Greetings!
Most of America and Arizona has to wait until 2022 for the next election, but not the City of Tucson. We just received the results of the Tucson City partisan primary elections for city council by Wards and now know who’s running for Tucson City Council this November. This November election is citywide, so every voter in Tucson will elect all open Ward slots regardless of what Ward you live in. Tucson is the only major city in the state that elects primary council members by ward and at large in the general election. It is also the only major city that has partisan elections.
Most of the issues faced by city council members are non-partisan by nature, like public safety, garbage pickup, transportation and parks. What differentiates the candidates the most are their priorities, values and world view.
Check out the candidates websites, attend their in person events, meet with them personally and examine their character. By learning about them you can see who aligns with your priorities, reflects your values and shares your world view. Prayerfully consider who deserves your vote.
A big issue facing Tucson City voters this November is a ballot initiative that will require Tucson businesses to raise the minimum wage to $15 dollars an hour. The question is more than if the lowest wage possible should be $15 an hour. The question should be is how we get there.
Not every state has an initiative process where signatures are collected on petitions to put laws on the ballot. Our US Constitution is designed to have a representative form of government. We elect representatives and with our consent, they pass legislation and manage the government. In the event legislation is flawed, they can make corrections through the legislative process or “we the people”, can elect new representatives that will.
The initiative process was a progressive idea designed to give common people the ability to put legislation on the ballot. Over the years this process has morphed from grass roots into a tool for special interest groups to have the ability to write self serving legislation that is very different from what the initiative portrays. A tremendous amount of money is pumped into these initiatives. Worst of all, by law, once an initiative is passed; it cannot be changed unless another initiative supersedes it. Unintended consequences cannot be corrected through the legislative process. Not allowing our representatives the ability to improve legislation replaces representative government with mob rule where minority rights are trampled on by the majority.
Having the right to vote is a sacred responsibility, use it wisely.
Paul Parisi
Director-Government Domain
520-869-1679
Paul@4Tucson.com
