Regina Romero Confidential Research Summary

Total Page:16

File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb

Regina Romero Confidential Research Summary 1 TABLE OF CONTENTS I. “WHAT’S WRONG WITH TUCSON (pages 3 – 9) II. SHIRLEY SCOTT (1995 – PRESENT) (pages 10 – 22) III. REGINA ROMERO (2007 – PRESENT) (pages 23 – 35) IV. PAUL CUNNINGHAM (2010 – PRESENT) (pages 36 - 44) 2 WHAT’S WRONG WITH TUCSON? For decades, Tucson has languished under incompetent government and has been stagnant in some areas, while declining in others. When compared with the growth and success of Phoenix, people are wondering why their city comes up short in comparison with the bigger city in Arizona, and why growth isn’t happening in Tucson compared to other areas of Arizona. This document shows trends in various categories, such as population growth, crime, taxes, and others. POPULATION GROWTH Tucson had 526,116 in population as of July 1, 2013 (Estimate from the US Census Bureau, http://factfinder.census.gov/faces/tableservices/jsf/pages/productview.xhtml? src=bkmk) Tucson had a population of 488,108 in 2000 (http://censusviewer.com/city/AZ/Tucson), a growth of 7.8% in 13 years. o During this same time, Phoenix has grown by 14.6%, almost double the rate of Tucson. (http://factfinder.census.gov/faces/tableservices/jsf/pages/productview.x html?src=bkmk, 2000 population of 1,321,045; http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/04/0455000.html, 2013 population of 1,513, 367) 3 GROWTH IN NUMBER OF PEOPLE ON DISABILITY AND WELFARE While Tucson has only grown by 7.8% in 13 years, the growth of people ages 18- 64 on disability has grown from 8,859 in December 2000 (http://www.ssa.gov/policy/docs/statcomps/ssi_sc/2000/az.pdf) to 12,363 in December 2013 (http://www.ssa.gov/policy/docs/statcomps/ssi_sc/2013/az.html), a 40% increase, more than 5 TIMES the growth of population. The proportion of people on SNAP benefits (food stamps, WIC, etc.) in Pima County has grown by 198% from 2000 to 2013. (http://www.slate.com/articles/news_and_politics/map_of_the_week/2013/04 /food_stamp_recipients_by_county_an_interactive_tool_showing_local_snap _data.html) LAGGING ECONOMIC INDICATORS According to Forbes magazine, Tucson is the WORST place to look for a job among major metro areas for Summer 2015. (http://www.forbes.com/pictures/gklg45fj/no-1-tucson-arizona/) The poverty rate nationwide in 2013, the latest the Census Bureau has data, is 14.5% (http://www.census.gov/hhes/www/poverty/about/overview/) In Tucson, the poverty rate is 25.2%, 74% higher than the national average. This is in comparison to the Phoenix area, which has a 17.6% poverty rate, 30.2% lower than Tucson. (http://www.azcentral.com/story/news/local/phoenix/2014/09/19/phoenix- among-highest-poverty-rates-for-metro-areas-in-us/15851529/, 9/19/2014) The median household income nationwide is $53,046.00 for 2013 (http://factfinder.census.gov/faces/tableservices/jsf/pages/productview.xhtml? pid=ACS_13_5YR_DP03&src=pt). The median household income in Tucson for 2013 is $37,032.00, 30% lower than the national average. 4 Fitch Ratings, a nationally known company that assigns ratings for bonds issued by corporations and governments, assigned a NEGATIVE outlook for the City of Tucson’s bonds and downgraded a series of ratings for bonds issued by the City of Tucson due to economic conditions and increased government spending (http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20150520006286/en/Fitch- Downgrades-Tucson-AZ-GOs-COPs-Outlook#.VWDEUflViko, 5/20/2015) : o $20 million general obligation (GO) bonds, series 2012-C (2015) 'AA o $36.6 million general obligation refunding bonds, series 2015 'AA-' o $20.7 million certificates of participation (COPs), refunding series 2015 'A+'. In addition, Fitch downgrades the following ratings: o $214.8 million GO bonds outstanding (pre-refunding) to 'AA-' from 'AA' o $259.2 million COPs outstanding (pre-refunding) to 'A+' from 'AA-' o $11 million Rio Nuevo Multipurpose Facilities District (MFD) COPs (City of Tucson Convention Center Expansion Project), series 2009 to 'A' from 'A+' o This ratings downgrade is at the same time that the rating for the State of Arizona government has INCREASED during the same month. (http://tucson.com/business/local/arizona-gets-credit- upgrade/article_4a1206f8-8027-5084-afa9-fa2a23733010.html, 5/5/2015) Jobs in construction has gone down in Tucson from 28,800 in October 2006 to only 15,000 in March 2015, a 47.9% drop. (http://data.bls.gov/timeseries/SMU04460602000000001?data_tool=XGtable) Jobs in manufacturing has gone down in Tucson from 28,500 in July 2006 to 22,700 in March 2015, a 16.8% drop. (http://data.bls.gov/timeseries/SMU04460603000000001?data_tool=XGtable) Jobs in the information sector, such as computer programmers and similar positions, has declined in Tucson from 7,600 in February 2006 to 4,200 in March 2015, a 44.7% drop. (http://data.bls.gov/timeseries/SMU04460605000000001?data_tool=XGtable) While the other side may talk about the unemployment dropping to 4.9% in March 2015 from a high of 10.1% in January 2010, the number of the people in the labor force in Tucson has declined from 489,213 in August 2009 to 469,004 in March 2015, a 20,209 drop. (http://data.bls.gov/timeseries/LAUMT044606000000006? data_tool=XGtable) If the same number of people were in the workforce as in August 2009, the unemployment rate would be 9.2% right now. It is likely that many of the people no longer in the workforce are on disability due to discouragement in being able to find a decent job. 5 Earnings in Tucson as of May 2014 is 10% below the national average; with the average person in Tucson making $20.45/hour, compared to the national average of $22.71/hour. (http://www.bls.gov/regions/west/news- release/occupationalemploymentandwages_tucson.htm) The social network WalletHub did a survery of the 150 largest metro areas nationwide, and they found Tucson the 8th worst place to look for a job in 2015. (http://www.wildcat.arizona.edu/article/2015/01/lack-of-jobs-hurts- tucsons-reputation) CBS News finds Tucson to be the 5th poorest city in the nation. Tucson is even poorer than Baltimore. (http://www.cbsnews.com/media/americas-11- poorest-cities/8/, 2/18/2015; http://www.ywcatucson.org/site/c.elLYJiOZKqLcG/b.9257737/k.5D1D/Women _Out_Of_Poverty_Initiative.htm) 34.8% of people have an income under $25,000.00/year According to a Harvard University study, Pima County is worse than 95% of counties in the United States when it comes to poor children being able to rise up out of poverty. (http://www.insidetucsonbusiness.com/business_chatter/harvard-university- poor-children-pay-big-price-for-sluggish-pima/article_e62fc700-f8c5-11e4- 8784-6fb6c4a18fd4.html, 5/15/2015) 6 WASTEFUL SPENDING 1. While pensions in Tucson are only being funded at 40% of what is needed to have them fully funded (http://psprswrongs.com/2015/03/06/tucson-leaders-worry- about-ballooning-public-safety-pension-costs/, 3/6/2015), the City has proposed a Fiscal Year 2016 budget that is 8.1% higher than FY 2015, a $103 million increase. (http://www.tucsonnewsnow.com/story/28986284/city-council-holds- public-hearing-on-2016-budget, 5/20/2015) 2. This same proposed budget is proposing on increasing city property taxes by 9.3% (http://www.tucsonaz.gov/files/budget/16Book-Op_1.pdf, page 13) 3. The City of Tucson spends a. Vacation time for Cesar Chavez Day (Page 14 of FY 2016 proposed budget) b. An increase of $97,520.00 for the Mayor and city council people (http://www.tucsonaz.gov/files/budget/16Book-Op_1.pdf, page 76) c. An increase of $768,840.00 for the city convention center (Page 76 of proposed 2016 budget) Total amount coming from General Revenue to fund the convention center is $4.2 million (Page 250 of proposed 2016 budget) d. $7.6 million for golf courses (Page 76 of proposed 2016 budget) e. $2.5 million for a 43 person department for just the Mayor and City Councilpeople (Page 78 of proposed 2016 budget) f. $510,800.00 on state and federal lobbyists (Page 123 of proposed 2016 budget) g. 6 full time employees are designated for “medical leave management”. (http://www.tucsonaz.gov/files/budget/16Book-Op_1.pdf, Page 170) h. $1.9 million and 16 employees for a division called “Integrated Planning”. This amount has grown from just over $1 million, by almost 90%, since FY 2014. (Page 186 of proposed 2016 budget) 7 i. $1.36 million in general revenue funding for the Reid Park Zoo. (Page 201 of Proposed 2016 budget) j. $5.7 million/year for a streetcar program, Sun Link, for a 4 mile stretch of rail. (Page 234 of Proposed 2016 budget) k. An $880,000.00 increase in graffitti abatement, more than doubling the amount from FY 2015. (Page 229 of Proposed 2016 budget) l. $19.5 million for “non-departmental services” (Page 294 of Proposed 2016 budget) m. An increase of $100,000.00 for the Tucson Gem Show (Page 295 of Proposed 2016 budget) n. $350,000 for the Tucson-Pima County Arts Council (Page 297 of Proposed 2016 budget) CRIME IN TUCSON 1. The crime rate, while dropping in some areas like homicide and robbery, has grown in other areas, such as: a. Sexual assault (rate has gone up from 29 per 100,000 people in 2010 to 41 in 2013, a 41.4% increase (http://www.tucsonaz.gov/files/police/allgraphs_13rate.pdf, page 2) b. Larceny (rate has gone up from 3,347 per 100,000 people in 2009 to 5,230 in 2013, a 56.3% increase, http://www.tucsonaz.gov/files/police/allgraphs_13rate.pdf, page 6) c.
Recommended publications
  • May 12, 2020 the Honorable Mitch Mcconnell Majority Leader United
    May 12, 2020 The Honorable Mitch McConnell The Honorable Charles Schumer Majority Leader Minority Leader United States Senate United States Senate Washington, D.C. 20510 Washington, D.C. 20510 The Honorable Nancy Pelosi The Honorable Kevin McCarthy Speaker of the House House Minority Leader U.S. House of Representatives U.S. House of Representatives Washington, D.C. 20515 Washington, D.C. 20515 RE: Temporarily Expand SNAP in the Next Federal COVID-19 Relief Package to Lift Up Vulnerable Families and Support Local Economies Dear Speaker Pelosi and Leaders McConnell, Schumer, and McCarthy: We, the undersigned mayors representing cities across the nation, appreciate your work on the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA) and Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act to help workers, employers, older Americans, and children, but much more needs to be done to ensure that our residents can weather this crisis. During this time of soaring unemployment, financial insecurity, and growing hunger, we urge Congress to temporarily increase SNAP benefit levels in the next federal COVID-19 relief package. America’s cities are on the front line of responding to unprecedented disruption to local economies triggered by COVID-19. As mayors, we need every option available to fight hunger and stimulate the economy in our cities. SNAP is a proven solution to both challenges. By providing families with a grocery benefit they can use to purchase food directly, SNAP is a safe, effective way to ensure that low-income children and their families can get the food they need during this unprecedented crisis. While the FFCRA provided USDA with authority to increase emergency SNAP allotments for existing SNAP households to the maximum benefit, the most vulnerable families—roughly 12 million people, including 5 million children—received no additional nutrition assistance because their household already received the maximum SNAP benefit.
    [Show full text]
  • January 19, 2021 the Honorable Nancy Pelosi the Honorable Mitch
    January 19, 2021 The Honorable Nancy Pelosi The Honorable Mitch McConnell Speaker Majority Leader United States House of Representatives United States Senate Washington, DC 20510 Washington, DC 20510 The Honorable Kevin McCarthy The Honorable Charles E. Schumer Republican Leader Democratic Leader United States House of Representatives United States Senate Washington, DC 20510 Washington, DC 20510 Dear Speaker Pelosi, Leader McCarthy, Leader McConnell and Leader Schumer: RE: Urgent Action Needed on President-Elect Biden’s American Rescue Plan On behalf of The United States Conference of Mayors, we urge you to take immediate action on comprehensive coronavirus relief legislation, including providing direct fiscal assistance to all cities, which is long overdue. President-elect Biden’s American Rescue Plan contains such assistance as part of an aggressive strategy to contain the virus, increase access to life-saving vaccines, and create a foundation for sustainable and inclusive recovery. American cities and our essential workers have been serving at the frontlines of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic for nearly a year. We have been charged with executing herculean public health efforts and an unprecedented emergency response. Despite immense fiscal pressure, your local government partners oversaw those efforts, while trying to maintain essential services and increase our internal capacity to provide support for residents and businesses who have been crippled by a tanking economy. And yet, as the economic engines of our country, local governments will be relied upon to lead the long- term economic recovery our nation so desperately needs, even as, with few exceptions, cities have been largely left without direct federal assistance.
    [Show full text]
  • Arizona Mayors' Letter of Support
    July 13th, 2021 The Honorable Kyrsten Sinema The Honorable Mark Kelly United States Senate United States Senate The Honorable Tom O’Halleran The Honorable Ann Kirkpatrick United State Congress United States Congress The Honorable Raúl M. Grijalva The Honorable Paul Gosar United States Congress United States Congress The Honorable Andy Biggs The Honorable David Schweikert United States Congress United States Congress The Honorable Ruben Gallego The Honorable Debbie Lesko United States Congress United States Congress The Honorable Greg Stanton United States Congress Dear Members of the Arizona Congressional Delegation: As Mayors of cities and towns located along the potential Tucson-Phoenix-West Valley Amtrak route, we enthusiastically support Amtrak’s vision to bring passenger rail service to our communities. Frequent and reliable passenger rail service will expand economic opportunities and provide important regional connections between our cities and towns. We further support Amtrak’s reauthorization proposal to create a Corridor Development Program, which will help advance Amtrak’s planning, development and implementation of new corridor routes and improvements to existing routes. By funding this program through Amtrak’s National Network grant, Amtrak can make the initial capital investments necessary to get these new routes up and running. The grant will also cover the operating costs for the first several years, offering new services the ability to grow ridership and generate revenue. Amtrak has made clear its commitment to working in a collaborative manner with state and local partners to grow the national rail network, and we look forward to this partnership. In addition to Amtrak’s National Network grant, we also support increased funding for USDOT competitive grants, which can also support more passenger rail.
    [Show full text]
  • United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit
    FOR PUBLICATION UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS FOR THE NINTH CIRCUIT PUBLIC INTEGRITY ALLIANCE, No. 15-16142 INC., an Arizona nonprofit membership corporation; BRUCE D.C. No. ASH, an individual; FERNANDO 4:15-cv-00138-CKJ GONZALES, an individual; ANN HOLDEN, an individual; KEN SMALLEY, an individual, OPINION Plaintiffs-Appellants, v. CITY OF TUCSON, a chartered city of the State of Arizona; JONATHAN ROTHSCHILD, in his capacity as the Mayor of the City of Tucson; REGINA ROMERO, in her capacity as a member of the Tucson City Council; PAUL CUNNINGHAM, in his capacity as a member of the Tucson City Council; KARIN UHLICH, in her capacity as a member of the Tucson City Council; SHIRLEY SCOTT, in her capacity as a member of the Tucson City Council; RICHARD FIMBRES, in his capacity as a member of the Tucson City Council; STEVE KOZACHIK, in his capacity as a 2 PUBLIC INTEGRITY ALLIANCE V. CITY OF TUCSON member of the Tucson City Council; ROGER RANDOLPH, in his capacity as the Clerk of the City of Tucson, Defendants-Appellees. Appeal from the United States District Court for the District of Arizona Cindy K. Jorgenson, District Judge, Presiding Argued and Submitted En Banc June 21, 2016 San Francisco, California Filed September 2, 2016 Before: Sidney R. Thomas, Chief Judge, and William A. Fletcher, Ronald M. Gould, Richard A. Paez, Marsha S. Berzon, Richard R. Clifton, Consuelo M. Callahan, Morgan Christen, Jacqueline H. Nguyen, John B. Owens, and Michelle T. Friedland, Circuit Judges. Opinion by Judge Berzon PUBLIC INTEGRITY ALLIANCE V. CITY OF TUCSON 3 SUMMARY* Civil Rights The en banc court affirmed the district court’s order awarding judgment in favor of the City of Tucson and its co- defendants in an action challenging the City’s system for electing members of its city council.
    [Show full text]
  • Minutes 01-06-09
    Minutes of MAYOR AND COUNCIL Meeting Approved by Mayor and Council on March 24, 2009 Date of Meeting: January 6, 2009 The Mayor and Council of the City of Tucson met in regular session in the Mayor and Council Chambers in City Hall, 255 West Alameda Street, Tucson, Arizona, at 5:37 p.m., on Tuesday, January 6, 2009, all members having been notified of the time and place thereof. 1. ROLL CALL The meeting was called to order by Mayor Walkup and upon roll call, those present and absent were: Present: Regina Romero Council Member Ward 1 Rodney Glassman Council Member Ward 2 Karin Uhlich Vice Mayor, Council Member Ward 3 Shirley C. Scott Council Member Ward 4 Steve Leal Council Member Ward 5 Nina J. Trasoff Council Member Ward 6 Robert E. Walkup Mayor Absent/Excused: None Staff Members Present: Mike Hein City Manager Michael Rankin City Attorney Roger W. Randolph City Clerk Mike Letcher Deputy City Manager 1 MN01-06-09 2. INVOCATION AND PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE The invocation was given by Debra Counseller, after which the Pledge of Allegiance was presented by the entire assembly. Presentations: a. Presentation of the Western Access Video Excellence Awards (WAVE) to the producers and staff of Access Tucson. Sam Behrend and Mark Jordan accepted the awards. 3. MAYOR AND COUNCIL REPORT: SUMMARY OF CURRENT EVENTS Mayor Walkup announced City Manager’s communication number 1, dated January 6, 2009, was received into and made a part of the record. He also announced this was the time scheduled to allow members of the Mayor and Council to report on current events and asked if there were any reports.
    [Show full text]
  • June 2020 Board of Directors Meeting Agenda
    CPS HR Board of Directors Board Meeting Agenda Friday, June 12, 2020 9:00 AM PST CPS HR Consulting 2450 Del Paso Road, Suite 220 Sacramento, CA 95834 t: 916.263.3600 f: 916.263.3613 www.cpshr.us By request, alternate agenda and agenda document formats are available to persons with a disability as required by Section 202 of the 1990 Americans with Disabilities Act. To arrange an alternative agenda format or to arrange aid or services to accommodate persons with a disability to participate in a public meeting, contact the Executive Office at (916) 263-3600 extension 3379. Any person not on this Agenda who wishes to address the Board of Directors must sign in with the Board’s Executive Assistant. Any person requesting a disability-related modification or accommodation, including auxiliary aids, or services who require these aids or services in order to participate in the public meeting should contact Dana Henderson, Executive Assistant, CPS HR Consulting, 2450 Del Paso Road, Suite 220, Sacramento, CA, 95834, (916) 263-3600. Requests must be made at least 3 business days before the scheduled meeting. CPS HR Consulting Board Meeting Teleconference Locations June 12, 2020 Closed Session 9:00AM PST (12:00 PM EST) Open Session 10:00AM PST (1:00 PM EST) Click on the “Join Microsoft Teams Meeting” link in your meeting invitation or phone in to the toll-free number. Locations CPS HR Consulting, 2450 Del Paso Road, Suite 220, Sacramento, CA 95834 Hayward Unified School District, HR Dept., 24411 Amador Street, Hayward, CA 94544 Pinellas County, HR Dept., 400 S.
    [Show full text]
  • The Honorable Mike Pence Vice President of the United States of America the White House 1600 Pennsylvania Ave NW Washington, DC 20050
    The Honorable Mike Pence Vice President of the United States of America The White House 1600 Pennsylvania Ave NW Washington, DC 20050 Dear Mr. Vice President: Thank you for your work on the White House Coronavirus Task Force. We write today to urge you and the President to make full use of the Defense Production Act to scale up critical testing supplies, especially reagents so our cities can provide widespread, rapid, reliable testing to contain the spread of the virus. As the COVID-19 infection rate continues to rise in many of our communities and businesses require testing to protect their employees, the need for increased testing is critical to our response. Our national testing system must be able to rely on sustained supplies for the next 24 months. As mayors, we have been on the frontlines of this pandemic. We have worked to build widespread testing capacity as a key element to our response as we work to reopen our economies and contain the spread of the virus. Increased testing has transformed how we’re able to respond to rising cases in our communities. All of us have struggled for months for basic PPE, swabs, and viral transport medium (VTM). Now, labs around the country are facing a lack of adequate reagent supplies to complete this testing. Our capacity to test is approaching a point where our ability to perform tests outpaces lab capacity to run the tests based on limited reagent supplies. This is very concerning because obtaining test results quickly is critical for informing our contact tracing efforts and containing the spread of the virus.
    [Show full text]
  • The Honorable Chair and Members From: C.H
    Date: April 8, 2021 To: The Honorable Chair and Members From: C.H. Huckelberry Pima County Board of Supervisors County Administrator Re: Recent New York Times Article Regarding Preparation of the County to Economically Recover from the COVID-19 Pandemic I am enclosing this article for the Board’s information. County staff, including my office, have participated in a very specific program to ensure that this region is best prepared to rapidly emerge from the pandemic economically. These preparation activities are already being acknowledged as indicated in the attached article from the New York Times. We will continue to ensure that this region is prepared to facilitate economic expansion from those employment sectors interested in the Southwest Region. The County has been working directly with the Sun Corridor developing a recovery and resilience plan associated with the COVID-19 pandemic and should be providing details of this plan in the next few weeks to the public. CHH/sp Attachment c: Dr. John Moffatt, Director, Economic Development Office Regina Nassen, Deputy Director, Economic Development Office Diana Durazo, Special Project Manager, County Administrator’s Office SQUARE FEET Local Alliances Put Some Cities on the Fast Track to Recovery Economic development agencies have created comeback plans for cities like Austin, Texas, and Tucson, Ariz., positioning them to rebound from the pandemic quicker than others. Sun Corridor, a regional economic development agency, sponsored a revitalization plan for Tucson, Ariz. Rebecca Noble for The New York Times By Keith Schneider April 6, 2021, 9:00 a.m. ET As vaccination rates increase and businesses start to reopen, cities across the country are cautiously moving forward with economic recovery plans to coax workers back into offices and revive real estate markets pummeled by the pandemic.
    [Show full text]
  • The Honorable William Barr Attorney General U.S. Department of Justice Washington, DC 20530 the Honorable Chad Wolf Acting
    The Honorable William Barr The Honorable Chad Wolf Attorney General Acting Secretary U.S. Department of Justice Department of Homeland Security Washington, DC 20530 Washington, DC 20528 Dear Attorney General Barr and Acting Secretary Wolf: We write to express our deep concern and objection to the deployment of federal forces in U.S. cities, as those forces are conducting law enforcement activities without coordination or authorization of local law enforcement officials. The unilateral deployment of these forces into American cities is unprecedented and violates fundamental constitutional protections and tenets of federalism. As you are well aware, President Trump threatened to deploy federal forces in Seattle to “clear out” a protest area and in Chicago to “clean up” the city. Seattle and Chicago authorities objected and threatened legal action to stop such actions. In Washington, DC outside Lafayette Park, extreme action was taken by federal law enforcement against protesters without the Mayor of DC’s approval. Acting Deputy Secretary of Homeland Security Ken Cuccinelli said in recent days that the administration intends “to continue not just in Portland but in any of the facilities that we're responsible for around the country.” This abuse of power cannot continue. Deployment of federal forces in the streets of our communities has not been requested nor is it acceptable. While U.S. Marshals have had jurisdiction inside federal courthouses for decades, it is unacceptable and chilling that this administration has formed and deployed the U.S. Department of Homeland Security Rapid Deployment Unit and is sending federal authorities to conduct crowd control on city streets and detain individuals.
    [Show full text]
  • Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals – Mayor Garcetti
    April 13, 2020 The Honorable Chad F. Wolf Acting Secretary Department of Homeland Security 245 Murray Lane, S.W. Washington, DC 20528 Dear Secretary Chad F. Wolf, We write on behalf of the hundreds of thousands of Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) recipients who call our cities and this country their home. As we face an unprecedented health crisis, we want to ensure that DACA recipients are supported during these difficult times. We respectfully request that you protect the nearly 700,000 DACA recipients awaiting a decision from the Supreme Court on the future of the program by automatically renewing all DACA work permits expiring in 2020. As our nation fights the COVID-19 pandemic, automatically renewing the DACA employment authorization documents that expire this year will ensure that DACA recipients continue to seek medical care, as needed, without fear and, for those who are also healthcare providers and essential workers, that they remain in the workforce. In the midst of this pandemic, the interruption in deferred action from removal and employment eligibility for DACA recipients may create uncertainty and discourage some from getting tested and seeking medical attention during COVID-19. As stated by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), it is critical that any individual who has been exposed to COVID-19 and develops symptoms related to the virus, calls their healthcare provider for medical advice. It is extremely dangerous for our country to have DACA recipients, and other immigrant communities, be afraid to seek medical care during this time because it jeopardizes entire communities and undermines our efforts to address this public health crisis.
    [Show full text]
  • February 7, 2020 League of Arizona Cities and Towns 1820 W Washington Street Phoenix, Arizona
    MINUTES LEAGUE OF ARIZONA CITIES AND TOWNS EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE MEETING Friday, February 7, 2020 League of Arizona Cities and Towns 1820 W Washington Street Phoenix, Arizona MEMBERS President Christian Price, Mayor, Maricopa Vice President Cathy Carlat, Mayor, Peoria Treasurer Douglas Nicholls, Mayor, Yuma Tom Brady, Mayor, Bullhead City John Giles, Mayor, Mesa Craig McFarland, Mayor, Casa Grande Greg Mengarelli, Mayor, Prescott Kevin Hartke, Mayor, Chandler* Gail Barney, Mayor, Queen Creek* Doug Von Gausig, Mayor, Clarkdale* W.J. "Jim" Lane, Mayor, Scottsdale* Robert Uribe, Mayor, Douglas Sandy Moriarty, Mayor, Sedona Coral Evans, Mayor, Flagstaff Daryl Seymore, Mayor, Show Low Jenn Daniels, Mayor, Gilbert Rick Mueller, Mayor, Sierra Vista Jerry Weiers, Mayor, Glendale Mark Mitchell, Mayor, Tempe+ Georgia Lord, Mayor, Goodyear Bob Rivera, Mayor, Thatcher Thomas L. Schoaf, Mayor, Litchfield Park Anna Tovar, Mayor, Tolleson+ Ed Honea, Mayor, Marana Regina Romero, Mayor, Tucson *not in attendance +participated via phone President Christian Price called the meeting to order at 10:07 a.m. He then led the Executive Committee in the Pledge of Allegiance. President Christian Price recognized Mayor Regina Romero, new Mayor of the City of Tucson. The Executive Committee may fill vacancies as they occur; Tucson Mayor Jonathan Rothschild previously served on the Executive Committee and did not run for re-election. As Tucson is the second-largest municipality as a League member, the Executive Committee will be appointing Tucson Mayor Romero to the League Executive Committee to fill this vacancy. President Price requested a motion to adopt this appointment. Mayor Ed Honea moved to approve Tucson Mayor Regina Romero filling the vacancy on the Executive Committee; Mayor Bob Rivera seconded the motion and it carried unanimously.
    [Show full text]
  • May 15, 2020 the Honorable Mitch Mcconnell the Honorable Charles
    May 15, 2020 The Honorable Mitch McConnell The Honorable Charles Schumer Majority Leader Minority Leader United States Senate United States Senate Washington, D.C. 20510 Washington, D.C. 20510 The Honorable Nancy Pelosi The Honorable Kevin McCarthy Speaker Minority Leader U.S. House of Representatives U.S. House of Representatives U.S. Capitol, H-232 U.S. Capitol, H-204 Washington, D.C. 20515 Washington, D.C. 20515 Dear Majority Leader McConnell, Minority Leader Schumer, Speaker Pelosi, and Minority Leader McCarthy, We are writing in strong support of the RELIEF for Main Street Act, a bipartisan effort developed by Senators Booker, Daines, and Murray and Representatives Kildee, Fitzpatrick, Evans, and Upton. The COVID-19 crisis is wreaking havoc on small businesses across cities, suburban municipalities and rural towns, particularly micro businesses that employ fewer than 20 employees and offer services vital for our communities -- restaurants, bars, coffee shops, barbershops, hair salons, auto repair shops, family farms, dry cleaners and many others. By empowering local leaders to administer flexible relief funds, and by targeting funding to only the smallest of businesses, the RELIEF for Main Street Act will provide immediate support to those less likely to benefit from existing programs, including very small, minority-owned, and rural businesses. The proposal builds on what is already working. Across the country, states, cities, counties, and towns have established local relief funds to provide emergency support to small businesses impacted by COVID-19. These local funds, including those in our own cities and states, are led by a range of stakeholders, including city and county governments, public authorities, philanthropies, financial institutions and business chambers of commerce.
    [Show full text]