Tucson Businesses Oppose SB 1070 in “We Mean Business” Campaign

Posted by AzBlueMeanie:

Approximately 65,000 Mexican residents on average came to Arizona each day to legally work, visit friends and relatives, shop and play in 2007-2008.

Mexican visitors' annual economic impact on the Tucson area was approaching $1 billion a year according to the study "Mexican Visitors to Arizona: Visitor Characteristics and Economic Impacts 2007-2008" prepared by the University of Arizona Eller College of Management's Economic and Business Research Center for the Arizona Office of Tourism in May 2009. docs/press/2009/05/TucsonCitizen_Mexican_shoppers_add_one_billion_to_Tucson_economy_May12_2009.pdf

• Each day, visitors from Mexico spent $7.3 million in Arizona stores, restaurants, hotels and other businesses… Over 5 percent of taxable sales in Pima County were attributable to the Mexican visitors.
• Pima County reaped the largest share of the economic impact in Arizona, with more than 36% of the $2.7 billion in statewide spending occurring here.
• Metro Tucson reaped a $968.7 million direct economic benefit from Mexican tourists from July 2007 through June 2008.

So it should come as no surprise that Tucson businesses are sensitive to the loss of sales resulting from Mexicans – both here legally and illegally – staying away from Arizona, boycott or not, because of the demagogic rhetoric emanating from Arizona politicians indiscriminately demonizing all Mexicans and creating a hostile environment. Jan Brewer, John McCain and Russell Pearce have done more to harm Arizona economically with their outlandish (and false) claims than any boycott effort.

Nearly 90 Tucson business owners are showing their resistance to SB 1070 – the immigration law set to take effect July 29 – through a new "We Mean Business" campaign. Some Tucson firms oppose SB 1070:

Participating business owners demonstrate their opposition to the new law with "We Mean Business" signs in the windows of their establishments. Many of the owners agree there is a need for immigration reform; however they do not think the new law is the most effective approach.

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Members of the nonprofit humanitarian organization No More Deaths kicked off the "We Mean Business" campaign Thursday night.

"There are some shopkeepers that have told us, 'We prefer to stay neutral on issues such as this,' and we are sending a very clear message that they need to stand on the right side," said Sarah Launius, a spokeswoman for No More Deaths. " 'We Mean Business' is really raising our voices and seeking out businesses who will also raise their voices to say, 'No, this is unacceptable.' Not only does it drain the lifeblood of our community socially and economically, if we continue down this path we will bankrupt our state."

www.nomoredeaths.org has a list of businesses supporting the "We Mean Business" campaign: List of Local Businesses Rejecting Racism | We Reject Racism/Rechazamos el Racismo