http://www.tucsonsentinel.com/local/report/042011_tucson_elections

A three-judge panel ruled in favor of Tucson’s current election system Wednesday, saying it’s a matter of “purely local concern.”

The Arizona Court of Appeals overturned a lower court decision in favor of a 2009 state law that sought to change city elections.

Members of the city council are now run in primaries by ward, but are elected city-wide. Candidates run on a partisan basis.

A 2009 law, sponsored by then-state senator Jonathan Paton, would have changed Tucson’s system to a nonpartisan, ward-only election system.

More legal analysis here from “AZBlueMeanie” at Blog for Arizona:
http://www.blogforarizona.com/blog/2011/04/victory-for-the-city-of-tucson-over-patons-law.html

and from the Pima County Democratic Party:

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Jeff Rogers
Chair, Pima County Democratic Party

Office – (520) 624-4700
jrogers@pimadems.org

“Court Ruling a Victory for Tucson, Repudiation of the Radical Right.

Tucson voters won a major court victory today when the state Appeals Court ruled that city residents and not lawmakers in Phoenix, get to decide how to hold their elections.

The court ruled unconstitutional a 2009 law that would have forced Tucson to hold elections concealing party affiliation from voters and required the city to vote by ward only

City voters have repeatedly rejected such propositions at the polls, making “Paton’s Law” all the more insulting to Tucsonans.

The ruling is a repudiation of former state Sen. Jonathan Paton and his southern Arizona Republican cronies, including the bill’s co-sponsor Sen. Frank Antenori who have sought to impose every bit of their extreme agenda on an unwitting public, said Pima County Democratic Party Chair Jeff Rogers.

“The law was an attempt to rule Tucson from Phoenix, plain and simple,” Rogers said. “Folks down here want to protect their main stream values and the court’s decision simply allows them to continue to do that.”

In their decision, judges pointed out that how cities like Tucson hold their elections is a purely local concern and that the state has no right to interfere with local issues.”

“Phoenix political bosses have declared war on Tucson,” Rogers said. “They block funds to combat border violence, prohibit the city from giving bids to the most qualified contractor and it’s our local Republican lawmakers like Paton, senators Frank Antenori and Al Melvin, who are either cheer leading or leading the way. Voters will remember that.”

###

–
Adam D. Kinsey
Executive Director
Pima County Democratic Party
Office – 520.326.3716

Conclusion: City of Tucson elections will stay the same for now — partisan and city-wide ward elections– unless there is an appeal to the AZ Supreme Court. The Mayor and Wards 1, 2 and 4 are up for election this November, 2011.

So now that March 2011 & Spring are here, I’m re-publishing an updated (somewhat comprehensive list of how to find out what’s there to do in the Old Pueblo, under the Tucson Sun) — to aid us all in learning about & enjoying the numerous community events.

News outlets:

Arizona Daily Star, www.azstarnet.com

Tucson Weekly, www.tucsonweekly.com

Arizona Daily Wildcat, www.wildcat.arizona.edu
(University of Arizona)

www.uanews.org (University of Arizona News, online only)

Aztec Press, www.aztecpressonline.com, Pima Community College

www.tucsonsentinel.com (Tucson Sentinel online only)

Explorer News, www.explorernews.com

Green Valley News & Sun, www.gvnews.com

www.arizonanewstelegraph.com , Arizona News-Telegraph (online only)

Inside Tucson Business, www.azbiz.com

www.TheNewSouthwest.com, The New Southwest, formerly Tucson Green Times (online only recently)

The Observer, www.tucsonobserver.com

Monthly or bimonthly magazines:

Tucson Lifestyle, www.tucsonlifestyle.com

Desert Leaf, www.desertleaf.com

Zocalo, www.zocalotucson.com

Downtown Tucsonan, www.downtowntucson.org

Never Too Late, www.pcoa.org (Pima Council on Aging)

Bear Essential News (for Kids), www.bearessentialnews.com

Tucson Peace Calendar, www.peacecalendar.org

Arizona Jewish Post, www.jewishtucson.org

Tucson Pedaler, www.tucsonpedaler.com

Vermilion Flycatcher (Tucson Audubon Society), www.tucsonaudubon.org

At Your Library, www.library.pima.gov, Pima County Public Library (now only 3x/year)

Online calendars:

www.dotucson.com (DoTucson.com online only)

www.tucsonstyle.com (Tucsonstyle.com online only)

www.wingspan.org (Wingspan-LGBT, online only)

Last but not least, don’t forget our “Voice of Tucson”, www.tucsoncitizen.com, formerly the Tucson Citizen newspaper which ceased print publication on May 16, 2009.

And please let me know if there are any publications/monthly magazines I may have overlooked.

http://www.tucsonsentinel.com/local/report/011011_green_funeral

The funeral Mass will be at St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Parish, 8560 N. Shannon Rd. in northwest Tucson. Phone (520) 297-7357.

Bishop Gerald Kicanas is expected to preside over the Catholic service.

Green was just elected to the student council at Mesa Verde Elementary School, and apparently had aspirations of becoming a politician, hence her standing in the constituent line to speak to her Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords of Congressional District 8 on Saturday. The neighbor Susan Hileman who brought Green to that event was shot & injured, & remains hospitalized at UMC.

More information about Christina from the Arizona Daily Star:

Christina Taylor Green was only 9, but the third-grader already was an aspiring politician. Her parents say Christina had just been elected to the student council at Mesa Verde Elementary School and had been interested in politics from a young age. She already had told her parents she wanted to attend Penn State and have a career that involved helping those less fortunate than her. The brown-eyed athletic girl loved to swim with her 11-year-old brother Dallas, her lone sibling. Her mother, Roxanna Green, said Christina also loved animals, singing, dancing and gymnastics. She also was the only girl on her Canyon del Oro Little League baseball team. Her grandfather, former major-league pitcher Dallas Green, managed the 1980 world champion Philadelphia Phillies. Christina’s father, John Green, is a scout for the Los Angeles Dodgers. Christina was born on the tragic day of Sept. 11, 2001.

Rest in peace young Christina. Heartfelt condolences to the Green family.

UPDATE from Arizona Public Media:

The family of Christina Taylor Green, killed in the tragic shooting in Tucson on Saturday, January 8, 2011, has announced the creation of a charitable memorial fund to honor the life and memory of this special little girl. The fund will be held by the Community Foundation for Southern Arizona. John Green, Christina’s father said, “Our family has been overwhelmed by the outpouring of love for our sweet Christina. This memorial fund will ensure her legacy for the children in our community.”Those wishing to make a donation in memory of Christina Taylor Green may do so by:· Logging on to the website of the Community Foundation for Southern Arizona at http://www.cfsoaz.org and clicking on the link to the Christina Taylor Green Memorial Fund,· Or by contacting the Community Foundation for Southern Arizona by email at christinataylorgreenmemorial@cfsoaz.org, or by calling (520) 545-0313.· Checks may be sent to:The Community Foundation for Southern Arizona In Memory of Christina Taylor Green2250 E. Broadway Boulevard Tucson, AZ 85719

1/12/11 Obituary in Arizona Daily Star (linked through Tucsoncitizen.com)
http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/tucson/obituary.aspx?n=christina-taylor-green&pid=147763094

Photos from the funeral:
http://tucsoncitizen.com/tc-guest-blog/2011/01/13/photos-from-services-for-christina-taylor-green/