Collection: Read more by local government reporter Sam Kmack
Sun Tran, Tucson's public transit operator, announced the policy change on Tuesday.
Audit: Road projects across Tucson area still underfundedFor Star subscribers: The report highlights dozens of successes and shortcomings of the Regional Transportation Authorityβs work, but a $150 million funding shortfall continues to cast a shadow over the program and threaten the future of major road work in Tucson.
For Star subscribers: Sam Credio will have to find a way finish hundreds of miles of repaving and work to boost the cityβs road-work funding by 50% β during his first year.
City officials blame limited staffing as one of the reasons the ordinance, passed in 1997, is not being enforced now.
For Star subscribers: A recent city study showed that fewer than 30 residents said theyβre taking advantage of the decade-old initiative to re-use some of their household water for landscaping. The program pays homeowners up to $1,000 to purchase needed equipment.
About a fifth of the $10.1 million in grant money has yet to be committed to organizations because of a lack of qualified applicants.
City is βbasically in the same situationβ with the initiative that it was in two years ago after spending $140K on a new study.
For Star subscribers: Tucsonβs transit system has always been inexpensive. In 2020 it was made free as a COVID-19 mitigation measure. Now, some council members want to make it permanent β is it worth the city taxpayer dollars?
For Star subscribers: City officials said issues like underground piping and material shortages are to blame for delay, while business owners along the street are still struggling.
City staff said there was a $70 million surplus in 2021 and they expect another good year for 2022.
Sharon McDonough was tapped for the role on Feb. 23 after serving nearly three decades in Tucson's emergency services departments.
The city is building a new fire house with state-of-the-art safety features to replace the Station 14, where space is so tight firefighters have to work out next to diesel exhaust.
Some officials said itβs a crucial step toward bolstering the cityβs climate change strategy, while others are on the fence or question the investment given that Tucson has yet to execute some of its earlier climate efforts.
