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Tucson Residents for Responsive Government

TRRG NEWS – JUNE 2019


Update on May 21, 2019, TRRG Presentation about Neighborhoods and Plans to Mayor/Council Study Session

As many of you know, Councilmember Kozachik asked for time on the May 21 Mayor/Council Study Session agenda to allow TRRG to update them about the Neighborhood Plan evaluations. As Chair of TRRG, I made the presentation, which can be viewed on the City’s website https://www.tucsonaz.gov/tv12/mayor-and-council (scroll down to 5/21/19 Study Session to view video - we were first on the agenda).

We told them that the TRRG Initiative: Sustainable Neighborhoods Through Planning brought to light the critical need for our elected leaders to affirm their support for Strong Neighborhoods and City-wide Planning. We presented 4 goals that we want their help to achieve

  • Planning as a Priority

  • Adherence to the UDC

  • True Public Process

  • Policy and Procedures for Updating Neighborhood and Area Plans

A HUGE Thank You to all who attended and demonstrated public support for these goals. We almost packed the house. We submitted to them the online petition that had the names of 738 people who want a community discussion about future growth and development in Tucson.

The big take-home message for me is that we do not currently have overt support of some of our elected officials for the things that we are asking for. Without support and direction from our elected officials, the future of our planning documents is in jeopardy. Indeed, the future of citizen participation in decision-making in Tucson is in jeopardy.

We are encouraged because of the number of open seats up for City election this fall. All concerned citizens need to ask the candidates about their support for inclusive decision-making, strong neighborhoods and long-range planning that brings all stakeholders to the table. For a list of questions for candidates that were submitted by TRRG members at the annual meeting, go to https://tucsontrrg.org/ and click on the blue box on the right side of the screen.


Pay Attention to the Debates this Summer and VOTE in Both the Primary and General Elections.

The City-wide elections this year will be August 27 for the Primary and November 5 for the General and Special Election. Since this is a City-only election, it is a Vote-By-Mail election. To get detailed information about this election please go to the Clerk’s election website (https://www.tucsonaz.gov/clerks/elections) and scroll down to 2019 City of Tucson Elections – What You Need to Know and download the PDF file.

In Tucson, we vote by Ward in the primary election and City-wide in the general election, so it is important, regardless of what ward you live in that you are registered to vote by the Primary election deadline of July 29, 2019.

The Mayor and Wards 1 and 4 are all open seats (no incumbent is running for re-election). Councilmember Paul Cunningham is running for re-election in Ward 2 and will face an opponent in the general election. The Ward 1 seat will most likely be decided in the primary election since there is no opposition party in that race.

Without support from our elected officials, neighborhood needs will continue to languish so please get to the debates, ask questions, and cast your informed vote.


2019-2020 TRRG Board Members

New TRRG Board members, Ian Wan and Steve Poe, were elected at the April 27, 2019 annual meeting. At the May 2nd Board meeting the following Board members were elected to offices: Bonnie Poulos, Chair; Kris Yarter, Vice-Chair; Barbara Lehmann, Treasurer; Ian Wan, Secretary; Joan Hall, Parliamentarian. The next meeting of the Board will be on Wednesday, July 31, 2019, 5:30-7:30pm in the east meeting room of the Ward 6 office.


New Neighborhood “Point of Contact” Position in PDSD

At the May 21, 2019 Study Session, the City Manager submitted a report that among other things designated a position in the Planning and Development Services Dept. (PDSD) to assist neighborhoods. Rebecca Ruopp will serve as the Neighborhood Engagement Specialist in the new fiscal year. You can read his full memo by going to https://www.tucsonaz.gov/sirepub/view.aspx?cabinet=published_meetings&fileid=9423635.

We applaud the City Manager for recognizing the need for this position and related support, and for official recognition of Neighborhood Resources as one of the City’s responsibilities to the community.


TRRG Needs Your Annual Dues to Continue Our Work

As an organization, TRRG puts on forums and workshops, holds annual meetings and provides printed materials to elected officials and staff about issues important to us. We cannot do that without the help of our members. Yearly dues are only $10 per member. Please, if you have not sent us your dues for 2019, consider doing that today. Just get onto the TRRG website (https://tucsontrrg.org) and click on the yellow box to the right on the home page. You can send your check to us or pay by Credit card or PayPal. We need your help to be able to continue the work. Thank you for your support.


Keep cool and stay out of the heat of the day now that our temperatures are predicted to hit 100 degrees. All of us on the Board of TRRG thank our members and friends for their continued support and work toward making our local government more responsive to the needs of all residents.


Thank you from TRRG,

Bonnie Poulos, Chair


Copyright © 2019 Tucson Residents for Responsive Government, All rights reserved.


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Tucson Residents for Responsive Government · P. O. Box 57323 · Tucson, AZ 85732-7323 · USA

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