🚌 Tucson's Free Transit on Chopping Block: Councilman Cunningham Weighs Political Pressures
🏥 Tribal Health in Jeopardy: $230 Million in AZ Public Health Grants Hang in Balance. 💧 Water Wars & Wallet Woes: Differential Rates Coming to Unincorporated County Residents
Based on the Buckmaster Show for 4/16/25, a daily radio show in Tucson, AZ, interviewing local newsmakers. Analysis and opinions are my own.
😽 Keepin’ It Simple Summary for Younger Readers
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🌟 The Buckmaster Show 🎙️ interviewed two important people who explained how changes in Washington D.C. 🇺🇸 are affecting Tucson 🌵. A city councilman named Paul Cunningham 🗣️ talked about possible bus fares 🚍 and water bills 🚰 going up 📈. Then a health expert named Will Humble 🩺 explained how the government fired 🔥 the people who figure out who qualifies as poor enough to get help, while also cutting money 💸 that helps keep people healthy 🏥. Both problems are happening because the new leaders want to change how things work 🔄, even if those changes hurt regular people 👥.
🗝️ Takeaways
🧮 Health Secretary Kennedy fired 30 federal statisticians who calculate poverty levels used for safety net eligibility
💉 Measles outbreak tops 700 cases as Kennedy delayed crucial guidance to pediatricians
💰 Arizona stands to lose $230 million in public health grants affecting county health departments and tribal communities
🚍 Tucson, America's last major city with free transit, is likely to reinstate bus fares
🚱 Tucson water bills for unincorporated Pima County residents to increase by ~$9 monthly
🛣️ RTA Next regional transportation plan lacks Tucson support in its current form
🏥 Medicaid work requirements coming to Arizona in October, affecting 200,000 people
Dismantling Democracy by Decimating Data: Kennedy's Crusade Against Public Health
In the latest episode of the Buckmaster Show that aired on April 16, 2025, host Bill Buckmaster assembled a powerhouse lineup to dissect the disintegrating state of public services in an increasingly chaotic political landscape.
As federal agencies face unprecedented upheaval under Health Secretary Kennedy's regime, we're witnessing what can only be described as deliberate dismantling disguised as disruption.
City Sovereignty in the Crosshairs: Cunningham's Candid Commentary
"Richard put some 50 years of public service together... He is everything about Tucson that's old school," reflected Tucson City Councilman Paul Cunningham, opening with a heartfelt tribute to long-serving Councilman Richard Fimbres, who will step down May 1st due to health concerns. Fimbres's departure leaves the council scrambling to maintain full strength amid turbulent times.
Cunningham's presence filled the studio with urgency, reflecting the precarious position many municipalities find themselves in—struggling to maintain essential services while federal support evaporates like monsoon rain on hot pavement.
The water wars that have defined the Southwest for generations continue to evolve, with Tucson preparing to implement differential water rates for residents in unincorporated Pima County. Unlike the controversial 1977 "lift rates" that triggered the only successful recall in city history, Cunningham insists this time is different.
"The delta is going to be right around eight bucks, a little under nine bucks per month... a lot of this is because we backstop all the liability on the lines outside the city limits," Cunningham explained, his voice carrying the weariness of someone who's explained this countless times to skeptical constituents.
Translation: City taxpayers shoulder the financial burden when pipes burst in areas that contribute nothing to the city's tax base: a slight adjustment to reflect reality.
When the conversation turned to public transit, Cunningham revealed the possible end of Tucson's distinction as America's last major city with fare-free buses. The councilman's diplomatic phrasing couldn't disguise the undercurrent—certain "advocacy groups" believe free buses have become "highways to crime."
Because, of course, making transportation more accessible to working people is somehow criminal in the capitalist playbook.
"There's definitely that sentiment that's been expressed around the community, and there's also some folks that are convinced that it won't change anything and that there were problems on the bus before," Cunningham noted, carefully balancing competing interests.
Observation: Sometimes, the crime is limited to the bus stops rather than the buses themselves, as drivers pass by and see people gathered under the only available shade.
The most revealing portion of Cunningham's interview was when he discussed RTA Next, the proposed continuation of the regional transportation program set to expire in 2026. His assessment was blunt: "Right now, I can say that I don't think so... we don't have support that way."
The councilman described frustration among multiple municipalities over projects cut from the original RTA plan and scopes being changed after years of being told such modifications were impossible. His comments revealed the fracturing of regional cooperation that once defined Tucson's approach to transportation planning.
Public Health Apocalypse: Humble's Horror Story
If Cunningham painted a picture of local challenges, Will Humble—former Arizona Department of Health Services Director and current executive director of the Arizona Public Health Association—illustrated a full-scale demolition of public health infrastructure.
The assault begins with Medicaid work requirements, set to impact approximately 200,000 Arizonans starting in October. While Humble carefully avoided alarmism, the underlying reality remains clear: adding bureaucratic hurdles to healthcare access inevitably results in eligible people losing coverage.
"Other states that have implemented work requirements have really had trouble making it easy and convenient to get accurate data from their members about their enrollment and work or school," Humble explained, his measured tone belying the serious implications.
Translation: People who qualify will lose healthcare because they can't navigate byzantine reporting systems designed to "accidentally" drop them from the rolls.
However, the most shocking revelation came next—Kennedy's firing of approximately 30 federal statisticians responsible for calculating the Federal Poverty Level (FPL), the benchmark determining eligibility for virtually every social safety net program.
"They've all been fired. And so every year, they establish a new federal poverty level, which makes sense, right? Because of inflation and the costs of housing... I don't know how they're going to calculate the FPL next year. They didn't say. They just fired everyone," Humble recounted, the absurdity of the situation evident in his voice.
When you can't change the reality of poverty, simply eliminate the experts who measure it. Truly Orwellian brilliance from an administration determined to erase inconvenient truths.
This calculated decimation extends to the nearly $230 million in federal public health grants to Arizona, which are now hanging in limbo due to Kennedy's cuts.
These funds weren't mere pandemic response money but resources dedicated to fixing systemic deficiencies exposed by COVID-19.
"So our county and state health departments are just waiting to find out, like, are these cuts going to actually happen? What's the judge going to do? And then is the administration going to end up complying with what the judge says in the end?" Humble explained, highlighting the paralyzing uncertainty facing public health agencies.
Measles Outbreak
The measles outbreak spreading across the country offers a real-time case study in the consequences of public health negligence. With cases exceeding 700 nationwide, Kennedy's team finally issued guidance to pediatricians, weeks behind schedule and only after sustained pressure.
"We've known since 1962 what's the best way to prevent measles. I mean, it's the vaccine, period," Humble stated with the clarity of someone who understands that some public health questions have definitive answers, regardless of political ideology.
Imagine delaying crucial public health guidance during an outbreak of one of the most contagious diseases on earth because it might contradict your pseudoscientific beliefs. This isn't just incompetence—it's ideological malpractice.
Autism
On autism, Humble offered crucial context about the 1-in-38 diagnosis rate now reported by the CDC, significantly undercutting Kennedy's claims of a rampant "epidemic."
"When it comes to autism, it has more to do with behaviors that psychologists and psychiatrists observe... it's not a black and white test like getting a cancer biopsy or something," Humble explained, highlighting how changes in diagnostic criteria and increased awareness have contributed to statistical increases.
The Methodical Madness
The pattern emerging across these seemingly disparate issues reveals something more sinister than mere incompetence. We're witnessing the methodical dismantling of systems that provide objective measurements of poverty, public health outcomes, and community needs that might contradict ideological narratives.
By eliminating the experts who calculate poverty levels, cutting funds for data collection, and delaying guidance based on established science, this administration has launched a full-scale assault on evidence-based governance. After all, if you can't measure a problem, you can't be held accountable for failing to solve it.
For communities like Tucson—already struggling with water scarcity, transportation challenges, and limited resources—this manufactured chaos compounds existing pressures. The city council must now navigate local political crosscurrents and the complete abdication of federal responsibility.
Indigenous communities like the Navajo and Hopi Nations face particularly devastating consequences from these public health cuts, continuing centuries of systematic neglect disguised as policy. The elimination of federal health grants will disproportionately impact these communities, where infrastructure challenges already complicate healthcare delivery.
Finding Hope in the Harshness
Despite this grim landscape, both Cunningham and Humble demonstrate the resilience of public servants committed to facts, science, and community well-being. Their continued advocacy—explaining complex issues, highlighting systematic problems, and proposing concrete solutions—offers a counterweight to the chaos.
For all its limitations, local governance becomes increasingly crucial when federal systems collapse under ideological pressure. The work happening in city councils, county health departments, and regional planning organizations may well be our best defense against the wholesale abandonment of evidence-based policy.
This moment calls for more than passive observation. Supporting independent local journalism like Three Sonorans ensures these critical issues receive attention beyond corporate media's superficial coverage. Your subscriptions, donations, and engagement allow us to continue shining light on the policies most directly affecting our communities.
The path forward requires both vigilance and engagement. Contact your local representatives about water rates, transportation planning, and public health resources. Attend city council meetings when these issues are discussed. Join community organizations advocating for transparent, evidence-based policies.
What do you think poses the greatest threat to our community's well-being—eliminating objective data collection or cutting direct public health services? How has the chaos in federal agencies affected your access to essential services in southern Arizona?
Leave your thoughts in the comments below, and continue supporting Three Sonorans as we track these developments and their impacts on our community. Together, we can counter chaos with clarity and abandon with action.
Quotes
"They've all been fired. And so every year they establish a new federal poverty level... I don't know how they're going to calculate the FPL next year. They didn't say. They just fired everyone," — Will Humble on Kennedy firing poverty level statisticians
"We've known since 1962 what's the best way to prevent measles. I mean, it's the vaccine, period." — Will Humble addressing Kennedy's delayed measles outbreak response
"Right now, I can say that I don't think so... we don't have support that way" — Paul Cunningham on Tucson's current position on supporting RTA Next
"The delta is going to be right around eight bucks, a little under nine bucks per month... a lot of this is because we backstop all the liability on the lines outside the city limits" — Paul Cunningham explaining differential water rates
"There's definitely that sentiment that's been expressed around the community" — Paul Cunningham carefully acknowledging some advocacy groups consider free buses "highways to crime"
"These funds were designed to close the gaps that we identified during the COVID-19 pandemic and fix the shortcomings in the public health system" — Will Humble explaining the true purpose of the public health grants being cut
People Mentioned
Bill Buckmaster – Host of the Buckmaster Show, interviewing the guests
Paul Cunningham – Tucson City Councilman
"Richard put some 50 years of public service together... He is everything about Tucson that's old school" (about Richard Fimbres)
Richard Fimbres – Long-serving Tucson City Councilman stepping down May 1st due to health issues
No direct quotes, but described by Cunningham as having "helped really usher that process through" regarding Renaissance of Ward 5
Will Humble – Executive Director of the Arizona Public Health Association, former Director of the Arizona Department of Health Services
"When it comes to autism, it has more to do with behaviors that psychologists and psychiatrists observe... it's not a black and white test"
Secretary Kennedy – Health and Human Services Secretary in Trump administration
No direct quotes, but described as cutting federal health grants and firing poverty statisticians
Dr. Cullen – Pima County Health Director
No direct quotes, but mentioned as having been on the show recently discussing workarounds for federal funding cuts
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