Paul Eckerstrom, taken by Curtis Dutiel

Tucson attorney Paul Eckerstrom, Co-chair of the Start Our State (SOS) campaign to separate Pima County from the State of Arizona will be speaking at Democrats of Greater Tucson (DGT) on April 4.

This political committee started in late February and has been reported extensively on by Tucsoncitizen.com blogger/attorney Hugh Holub (“View from Baja Arizona”), who is somewhat credited with this idea of promoting the formation of a Southern Arizona state, tentatively called “Baja Arizona”. Click here (http://tucsoncitizen.com/view-from-baja-arizona/2011/02/25/americas-51st-state-movement-starts-to-free-baja-arizona/) for one of Hugh’s first blogs on this subject.

Eckerstrom is a former Chair of the Pima County Democratic Party.The other SOS Co-chair is Peter Hormel, another attorney activist in Tucson who was once a Green Party of Pima County candidate for Pima County Attorney, and the Treasurer is attorney David Euchner, former Chair of the Pima County Libertarian Party. These three local attorneys, from each of the 3 parties are leading the way in this “separation for equal representation” movement.

To establish a new state in Southern Arizona free of the un-American, unconstitutional machinations of the Arizona legislature and to restore our region’s credibility as a place welcoming to others, open to commerce, and friendly to its neighbors.

(from the SOS website)

Websites: http://startourstate.com/, and http://www.facebook.com/startourstate (with 3245 “likes” so far). Donations can be sent to “Start Our State”, P. B. Box 308, Tucson 85702 or online via Paypal, email is startourstate@gmail.com. “Free Baja Arizona” bumper stickers are for sale as well.

I heard Paul speak at Drinking Liberally (at The Shanty) on February 27, and about 30 people in the bar agreed that they no longer wanted to be associated with the conservative Arizona legislature. One fellow said that the current situation felt like “taxation without representation” because the current legislators did not represent the interests of the tax paying people here in Pima County.

And here’s Paul being interviewed on KUAT TV Channel 6 on March 11: http://www.azpm.org/politics/story/2011/3/11/1830-is-baja-arizona-for-real/

If you want to hear about this movement to separate/secede from the State of Arizona which has gotten a lot of media coverage (even nationally), log onto their website, read Hugh Holub’s numerous articles, and/or go to DGT on April 4.

DGT meets at the Dragon View Restaurant, 400 N. Bonita (between W. St. Mary’s Road and W. Congress) on Mondays at high noon (except holidays). Chinese buffet lunch costs $8.50 including drink & tip, or just $2.50 for a drink.

In 1821, Mexico won its independence from Spain after a decade of war. The revolution had destroyed the colonial silver mining industry and had bankrupted the national treasury. Along the northern frontier, funds that had supported missions, presidios and trading routes were reduced. As missions began to wither without military protection, Mexico began auctioning off more land (land grants). The revolution also impacted the relationship between the Europeans, Pueblos and non-pueblo natives such as the Apache and Navajo.

The Mexican period came to a close with the influx of Americans. In 1846, the annexation of Texas led to the Mexican-American War, ultimately resulting in the Mexican Cession, in which the United States acquired the region of Arizona north of the Gila River in 1848. The California gold rush brought more Americans through Arizona. The Mexican period closed with the Gadsden Purchase in 1854 and the last of the Mexican army leaving Tucson in 1856.

Arizona officially became the U.S. Territory of Arizona from February 24, 1863 until February 14, 1912, when it was admitted to the Union as the 48th state.
That was almost 100 years ago.

Arizona state flag

Currently about 30.8% (2009 estimate) of the State of Arizona has individuals claiming to be of Hispanic origin, but we are awaiting the official 2010 Census results. Many local Mexican-American families here in Tucson are 5th generation Americans, like District 5 Pima County Supervisor Richard Elias‘ familia.

Blogger Hugh Holub has a recent report on Arizona’s 6.4 million population. “Hispanics are the fastest-growing demographic group in the state, as well as in the country.”

Other Hispanic politicians in Southern Arizona: Congressman Raul Grijalva (CD 7), Pima County Supervisor Chair Ramon Valadez (District 2), Pima County Recorder F. Ann Rodriguez, Tucson Councilmembers Regina Romero (Ward 1) and Richard Fimbres (Ward 5), LD 27 Senator-elect Olivia Cajero Bedford, LD 27 House Rep.-elect Dr. Macario Saldate, TUSD Governing Board members Adelita Grijalva (Raul’s daughter), & Miguel Cuevas.

So therefore, based on Arizona’s history as having been once Spanish-speaking Mexico and the current increasing ethnic population figures, my Christmas message this year is “Feliz Navidad”. I always sing along when I hear Jose Feliciano‘s popular song with that title (written by him in 1970) on the radio.

Happy holidays everyone.

Feliz Navidad, prospero año y felicidad.

State of Arizona flag

Both Alaska (49th state) and Hawaii (50th state) were admitted quite a few years later in 1959 – January 3rd for Alaska, and August 21st for my home state of Hawaii.

Thus, in 2 years in 2012, Arizona will be celebrating 100 years of statehood! What an accomplishment despite the current economic woes.

In 2005 then Governor of Arizona, Janet Napolitano, established a coordinating committee to honor Arizona’s centennial in 2012. The mission of the organization is to:

“Develop, encourage, and coordinate a statewide plan for Arizona’s centennial in 2012 including:

* advising the legislature and state agencies on centennial history and heritage, arts and culture;
* assisting the governor’s countdown to the centennial to support school children learning about Arizona’s history; and
* recommending activities and projects that will ensure lasting legacy accomplishments to commemorate the centennial”.

Today 1:00-2:00 p.m. at Agua Caliente Park, 12525 E. Roger Rd. is a talk on Arizona Statehood. Explore with David Levine the history and challenges that led Arizona to become the 48th state. For more information call 520-615-7855 or eeducation@pima.gov.

Current Governor Jan Brewer has an interesting website entitled “Facts about Arizona” (click here.) These include the state motto, flag, seal, flower, gem, official neckwear (?), tree, bird, fossil, mammal, reptile, fish, amphibian.

Only 2 years to go before the Centennial celebration. “Ditat Deus (God Enriches)”.

Happy Statehood Day today!

The City’s argument is that the City Charter rules over this recently enacted state law, and that the City voters have twice rejected a change to non-partisan, ward only elections.

However, the State’s argument (and that of amicus curiae Southern Arizona Leadership Council) is that the rest of Arizona cities all have non-partisan elections, and that the state legislature wanted to bring uniformity and fairness to the entire electoral process for the state. They also argued that voters have been disenfranchised when a candidate is elected in a particular ward but defeated city-wide. This has apparently occurred 31 times between 1950 and 2007,and mostly recently in November, 2009 with Councilmember Nina Trasoff.

Other examples have occurred in the past when a Councilmember (Fred Ronstadt) lost in his own residence ward 6, but won city side. One could question if a Councilmember can adequately represent the majority of the constituents in that ward who did not elect him/her.

I can also see a problem with the current system if in the future a minority candidate is elected in their own ward in the primary, but defeated by the rest of the predominantly non-minority city voters in the general. This could be a discriminatory voting practice for the federal Dept. of Justice to investigate.

The non-partisan issue has been advocated by proponents who say that mundane city business has no political party label to it. Others argue against non-partisan races, saying that they need to know if someone is Democratic/Green/Libertarian/Republican to know how they will vote on city issues.

This lawsuit also centers on local concern/control versus compelling state interest.

Judge Miller requested supplemental briefs on the “balancing test” and the scope of the legal argument beyond the “legislative intent” of those who passed SB 1123. He said he hopes to rule by the first of second week of March.

With a potential recall of the Mayor and 2 Councilmembers in Ward 1 and Ward 3 in progress, City Attorney Mike Rankin stated that he would need a decision from Judge Miller this Spring, to prepare for a special election should any of the 3 targeted recall petitions collect enough signatures. The question of course remains if there is a recall whether the City election would be by ward only or city-wide for these Council seats.

Judge Miller’s decision (whichever way he rules) may likely be appealed to the Arizona Court of Appeals, or the Arizona Supreme Court.