Late on Friday, statements of organization were finally filed for three Republican Tucson City council candidates, but not for mayor — yet. Ward 1: Bill Hunt is an ex military and airline pilot, and flight instructor. Mr. Hunt also worked at Raytheon (position not known). He says he does “a lot of flying for the … Read more
Tucson Mayor Jonathan Rothschild, a Democrat, gave this speech today at the annual State of the City luncheon at the JW Marriott Star Pass Resort. The Mayor is up for re-election this November, 2015.
Updated 3/7/15: with correction on page 7 in comments, from the Mayor’s Communications Director.
3/4/14 update: Tucson Pothole project founders will take their project to the Tucson City Council on April 8.
Fictional account below, not for the weak of stomach or those with weak car suspensions:
“It was a dark and stormy night in Tucson. You’re driving alone in your vehicle, late at night. Visibility is low, as it has been raining somewhat heavily. There are no street lights on your way home. Suddenly your head lights reveal the danger ahead…a large, looming Tucson pothole, waiting for its next victim. You drive with trepidation, anxious and afraid to proceed– but your car keeps rolling along, unaware of the danger. You attempt to swerve to avoid the pothole, but it is too large and too late, and your right wheels fall precariously into it. Your car shakes badly and you curse (expletive deleted). ”
Just imagine that scenario above if you were riding on your bike at night, with a dim front bike light. Here’s what some UA students are doing to fix potholes in Tucson.
Two University of Arizona students Laura Unklesbay and Korey Cowan have set up a wordpress file for anyone to send in photos of their “favorite” pothole(s), in order to pressure the City of Tucson Street & Traffic Maintenance Dept. to fix them in a more timely manner.
More than 90 days have passed since the Tucson City Council voted to begin a 60-90 day public comment period to gather information and ideas related to the proposed re-development of the Ronstadt Transit Center. During that time, the Tucson Bus Riders Union held a public forum at the Rialto, compiled and organized hundreds written comments collected at the forum, met with City Councilwoman Karin Uhlich, and participated in collecting 2800 surveys from bus riders.
What has Corky Poster done? Poster is the architect and planner who was City Council hired to gather the public input. Rumor has it that Poster has held eight “stakeholder” meetings in recent weeks. With the information gathered at those meetings, he has compiled a report outlining consensus goals and objectives and said report was to be delivered to the City Manager’s office last week before Poster left town on vacation. More photos and details on the secret public process and who the real stakeholders are after the jump.
The Downtown Tucson Partnership— like other business groups before them– has designs on the Ronstadt Transit Center (RTC). Since the early Feb. 5 City Council vote approving a 60-90 day public comment period before throwing the RTC to the dogs… er … developers, the Tucson Bus Riders Union held a public forum at the Rialto, compiled and organized hundreds written comments collected at the forum, met with City Councilwoman Karin Uhlich, and participated in collecting 2800 surveys from bus riders. 
When the Ronstadt Transit Center was constructed in 1991, it was billed as a community gathering place. Dance and music performances at the RTC were featured during Downtown Saturday Nights (pre-cursor to Second Saturdays but twice per month in its heyday). At the April public forum, dozens of speakers talked about improving the transit center, making it a focal point for community activities (as it once was), and building community– not commercial develop– at the site.
The big question is: in making its decision regarding the fate of the Ronstadt Transit Center, will the City Council listen to the 41-member Downtown Tucson Partnership or the thousands of Tucsonans who have voiced their opinion on this issue?
Today, May 17, a group of transit activists, downtown residents, and members of the Tucson Bus Riders Union will gather at the Ronstadt Transit Center in a community-building exercise. Wear white, bring your musical instruments, signs, and your community spirit to the RTC at 5 p.m. and let's see what happens. Meet under the clock, and don't disrupt the buses. This is a bus-friendly, community event– not a protest.
For background on the most recent Ronstadt Transit Center struggle, check out stakeholder opinions after the jump.