"Hit her while she's down!" - OV Mayoral Candidate DeSimone on Tucson Mayor Regina Romero
Morning host paints unflattering portrait of city challenges under current leadership
Based on the Wake Up Live with Chris DeSimone show for 3/18/25.
😽 Keepin’ It Simple Summary for Younger Readers
👧🏾✊🏾👦🏾
🎙️ A radio show called "Wake Up Live" discussed Tucson's issues like 💰 money, 💸 taxes, and 🏚️ homelessness. The host, Chris DeSimone, was 😊 happy that people voted against raising taxes in the city. He had 🎤 guests who talked about how the government wastes money by buying too many 💻 computer programs and 💳 credit cards. They also discussed how Social Security (money for 👴 older people) might not be ⚖️ fair because some people get more than they put in, while others get less. The show highlighted three things they think illustrate Tucson's problems: a 🏨 motel that keeps catching 🔥 fire, 🚲 stolen bikes in a 🌊 wash, and someone climbing out of a 🗑️ trash bin.
🗝️ Takeaways
🗳️ Proposition 414, which would have raised Tucson's sales tax to 9.2%, was defeated 70-30, a significant rebuke to city leadership
💼 The Goldwater Institute is challenging Phoenix's attempt to raise taxes on services, arguing it violates the Arizona constitution
📝 Tucson's recently released financial audit showed a $47.6 million increase in the general fund balance, raising questions about the necessity of Prop 414
🏠 Arizona's Prop 312, giving tax credits to property owners affected by homeless encampments, is already causing municipalities to enforce existing laws
👵 The first Social Security recipient paid in $24.75 and received approximately $22,000 in benefits, highlighting structural funding challenges
💻 Government agencies often have more software licenses and credit cards than employees, revealing potential waste in public spending
Behind the Mic with Chris DeSimone's Wake Up Live
Where morning coffee meets political fire in the Old Pueblo
In the sweltering political landscape of Tucson, where the heat of debate often matches our summer temperatures, Chris DeSimone's "Wake Up Live" serves as both thermometer and thermostat—measuring the political climate while occasionally turning up the conservative heat. On this particular Tuesday morning broadcast, listeners were treated to a veritable smorgasbord of local grievances, governmental critique, and tax talk that would make an accountant's heart flutter.
Another day, another dollar-focused diatribe about how the city is supposedly mismanaged by everyone except conservatives. How refreshing.
St. Patrick's Day Politics: Green Beer and Red-Hot Takes
DeSimone kicked off the show with the cheerful afterglow of his St. Patrick's Day gathering, which apparently attracted a who's-who of local political figures—"two mayors and a vice mayor" including John Post, Tom Murphy, and Roxy Ziegler. Even "Smooch the Donkey" made an appearance, with DeSimone quipping about running the animal for CD 7 as a Libertarian candidate.
"Just want to let our friends know libertarians. So Smooch the Donkey was here," DeSimone chuckled, before adding that the festive evening featured "Tia Gloria was wearing Shamrock center hair. It was a winner."
The jovial mood quickly evaporated as DeSimone pivoted to his favorite punching bag: the Tucson City Council and the recently defeated Proposition 414. With undisguised glee, he reported the 70-30 defeat of the measure that would have raised the city's sales tax to what he called "the highest sales tax in the state of Arizona" at 9.2%.
Financial Forensics: The Audit That Wasn't There (Until It Was)
In what DeSimone clearly considered a "gotcha" moment, he revealed that the city's comprehensive financial report—completed December 27th but released after the Prop 414 vote—showed a general fund increase:
"Total fund balance for the general fund was $391.3 million, which represents an increase of $47.6 million," he read triumphantly from page 27 of the report.
"Now I can do that already," DeSimone proclaimed with the enthusiasm of a detective who's just cracked a case. "Some would say that you guys held the report until after the election."
Of course, he fails to mention that fund balances aren't just spending cash—they include legally restricted funds, emergency reserves, and previously allocated monies. But why let fiscal reality interfere with a good rant?
DeSimone proceeded to mock Mayor Regina Romero's request for input from those who opposed Prop 414:
"She acts like a little prist and goes, 'oh, I want to see all of you who said, who voted no and wanted no, come up with your ideas.' Well, you didn't want their ideas in the first place because you're the queen emperor."
His solution? "Recall Regina Romero yesterday... She's at her lowest right now guys. Hit her while she's down."
Nothing says "civic responsibility" quite like advocating for yet another expensive recall election rather than constructive dialogue. Stellar problem-solving there.
The Goldwater Guardian: Joe Setien Fights Tax Creep
When Joe Setien from the Goldwater Institute joined the conversation, the discussion shifted to Phoenix's attempts to increase the transaction privilege and use tax from 2.3% to 2.8% on services like construction, lodging, and hospitality—a move Setien argued violates the Arizona Constitution.
"The Arizona Constitution protects taxpayers' rights for a reason," Setien explained with the certainty of a constitutional scholar. "And cities around the state ought to stop doing this sort of thing as well and around the country."
When asked about alternatives to raising taxes, Setien offered this rather vague prescription: "Look for creative ways that protect taxpayers' rights, that protect, you know, all citizens' rights, that make sure that you're not, you know, trampling on law abiding people who pay taxes."
Ah yes, the ever-popular "be more creative" solution without actually suggesting any specific alternatives. Helpful.
The conversation highlighted the role of public policy law in challenging government actions. Setien described the Goldwater Institute's process of selecting cases:
"If it looks like it's something that will fit into one of the areas that, you know, we really are looking to work in, then, you know, we might take a look further."
They also discussed Arizona's recently approved Proposition 312, which gives citizens tax credits when governments fail to enforce laws related to homelessness encampments. According to Setien, it's already working:
"We have already seen municipalities in the Phoenix area who have said, okay, we're going to start enforcing the law, or who have actually implemented new laws to crack down on the lawlessness surrounding these homeless encampments."
Funny how "cracking down" on people experiencing homelessness is celebrated, but actually funding housing and mental health services that would address the root causes is considered wasteful government spending.
Number Crunching with Ed: The Tax Man Cometh
The temperature of fiscal conservatism rose several degrees when Ed Eddington from Desert Rose Tax joined in the third hour. With tax season in full swing, Eddington provided his expertise on government spending inefficiencies, particularly those highlighted in Elon Musk's work with the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).
Discussing Musk's findings about government agencies having more software licenses than employees, Eddington contextualized:
"Depending on the software... some specialty software when they're doing some of these contracts, you know, government design stuff, you get into things like AutoCAD and those kind of things, you can [pay] hundreds to thousands of dollars per month for one user."
The conversation turned particularly animated when discussing Social Security's systemic issues, with Eddington sharing the story of Ida Mae Fuller, the first recipient of monthly Social Security checks:
"From spring of '37 to November of '39, she paid into Social Security $24.75," Eddington explained. "Her first check was $22.54, and then she lived for a while and collected about $22,000."
Eddington argued that this example demonstrates how Social Security is "broken," offering most people "a negative return on Social Security."
This conveniently ignores that Social Security was never designed as an investment vehicle but as a social insurance program to prevent elderly poverty—which it has done remarkably well for decades.
DeSimone and Eddington then discussed what they saw as a triple burden on seniors who work while collecting Social Security: they receive potentially diminished returns on their lifetime contributions, their benefits get taxed when income exceeds certain thresholds, and they continue paying into the system.
"If you're over 70 and you're over full retirement age and still working, you shouldn't have to pay into Social Security anymore," Eddington suggested, adding that this "would also encourage employers to continue to employ people that are seniors that need to work."
Tucson Through a Particular Lens: The Three Images
Perhaps most revealing was DeSimone's characterization of Tucson through three images he described as "Tucson in a nutshell":
The "eternal Duraflame" - a continuously burning fire at the Spanish Trail Motel that firefighters had difficulty extinguishing
A collection of allegedly stolen bicycles in a wash near Grant and I-10
A person climbing out of a dumpster with "City of Tucson" printed on the side
"Welcome to Regina's Tucson," DeSimone quipped, in reference to Mayor Regina Romero.
Interesting how these cherry-picked images are presented as the definitive Tucson experience, rather than our vibrant arts scene, world-renowned cuisine, beautiful desert landscapes, or thriving university. But showcasing Tucson's strengths wouldn't fit the narrative, would it?
Beyond the Broadcast: A Community at a Crossroads
As contentious as DeSimone's takes may be, they highlight the very real conversations happening in our community about fiscal responsibility, homelessness, and the proper role of government. The defeat of Proposition 414 reveals a citizenry with complex views on taxation and public services—one that can't be easily reduced to simple partisan narratives.
The reality is that Tucson, like many cities, faces legitimate challenges. Our roads need repair. Our unhoused neighbors need compassionate solutions. Our public servants deserve fair compensation. How we fund these necessities requires thoughtful debate rather than reductive rhetoric.
That's why local involvement matters more than ever. Whether you attend a City Council meeting, volunteer with a community organization, or simply engage in respectful dialogue with neighbors of differing views, your voice shapes our collective future. The solution to Tucson's challenges won't come from a single political perspective but from the combined wisdom and efforts of a diverse, engaged community.
The morning airwaves may be filled with heated words, but on the ground, Tucsonans of all stripes are working together to build a city that reflects our shared values of compassion, creativity, and resilience. That's the Tucson worth fighting for—and it's one we can create together.
What do you think about the balance between fiscal responsibility and meeting community needs in Tucson? Have you seen examples of creative solutions that don't rely solely on increased taxation?
Share your thoughts in the comments below, and let's continue this important conversation.
Quotes:
"They spent a million dollars. They're saying on this thing, the city that has no money." — Chris DeSimone on Tucson's campaign for Prop 414
"I think it's mostly, if you say, look, what's the waste to fraud ratio? In my opinion, it's like 80% waste, 20% fraud." — Elon Musk (quoted on the show) regarding government spending inefficiencies
"The Arizona Constitution protects taxpayers' rights for a reason, and so we really think that they should not pursue this." — Joe Setien on Phoenix's attempt to raise taxes on services
"Most people are expecting a negative return on Social Security. So your investment that you've been putting into for savings your entire working life comes back with a negative return." — Ed Eddington on Social Security's structure
"She's at her lowest right now guys. Hit her while she's down." — Chris DeSimone advocating for a recall of Mayor Regina Romero
"From spring of '37 to November of '39, she paid into Social Security $24.75... and collected about $22,000." — Ed Eddington on the first Social Security recipient, Ida Mae Fuller
People Mentioned:
Chris DeSimone - Host of "Wake Up Live" radio show who strongly opposed Prop 414 and criticized Tucson's city leadership: "I think the other part that's really interesting... do you recalibrate by letting go of your ego?"
Regina Romero - Mayor of Tucson, frequently criticized by DeSimone: "Pride is a hell of a thing."
Joe Setien - Representative from the Goldwater Institute who discussed taxpayer rights and legal challenges to tax increases: "The Arizona Constitution protects taxpayers' rights for a reason."
Ed Eddington - Financial expert from Desert Rose Tax who discussed tax planning and Social Security issues: "The best time to get with us is really November, December. If you want to have a good sit down with your accountant, tax season is not the time to do that."
Elon Musk - Mentioned for his work with the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), finding government waste: "Most of what DOGE is finding, you don't need to be Sherlock Holmes. It's very obvious, basic stuff."
John Post, Tom Murphy, Roxy Ziegler - Mayors and vice mayor who attended DeSimone's St. Patrick's Day party
Smooch the Donkey - An actual donkey at DeSimone's party that he joked about running for CD 7 as a Libertarian
Ida Mae Fuller - The first recipient of monthly Social Security checks, who paid in $24.75 and received approximately $22,000 in benefits
Tim Crawford - Colleague of Ed Eddington mentioned during the tax discussion
Kevin Dahl - City Council member mentioned as campaigning for Prop 414 "during a meeting"
