Tucson City Councilmember Regina Romero is announcing this afternoon that she is running for mayor of Tucson.
Jonathan Rothschild, who has served two terms atop City Hall, announced that he would not seek reelection last month.
Romero has represented Westside Ward 1 since winning election in 2007.
The other big-name Democrat talking about a campaign is former state lawmaker Steve Farley, but others may well join the crowd in the coming months.
Here’s the press release from Romero:
Regina Romero is a Southern Arizona native and a University of Arizona graduate with a post graduate certificate from Harvard Kennedy School of Government. She has served on the Tucson City Council representing Ward 1 for eleven years.
“I am running for Mayor of Tucson because I am prepared to fight for what is right for working families, provide a safe, clean and environmentally sustainable city with access to economic opportunity for everyone.”
As Mayor of Tucson, Romero will focus on developing an economic incentive program that will help small businesses thrive in the City, work with experts to craft a citywide climate resiliency plan and push for higher wages to improve the quality of life for city workers and those that contract with the city.
“I was first elected to the Tucson City Council just as the Great Recession was beginning to affect our city. Since then, we have seen unprecedented economic growth because of the many incentives and continued work that I and my colleagues on the Mayor and Council have done. I look forward to Tucson’s continued economic growth and will work in partnership with the business community, nonprofits, neighborhoods and other jurisdictions to make sure we honor Tucson’s rich history and retain our unique character while continuing our path towards prosperity.”
Key accomplishments for Romero on the Tucson Council include drafting the City’s Primary Jobs Incentive Program that has created hundreds of high wage, long term jobs and pushing for the creation of an Economic Initiatives office. As a mother who understands the needs of working families, she fiercely protected the City’s KIDCO program from being eliminated during the recession. Pushing forward sustainable practices, she helped develop Tucson’s Water Service Area policy that safeguards Tucson’s future water supply while protecting hundreds of acres of pristine desert in our region..
Understanding that protected open space is critical for the health of our community, Regina was instrumental in protecting Painted Hills and Tumamoc Hill as permanent open space. She also led the Tucson effort against Arizona’s racist SB1070 law and pushed for the creation of a paid Cesar E. Chavez holiday for the city.
Knowing how critical infrastructure investments are for the City, Romero supported and advocated to pass initiatives that have invested millions of dollars on our roads, public safety and our parks. She has been a force for downtown redevelopment with her advocacy for federal funding for the modern streetcar and for the development of the Westside. She has pushed for millions of dollars in public and private investment including the Cushing Street bridge, Mercado San Agustin, West End Station, Monier Apartments and facilitating the relocation of Caterpillar in partnership with the Rio Nuevo Board and the State of Arizona. She also fought to bring the streetcar to the Westside and helped protect the Tucson Origins Heritage Park, the birthplace of Tucson. As Mayor, Romero will bring her vision and ability to get things done to the whole city.
Romero feels strongly that dark money should be kept out of politics and will be participating in the City’s Clean Elections program. Her campaign will be co-chaired by businessman Cody Ritchie and environmentalist Carolyn Campbell. To learn more about Council Member Romero’s campaign, visit her website at http://www.votereginaromero.org
This article appears in Jan 3-9, 2019.
God save us all …
Same old same old!!!
Our Economic System in Tucson, and Nationally, is geared for the Wealthy! Tucson Voters, we must elect Candidates to Public Office that that are Social Democrats!!!
“…..Tucson’s housing market experienced record increases in both permitting and prices this year, pushing the median new-home price above $300,000 for the first time in the local market….”( Arizona Daily Star Jun 30, 2018). An Economic System that is geared for the Wealthy!!
“Private Property” in the US is a MYTH. There is always a Tax, either in the form of a Mortgage Payment or Property Tax. A default in either will result in the Loss of “your property”…and Homelessness!!!
Change Our Economic System that is geared for the Wealthy to a Representative Social Democracy!! recognizing that: it is not a privilege to be healthy; it is not a privilege to be safe in your environment; it is not a privilege to have food, clothing, and shelter; it is not a privilege to be gainfully employed and self sufficient; and, it is not a privilege to pursue your talents and interests through an educational system. These are all fundamental needs for life, liberty and happiness that our Social/Political System should ensure to All of our Citizens.
Frances. who should have their property confiscated to pay for yours? A mortgage is a tax? I suppose next you will want to change the rules of basketball so the short people are guaranteed to win. Slip on a pair of big boy pants and get to work.
Steve Farley is expected to announce his candidacy today.
She has paid her dues. It is her turn. I love Farley, but he is jumping into city politics without having paid his dues.
So, I read her PR release. So, what exactly does she mean to fight for the water or “sustainability?” That is key word for agenda 21. What is wrong with the water eh? What do you mean you Helped in Tucson Water?. I heard through the grapevine that 3M is being sued big time for releasing carcinogenic stuff into our water supply. I wonder if that is true. Invest million of dollars on our road? Uh.. tucson blvd is still a mess and so is Valencia Rd near the Airport. People lose their tires and spend so much money on nonsense repairs. Another thing, the streetcar deal. Does anyone really use it? I see that the PR people are using the new term called “dark money.” HAHA. You mean black ops from the rockefeller deep cabal system? Dark money eh?
I see you reptilians/ swiss masons. ” feels strongly that dark money should be kept out of politics and will be participating in city clean elections program? You mean to CHIP everyone and every one votes electronically like Nancy Pelosi and her electronic dogs?