TUCSON, Ariz. (KGUN) — KGUN 9 is working to give you the information to help you decide who you want to be Tucson’s Mayor. Reporter Craig Smith talked with incumbent Mayor Regina Romero. She says she can cite her four years experience in that job as an argument to give her four more years.
Regina Romero was a councilmember for 12 years before she won election as Mayor so she understands well that in Tucson, the Mayor needs support of the city council to get policies approved.
She says she’d had that and used it to achieve a lot of changes.
On public safety she says she’s improved police staffing with better pay, and benefits like dedicated child care for first responder families. She says she secured $10 million towards holistic safety programs that combine prevention and enforcement.
“We've instituted a place network investigation in three areas of our city, brought down gun violence and crime by 75, almost 88% in certain areas of our city. We've invested more than $90 million on top of the regular budget for infrastructure for police, fire and our 911 communication system.”
Full Interview with Mayoral Incumbent Regina Romero
Tucsonans often mention homeless people as a special concern. Romero says part of the solution is the Housing First model. It works to get homeless people a place to live, then address the wide ranges of problems that may have made them homeless—all with the end goal of a stable living arrangement.
“It's a housing continuum from unsheltered homelessness, to shelters, to temporary housing, to much more permanent housing all the way to homeownership.”
Mayor Romero says convincing voters to approve Prop 411 is helping Tucson pave crumbling streets with an emphasis on neighborhood streets that may not have had much attention.
And here in our hot dry desert she says she’s working to reduce the effect of climate change with efforts like planting more trees to absorb carbon dioxide and create their own cooling.
Romero says all of these efforts combine to help attract new business and support the business Tucson has, to help foster a safe, sustainable city.
TUCSON MAYOR CANDIDATE PROFILES:
- Janet Wittenbraker (R)
- Ed Ackerley (I)
- Arthur Kerschen (L) - airs 10/13
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Craig Smith is a reporter for KGUN 9. With more than 40 years of reporting in cities like Tampa, Houston and Austin, Craig has covered more than 40 Space Shuttle launches and covered historic hurricanes like Katrina, Ivan, Andrew and Hugo. Share your story ideas and important issues with Craig by emailing craig.smith@kgun9.com or by connecting on Facebook and Twitter.