Pima BOS Meeting 10/1/24 - 🌮 Chorizo and Chains: The Hidden Cost of Cultural Celebration in Pima County
🏕️ Tents and Tension: The Criminalization of Poverty in Pima County 📊 Dollars and Disparities: Decoding Pima's Financial Priorities
😽 Keepin’ It Simple Summary for Younger Readers
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🏠🗳️🌮 The grown-ups who make rules for our city had a big meeting! They talked about helping people without homes, making sure everyone can vote easily, and celebrating different cultures in our community. But some people think they're not doing enough to solve the real problems. They want to make sure everyone has a safe place to live, can vote without trouble, and feels welcome in our city, no matter where they come from. It's like trying to fix a big puzzle, but some pieces are missing!
🗝️ Takeaways
🏘️ Pima County's approach to homelessness prioritizes law enforcement over human dignity
🗳️ Voter education efforts fail to address systemic barriers to voting rights
🌮 Cultural celebrations mask deeper issues of assimilation and marginalization
💼 Budget constraints reveal a preference for punitive measures over social services
🚔 Law enforcement continues to be the primary tool for addressing social issues
🏥 Rural healthcare initiatives ignore root causes of the opioid crisis
In a meeting that spanned the spectrum from social justice to fiscal responsibility, the Pima County Board of Supervisors convened on October 1, 2024, to address a litany of issues plaguing our community. As your trusted progressive voice, Three Sonorans is here to unpack the complexities and expose the underlying currents that shape our local politics.
📢 Vox Populi: Voices from the Call to the Audience
In the spirit of participatory democracy, the Pima County Board of Supervisors opened the floor to the public, inviting a chorus of voices that ranged from concerned citizens to passionate advocates.
This segment of the meeting, often overlooked by mainstream media, provides a crucial window into our community's soul. Let's amplify these voices and examine the issues they brought to the forefront.
🏘️ Homelessness: A Community in Crisis
Hans Huth started the public comments with a stark reminder of the growing homeless population near the Grant and I-10 intersections. His testimony painted a vivid picture of a community grappling with the consequences of systemic inequality:
"I regularly do both and can confirm firsthand accounts of chronic drug use with no enforcement, homeless forcing traffic along Grant to stop by pushing shopping carts into moving traffic. Individuals dosing on the loop, homeless putting themselves in bikers at risk by walking on the loop after hours in dark clothes, semi-permanent fixtures in the Santa Cruz River, and volumes of trash impacting our river resulting from the same."
Huth's suggestions for large garbage bins and signs redirecting donations to county services highlight the community's desperate search for solutions in the face of governmental inaction.
🗳️ Election Integrity: A Call for Transparency
David Smith raised concerns about election integrity, touching on a sensitive nerve in our current political climate. While we must be cautious about unfounded claims of election fraud, Smith's call for nonpartisan protection of all political signs resonates with the principles of fair play in democratic discourse:
"I would wish as the Board of Supervisors, you would make a public statement decrying anybody tampering with any political sign. It should be not tolerated at all. No Republican, no Democrat, no Libertarian, no independent sign should ever be damaged."
🌎 Immigration and Human Rights: A Stand Against Hate
The specter of Proposition 314 loomed large over the public comments, with several speakers passionately arguing against this xenophobic measure. Mohadine Abdulaziz, a Palestinian Arab American immigrant, eloquently framed the dangers of racial profiling:
"As you can tell, I am blessed with a very nice skin color here. But it's not always admired. Sometimes, it becomes suspicious. Once, at a border checkpoint, the officer started talking to me in Spanish. I don't speak Spanish. I answered in Arabic, and he got upset and he said, well, it's not funny here. I said, exactly. It's not funny, but you assumed."
Isabel Garcia, a long-time advocate for immigrant rights, drove home the point with statistical clarity:
"Congressional hearings have determined that 93 to 96 percent of all the fentanyl comes through the Port of Entry, primarily 86 percent US citizens. And yet everybody wants to talk about immigrants, and 314 was strategically implemented by the Republicans to bring people out against immigrants, against drugs, when immigrants have nothing to do with fentanyl."
💡 A Call for Unity and Compassion
Amidst the passionate pleas and pointed criticisms, voices calling for unity and compassion emerged. Daniel Garcia, a fifth-generation Tucsonian, reminded the board of their fundamental mission:
"As a person of faith, I hold this belief to be the most critical mission to ever, to never lose sight of. This is not just the American dream. There are others here who have a totally different view of what this mission is. In one minute, I do not expect to change their views. However, suppose you feel strongly that I am wrong. In that case, I challenge you to see the women and children and the families that are suffering under the uncompassionate, uncaring division that laws like 314 instill on so many."
🔍 Analysis: The People Speak, But Who Listens?
The call to the audience segment of this meeting serves as a microcosm of the larger societal debates raging across our nation. From homelessness to immigration, from election integrity to community unity, the people of Pima County brought their concerns directly to their elected officials.
However, the true measure of democracy lies not in the opportunity to speak but in the willingness of those in power to listen and act. As we move forward, we must hold our Board of Supervisors accountable for addressing these concerns with concrete actions that prioritize human dignity, social justice, and community well-being over the interests of the privileged few.
🏘️ Homelessness: A Crisis of Conscience and Capital
The specter of homelessness loomed large over the proceedings, with Jennifer Darland presenting a sobering update on the county's initiatives to address this humanitarian crisis. The discussion revealed a stark divide between voluntary services and compelled compliance, highlighting the systemic failures of our capitalist society to provide for its most vulnerable members.
"When we don't have individuals, when we have individuals who consistently refuse to accept services, so as I stated, it does increase the likelihood that there's going to be some intersection with a law enforcement entity," Darling explained, inadvertently exposing the punitive approach that often masquerades as assistance.
The board's struggle to balance compassion with public safety concerns underscores the need to reimagine our approach to housing and community support radically.
As Supervisor Lee poignantly noted, "We have to remember that their animal, their dog, is their best friend. And they're not going anywhere without that dog."
This human-centered perspective is precisely what's needed to counteract the dehumanizing effects of our current policies.
🗳️ Voter Rights: The Beating Heart of Democracy
In a powerful display of civic commitment, the board proclaimed October 7-11, 2024, as Voter Education Week. This move comes at a critical juncture, with changes in voting laws and procedures threatening to disenfranchise marginalized communities.
Gabriella Cázares-Kelly, Pima County Recorder, highlighted student voters' challenges, particularly those from out-of-state. "We are one of two states in the country that has that requirement," she said, referring to documentary proof of citizenship. This onerous requirement is a clear vestige of settler-colonial tactics to suppress the voices of Indigenous and immigrant communities.
The board's efforts to expand early voting sites, particularly at the University of Arizona, are commendable. However, we must remain vigilant against any attempts to restrict access to the ballot, especially for our youth and communities of color.
🌮 Cultura y Comunidad: Celebrating Our Roots
In a refreshing turn, the board took time to celebrate Pima County's rich cultural tapestry. The proclamation of October 2024 as Chinese Chorizo Month poignantly reminds us of the intertwined histories of Tucson's Chinese and Mexican communities.
Fun Fun Ye, founder of the Chinese Chorizo Project, eloquently stated, "This is a full-on community effort and has already involved. I think now, with including this year, it's like 75 different partners at least."
This collaborative spirit embodies the best of our community, showcasing how cultural exchange can lead to delicious and meaningful connections.
💰 The Bottom Line: Fiscal Realities and Social Responsibilities
The financial report presented by Michelle Campagne painted a picture of a county walking a fiscal tightrope. Pima County faces tough choices in the coming year with a contingency fund of only $3.7 million – far below the usual $5-10 million.
This financial constraint must not become an excuse for austerity measures that disproportionately affect our most vulnerable residents. As progressive advocates, we must push for creative solutions prioritizing social services and community support over punitive measures and corporate interests.
Union Discussion
Interestingly, the transcripts and minutes provided do not discuss unions substantially. This absence is noteworthy, as labor rights and union representation are crucial to a just and equitable society. As advocates for workers' rights, we must question why union concerns were not more prominently featured in this meeting and push for greater inclusion of labor issues in future discussions.
Votes Taken
Proclamation for Digital Inclusion Week: Approved 5-0
Proclamation for National Manufacturing Month: Approved 5-0
Proclamation for Walk and Roll to School Week: Approved 5-0
Proclamation for Girl Scouts Take Over Day: Approved 5-0
Proclamation for Chinese Chorizo Month: Approved 5-0
Proclamation for Voter Education Week: Approved 5-0
Rocking K Development Agreement Amendment: Approved 4-0 (Supervisor Heinz not present)
2024 General Election Early Ballot Drop-Off Sites & Emergency Voting Locations: Approved 5-0 (with amendment for potential earlier opening at University of Arizona)
Accelerate Diagnostics, Inc. lease agreement: Approved 5-0
Library District grant acceptance: Approved 5-0
Consent Calendar: Approved 5-0
New classifications for Human Resources: Approved 5-0
Surplus property sale: Approved 5-0
Sale of real property (Resolution 2024-55): Approved 5-0
Contract items 19 and 20: Approved 5-0
CODAC Health, Recovery & Wellness contract: Approved 5-0
Multiple items (23, 24, 27): Approved 5-0
Community Workforce Development grant acceptance: Approved 5-0
Liquor license in Green Valley: Approved 5-0
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