By Joe Higgins and Chris DeSimone, Inside Tucson Business
Published on Friday, June 4th, 2010

If you’re a regular reader of this column, you’ve figured out we are not professional journalists. If you listen to our radio program, you’ll quickly realize we aren’t radio pros either. We are a couple of small business guys who can no longer sit and watch as the region we love squanders its potential. The lack of vision and leadership is hurting the future for our families.

We, along with many of you, have come to the conclusion that Tucson is on a one-way trip to being the Detroit of the desert. Suburban areas are flourishing while the city core stagnates and rots.

Don’t blame us. We had nothing to do with Tucson’s overdependence on the growth industry. We didn’t chase away our youth for lack of opportunity. We had nothing to do with Motorola leaving. Or the movie industry going to New Mexico. Or IBM relocating. We haven’t been a part of downtown redevelopment but, like you, we watched as Albuquerque and El Paso actually did things in their downtowns while Tucson planned and planned. Print this story

 
The last few years in Tucson have been like watching a car wreck happen in slow motion. You know it’s going to be messy but you’re not sure how bad it will end up.

Tucson is what it is. This economic recession has ripped the bandage off a problem and the open wound has been exposed.  You have the same three choices as we do: move away, sit back and coast or work to fix it.

For our part, we’re in the “fix-it” mode.

So far we, individually or as a team, have sat on commissions, worked on task forces and served on nonprofit boards. We’ve risen to management in organizations, we’ve created hundreds of jobs and opened or developed dozens of locations for small businesses. We’ve run for public office, campaigned for candidates, spoken to government officials, bureaucrats, neighbors, environmentalists and other movers and shakers.

We’ve found a whole bunch of people who feel the same way as we do. We’ve also found a few people who wish we’d get in line with their ideas. And we’ve even run into a few who are downright obstructionists.

Now is the time and this is a call to do one of three things: lead, follow or get out of the way.

There are groups out there right now thinking, planning and organizing how to chart a new course for this region. We are encouraged by the work of the up-and-coming leaders at the Pima County Republican and Democratic parties. We are energized by the work of the religious community and their efforts to organize politically. We know of business groups that are looking to improve the development process, create more jobs and improve relationships with Mexico. Private capitalists, not governments, are talking about how to leverage Tucson’s economic assets.

We need the business community to plug in. If you have already made your fortune in Southern Arizona, give a little of your time and experience to help the next generation. If your business isn’t there yet, reach out for  help; there are many options.

Republican or Democrat, neighborhood or business, old or young, we all need to get away from the single-issue loudmouths who dominate the political debate. No more political doublespeak and elected officials who worry more about their next re-election than what’s best for the long-term of the region. We have had our fill of groups that are supposed to represent us but have become too comfortable. We believe education of our children is the single most important opportunity for Tucson to become a healthy community but are frustrated with throwing money into a black hole. We respect our role as environmental stewards but we also need jobs.

Most importantly, we need those with the power to tax and regulate to understand we can’t take much more. Pushing down one more tax, one more form, one more fee may not seem like a big deal to a government official but it’s getting to the point where it’s not worth the risk, sleepless nights and always being the last one paid.

We are down in the trenches trying to fix this mess now. We need like-minded folks to join us. That’s the only way anything is going to get done.

Contact Joe Higgins and Chris DeSimone at wakeuptucson@gmail.com. They host “Wake Up Tucson,” 6-8 a.m. weekdays on The Voice KVOI 1030-AM. Their blog is at www.TucsonChoices.com.

Copyright © 2010 Inside Tucson Business