Pamela Powers

Long-time blogger and political activist, Pamela Powers holds a masters’ degree in public health from the University of Arizona and a bachelors’ degree in journalism from the Ohio State University. She has worked for many years in communications and public relations. Powers stepped down from her position as the managing editor of the American Journal of Medicine to serve Legislative District 9 in the Arizona House. Powers won her seat in November 2016 and won her re-election bid in 2018. She continues to work part-time social media editor for the journal. In addition to Blog for Arizona, she writes her own blog, The The Tucson Progressive and has contributed political stories to the Huffington Post. Powers Hannley is co-director of Arizonans for a New Economy, Arizona’s public banking initiative. Political website: PowersForThePeople.net Facebook Page: Pamela Powers Hannley for House Tucson Progressive on Facebook: Tucson Progressive Twitter handle: @p2hannley Instagram: p2hannley
TPP

Earth Day: Stop the TPP (video)

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TPP
Workers around the world have been protesting the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP).

Saturday, April 18, 2015, is the day the City of Tucson has chosen to celebrate Earth Day. It is also the Global Day of Action against the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP). This is a particularly fitting bit of serendipity since this year’s Tucson Earth Day has been co-opted by corporations trying to “green wash” their poor environmental records. Booo.

Seriously? Rosemont Mine and Tucson Electric Power (TEP) are two corporate sponsors of Earth Day? Rosemont Mine has been fighting tirelessly to destroy the Scenic Santa Rita Montains and suck our water supply dry. TEP still burns coal and is fighting to suppress solar power conversion.

So– Progressive Democrats of America (PDA) Tucson is combining its presence at the Tucson Earth Day festival with the TPP Global Day of Awareness. It’s a perfect fit. Don’t let dirty corporate donors co-opt an event that was created to honor the Mother Earth and remind us to care for her. Don’t let Raytheon, Rosemont Mine, Materion, Tucson Electric Power, and others “green wash” their poor environmental records with well-placed public relations. (For background, check out this great story in the Weekly by activist James Jordan.)

And, while you’re protesting corporate takeover on a community festival, don’t forget the TPP– the Grand Daddy of corporate takeovers.

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Tucsonans Fight for $15 on April 15 (video)

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Being a low-wage, service worker kind of town, Tucson has been in the Fight for $15 since the beginning in 2013. The Fight for $15 movement is spearheaded by the Service Employees International Union (SEIU). SEIU has been organizing fast food workers in the US and wants to raise the minimum wage to $15, since the federal minimum wage of … Read more

UPDATED: Broadway Widening Redux: March 26 Meeting on ‘Community Alignment’

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The First Assembly of God Church, erected in 1950, is on Broadway Blvd.
The First Assembly of God Church, erected in 1950, is on Broadway Blvd., within the boundaries of the widening project.

The beleaguered Citizens Task Force (CTF) of the Broadway Widening Project revolted at last week’s meeting and didn’t approve the city staff plan for widening Broadway Blvd. because it didn’t match the CTF’s recommendation from December 2014.

Consequently, the CTF will meet again tonight, March 26 at 5:30 at Our Saviour’s Lutheran Church Activity Building, 1200 N. Campbell. Here is the background from Sustainable Tucson. Read about last week’s meeting here and here.

UPDATE FROM THIS MEETING BELOW.

Alternative ‘community alignment’ tonight!

After a revolt by the Broadway Citizens Task Force at their meeting March 19th, an alternative “community-supported” version by respected transportation engineer and transit historian, Gene Caywood will be presented tonight so the City of Tucson can decide the best solution for improving Historic Broadway and the Sunshine Mile.

Come tonight to support the Citizens Task Force complete their three years of work. More background after the jump.

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People's Budget

Majority of Democrats Vote for Progressive Caucus People’s Budget (video)

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People's BudgetEach year, during the Congressional budgeting process, multiple budgets are proposed in the US House of Representatives. If you’re lucky, you might hear about the Republican budget from the mainstream media (since they hold the majority of seats in the House and since that budget usually contains some weird shit like converting Medicare to a voucher program). The Democrats and the Progressives also put forth budgets for consideration and voting. (Representatives can vote for any or all of the plans; they are not mutually exclusive.)

This year– for the first time — the majority of Democrats (96 out of 188) actually voted for the Congressional Progressive Caucus People’s Budget. Of Arizona Democrats in the House, Representatives Raul Grijalva and Ruben Gallego voted for it; Representatives Ann Kirkpatrick and Kyrsten Sinema voted “no” with the majority of Republicans.

From the Congressional Progressive Caucus…

The People’s Budget: A Raise for America

8.4 million good paying jobs by 2018

$1.9 trillion investment in America’s future

$820 billion infrastructure and transportation improvements

The People’s Budget fixes an economy that, for too long, has failed to provide the opportunities American families need to get ahead. Despite their skills and work ethic, most American workers and families are so financially strapped from increasing income inequality that their paychecks barely cover basic necessities. They earn less and less as corporations and the wealthy continue amassing record profits. It has become clear to American workers that the system is rigged.

The People’s Budget levels the playing field and creates economic opportunity by increasing the pay of middle- and low-income Americans. More customers and higher consumer spending advance American businesses, not tax cuts and relaxed regulations. The People’s Budget drives a full economic recovery by creating high-quality jobs and reducing family expenses, restoring the buying power of working Americans.

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Broadway Blvd.

Broadway Widening Project: Residents Speak Out Against It… Again

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Broadway Blvd.
Campbell and Broadway intersection on the latest Broadway widening project maps.

An estimated 80 Tucsonans attended the public meeting of the Citizens Task Force (CTF) for the Broadway widening project last week. The main event of the meeting was a potential vote on the latest maps which show a wiggly, six-lane Broadway snaking around and through historic properties and strip malls.

Prior to the meeting, people were asked to submit opinions in writing regarding the latest version of the maps. (Read comments here. See the maps here.) According to the Broadway Coalition’s count, 171 comments raised concerns about widening Broadway to six lanes or were outright opposed to it; four comments were ambivalent; and only 12 were supportive of the city staff-proposed alignments. Attendees have told me that the call to the audience speeches  were eloquent in their opposition to this project. (Unfortunately, no one videotaped the meeting.) The CTF did not approve the controversial maps last week; there will be another meeting this week on March 26.

This has been the history of the project. Over and over again in writing and at public meetings, Tucsonans have said very clearly that they don’t want Broadway expanded to look like the giant suburban intersections on the east side or on the northwest side AND they don’t want to lose the charm of the historic buildings along the Sunshine Mile coming out of downtown. Public comments and a report from the Broadway Coalition after the jump.

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