Tucson may have its problems, but city leaders are taking “bold action” to fix them, positioning the Old Pueblo for a prosperous future as a hub for green energy and technology, Mayor Regina Romero said in her annual State of the City speech.
“My vision for Tucson is of an equitable, sustainable, thriving desert city,” Romero told local movers and shakers who paid $125 each to nosh on regional delicacies, “mingle with the who’s who of Tucson business people” and hear the mayor speak at the Tucson Convention Center.
“Decades worth of unmet needs, societal inequities and lopsided investments have resulted in complex, multi-faceted problems such as lack of affordable housing stock, significant infrastructure needs, homelessness and lack of action on mitigating climate change,” Romero told the crowd at the Dec. 1 event.
“My colleagues and I are taking bold action now. We are taking long-term steps to long-term solutions.”
Audience members seemed to like much of what they heard from the city’s first Latina leader, whose four-year term of office expires next year.
Some of the evening’s heaviest applause came when Romero described efforts to increase pay for police officers and lighten their workload by diverting nonurgent calls about mental health, substance abuse or homelessness to a 311 number staffed by people who can assist.
Among the other achievements Romero cited:
Development of a formal Climate Action Plan, due to be unveiled early next year, that will make the city more resilient to climate change and “positions Tucson strategically to compete” for funding from new federal green energy programs.
Ongoing efforts to stabilize the city’s 911 system, which suffered from high turnover, low morale and chronic understaffing that negatively affected call response times. A new director of public safety communications was hired to oversee improvements.
Creation of an online tool to report homeless encampments around the city, data used to direct cleanups and enforcement efforts and target support services to those who lack shelter.
Efforts to address historic racial and economic inequality against people of color, for example, with a new budget analysis tool that examines the potential impact of city spending decisions on marginalized communities.
Efforts to create new lower-income housing by renovating old motels to turn them into dwelling units, such as a 63-unit project near West Grant and North Oracle roads called Milagro on Oracle.
An updated economic development strategy that will help the city “find the companies and partners to help us drive our robust economic development.” Romero cited the recent decision of Pony.ai, a self-driving-vehicle developer based in China and Silicon Valley, to open a Tucson location in partnership with Pima Community College.
The event, put on by the Tucson Metro Chamber, featured hors d’oeuvres prepared by some of the city’s most storied chefs, including Janos Wilder and Carlotta Flores, who have worked to promote Tucson as a United Nations-designated City of Gastronomy.
Chamber President and CEO Michael Guymon called Romero “a great partner and a great leader for our community” and praised her focus on public safety and her support for “smart development.”
“These are all things I believe we can work together on,” he said.
