Tucson Choices

It’s been a tough time for the Tucson Metropolitan Convention and Visitors Bureau.

Budgets have been slashed, people let go and an audit last summer which was highly critical of the way it was performing.

Still, in the face of it all, Pima County gave the bureau $3 million to promote tourism. That’s only about 60% of what the county used to give, but that was before hard times.

The contract signed by the county also contains 24 benchmarks which the bureau must meet.

“I’m hopeful we’ll see some really interesting and dynamic changes in the bureau,” says District 3 supervisor Sharon Bronson.

Like the other supervisors who voted to approve the budget, Bronson is concerned.

One thing the audit pointed out, is that the Tucson Airport is lacking and one reason why Tucson is lagging far Read More

By: Taylor Davidson

As many know, effective October 1st AHCCCS (Arizona’s Medicaid program) made dramatic changes to benefits eligibility (we can argue the necessity of these measures but that’s not my purpose with this column).  As a result of these changes a friend and client of mine recently received a notification that her two minor children would be losing their coverage and came to me several weeks ago as her agent to discuss options for replacing this insurance.

As recently as a few months ago I would have been able to help her with a policy for her kids that would have cost no more than tens of dollars Read More

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And you wonder where all that money the City of Tucson has to spend goes every year???? In the Oct 24, 2011 issue of the Star you get a small clue.
Businesses to get help on efficiency practices plus garner recognition
City begins green-certification effort
Read more: http://azstarnet.com/business/local/city-begins-green-certification-effort/article_dd6cb98d-3ec7-5b3f-8ca9-34fa2a3617dd.html#ixzz1bkpR8Shf
Going green just got a little bit easier for Tucson businesses.
Tucson’s Office of Conservation and Sustainable Development is encouraging businesses to apply for its Green Business Certification Program.
More than a dozen businesses have applied so far, said director Leslie Ethen.
Among them is BWS Architects, a downtown business that made changes to become more environmentally Read More

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America’s Emptiest Cities, 2011
By Paul Toscano, CNBC.com
October 12, 2011

HERE

The problem is multi faceted.  Here’s a few culprits:

1. Pima County has been too reliant on growth related industries and hasn’t done a very good job at divesting into different job creating industries.

2.  There seems to be no ryme or reason as to what gets built where in Southern Arizona.  We fight sprawl at the same time block infill projects.

3.  Financing – Here’s Read More

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So tell me Tucson Democratic Party leaders, ‘How Bad Does It Have To Be To Lose The Arizona Daily Star Endorsement As A Democratic Incumbent?”

The short answer is pretty darn bad.  Maybe the Rio Nuevo boondoggle, the FBI and Attorney General investigations, the Park Wise scandals, the condition of the roads, medians and general decay of our market, the total lack of economic activity anywhere in the City limits, catching the old tired democratic elected officials and party playing the same old tricks, the total lack of faith of anything Read More

Law governs annexations, not supervisors
Posted: Wednesday, October 19, 2011 4:00 am
By Pima County Administrator Chuck Huckelberry, Special to The Explorer | 0 comments
The old adage “Never let facts get in the way of a good story” seems to apply to Councilwoman Roxanne Ziegler’s recent opinion in The Explorer (“County official should follow best practices,” Oct. 5, 2011).
Lackluster (the councilwoman’s word) does not accurately describe the County’s Read More

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