💼 Power & Politics: Ted Maxwell Offers Insider's View of Transportation Board Showdown While Mayor Romero Confronts "Hatred" | Buckmaster Show
🏙️ Tucson's Future in Motion: General Maxwell Breaks Down $400M I-10 Expansion and RTA's Leadership Crisis
Based on the Buckmaster Show for 4/24/25, a daily radio show in Tucson, AZ, interviewing local newsmakers. Analysis and opinions are my own.
😽 Keepin’ It Simple Summary for Younger Readers
👧🏾✊🏾👦🏾
🛩️ General Maxwell spills the tea 🍵 on Buckmaster Show! Never wanted to fly ✈️ as a young cadet, but now loves it! RTA drama 🔥 with big boss facing possible 👋 firing! Huge $400M road project 🚗 coming to widen I-10! Road taxes could vanish next year if the RTA can't get its act together! 😱
🗝️ Takeaways
✈️ General Maxwell revealed he had "zero desire to fly" when entering the Air Force Academy, but now can't imagine life without aviation
💰 A massive $400 million I-10 expansion project east of Kino Parkway is moving forward despite RTA leadership turmoil
🔥 RTA Executive Director Farhad Moghimi faces potential termination after a 6-2 vote called for a performance review
🛑 Maxwell expressed concern that leadership conflicts are distracting from crucial RTA Next planning, as the current program sunsets in 2026
💊 Senate Bill 1257 could establish Pima County as a test case for addressing fentanyl addiction with bipartisan support
Flying High and Hitting Turbulence: General Ted Maxwell Navigates Tucson's Transportation Troubles
In a rare full-hour interview format on Thursday's Buckmaster Show, retired two-star Air Force General Ted Maxwell took listeners on a journey from the friendly skies to the contentious corridors of regional transportation politics.
As the current President and CEO of the Southern Arizona Leadership Council, ADOT representative on the Regional Transportation Authority board, and host of "The Morning Voice," Maxwell provided insights into several critical issues facing our community. However, his diplomatic approach sometimes glossed over the messier political realities.
From Reluctant Pilot to Aviation Advocate
In one of the more personally revealing moments of the interview, Maxwell shared that when he entered the Air Force Academy as a young 18-year-old, he had "zero desire to fly."
"The goal was for the education, the continued opportunity to play sports," Maxwell explained, contradicting what many might assume about someone who would eventually become a two-star general in the Air Force.
Isn't it ironic that someone who had no interest in flying ended up dedicated to transportation issues, both in the air and on the ground? Life has a funny way of putting us exactly where we need to be—even if we had different plans.
Maxwell went on to describe how the Academy effectively sells the flying experience: "I think I was a freshman the first time I got to fly in a jet. And by the time I graduated, I wanted to do that. I was off to Phoenix, Arizona, to train and become an Air Force pilot."
Unlike many military pilots who transition to commercial aviation, Maxwell chose a different path, offering this rather candid assessment of airline pilots: "I don't see a bunch of commercial pilots laughing and slapping each other on the back and enjoying their time there. They're there to do it. They're pretty glum, you know, they're not really all that happy about what's going on."
Maxwell delivered one of the show's more memorable lines when asked about potentially running for Congress: "If I wanted to be a commercial airline pilot and fly back and forth across the country multiple times every month, I would have been. And I chose not to do that."
Now flying recreationally out of Marana Regional Airport, Maxwell addressed the recent fatal accident there with the measured tone of someone familiar with aviation investigations: "There is no official FAA report yet... But if anything led to an accident, mistakes were made. Quite often, those mistakes fall on those of us who are called pilots."
He highlighted the good news that Marana has been approved for a control tower and federal funding has been identified. This should improve safety at what has become an increasingly busy training facility for pilots.
Buckle Up: RTA Drama Takes Center Stage
When the conversation shifted to the Regional Transportation Authority, where Maxwell serves as the ADOT representative, listeners got a diplomatic version of what has become a political powder keg.
For more background:
What Maxwell carefully described as "contentious" was actually a full-blown confrontation between Tucson Mayor Regina Romero and RTA Executive Director Farhad Moghimi—a showdown that exposed years of simmering tensions over how transportation resources are allocated in our region.
With the current RTA program sunsetting in June 2026, planning for "RTA Next" is complicated by unfinished business. As Maxwell explained, "They all want the solution for RTA One before they go back out to the voters for a continuation of the half cent or a new half cent."
Maxwell disclosed that Monday's RTA meeting included a vote directing Executive Director Moghimi to call another meeting within two weeks, specifically for a performance review where "termination" is on the table.
"The direction, and it was by a six to two vote, was for the executive director to call another PAG meeting within two weeks, where specifically agendized for an executive session to discuss... his performance overall," Maxwell shared, adding that "the mayor and [Supervisor] Heinz were very descriptive about what is up for considerations. And they basically put all the dirty laundry on the table."
What Maxwell didn't elaborate on—but what progressive observers have been pointing out for years—is how this "dirty laundry" disproportionately affects working-class neighborhoods and communities of color that have been waiting for promised infrastructure improvements while wealthier areas see their projects completed.
Maxwell admitted voting in favor of the performance review meeting but expressed concern about the timing: "When we need to be focusing on getting RTA Next...we spent as much time at that meeting discussing the executive director."
Translation: Even those trying to be diplomatic can't deny that the current leadership structure is dysfunctional. But rather than seeing this accountability moment as necessary housecleaning before moving forward, some prefer to sweep problems under the rug in the name of "regional cooperation."
Roads Ahead: Major Projects Despite the Drama
Despite the organizational turmoil, Maxwell highlighted significant transportation improvements moving forward, including the Irvington traffic interchange renovation and a massive I-10 expansion east of Kino Parkway that will extend the three-lane section toward Country Club Road.
With an approximate price tag of $400 million, this second project prompted Richard Cyril, the ADOT representative from Cochise County, to remark he'd "never seen...a budget for a project this big."
It's worth noting that while these major highway projects move forward with hundreds of millions in funding, many smaller neighborhood projects in diverse communities remain stalled—a disparity that reflects broader patterns of infrastructure inequality.
Maxwell also mentioned ADOT's plans to implement a wrong-way driver detection system on I-19, similar to what exists in Maricopa County, a welcome safety enhancement.
Political Crosswinds: From DC to Phoenix
As the hour drew to a close, Maxwell addressed the uncertain political climate both in Washington and Phoenix.
Regarding federal tariffs, he noted that the Southern Arizona Leadership Council members "are not fans of tariffs," which "ultimately get passed on to the consumer."
Of course they aren't. The business community rarely supports policies that might disrupt their profit margins, even when those policies aim to protect American jobs and manufacturing. The real question is: who ultimately benefits from "free trade" and who bears the costs?
On the state level, Maxwell expressed cautious optimism about the legislature eventually passing a budget despite the ongoing stalemate. A significant obstacle was removed when the House passed a bipartisan bill addressing the Division of Developmental Disabilities' funding shortfall.
In one of the interview's more promising notes, Maxwell highlighted Senate Bill 1257, which would establish Pima County as a test case for addressing fentanyl addiction and homelessness. With bipartisan support and a three-year sunset provision, Maxwell believes it could become "the model for this region on how to deal with fentanyl addiction."
This is the kind of pragmatic approach to serious social issues that deserves support across the political spectrum. When we move beyond ideological posturing and focus on evidence-based solutions to community problems, progress becomes possible.
The Road Forward: Questions That Remain
As we reflect on General Maxwell's wide-ranging interview, several critical questions emerge:
Can the RTA truly function as a regional body when power dynamics and funding inequities continue to disadvantage certain communities, particularly within the City of Tucson?
Who will ultimately be held accountable for the promised RTA projects that remain unfunded after nearly two decades—and will the communities still waiting for these improvements have a voice in shaping RTA Next?
The answers to these questions will shape our region's transportation future and determine whether prosperity and mobility are shared equitably across all neighborhoods and communities.
In these turbulent times, independent journalism that investigates these power dynamics and amplifies community voices is more essential than ever. Support Three Sonorans to keep this vital coverage coming—coverage that mainstream outlets often ignore or sanitize.
What's your experience with RTA projects in your neighborhood? Have you seen the promised improvements materialize, or are you still waiting after all these years? Share your thoughts in the comments below.
Together, we can navigate toward a more just and equitable transportation future, but only if we're willing to confront the uncomfortable realities that polite conversation often avoids.
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