Tucson Citizen.com
In The Aggregate – Arizona's political blogs -

Archive for the ‘Politics’ Category

CD 8 Candidate Ron Barber endorsed by three newspapers

Monday, May 28th, 2012

Ron Barber

The Arizona Daily Star, The Tucson Weekly, and The Arizona Republic newspapers have all endorsed Democrat Ron Barber for the vacant U.S.House seat in CD 8 (which encompasses parts of Cochise, Pima, Pinal, and Santa Cruz Counties).

–The Tucson Weekly article on May 17 (click here), “Voters should pick trusted public servant Ron Barber to complete Gabrielle Giffords’ term”

–The Arizona Republic article on May 19 (click here), “Barber provides steady c...

(more...)

Live CD 8 debate on May 23

Tuesday, May 22nd, 2012

A live debate between the 3 candidates running for the vacant CD 8 Congressional seat will beheld on May 23 at 7 p.m. at the Tucson Jewish Community Center, 3800 E. River Rd. (north of Dodge Blvd.) The organizers are asking the public not to arrive before 6 p.m. due to parking issues. Complimentary tickets for admission will be issued starting at 6 p.m. for the 500 people allowed inside the ballroom. Injured Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords resigned from this seat in January of this year.

All 3 ...

(more...)

Should public school districts continue to fund high school athletics?

Friday, May 18th, 2012

Last week dueling guest columns in the USA TODAY prompted several days of impassioned letters from readers taking sides on the issue. It wasn’t about gay marriage or bullying or Greek austerity or anything else prominent in the news the past few days. It was about whether it’s time to stop funding high school athletics. [...]

Barber vs. Kelly vs. Manolakis in CD 8 debate on PBS – HD 6 (video)

Wednesday, May 16th, 2012

Arizona Public Media’s PBS-HD Channel 6 hosted a debate tonight between the three candidates seeking the U.S. House seat in CD 8, replacing Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords who resigned on January 25, 2012 due to ongoing recovery from being shot in the head on January 8, 2011.

AZPM political correspondents Christopher Conover and Andrea Kelly (no relation to the candidate with same last name) facilitated this debate between:

–Democrat Ron Barber, former District Director for Congress...

(more...)

Republican businessman Fernando Gonzales announces candidacy for District 5 Pima County Supervisor

Tuesday, May 15th, 2012

Press release:

Fernando Gonzales

May 15, 2012 – Tucson, AZ – Fernando Gonzales, local small business owner and son of first generation immigrant farm workers announces his candidacy for Pima County Board of Supervisors District 5 seat in 2012. The position is currently held by Richard Elias who was appointed to the seat when Congressman Raul Grijalva went on to Congress.

Gonzales is one of 8 children that traveled between Arizona and California working in the agricultural fields includi...

(more...)

Republican James Kelley to run against District 2 Pima County Supervisor Ramon Valadez

Friday, May 11th, 2012

James H. Kelley, former Chair of LD 29 Republican party and former blogger “The Cholla Jumps” here at Tucsoncitizen.com and on his own, has taken out papers to run against Democratic District 2 Pima County Supervisor Ramon Valadez, who is Chairman of the board.

James H. Kelley

Kelley is a Transportation specialist for Renzenberger Inc. and “provides reliable safe transportation solutions to Union Pacific Railroad Personnel,” and is a former U.S. Navy intelligence analyst....

(more...)

Meet District 5 Pima County Supervisor Richard Elias

Friday, May 11th, 2012

Meet Me at the Library: Conversations with Arizona Leaders – Richard Elías

We invite you to take this opportunity to meet and converse with Pima County Supervisor Richard Elías. Supervisor Elías has represented District Five on the Pima County Board of Supervisors since February 2002. He is a fifth-generation Tucsonan and an alumnus of Salpointe High School and the University of Arizona.

This forum will take place during the Garden District Neighborhood Association’s monthly meet...

(more...)

CD 8 House debates coming up (Barber vs. Kelly vs. Manolakis)

Friday, May 11th, 2012

Reminder: June 12 special general election is coming up for CD 8 House race to replace injured Congresswoman Gabby Giffords, who resigned from her office on January 25, 2012. Early voting starts next week on May 17, 2012.

Who’s running:
Ron Barber (D), former Tucson District Director for Congresswoman Giffords (5 years), former State Director of AZ Division of Developmental Disabilities, www.ronbarberforcongress.com, political newcomer

Jesse Kelly (R), project manager of family constructio...

(more...)

In defense of Obama, Kelly and flip-floppers everywhere

Friday, May 11th, 2012

Today’s twenty somethings, especially those graduating from college this month, who want to lead their nation someday better spend some time figuring out what they’re for and against. From taxes to spending to Medicare to national defense to global warming to gay marriage to abortion to school funding to drug prohibition to illegal immigration and [...]

President Barack Obama declares support for gay marriage

Wednesday, May 9th, 2012

Special to ABC news that President Barack Obama has declared his support for gay marriage today:

http://gma.yahoo.com/obama-announces-his-support-for-same-sex-marriage.html

President Obama is the first U.S. President to openly support gay marriage.

On the 2008 campaign trail I heard Democratic nominee Barack Obama say that he was unsure about taking this stand, though he believed in civil unions. Now running for re-election in 2012, the President has joined Vice President Joe Biden in his suppo...

(more...)

Emerge! 11th Annual Mother’s Day Luncheon

Sunday, May 6th, 2012

Emerge! 2012 Mother’s Day Luncheon

Emerge! serves mothers who would go to the end of the earth to protect their children. Each year we choose one mother, a mother who has displayed exceptional courage and strength. At our Mother’s Day Luncheon we tell her story, and celebrate her bravery.

Award winning editorial cartoonist for the Arizona Daily Star David Fitzsimmons will be our Emcee and is offering caricatures before the event for $25 each. All proceeds will benefit Emerge!

We need you to...

(more...)

Renew Prop. 100 sales tax increase, repeal tax cuts

Thursday, May 3rd, 2012

Well, now that the Legislature and governor have agreed on a state budget we finally know where most of the sales-tax windfall from the improving economy is going to land – the state’s savings account. That’s not what the 750,000 people who voted in May 2010 to increase their sales taxes were told was going [...]

Ron Barber Campaign Announces Debate Date

Tuesday, May 1st, 2012

Tucson, AZ - Today, Ron Barber for Congress announced that the campaign has agreed to a debate in the special election for CD-8.

KUAT-TV (Channel 6) will host a televised head to head discussion of the issues. It will be aired throughout the district at 6pm on May 16th, the day before early ballots are sent to the voters of CD8.

How could Jesse Refuse?

May Day: As American as Apple Pie

Tuesday, May 1st, 2012

There is more to May Day than a trip around the maypole. Today is International Worker’s Day, when we remember, and celebrate, battles fought and won by the American labor movement.

On the 2nd of November in 1909, during what became known as the “Uprising of the 20,000,” female garment workers went on strike in New York. Many were arrested and a judge told those arrested: “You are on strike against God.”

Wow…who’d have guessed?

There’s nothing unpatrio...

(more...)

Video of press conference against RTA widening of Broadway

Tuesday, May 1st, 2012

Ward 6 Councilmember Steve Kozachik called a press conference yesterday in front of the 1st Assembly of God Church, 1749 E. Broadway, which may be demolished should the north section of Broadway be widened into 8 lanes per the May,2006 Regional Transportation Authority (RTA) voter-approved plan. The church was built in 1950 according to Councilmember Kozachiak also known as “Steve K”.

Blogger Pam Powers (“Tucson Progressive”) announced this event (with an online poll): ht...

(more...)

SCOTUS SB1070 ruling won’t be the last time law comes before the court

Monday, April 30th, 2012

Proponents of Arizona’s tough immigration law, dubbed SB1070 from the number it was assigned in the state senate, believe that the expected June ruling by the U.S. Supreme Court on the constitutionality of the law will be the last word on its legality. It won’t be. Chief Justice John Roberts signaled as much at the [...]

A Barber-Kelly Debate?

Monday, April 30th, 2012

Don’t count on it, judging from Jesse Kelly’s refusal to respond to the the Star’s editorial board invitation to take part in a series asking  Congressional District 8 candidates to share their thoughts on leadership and related topics.

Submitting written responses to softball questions doesn’t seem so threatening or difficult. If his campaign team wants to avoid that I imagine it’s because they’d much prefer to let the Republican party machine do Kelly’s ‘debating’ for him.

I...

(more...)

Public forum today: Should RTA knock down 100 buildings to make Broadway look like a freeway? (poll)

Monday, April 30th, 2012

Ward 6 City Councilman Steve Kozachik is shaking up local politics again– by fighting for the people and for common sense. Koz’s latest crusade is challenging the $71 million Regional Transportation Authority (RTA) project on Broadway Blvd. that would make Broadway outrageously wide between Euclid and Country Club and destroy 100 buildings, including an historic [...]

Take the Civility Pledge

Sunday, April 29th, 2012

I commit to bring civility into my daily life in all interactions by treating everyone with respect, consideration and kindness regardless of differing beliefs opinions or actions.

This is the civility pledge I’ve been hearing about since that Tucson Tragedy on January 8, 2011, where 19 innocent citizens were shot in front of that Safeway on Ina/Oracle, and six died as a result.

One of those shot, Ron Barber, former District Director of Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords started up the Fun...

(more...)

May 1st March & Rally for immigrant & worker rights

Saturday, April 28th, 2012

March & Rally for Immigrant & worker rights on May 1st, 2012

Gather 9 a.m. at Greyhound Park parking lot,
2601 S. 3rd Ave.

March: 10 a.m. to Armory Park
220 S. 5th Avenue (between 5th & 6th Avenues, east of Children’s Museum Tucson, between E. 12th and 13th Streets)

Tucson May 1st Coalition: www.tucsonmay1st.org, info@tucsonmay1st.org
phone 520-770-1373, 520-762-6629.

Border Action Network: www.borderaction.org