Elections have consequences. Not a new or original thought but relevant to Tucsonโs City Council and its deliberations at its May 2 meeting. The Charter Change Commission will present alternative approaches for Tucson council elections.
Whoever believes this change is being considered for any reason other than in response to an unfavorable decision by the 9th circuit Court of Appeals last fall needs a refresher course in Tucson Politics 101.
You can argue technicalities, but the court ruled Tucsonโs election system unconstitutional. This can be powdered and perfumed any which way but the word unconstitutional has real meaning to most voters.
The council has a problem if it doesnโt make changes before the 2017 election cycle. Without an alternative to an unconstitutional system, the incumbents will have a hard time justifying the status quo. But the bigger picture is that they really need this off votersโ radar screens.
The commission will recommend a system that respects a 9th Circuit proposal that Tucson elect the council by ward only in both the primary and general elections. This upholds the concept of one-man-one-vote. The wrinkle is that it wants to pack the council with more Democrats by adding council members elected citywide.
Letโs be clear. From a numbers standpoint, this council can ask the voters to change things however it wants. It can make lots of suggestions and say that their proposals are all good. But we want the voters to decide which one.
I again refer to Tucson Politics 101. Tucson registration numbers indicate that any measure the all-D council puts forward has a good chance of passing. The problem is this: In any vote, the losing side are still citizens, who still have certain rights. Theyโre entitled to have some voice in the city. The council wants to preserve a system that guarantees perpetual power for Democrats while ignoring the political rights of the minority.
Any system Tucson considers that doesnโt preserve the one-man-one-vote principle will allow a rigged and unconstitutional system to persist for all Tucsonans. This applies even to folks that donโt live in the city.
Tucson needs more revenue to survive. Taxing current residents only goes so far. Tucson needs money from new sources. The only real possibilities are to attract new residents and businesses from outside our area, or to increase the size of Tucson by annexation.
The downside for the council is that many of the areas they want to annex have Republican majorities. How many of those Republicans will sign up to be added to a city where their votes are irrelevant? How many potential new city residents will sign on or move here knowing that the city wants their tax dollars, but not their voting habits?
Under the system proposed by the commission, Tucson voters will get a chance to have true neighborhood representation. But the addition of extra council members, elected citywide, will dilute that representation.
What chance will the city have to annex Republican areas, increase the size of the city and expand the tax base when they want to dilute any Republican votes through a rigged election process?
On behalf of the executive committee of the Pima County Republican Party, I want to put the council on notice that any charter change proposal that doesnโt restore the one-man-one-vote principal of ward-only elections in the primary and general will be strongly opposed.
The unanimous decision of the local Republican Party leaders is clear. Tucson needs to change its unconstitutional rules for electing its leaders.
