“It got lost in the mail,” is how Democrat Robert Robuck replied when asked why he hasn’t voted in Pima County since moving here from Sacramento four years ago.
According to Pima County voting records, Robuck has never voted in Pima County. Robuck confirms he didn’t register in Pima County until after the February presidential-preference election.
Robuck, who is challenging District 2 Supervisor Ramon Valadez, insists he always voted when he lived in California, but when he moved to Sahuarita with his family in 2004, he had other things on his mind.
First, he focused on fixing a trailer on his property for his family to live in, and then, acting as the contractor for his home project, he began the permitting process to build a house. Life got even more complicated when Robuck’s father-in-law got sick in 2005, and he and his wife left to take care of his affairs and move him back to Arizona to live with them.
In 2006, Robuck says, he finally finished the house, and he and his wife registered to vote by mail. When they went to vote in the February election, they discovered his wife was registered, but he wasn’t.
Asked if it’s difficult to ask voters to vote for him when it took him a while to finally register to vote in Pima County, Robuck says it wasn’t like he didn’t try, and that something went wrong.
“Then I postponed it, and then I finally filled out the forms and went down to the (MVD) and then made sure I was registered so I could vote in this (upcoming) presidential election. At that time, I didn’t know I was going to run for office. It wasn’t until April when I threw in my name,” he says.
Robuck says friends have told him not to say his first attempt to register to vote was lost in the mail. “But it’s the truth. It got lost in the mail,” he says.
This article appears in Jul 31 – Aug 6, 2008.
Wow, that’s really interesting that you guys not only took the time to find that out but that you were even allowed to know the information.
If quasi reporters can find out when and if someone votes, wonder how long it will be with Black Box voting till you guys start telling who someone voted for!
Seems a bit nosy.
Knowing if someone is registered to vote is hardly nosy. Why would you want a person who didn’t bother to vote representing you in government? Can you imagine if McCain or Obama were too “busy” to register to vote? I expect for journalists or reporters to find out such things. Don’t give a shit if he wears boxers of briefs, but if a candidate doesn’t bother to vote, or isn’t paying child support, or was involved in the U.S. Savings and Loan crisis of the 1980s and 1990s (search: Keating Five), I WANT TO KNOW!!! See, three exclamations means I really mean it.
If you have a need relevant to the election for such records on anyone, you can request it yourself:
http://www.recorder.pima.gov/voter_reg_requests.aspx
Big deal — he moved here four years ago and didn’t register until two years ago. He claims he was registered to vote as a Democrat in California before moving here. That could be checked out. If so, and if he voted over there, this is a non-story. If he has never been registered and never voted anywhere or anytime until two years ago — that would be important. Otherwise, this means nothing.
It’s clear that the establishment press — which included the Weekly — are all for the status quo and the incumbents. So this is just nit-picking at a challenger in hopes of sucking up to the bureaucracy.
I remember when the Weekly was actually an alternative paper — with alternative editorial opinions, alternative perspectives, alternative values than the main stream. The good old days — when the Weekly used to challenge our assumptions and make us think about our set opinions. Instead, they will endorse the same lame incumbents as the Star and Citizen.
No wonder the people are coninually fooled…
Yes, it is a big deal since Robuck moved here in 2004, four years ago, allegedly registered but the form got lost in the mail in 2006 when he and his wife did, and now wants to represent people from Supervisorial District 2.
Let’s see, there was the 2004 Arizona Presidential primary, the state primary, the general election. In 2006 there was the RTA election, for which Robuck claims to support “election integrity,” the Arizona primary election, the Arizona general election. For 2008 it is the Arizona Presidential primary so far.
How can one say they are best to represent the constituents, have the knowledge to effectively govern when they can’t even ensure they are taking part in government by simply voting, something that is the basic part of being a citizen? They can’t. Many brave women and men died defending that right for citizens to exercise their voice at the ballot box, this is just inexcusable.
The idea that an “alternative” newspaper has to always disagree with the more established sources of news every time and on every issue in politics is, well, nonsensical. Journalism, alternative or not, should be about achieving the truth, clarity, and justice. While disagreeing for the sake of being contrary might seem “rad” or “cool” it’s hardly the intent of alternative journalism. The blinders of partisan politics have us expecting that journalists have to be one side or “the other”. If an incumbent is doing the job required by their constituents and the challenger does not meet that requirement are we to oust the incumbent for sake of an alternativism? with no regard as to their qualifications? If a candidate is capable, Republican or Democrat (or other), why exactly can’t the city’s editorial sources agree?
I think what it shows is that people are human and Mr. Robuck was willing to say he was human and his family was very important to him.
Do people in District 2 want a responsive human being who is willing to learn and serve the people or a career politician who has repeatedly ignored his constituents and a large portion of his district.I think it is time to focus and move forward.
This type of attacking behavior by his opponent is what they tell first time candidates to do to try to win, not a supposed veteran. Give me a break. It’s like a huge corporation tarnishing the name of volunteer who opposes them. It’s just not done.
A true leader would show graciousness to his opponents, feeling secure in his position. What does this tell us? Maybe Mr. Robuck’s opponent is feeling vulnerable against an “upstart” who admittedly had no prior political ambitions.
From the story it appears when Mr. Robuck’s friends told him not to say it was lost in the mail, he followed his own mind and said it anyhow- even knowing the flack he would receive. What does that tell you? Mr. Robuck has integrity to listen to his own conscience even when it might cause angst.
To reiterate, he did not plan to run. I admire Robert for taking the chance, throwing his hat into the ring even knowing this sort of mud slinging would happen. It’s politics and if he makes things better for Pima County it will be better for everyone.
TucsonMark-Mistakes are made and there are some things brave men and women have died for based on mistakes that are much more inexcusable-and in the recent past and in our current times. Show some compassion for an individual who has the intelligence, ethics and integrity to make his family’s home a better place.
I agree-BFD. We get lots of news stories about the RTA election, open spaces, desert protection plans, gray water, blah blah blah. But nothing about how our taxes are spent and the mild corruption that seems to permeate county government. Our streets are falling apart, the inner core of Tucson is rotting, violence is way up, development is fleeing Pima County for Pinal and Cochise counties, and yet this is the big story. Mike Lane is right. This paper is a shell of what it used to be.
To Elizabeth:
I am compassionate when it comes to family matters, especially in regard to the homefront but when a person says they are an activist, concerned about their community but don’t bother to register to vote in four years time?!
There is no excuse for that, especially when the person, who moved to Tucson in 2004, says they registered in 2006 and decide to vote in February 2008. Excuse me?!
Mr. Robuck’s intent is one thing but actions such as this leaves one to question why should someone cast a vote for an individual who hasn’t voted when there are so many routes to get registered, even despite Proposition 200, the voter I.D. law passed by voters in the 2004 general election.
Retro: Too many of our streets are in bad shape–but it’s not as bad as it was just a few years ago because the city is spending millions of dollars every year to fix them, after years of neglect. Why is that possible? Because a previous council enacted a trash-collection fee that freed up money in the general fund that could be put toward street repair. Of course, the politicians who supported that were drummed out of office for creating the fee, while the “change agents” who got elected decided that the trash fee they disliked so much wasn’t so bad after all. Mike Lane is right about one thing: It is no wonder that the people are continually fooled.
Developers aren’t fleeing Pima County for Pinal and Cochise. They’re shutting down across the state, which is one of the primary causes of the state’s economic woes. Before the homebuilding collapse, we had plenty of growth right here, although I will concede that developers also had their eyes on Cochise and Pinal. But what’s your point? That we should have relaxed restrictions on development so they could build whatever they wanted? Guess I’m still enough of a sucker to think that Pima County’s efforts to make growth pay for itself and to direct growth to less sensitive areas is a good thing.
I don’t know if violence is really “way up,” but the city has hired more cops and has the highest ratio of cops per residents that it has had in decades. Again, that was made possible by that no-good trash fee. Good thing we tossed out the bums who supported that!
Frankly, RetroRV, your old comments were way better. You’re a shadow of your former self!
“…the city has hired more cops and has the highest ratio of cops per residents that it has had in decades.” Nintzel — August 4, 2008 @ 12:36 pm
Don’t mean to butt in here, but how are the cops deployed, by zip code in terms of numbers of them relative to zip code population? How has it changed over the decades?
Y’know, Red Star, I don’t know that ZIP code data. I’m not even sure that ZIP codes are the right tool for analysis of police deployment–city wards, tho also arbitrary, might be a better measure in terms of being able to compare crime rates.
Agree that Zip codes are not a viable tool to evaluate the need, deployment and effectiveness of police resources…the real issue. But zips may put blanket lunch hour joy statements such as, “…the city has hired more cops and has the highest ratio of cops per residents that it has had in decades” in perspective, an antidote.
Oh you hush Jim Nintzel! Taxes actually working to get something done? I think I just heard a Republican shit his pants. I blame your crappy roads on not enough taxation or representation. Does anyone ever wonder how we pay for all these services? You know, roads, schools, hero firefighters, cops, spray your sewers during roach season. As for crime, look for it to continue its increase. The formula is simple, more poor people, more crime. Less for education, more crime. The cops are reactionary to crime. Sure, they prevent a little crime, I always slow down and put my gat in my pants when a cop’s behind me.
Jimbo-I guess I hit a nerve. I shouldn’t have said TW is a shadow of its former self. Its still tops in entertainment and arts coverage. But its political coverage has dropped way off-particularly since Limberis passed away. But you do need to check your facts. Its wasn’t the garbage fee that caused increased spending for streets and cops; it was the 10 year “fiscal sustainability plan”. That isn’t so much of a plan as a reallocation of resources away from personnel to hard costs-such as streets. The additional street spending was one of the first things chopped off this year. So I guess giving millions to do nothing organizations like TREO and MTCVB is more important than that one. According to the City’s budget document, hiring of cops has been rather flat over the past 3 years-from 1028 in’05 to 1111 in ’08. http://www.tucsonaz.gov/budget/docs/07BOOK-V2.pdf-go to page 199. So I don’t get the “highest ratio of cops per residents that it has had in decades” comment. But I could be wrong. Just supply the source of your comment. If you don’t know that violence is up in Tucson you’re not paying attention. TPD just created a 60 cop task force to deal with it: http://www.tucsoncitizen.com/daily/local/92683.php. Finally, all you need to do is go to Red Rock or Eagle Crest Ranch to see the housing developments that are being built in Pinal County for Pima County residents. If by directing growth to less sensitive areas includes bulldozing slopes and hill tops then Eagle Crest is a hit.
My point is that while its kind of interesting to find out that a politician didn’t vote its far more important to find out what our elected representatives have actually done or not done. That’s what’s called “speaking truth to power.”
And sorry my posts have been kinda sucky lately. I promise to work on it.
Mari, I wrote this on Scramblewatch. Before you go making fun and imply Robuck is lying, you should take a hard look at the complete mess that is the recorder’s office. I know for a fact that they mess up on registrations all the time. From “misplacing” i.e. tossing hundreds of registrations and early ballot requests a Democratic Presidential candidate submitted in 2003 because F. Ann didn’t like that candidate to what happened to a friend of mine.
I believe Robuck.
A friend STILL cannot get them to correct the error they made on her address and was turned away at the polls one time. The address had been correct and suddenly the recorder’s office decides to change it and made every excuse why they did. Instead of taking responsibility, they told her to resubmit a new registration. She has done this 11 TIMES and they STILL have not corrected it.
This has gone on 5 years. Then F. Ann then sent out an automatic vote-by-mail a few months back, which my friend does not want to be on the permanant vote-by-mail list, and once again they list her wrong address on the voter card. Ironically though, they mailed it to the correct address. That is how messed up they are.
And she doesn’t even vote by mail anymore.
She kept all the documentation and five years later they still have the wrong address on the registration form. So she has to vote at the wrong precinct under the wrong address and even had to talk to a lawyer about it. Since the recorder’s office can’t get their s#$t together, the attorney said to just keep all the paperwork and communications with the office to prove they are the ones messing it up if she ever runs into problems.
Then there is always the loss of vote too. When we vote in elections and look up our voting history on the databases and it shows we did not vote. Let’s face it. Pima county is a mess from the recorders office, the city clerk and the elections division. We need to throw them all out and get competent people in there. Voter disenfranchisement to the extreme.
Buck #1
That is exactly why so many citizens refuse to register to vote. They know there is no confidentiality and the parties share info with reporters and any John Doe on the street. You info ends up all over the place. And in many instances (see my other post) it isn’t even accurate. I a lot of people vote and do not show up in the databases as having voted. I have heard hundreds of cases and know of many personally.
#3
McCain didn’t vote for 5 years.
Of course he was a little busy at the time. Nonetheless, if you want to go that route even back in the US he didn’t vote in every local and county election.
BTW, did you?
#5
Does it really matter when the elections officials are stealing elections anyway?
“Journalism, alternative or not, should be about achieving the truth, clarity, and justice.”
Exactly. Something this paper has failed to do time and time again. But dishing out propaganda they seem to be very good it. They even have staff calling candidates “insane”. I am sure they must have a certified psychiatrist’s letter or something. Surely they wouldn’t make assertions as to one’s mental health state without out. 😉
Mari tends to do the better reporting for the Weekly. Not sure what caused the lapse in judgment here but if she goes down the road of Nintzel, this paper is doomed.
Oh, but you can always get your fill of pornography. That is about the only thing the paper consistently provides.
“I don’t know if violence is really “way up,” but the city has hired more cops and has the highest ratio of cops per residents that it has had in decades”
More cops and worse service. Waste of our tax dollars. Not to mentiont they are told not to file reports, so much of the crime is not even getting reported. Much worse than what we are told but then they don’t want to discourage people from visiting or moving so the coverup continues.
How many times have you called the cops, then later did follow-up and find out they did no report?
When we get better police Chiefs and a more accountable department, then I will gladly give more tax dollars. Miranda was a rapist enabler (including in his own department). Good riddance to him.
I don’t know if violence is really “way up,”
Well, as a journalist isn’t that something you would be able to find out if you gave a s@#t!
Check out the FBI reports each year and who is consistently in the top 10. Hint, it isn’t our sister to the north.
Here’s the kicker, when did Robuck and his wife “register to vote,” was it before the deadline to be eligible to vote in the 2006 general election?
Also, what about the elections that took place on March 13, May 15 of 2007 as well as the Sahuarita school district election on November 6?
Well?!
#17 – perhaps it’s important to point out here that (and I understand you may not like the idea that what party you are registered with and how often you’ve voted is public record) who you vote for, specific candidates, is not public record. Not that it makes a difference to you anyway… but hell.
There’s never seemed to be a shortage of nibbling Little Oswalds over at the two TNI products. Nintzel will probably recover.
When I first moved here from another state I also had a problem. After a few months, I decided to get an AZ driver’s license. At that time I tried to register to vote. Life got in the way as shortly thereafter my mother and than my father became ill and I was going back east a lot trying to get them settled in nursing homes, etc. I wondered why I never got any political ads in the mail and called and found out I was never registered. When I complained, I heard, “Oh, this happens a lot.”
Finally, I had to go to the Democratic Party headquarters.
I am not defending RR but just reiterating my own experience.
The same thing happened to my next door neighbor. She moved here from Calif. two years after me and did the driver’s license/registration thing at the same time and found out she wasn’t registered either.
RetroRV: The additional money from the trash fee absolutely made it possible to spend more on streets, cops and firefighters. Without it, the city would have somewhere around $22 million less a year. Granted, I’m sure you could find ways to trim that spending, but our current council, mayor and manager have not, even after campaigning on the promise to do something about it.
The additional street spending, according to the City Managers’ budget, will be continuing this year. You can find that info right here.
http://www.tucsonaz.gov/budget/
It’s in the Manager’s Message in the biennal budget summary, which states that the city budget includes funding to pay for paving 16 square miles of roads this year.
You can also note in that summary that 80 new cops and support staff were added over the last two years, which matches the figures you mention. What you don’t mention is that it was really flat in ’05 and ’06, before jumping by 40 new cops in both of the following years. Hein says it’s a record staffing for the city. He could be wrong, but you asked for my source, so there you have it. You have a source that says otherwise?
And yes, I stand corrected for not noticing that story from the Citizen that you linked to. I would point out that the article—which had been online for what, a couple of hours when I wrote my post?—states that “other violent crimes, such as aggravated assaults and robberies, generally down 4 percent so far this year, have shown a recent surge.” So hey, I’m sorry I don’t get to every Tucson Citizen story as quickly as you do. If that’s “not paying attention,” I’m guilty as charged.
I tend to agree with you about TREO not producing much. I think that tourism is still a big enough industry that it makes sense to invest in the visitors and convention bureau, but your mileage may vary.
Finally, I miss Limbo, too. He’s the one who taught me to go look to see if someone had voted, paid their taxes, etc.—which is the thing you dismissed as “BFD” upthread.
Okay Jimbo. Not to be too nitpicky, but… Your statement was this: “but the city has hired more cops and has the highest ratio of cops per residents that it has had in decades.” You’re right about the former but what about the later? The population of Tucson in 2005 was 529,770. (from PAG’s website). That ratio is 1.9 cops per thousand residents. PAG’s estimate for 2010 is 569,750-or 8000 new residents a year. That make 2008’s estimate 553,770 or 2.0 ratio of cops to 1000 residents. I don’t have figures for, say 1998, but your statement indicated a positive change over decades. Still don’t have the source for that one. You are correct that the garbage fee freed up money in the budget for other purposes. My point is that the directed spending to public safety and streets comes from the Fiscal Sustainability Plan. This is not so much of a plan but a shifting of spending from all employees hard costs and cops. This is done by cutting back on personnel costs. About $470,000,000 is spent annually on employee salaries. http://www.tucsonaz.gov/budget/docs/09RecBOOK-V1.pdf (pg E-7). So every 1% in wage increases costs almost $5,000,000. What Hein did was in FY 07, no merits and a 2% COLA (this in a year the City was flush with cash, in FY08, merits and a 2% COLA. In FY 09, nothing. The savings were shifted to the Plan. http://www.tucsonaz.gov/budget/docs/FSPlan10YearVision.pdf (pg 2). A quibble yes but still the fact. On street maintenance, the spending in FY08 was $32,480,000. In FY09 its $30,114,000. With inflation a pretty good cut. I can’t tell you what TREO and MTCVB gets because they’re not included in the Outside Agencies budget or anywhere else (wonder why). And I don’t disagree that tourism is an important part of our economy-it obviously is. My comment was whether the money Tucson taxpayers spend to support the Bureau actually returns money to Tucson or is it used to book events at the resorts outside of Tucson. Finally, I stand by my point on the voting issue. Maybe a bit harsh but its still a gotcha article. My point, delivered rather ham handedly, is that the investigative reporting that TW used to do has pretty dried up. Like I said, still great with arts and entertainment but hard government reporting….not so much.
I understand that Robuck had family issues that may have prevented him from voting, however as we are to be his “new” family we want some reassurance that he truly cares about and is informed about the issues we face.
Hey the Tucson Weekly is the best publication in town that is for sure.