I applaud anyone willing to run for mayor. While the pay is pretty good for a job in this town (am I right?), this might not be the time to try to take the reins, with Rio Nuevo prosecutions still a possibility and the general malaise of the economy a likely issue for some time. Plus, since the Republicans couldn’t seem to get the whole signature-gathering thing together, there won’t be a lot of political drama between now and November (sorry, Greens), so any additional action to help this guy who has to write stuff a few times a day would be helpful. There are only so many videos of cats out there.
While David Karr seems like a decent guy, having spent a lot of time working in Arizona’s prisons and then taking care of his ailing mother, running as a write-in on the Democratic Party’s ballot might not work out so well. However, if he can develop a viable plan to bring Don Francisco Presents (and hopefully, its sister program Sabado Gigante, although Karr doesn’t go that far) to town as he mentions near the end of what could be best describes as a manifesto on his website, he’s got my vote. I’m not so sure about turning Speedway and 22nd Street into one-way streets, but this town could definitely use the boost that would come from a few Univision programs being filmed here.
This article appears in Jun 23-29, 2011.
Thanks for mentioning there will be a Green in this year’s all-mail-ballot mayoral race. When I ran 2 years ago for Ward 3 Council seat, Jim Nintzel said I was too far ahead of my time. Well, times have gotten worse and change is sorely needed. Give us a chance – Greens have some Shockingly Sane Solutions to move Tucson in a better direction. We may be small, but we’ve got plenty of needed backbone to stand up to the entrenched power elite. I’m willing to meet with all interested players to discuss my ideas for serving Tucson during these troubled times.
Okay, I’m on board with “standing up to the entrenched power elite.” As a native Tucsonan, I’d like to hear what solutions you have to the following local troubles and, of course, everyone reading this would get to see your ideas!
1. Tucson is quite unfriendly to small businesses, taking the side of any disgruntled “consumer” no matter how bogus is the “complaint.” How do we find our way back to “fairness?”
2. Tucson has a crumbling infrastructure. While the City Council focuses on “feel good projects” like art shows and such, the streets need fixing and local arroyos need cleaning. This would be “back to basics” in my definition. Would you do this and, if so, how?
YAY! Thank you for the invitation!
1. At yesterday’s City Council Study Session Councilwoman Scott argued that the dynamics in development services have changed dramatically over the years and we really are business friendly and we have to spread that word. Councilwoman Uhlich suggested making another city office under the City Manager for an Ombudsman to help small businesses since they are 80-85% of the economic engine. Councilman Cunningham wanted an ombudsman in every Ward. Councilman Kozachik said he’d heard plenty of complaints in his Ward about difficulties for small businesses.
The Mary for Mayor campaign (borrowing from Tres English’s work on Urban Villages, Rob Hopkin’s work on Transition Towns, & Sustainable Tucson’s ongoing educational forums) proposes Community Conservation Centers. A new CCC for Depression Era times.
Each neighborhood has vacant buildings that sit like the missing teeth in a meth addict’s mouth. We could, with very little Big Government or Big Business, transform these dormant spaces into vibrant centers for community interaction.
Hear me out.
The first tenant in the CCC will be an Entrepreneurial Engine Office (EEO). Every neighborhood has surplus human capital, too. With unemployment rates bumping double digits, we have talented people with extra time at their disposal. The EEO would have an ombudsman to help small Mom&Pop shops get started up. Every neighborhood could have a template for how to open basic service businesses. In each neighborhood, have businesses that raise food, raise chickens, prepare meals, and launder clothes. Enlist new businesses that babysit, landscape & maintain yeard, carpenters, plumbers, housekeepers, mechanics….the list goes on.
Give people back the American Dream of working for themselves. When big corporations come to town to give us jobs, we end up (for those on the bottom 90% of the ladder, anyway) tired, anxious, sick, and unhappy. The profits are sucked out of the city and deposited in the pockets of overpaid CEO’s who live and pay taxes elsewhere.
Then, after we get the EEO settled, the neighbors decide which non-profits they would like to offer remaining space to. My favorites would be Watershed Management Group, Community Food Bank, Teaching and Helping, Lend-A-Hand, BICAS, Literacy Volunteers, & Code Pink. But that’s just my picks – everyone could collectively decide what works for their collection of neighbors.
That’s fairness. Giving people a hand up ~ teaching neighbor to help neighbor to help neighbor.
2. I love the “feel good projects” and think they go a long way in branding Tucson as an ecclectic, alive, fun city. We should be actively promoting tourism and the artwork helps draw people here.
But the streets do need fixing. So we fix the streets. But then we have to stop using the streets so much so we quit tearing them up in the first place. Sharing rides is more important than ever in times of rising gas prices and increasing carbon outputs. Our bus system would be a key piece in the Urban Villages concept. Smaller shuttles would meeet the needs within the communities, and the nodes would be linked. Over the long run, a light rail system would encircle Tucson and connect with Phoenix. Buses would spoke inward. I’m sorry to hear Transportation Dept. director Jim Glock is retiring in December, but the City has an opportunity to find an excellent replacement. And the City Council talked about inviting you all to be part of the review process, I believe. I’m sure we’ll learn more in coming weeks.
It also makes sense to look at traffic flows into and out of the University of Arizona. On any given school day, 45,000 people visit the campus. One approach tried elsewhere is adopting multi-modal avenues that prohibit gas-burning vehicles. Convert Mountain (North), University (West), 3rd Street (East), & I’ll let you pick the one on the South.
And cleaning those arroyos? You use the CCC’s to organize projects just like that. You use food, games, fun, and socialization to augment the work. People actually want to work. They want to feel useful and respected. When you allow them to be respected and loved for their contributions, instead of stomping on them for being dirty, poor, lazy, stupid creatures they respond beautifully. Ask the psychologists.
Seriously – Green Ideas may seem revolutionary, but it is time for a revolution.
Vote Mary for Mayor!