The first decision made by the new Tucson City Council Tuesday gave a flavor of what could be in store as two new members settle into their roles.
After the inaugurations and speeches, the council turned to its first order of business: Selecting a vice mayor for 2026.
This is a largely ceremonial title, but it has a few real duties. Current Vice Mayor Lane Santa Cruz, who is the Ward 1 council member, has presided over council meetings when the mayor is out of town. The vice mayor also serves as the liaison to membership groups like the League of Arizona Cities and Towns.
In the past, the title rotated among the council members for nine-month terms, but now it involves a sort of application process for a one-year term. Interested council members write a letter to become candidates.
Ward 1 Councilmember Lane Santa Cruz, left, does a standup interview with newly sworn-in Ward 6 Councilmember Miranda Schubert after a special meeting of the Tucson City Council at the Tucson Convention Center on Tuesday. Santa Cruz won second consecutive year as vice mayor.
This year, the only two candidates were longtime Ward 2 Council Member Paul Cunningham and Santa Cruz. Cunningham wrote a brief letter of interest noting how his experience could help in dealing with the city's expected budget deficit. Santa Cruz wrote a longer letter that included a four-point priority list.
When it came time to make nominations, Ward 4 Council Member Nikki Lee nominated Cunningham. She cited his experience and said, "He consistently turns ideas — and he has a lot of those — into tangible improvements for his constituents and the residents of Tucson broadly."
After that motion was seconded, new Ward 6 Council Member Miranda Schubert offered a substitute motion, to retain Santa Cruz in the job.
"In the end I’m casting my vote for the applicant whose letter most clearly outlines objectives that align with what I heard from Tucsonans across the city," Schubert said, citing her recent campaign.
The other new council member, Ward 5's Selina Barajas, seconded the motion.
Then, Schubert, Barajas, Santa Cruz and Mayor Regina Romero voted in favor of Santa Cruz, while Lee, Cunningham and Ward 3 Council Member Kevin Dahl voted against the substitute motion. That gave Santa Cruz a second consecutive year as vice mayor, something unprecedented in recent memory.
Thus, the new council's decision reflected a possible new progressive alignment, with the two newest members leading the way.
Public vs. private at PAG
It wasn't a big surprise when Farhad Moghimi took legal action over his June firing as director of the Pima Association of Governments.
The years building up to that job action were replete with conflict and signs that if PAG's board were to fire Moghimi, he would sue.
What surprised some is that he hasn't sued — yet. He filed a legal claim first. This is a process established under Arizona law for people who want to sue public entities — usually governments like the city of Tucson or Pima County.
You file a claim first to give them a chance to settle with you. If they don't, then you can sue after 60 days.
It raised a few eyebrows that Moghimi's attorney, Jeffrey Jacobson, went this route because Moghimi has insisted in the past that PAG is not a public entity. For example, in a series of November 2022 emails to the Star, Moghimi said:
Farhad Moghimi
"PAG is a private corporation. An association formed by its members. Similar to any other association with rules for membership and conduct, etc. We are not a public body."
"Again as a private corporation we have our own rules for operating committee meetings, etc. By PAG/RTA policy, staff is responsible for ensuring compliance with our rules."
"PAG as a private sector employer ...."
Jacobson, Moghimi's attorney, noted that what's in the claim "are really sensitive issues."
"We wanted to give the entity, the organization, an opportunity to act before there was litigation."
The claim requests a settlement of $3.8 million.
LD 20 races shaping up
The outgoing Ward 5 council member, Rocque Perez, noted in remarks at Tuesday's ceremony that he plans to run for Arizona Legislature.
What went unsaid is for which seat. It turns out that is as yet undecided. Perez plans to run in the west side Legislative District 20.
However, he is unsure as yet whether he plans to run for state Senate or House. The current occupants of those seats are Reps. Alma Hernandez and Betty Villegas, as well as Sen. Sally Ann Gonzalez.
However, Hernandez has filed to run for Senate next year. Meanwhile, new candidate Ben Koehler has filed to run for state House from the district.
All three current seat holders are Democrats, as is Perez. He was appointed to the Tucson City Council in May after the resignation of longtime Council Member Richard Fimbres.
