http://azpm.org/news/story/2012/4/6/1633-tucson-elections-ok/

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.

On March 24 I reported that Drinking Liberally has moved their weekly meetings to Wednesday evenings (click here for background of this group).

Counclmember Steve Kozachik

This Wednesday April 4, the invited guest speaker will be Ward 6 Republican Councilmember Steve Kozachik, who was elected in Nov. 2009, upsetting incumbent Democratic Councilmember Nina Trasoff. The email notice from Drinking Liberally states:

Steve has been busy butting heads with his own party over the recent spate of state bills aimed squarely at Tucson and Pima County, and over the Rio Nuevo board appointed to ‘fix’ our TIF district.

Drop by The Shanty (NE corner of E. 9th St. and 4th Avenue) after 6 p.m. to hear “The Koz” speak on these City of Tucson issues, and to answer questions.

More info on Councilmember Kozachik (click here).

Other Republicans who have been invited to speak at Drinking Liberally in the past (as far as I remember) have been LD 30 State Senator Frank Antenori, former LD 30 Senator Jonathan Paton and House Rep. Marian McClure, and District 4 Pima County Supervisor Ray Carroll.

In two weeks on December 5, Mayor-elect Jonathan Rothschild, Ward 1 Councilmember Regina Romero, Ward 2 Councilmember Paul Cunningham and Ward 4 Councilmember Shirley Scott — all Democrats– will be sworn in to their respective City of Tucson offices. This is Rothschild’s first political office, Romero’s 2nd four-year term, Paul’s first elected term (he was appointed to this seat in May, 2010), Scott’s fifth term on the Council.

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.