/article_561b748e-191d-11e0-8272-001cc4c03286.html

Shaun McClusky and dog friend

Shaun McClusky is a Tucson REALTOR® and local business owner. He has served in our nation’s Air Force and worked as a personal assistant to Donald Trump. Shaun has the practical experience, innovative ideas, and a vision for the future which our city desperately needs.

Campaign website: www.voteshaun.com/

Shaun was instrumental recently in challenging Proposition 400, the City of Tucson proposed sales tax increase, which failed on General Election day, 2010. I saw him at many town hall meetings questioning the City officials and criticizing that proposal.

He ran for the open Ward 5 City Council seat in November, 2009 and he received 46.6% of the vote. Here were the results:

FIMBRES, RICHARD DEM 37749 53.10%
McCLUSKY, SHAUN REP 33176 46.67%
Write-in Votes 162 0.23%

McClusky may face off with 3 term incumbent Mayor Bob Walkup should he seek a fourth term. My previous blog about the Mayor’s race (click here). And no word yet since November 16, 2009 on whether former Pima County Supervisor Ron Asta will also run in the Republican primary (click here).