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Published on Friday, November 20, 2009

 
The results of this month’s Tucson city council election shows the electorate is not happy with the status quo. A large part of the campaign focused on incompetence and a lack of economic opportunities. It’s time for Tucson and its leaders to start making the changes that voters and the business community called for during the campaign, and they deserve.

So we thought, alright big-talking radio guys, what would we do if we were kings for a day? Here is what the Wake Up, Tucson Kingdom would look like:

1. The employment mix would have fewer government jobs. The largest employment sector in Southern Arizona is  government — 21 percent of our region’s workers are military, schools or universities and city or county government. By comparison, Phoenix, Denver and Seattle weigh in at between 13 and 15 percent. Tucson’s second largest regional employment sector, at 17 percent, is the service sector. Low on the list are tech jobs, manufacturing and financial service. Not a great stat for a city that isn’t even a state capital.

These lopsided numbers demonstrate that Tucson does way too much handing money back and forth. Fresh capitalist dollars are what we desperately need to grow our economy. Gone are the days when we can just rely on construction jobs to raise the tide. A focus on industries that make things, move things or sell things is needed now more than ever.

2. Roll out the welcome mat to business. An anti-big box ordinance, hostile neighborhood interactions, NIMBYism run rampant and a maze of rules discourage all but the most committed entrepreneurs. Sprinkle in years of regulations, a culture of saying “no” along with zoning and land-use codes designed to discourage the entrepreneurial spirit and you get enterprise exoduses. Businesses are leaving the city or worse, they’re leaving the region altogether.

Last week, we had a prominent local guest on our radio show who talked of how it took 14 development plan reviews and more than nine years to launch his projects. He went so far as to suggest California can be a more business-friendly environment than Tucson. California? Wasn’t Tucson Regional Economic Opportunities (TREO) targeting California companies to try to persuade them to relocate here? How’s that for irony?

3. Less of Pima County would be unincorporated. Pima County has 36 percent of its population living in unincorporated areas outside of cities and towns. In Maricopa County it’s only 6 percent. These are important numbers because our region’s portion of state shared revenues are calculated using these population numbers. These numbers cost our region $60 million to $80 million per year that goes to our friends up north. That pays for a lot of over-budget underpasses.

Annexation and incorporations have been attempted over the decades in Pima County. With minor exceptions, it appears we are at a stalemate. To fix this, the Legislature will have to go against the powerful League of Arizona Cities and Towns to amend state law requiring approval of a jurisdiction to start a new municipality within 6 miles of an existing one. Adjust the law and watch for the Town of Vail to be the first to incorporate. Followed by renewed efforts in Tortolita, Casas Adobes and Catalina Foothills. Even Green Valley might go for it.

4. More competition among cities and towns. Maricopa County has 16 municipalities compared to Pima County’s five: Tucson, South Tucson, Marana, Sahaurita and Oro Valley. More cities translate into more competition as each fights for tax dollars. As Tucson fiddles over Rio Nuevo and rainwater harvesting, Oro Valley, Sahuarita and Marana are picking off businesses and creating places where people want to live. Marana’s now the home of professional golf’s Accenture Match Play Championship, a new Ritz-Carlton Resort and, possibly, a world-class sports stadium.

5. Bureaucracies would be shook up. Doing the same thing over and over again just doesn’t cut it anymore. The world is moving too fast and is too competitive not to change. As the late Gerald Burrill, retired Episcopal Bishop of Chicago, said, “The difference between a rut and a grave is the depth.”

Southern Arizona suffers from a  lack of accountability and vision from a many of the important business groups that represent the rest of us.  While these hand-picked, resume building boards may ensure that things keep humming along, it is at the expense of the rest of that are lower on the food chain. Not all these are bad some do great work. You be the judge based on the actions and results.

Those of you in leadership roles on these chambers, bureaus and associations; take a hard look at who you’re helping and who you’re hurting.  You have a fiduciary, financial and social responsibility to all of us to ask the tough questions, demand transparency, hold your group accountable. 

For the common business owners, it’s time to really reflect on whether you’re continued support is manifested in a thriving business environment.  It’s time to bring accountability one check at a time.

Contact Joe Higgins at joe@joehigginsinc.com or Chris DeSimone at provenpartners@comcast.net. They’re the hosts of “Wake Up Tucson,” which airs 6 – 8 a.m. weekdays on The Voice KVOI 1030-AM. Check out their blog at www.TucsonChoices.com.

By Joe Higgins, and Chris DeSimone – Inside Tucson Business
Published on Friday, September 25, 2009

You’ve quietly mumbled under your breath while watching the evening news. You’ve commiserated with colleagues at lunch. You may have even taken the time to write an e-mail or call the office of one of our elected officials. A handful of you may have even showed up at a city council meeting, taken your three minutes of fame at the podium delivering a speech that would make Jimmy Stewart proud. Or maybe you rationalized that you’re too busy. That someone else will carry the load. You wrote a check to a business association or chamber of commerce so your work is done. 

What have your efforts accomplished?

Try higher property taxes, increased bed taxes, taxes on tanning salons, ballooning utility costs, more regulations and red tape, a rotting city core, larger pot holes, scarier streets, more graffiti, less baseball and a whole lot more vacancies. As business people, we want to believe Tucson welcomes our entrepreneurial spirit. We tuck in each night dreaming of a community that wants us to succeed. They appreciate the hard work and risks we take. After all small business is the economic engine the politicians all love to brag about. Dream’s over – time to wake up!

Our current flock of elected officials seem to have little interest in supporting you or making your road to riches any easier. You’re in this community to be taxed, regulated and demonized. If you’ve made a business career here you’ve really done something special. 

Want to know how we got here? Take a look around. How many of our local politicos have ever owned their own business? How many have built a successful career in the private sector? How many have spent their careers in nonprofit or government jobs? Most have risen from the ranks of the progressive party machines. Are there exceptions?  We guess so.

Let us share the real problem the business community has in our region. Our politicians don’t get us. They don’t respect us. And they certainly don’t fear us.

Since the dawn of the democracy, when elections come around politicians count votes. Environmental lobbies, neighborhood associations, unions and university and government employees vote. When a politician’s primary goal is to get re-elected or move to a higher office, catering to the groups that walk the streets, pick up the phones and show up at rallies is perceived as essential to future success.

What are we as a business community to do? For starters, we need to identify strong pro-business candidates then truly support them. The heat will get turned up on you or your business but you must take a stand. A trite chamber of commerce endorsement isn’t going to cut it.

We must ensure that our elected officials are true friends of business. If they aren’t we must take them out of office in a strong and swift show of force. When we do win a seat, the business community needs to remind the other sitting officials that we have the power to influence an election. Once they fear us, they will respect us. Once they fear us, they will listen to us. Once they fear us, things will change.

Don’t fall back on your indifference. Don’t go back to watching “Dancing With The Stars” or “The Biggest Loser.” Sure, we can continue to wait and hope someone else will carry the load but how’s that worked out for us so far?

Wake up business community. Wake up Tucson.

Early ballots will be arriving in mailboxes Oct. 8. If you haven’t requested an early ballot, call (520) 740-4330. Any registered voter in the city of Tucson can vote for any of the six council candidates running. This is a partisan race — for now — and it’s not limited to individual ward-only voting. Inform your employees, family and friends of what is at stake in this election. Research the candidates and measure results.

Vote.

Contact Joe Higgins at joe@joehigginsinc.com or Chris DiSimone at provenpartners@comcast.net. They’re the hosts of “Wake Up Tucson,” which airs 6 a.m. – 7 a.m. weekdays on The Voice KVOI 1030-AM. Information about the show is online at WakeUpTucson.net

I met Mark Harris on my journey of trying to make sense of how Tucson got to this dysfunctional place.  During the months of endless meetings I ran across Mark. I was immediately taken by his passion and vision for creating a better Tucson. We were on parallel paths working for the same goal. I invited him to events and value his input.  For Mark, getting our community back on track is a mission, both religious and personal.

I relate to Mark’s business acumen (he’s the owner of two Intelligent Office locations in Pima County and Institute For Better Edcuation) I relate to Mark’s passion to make this community a better place and I relate to the uphill battle we are both facing. Meeting after meeting and group after group, Mark is there. He shows up, adds intelligent points and quietly leaves and keeps working in his own special way to call for change, point out where we’ve derailed and roll up his sleeves to do something about it.

A CHURCH THAT IS TRULY BUILT ON EVANGELISM

By Glenn Smith

This article is a reprint from October 2003.        

One of our early church plants was the Oasis Church in Tucson, led by pastor Mark Harris.  In December 1993 Mark, his wife Debbie, and their 3 children (the youngest just born) left Houston to plant in a fast growing, eclectic and extremely unchurched city.  Mark’s vision was not to be the “biggest” church in town but to be a “reproducing, sending” church, one that would multiply itself many times over!  He also had a vision to not only see individual transformation but to also see his city transformed.  Mark is the GlocalNet lead pastor for Tucson, Arizona.  This weekend I had the privilege to be with him at the Oasis Church – what I saw was incredible.

The Oasis Church has 2 Sunday services meeting in an elementary school.  Before the first service I talked to numerous people and asked about their stories.  I was overwhelmed by what I heard!  Almost every person I spoke with shared how they had come to know Jesus through the ministry of this church – one this past year, some 3 years ago, some 5 years ago, and some from the very first year of the church!  I don’t recall speaking to a single person who was a “transfer” from another church.

After a very worshipful experience in the 1st service I went out to talk to more people.  Again, it was just one story after another of not only conversions & transformation, but also unique ministry and service!  As I worshipped again in the 2nd service I was in awe of what God had done through this young church!  Practically every person was a relatively new Christian and was engaged in ministry!  Three of the businessmen that I met were preparing to plant new churches themselves!  In fact, in the past 9 years the Oasis Church has planted 17 churches and sent out over 200 “missionaries” from their congregation to other parts of the city!  Another man that I met was the chairman of the Old Pueblo Foundation, which Mark created to meet social needs and to help transform the city!  Their congregation was truly an eclectic, indigenous church!

As I sit here on a plane flying back to Houston I can’t help but reflect on what I experienced today!  I have the priviege of being in some great churches on a regular basis.  But tears fill my eyes and emotion overwhelms me as I write this article (I hope no one on the plane sees me!)  The Oasis Church may never be one of the largest churches in America, but I can’t help but think that this church may be more like the New Testament church than any U.S. church I’ve ever seen!  I know God is smiling because their impact for the Kingdom is beyond measure!

Meet ALL the City Of Tucson Council challengers

Richard Fimbres          – D Ward 5
Judith Gomez              – R Ward 5
Shaun McClusky          – R Ward 5
Steve Kozachik           – R Ward 6
Ben Buehler-Garcia    – R Ward 3

Thursday April 30th, – 5:30 at McMahon’s – Please RSVP – we are expecting a big turn out.
RSVP to Joe@JoeHigginsinc.com

Brought to you by Wake Up Tucson and TucsonChoices.com. Wake Up Tucson is on M-F at 6am on KVOI 690am. The hosts, Chris DeSimone and Joe Higgins talk daily about the issues of importance to our region. The show is aimed to Wake Up our elected officials, Wake Up our leadership and Wake Up the community to the issues that affect us each day. Tune in, it’s more critical now than ever!

This will be your FIRST opportunity to meet the challengers for the upcoming City of Tucson Council elections. Prior and future events will feature the incumbents.

This is the third TucsonChoices.com/Wake Up Tucson event. Our goal is to bring the business community together with elected leaders. Our gatherings are incredibly important to learning about issues and letting our leaders know about your concerns for the community.

Our first meeting featured:

Sen. Al Melvin
Rep. Frank Antenori
Rep. David Gowen
Rep. Vic Williams

Our second gathering featured

Councilman Rodney Glassman
Councilwoman Nina Trasoff

Join us Tuesday April 28th at 5:30 at the TCC for the City of Tucson budget hearings.
Tune in this Wednesday for our interview with Richard Fimbres – (D) Ward 5
And Thursday for our interview with Judith Gomez – (R.) Ward 5
Also tune in for Free For All Fridays and Positive Mondays
KVOI 690am The Voice – M-F 6am-7am
Stream Online at www.TucsonChoices.com
McMahon’s Steak House is located at Swan and Ft. Lowell

Rep. Patterson in on Wake Up Tucson tomorrow morning at 6:30am. Daniel is a freshman Democrat law maker representing downtown and parts of south Tucson. Daniel has a back ground as the president of a downtown neighborhood and as an ecologist working to protect the desert.

Daniel has gained bipartisan support for a bill he’s introduced to toughen Arizona’s whistle blower laws for things like Medicare fraud. Read more HERE and HERE.

Daniel had some strong words for fellow Southern Arizona legislators Antenori and Paton for their criticism of Rio Nuevo and TIF funding. Read the post HERE. It seems like Patterson has some history to back up this comments;

I actually represent downtown and have lived there with my family for a long time. I served many years on the Tucson Planning Commission, where we dealt in detail with trying to help improve and streamline conditions for business and downtown revitalization. I also served many years as an active President of a historic downtown neighborhood. Not once has my friend Antenori asked me about about anything having to do with downtown.

Rio Nuevo and the ineffective leadership in Tucson will most definitely be part of our discussions. Tune in!

Details about Patterson below from Cronkite News:

Name: Daniel Patterson
_ Chamber: House of Representatives
_ Party: Democrat
_ Profession: Ecologist
_ Hometown: Tucson
_ Legislative District: No. 29, which includes southern portions of Tucson, South Tucson and Davis-Monthan Air Force Base.
_ Committee Assignments: Military Affairs and Public Safety; Water and Energy.
_ Previous or Current Elected Offices: President of Santa Rita Park Neighborhood.
_ Highlights of Community Involvement: Arizona Democratic Party; active in quality-of-life issues including sustainability, transportation and crime reduction.
_ Why He Ran: “I want to be a part of helping people and solving problems, which is what I think is our No. 1 responsibility at the Legislature.”
_ His Focus: “Issues in my committees. I will also be looking at issues of economic justice by looking at how the state raises revenue.”
_ A Bill: HB 2601 would provide homeowners facing foreclosure sales 60 days to negotiate revised payments with lenders.