Posted by AzBlueMeanie:
There's something happening here
What it is ain't exactly clear
– "For What It's Worth," by Buffalo Springfield
Steve Kozachik aka "the Koz," Tucson's only Republican city council member has been on quite a tear against the wingnuts in his own Republican Party, especially those Republicans from Southern Arizona serving in the Arizona legislature.
Back in February, in a guest opinion in the Arizona Daily Star, the Koz wrote Republicans should support local control of revenues:
One issue that has statewide relevance is our combined fiscal health. The Republican Party cannot be championing policies that will wrench fiscal control from local jurisdictions while simultaneously placing localities in a position of having to make drastic cuts in services in order to facilitate the payment of debt service at the state level.
There are now in committee several bills in Phoenix that would have exactly that impact. Last year, the state took on debt to help solve its budget deficit. What is now being considered is legislation (SB 1221) that will cap the income-tax revenues cities may keep, along with legislation (SB 1220) that will restrict the ability of cities to establish new revenue streams without the consent of the state.
If lawmakers in Phoenix tie the hands of Tucson and other cities around the state, the effect will be that our local paychecks will help to pay off the debts incurred at the state level at the expense of our ability to provide basic services on the local level.
* * *
There are literally millions and millions of locally generated dollars that would be shifted into the state coffers from cities and towns all over the state if SB 1220 and SB 1221 are not stopped.
The result will be a continuing degradation in the conditions of our streets, decreasing levels of public safety and the inability of local governing bodies to meet the very basic needs of our communities.
Well, the Tea-Publican tools from Southern Arizona who serve only the interests of their masters from the State of Maricopa ignored the Koz the way they ignore the rest of us in Southern Arizona. This led to a second guest opinion in the Arizona Daily Star in March. The Koz opined Why do S. Ariz. lawmakers take aim at their own constituents?:
Why is the Arizona Legislature taking aim at the city of Tucson?
Why is our "limited government"-minded Legislature considering legislation that will create huge bureaucratic obligations for the city? And why would the Legislature, whose mantra has been making our state a haven for businesses looking to relocate, propose bills that will limit Tucson's ability to attract and retain top quality public service workers, and statutorily cap the number of public sector workers in a way that will impact the city's ability to provide basic services to the community?
This legislative session has been one anti-local statute after another. And now they're defining the proposed laws in a manner that in Southern Arizona can only point to Tucson. In several pieces of legislation, each sponsored by our own local representatives in the Legislature, the target community is specifically defined as follows: "For the purposes of this section, 'city' means a city with a population of more than five hundred thousand persons." (SBs 1345, 1347, 1322.)
Look around. How many jurisdictions in the state, other than Tucson, qualify? Why would our Southern Arizona delegation take aim at their own constituents?
* * *
Note to our delegation: spend some time in your neighborhoods and talk to your constituents. I think you'll hear that enough is enough.
Protect the interests of, and stop taking aim at, the city of Tucson and the people who rely on local government to provide essential services that enhance the quality of life and that make it possible to attract jobs to the community.
Contact your lawmakers.
This week, the Koz has yet another guest opinion, this time in Inside Tucson Business Weekly. The Koz is especially irritated at "King" Russell Pearce and the new Viceroy of Tucson, Jonathan Paton. Legislature’s winning trifecta to do harm to Tucsonans – Inside Tucson Business:
If the Legislature's winning ticket continues to be how to harm Tucson and the region, then there's another trifecta coming from up north.
Win
In an unrestrained demonstration of pure political payback, Senate President Russell Pearce, R-Mesa, explicitly excluded Pima County from the dollars being doled out for Gang and Immigration Intelligence Team Enforcement Mission (GIITEM).
* * *
Where does Pima County – the county with the longest border of any in the state – fit into this fund designed to fight border crime? The Legislature is allowing any other jurisdiction to apply for remaining funds, with the exception of a county with a population of between 500,000 and 2 million. That's Pima County. Coincidence?
Pearce is playing politics with the safety of the residents of this county. Not one of the elected officials who represent this region voiced public opposition.
Place
Next, the Legislature has named four new members to the Rio Nuevo Multipurpose Facilities District board.
* * *
[O]ne of the nominees, Jonathon Paton, was directly involved in crafting legislation by which the new board was formed. Further, Paton comes into his new position openly stating the "city has been standing in the way of progress" and that more changes need to be made to wrest further control from the city.
A modicum of homework on Mr. Paton's part would demonstrate that it was six of his former colleagues from the Legislature who, on Dec. 21, 2010, drafted a letter to the new Rio Nuevo board instructing them to refrain from coming to terms on new intergovernmental agreements with the city.
* * *
We may now put to bed any pretense this board is independent of the Legislature.
State lawmakers are playing politics with the financial viability of this city. Not one of the elected officials who represent this region voiced public opposition to the appointment, or any of the comments made by Mr. Paton.
Show
Finally, let me refer you to the Arizona State Constitution, Article 11, Section 6: "Admission of students of both sexes to state educational institutions; tuition; common school system – The university and all other state educational institutions shall be open to students of both sexes, and the instruction furnished shall be as nearly free as possible."
* * *
The Legislature is playing politics with the accessability of education for all residents of the Tucson. This shouldn't even be a local issue, but where is the opposition to these cuts from those who represent our region and our university?
Trifecta
Trifecta is a betting scheme in which one picks in order the winning ticket in a race. Win, Place, Show – Safety, Fiscal Viability, Access to Education. Those are the horses being ridden by our representatives. You decide if it's the winning ticket for our city.
"There's something happening here" when the lone Republican city council member in Tucson is willing to take such a high profile stand against the Tea-Publican members of his own party serving in the Arizona legislature. "What it is ain't exactly clear."
Maybe the Koz, like the rest of us, is tired of our colonial overlords from the State of Maricopa treating their Southern Arizona subjects like dirt, and he is ready to stand with us for our freedom and self-determination from our colonial oppressors. Maybe he is ready to get "blued up" and join us in our fight for freedom!