The debate over Project Blue is over for now, but the local political ramifications will be echoing for a while.
Here are some of the political questions that resonate in the aftermath of the Tucson City Council’s unanimous vote to kill the proposed data-center complex.
1. What did the mayor and council know about Project Blue, when did they know it, and what signals did they send city staff about the project?
At Wednesday’s council meeting, the city’s staff, led by City Manager Tim Thomure, came in for harsh criticism, especially from Vice Mayor Lane Santa Cruz, for letting this proposal get so far.
Mayor Regina Romero also defended her own role in the process, saying, “Why would people believe that this project would change who I am and the track records that I have? I have demonstrated who I am for decades in the public eye.”
Council member Lane Santa Cruz spoke harshly about city staff during the council meeting Wednesday at which Project Blue was voted down.
But it would be out of character for Thomure to have negotiated such a big project without at least perceiving that Romero, and perhaps others on the council, wanted him to do so. Thomure has eagerly defended even dubious ideas from the mayor and council, such as the initial, plainly illegal, attempt to impose higher water rates on Tucson Water customers living in unincorporated Pima County.
Would he really have pushed ahead with such an important economic-development deal without getting a nod from his employers, the mayor and council?
2. Is Thomure’s job in jeopardy?
The answer to that question could determine the answer to this next one — whether Thomure’s job is in jeopardy.
This mayor and council groomed Tim Thomure to be the city manager when Mike Ortega retired, putting him in different, important administrative positions to round out his city of Tucson education. Then they appointed him in March 2024.
But now he’s had two big losses in succession. Prop. 414, a proposed 10-year, half-cent sales tax, lost by a landslide in a March election. And now Project Blue, a deal negotiated by him and his staff, has lost unanimously at the council, which is, of course, the body that employs him.
Santa Cruz’s comment — “It seems our staff is taking cues from the Chamber of Commerce instead of from the people of Tucson or from the elected officials tasked with representing them” — sounded like a warning shot. But if he and the staff can show they were doing what the mayor or council wanted, maybe not.
3. What will be the ramifications on the board of supervisors?
Romero took a slap at the Pima County Board of Supervisors during Wednesday’s meeting, saying “The Board of Supervisors and their team also should have stopped this right there.”
Board Chair Rex Scott, a Democrat, was a strong supporter of Project Blue, and Democrat Matt Heinz voted for it, along with Republican Steve Christy. Considering the politics of the three of them, Heinz’s vote remains the most surprising and most likely to bring about political repercussions.
Like Thomure, County Administrator Jan Lesher could also see some blowback from the secretly negotiated deal. But maybe not, considering that the board that employs her voted for it.
All this could become ancient history, though, if a revised Project Blue or other data-center projects come before the board again and create new controversy or a new template for handling them in the Tucson area.
South Tucson council survives
The makeup of the South Tucson City Council won’t change, after a recall election held this week.
Roxanna Valenzuela, Cesar Aguirre and Brian Flagg all won their challenges in an election with hardly few votes cast.
Valenzuela won 123 to 31 over write-in candidate Anita Romero.
Flagg won 103 to 26 over Christopher Dodson.
Aguirre won 106 to 31 over Eduardo Baca.
The recall was launched by fellow council member and former South Tucson Mayor Paul Diaz. A total of 174 votes were cast, though some were for invalid write-in candidates.
Debate set in CD7
A debate has been set in the special election for Congressional District 7, involving Democrat Adelita Grijalva and Republican Dan Butierez.
The debate will be held at Arizona Public Media, at 6 p.m. on Tuesday, Aug. 26. It will be broadcast live on Arizona Public Media and possibly other stations.
The public will not be allowed to attend the debate, which is sponsored by the Arizona Media Association and the Arizona Citizens Clean Elections Commission.
Treasurer candidate from Tucson
One of the two candidates pursuing the nomination for Arizona treasurer is from Tucson — originally at least.
Nick Mansour grew up in Tucson but now lives in Phoenix and is running for the Democratic nomination for state treasurer. He is a Salpointe Catholic High School Graduate who was chairman and CEO of the private for-profit Arizona College of Nursing.
In a July 21 report, Mansour reported raising $231,425 for his campaign through June 30.
The only other candidate running so far is Republican Elijah Norton. The owner of an international car insurance business, Norton is the former treasurer of the Arizona GOP.
He donated $1.1 million to his campaign through June 30, according to his financial report filed July 21.
