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Karin’s Ward 3 News and Updates
Friday, July 2, 2021
News and Updates Pet of the Week Ward 3 Neighborhood Association/Coalition Meetings Ward 3 Events City Wide Events Did You Know?
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Dear Tucsonans,
Next week on Wednesday, Mayor and Council will address several important items during the Study Session at 2 pm and Regular Session at 5:30 pm. Included will be updates and discussion on revisions made to the Sunshine Mile Overlay (if you missed our previous overview of the Overlay you may find it here), the ByFusion Blocker plastic reuse building material pilot, the sustainability campus at Los Reales landfill, the annual review of our 5-year traffic safety plan and PFAS monitoring and mitigation. You can view all materials at this link.
In this week’s newsletter the Ward 3 staff have useful information and an important reminder: the federal eviction moratorium ends July 31. Rental assistance for renters and property owners/managers remains available. Read our story below.
In addition, we have information on how residents, who may have a marijuana possession conviction, can have their record expunged under the voter approved Prop 207 and an update on the new federal Child Tax Credit. Please share this information with your family and neighbors.
I hope you have a happy and healthy 4th of July holiday.
Sincerely,
Karin
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Rental Assistance Still Available
For renters and property managers/landlords, the national eviction moratorium will expire at the end of this month. And by all indications the moratorium is unlikely to be extended past July 31. Without that temporary protection, many people in Ward 3 stand to be evicted.
But financial assistance remains available for tenants and property owners. Through the Community Investment Corporation, a local non-profit social service agency, the City of Tucson and Pima County are offering rental assistance. Go to this link: https://tucsonpimaep.com/
Terry Galligan, deputy director for the City’s Housing and Community Development, urges people to apply as soon as possible. “There is no deadline yet, and the City has sufficient funds to assist eligible applicants for the foreseeable future.” Moreover, he said applicants need to communicate with their landlord, and let them know they applied.
“Although the City and our partners are working quickly to process applications, it can take up to four weeks for our partner agencies to process an application. Please be patient,” Terry said.
Qualified applicants can receive up to 12 months of back rent and three months forward of payments. These four documents will be needed to apply for rental assistance:
• State issued ID • Current executed lease • Income documentation • Documentation of COVID impact
Additional documents might be needed, but these four will be required. Take a photo of your documents or scan them so you will have them ready. The application can only be processed once ALL your documents are uploaded, so prepare now and save time. This site has more information.
Nationwide, the number of evictions are expected to soar after the moratorium is lifted. In a recent Pew Trust virtual forum, researchers said that some 70 million households face eviction today. These families and individuals are behind on their rent because of job loss, reduced wages and illness due to the COVID-19 virus. Additionally they face rising rental costs. Locally we are confronting the same coming wave of evictions and family dislocations.
Evictions hit low-income and people of color the hardest. But it is a community-wide problem that affects us all. People who are evicted find it more difficult to rent. Eviction brings on more stress and mental illness, say researchers. And if they can’t find a place to live or stay on someone’s couch, they end up houseless on City streets and parks, and public and private land.
While the U.S. Supreme Court narrowly upheld the federal moratorium, it will disappear. If you need assistance or know of someone who is in arrears, please apply as soon as possible.
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New Child Tax Credit
As part of President Biden’s American Rescue Plan a new Child Tax Credit was created. It is expected to help cut child poverty in the United States. The tax credits will be issued in monthly installments. These funds will assist both the households that receive them as well as contribute to the local economy in which they are utilized. Eligible taxpayers should expect to receive a total of $3,000 per child ages 6-17 and $3,600 per child under 6 years old, for each child claimed on the 2021 tax return. Half of this credit will be paid out early as monthly payments of $250-$300, starting in mid-July 2021.
Eligibility guidelines:
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Income Requirements: $75,000 for a single filer / $112,500 for head of household / $150,000 for married filer. (If your household income is higher, you may still receive some payments.)
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Social Security Number: Children must have a social security number to be eligible. Parents and guardians do not need a SSN to receive payment and can file with an Individual Taxpayer Identification Number.
If you filed your 2020 taxes, the IRS will use that information to understand how many children you have, your income, and banking information for where to send payments. Monthly payments will be distributed in the same way that you received any 2020 tax refunds (direct deposit, IRS debit card). If you did not file your 2020 taxes, the IRS will use information from your 2019 taxes.
For more information go to the IRS page: https://www.irs.gov/credits-deductions/advance-child-tax-credit-payments-in-2021
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Expunging Marijuana Conviction
When Arizona voters last year legalized recreational marijuana, that left some people in a legal lurch. A good number of people had a criminal record for small possession of marijuana when marijuana was illegal. But now that possession of a small amount is legal, why should those with prior criminal convictions continue to be burdened with a record that often prevents them from getting a job or buying a car?
They don’t. People with certain marijuana possession convictions can now have their records expunged, effective July 12. The Pima County Attorney’s Office is pleased to help people expunge these types of records and carry out the will of the voters.
There are generations of folks who have been negatively affected by harsh marijuana laws, said Patrick Robles, Community Outreach Coordinator in the Pima County Attorney’s Office. As a result of criminal convictions for low-level pot possession, peoples lives, including their families, were upended. And studies have shown that the hardest hit with tough sentencing laws were people of color.
To help people clear their records, an expungement clinic will be held at the Harambe Café, 6464 E. Tanque Verde Rd., Saturday, July 3, from 10 am to 4 pm. Participants should take any records related to their case and photo ID.
For those who can’t attend, the Pima County Attorney’s Office has an online document to begin the expungement process. County Attorney Laura Conover, who was elected on a justice reform platform in 2020, believes expungement is a right step towards rectifying past injustices. Conover’s office intends on sponsoring expungement clinics in the near future.
The State Supreme Court also has a web page dedicated to Prop 207 and expunging prior convictions. Eligible petitioners are those who were arrested, charged, convicted or acquitted of any of the following offenses:
- Possessing, consuming, or transporting two and one-half ounces or less of marijuana, of which not more than twelve and one-half grams was in the form of marijuana concentrate;
- Possessing, transporting, cultivating, or processing not more than six marijuana plants at your primary residence for personal use; or
- Possessing, using, or transporting paraphernalia related to the cultivation, manufacture, processing, or consumption of marijuana.
Proposition 207, which legalized recreational marijuana, was passed with about 60 percent of the vote.
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24th Annual Fireworks Celebration
If you are looking forward to watching the fireworks display on Sunday, you will not be disappointed. Desert Diamond Casinos is sponsoring the 24th Annual Fireworks Celebration. There are a few things to keep in mind to help you enjoy the show:
- The fireworks will begin around 9:15 pm but you can arrive early and take advantage of the free parking at TCC parking lot B (off Cushing St between Granada and Church Aves) beginning at 7 pm. Free parking will also be accessible all day Sunday at the City/State garage and at meters throughout the downtown area. Paid parking lots in the Mercado District will be available for a $5 fee.
- There will be limited access to Sentinel Peak Road beginning on Saturday, July 3, complete with road closures. Please refer to the City of Tucson website for details.
- City Transit will be free. The streetcar will provide access to the TCC, the Mercado District and Ronstadt Center about 30 minutes after the display. Don’t forget, masks are required to ride public transit! Monday, July 5, buses will run on a holiday schedule.
We have heard concerns about fire safety during this extreme fire weather. Fire Chief Chuck Ryan is working with a number of City departments to mitigate risk of fire on A Mountain and is confident that there will be a great display AND a safe experience for onlookers and the environment.
Pima Animal Control Center says its busiest day is July 5 because dogs can feel anxious and scared from the fireworks. Sometimes they get loose and run away during fireworks displays. You can help your furry friend to keep cool during the Fourth of July firework celebrations by following some simple suggestions:
- Never take your pet to a fireworks display.
- Keep your pet safely away from fireworks. It's best to leave your pets safely indoors, preferably with a radio or TV turned on to soften jarring noises. Even pets who are usually kept outdoors should be brought inside.
- If you can, stay with your pet to help keep them calm.
- Make sure they are licensed and microchipped and have a current ID tag in case they do get lost so that you have a better chance of being reunited with them.
- If your pet gets lost, call PACC at 724-7222 to file a report.
- There are also several ways to check for missing pets online. The first is via Facebook by clicking here. The other is via this website.
Last year PACC took in 40 dogs and 11 cats between July 4-6. Please keep your pets safe this holiday.
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Hernandez
Meet Hernandez. Hernandez is a sweet, little guy who came to PACC with 30-or-so other small dogs who were all living in the same home in not-ideal conditions. He may need some help with potty and leash training and should be kept separate from resident pets when feeding. While most of these pups are pretty scared, they're becoming more comfortable, confident, friendly and social. Still, being handled and spending time around people are new to them, so they appreciate it if you go slowly and let them get comfortable. Hernandez is sharing a kennel with a bunch of his friends and doing well. If you are looking for a special little guy who needs a patient and loving home, ask about Hernandez today.
If you are interested in adopting Hernandez, please submit an adoption survey and visit Pima Animal Care Center during regular business hours. Please email pacc.adopt@pima.gov with additional questions.
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Ward 3 Neighborhood Association/Coalition Meetings |
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Mountain 1st
Saturday
July 10
9 am
zoom
Alvernon/Grant Initiative
Tuesday
July 13
6 pm
Zoom
If you would like to attend the Monthly Zoom AGI meeting, send an email to paloverdena@gmail.com with your request by Tuesday, July 13, at 12 pm.
Limberlost
Saturday
July 17
10 - 11 am
Zoom (details to follow)
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City Council Meeting
Tuesday
July 7
Click here and go to "Mayor & Council Meeting Live" to watch! (To watch past meetings, visit the City of Tucson YouTube page. This is also where future meetings will be live streamed.
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Self Help Marijuana Expungement Clinic Saturday July 3 10 am-4 pm Harambe Café 6464 E Tanque Verde Rd #150
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Southwest Gas Relocation Construction Project
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Financial Assistance for Preschool
Pima County and its partners in the Pima Early Education Program (PEEP) are offering financial assistance to eligible low-income families for their children to attend high-quality preschools through Pima Early Education Program Scholarships, or PEEPs.
The scholarships are available for children ages 3 to 5 who are not yet in kindergarten. Preschools are enrolling students now at 170 locations across Pima County for classes that begin as early as July.
For information about financial assistance and/or finding a high-quality preschool for your child, please call Child Care Resource & Referral’s (CCR&R) Child Care Information Line at 1-800-308-9000, Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., and Saturday from 8 a.m. to noon. You may also conduct an online search via CCR&R’s website at www.azccrr.com.
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Environmental Services Holiday Schedule for July 4th
The 4th of July holiday will be observed on Monday, July 5, 2021. Residential trash and recycling will not be collected on Monday. Every City of Tucson resident will have their trash and recycling collected one day late that week. City commercial customers will not be affected and pickup will be normal the holiday week.
The Los Reales landfill will be open on Monday.
City offices will be closed on Monday, July 5, but residents can leave a message for Environmental Services Customer Service at 791-3171 or send an email.
To receive trash, recycling, and Brush & Bulky collection reminders and view your schedule, download the free Recycle Coach App on your smartphone.
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Deadline to Register to Vote in Tucson Primary
The deadline for City of Tucson residents to register to vote in the Aug. 3 Primary Election is Tuesday, July 6, 2021. This is due to Monday, July 5, being a national holiday for Independence Day. Voters will cast ballots for candidates in Wards 3, 5, and 6.
To register to vote or to check your voter registration status, visit the Pima County Recorder’s website linked below, or contact the office at (520) 724-4330. Pima County Recorder Tucson City Clerk's candidate list
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Blacklidge Bicycle Boulevard Preliminary Design-Tell Us What You Think
Tucson's Department of Transportation and Mobility (DTM) wants to hear from you. Tell DTM what you think about the preliminary design for the Blacklidge Bicycle Boulevard project in Ward 3. The planned and funded project extends from Oracle Road to McCormick Park for a total of 4.5 miles, connecting to five parks and four schools. The bike boulevard uses a low volume neighborhood street to expand our citywide, low-stress biking network by creating an east/west route to jobs, neighborhood destinations, schools, and parks.
This project is part of the Prop 407 Tucson Delivers Strong Connections Program, which uses voter-approved bonds to fund improvements to parks and construction of new bicycle and pedestrian routes.
Project website English Survey Spanish Survey Tucson Delivers
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Meet Me At The Park
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Last spring Parks & Rec piloted a free outdoor recreation program called Meet Me at the Park. We offered free classes at six parks in Tucson. They want to offer more classes this fall, but want to hear from you to find out what types of classes and at what locations you are interested in taking them. Take the survey here. |
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The Latest on COVID19 Vaccinations in Pima County
Get answers to your questions about the COVID-19 vaccine. Check out the FAQ's to find up-to-date information on distribution, safety and much more.
Upcoming open mobile vaccination clinics -- no appointment needed
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Operation Splash Underway
Tucson's monsoon started officially June 15. As weather patterns shift to bring moisture into Tucson, crews from the City of Tucson Department of Transportation and Mobility (DTM) Streets Maintenance Division recently delivered barricades to hundreds of dip crossings throughout the city. Protecting the public on city streets during Tucson’s summer thunderstorm season is the objective of the Operation Splash campaign. DTM staff is on call 24 hours a day, seven days a week, through mid-September. As washes flood, crews will close roadways at dip crossings and washes using more than 500 barricades near the crossings.
FREE SAND BAGS FOR MONSOONS - DTM will also assist residents concerned with flooding by offering free, self-serve sandbags:
Bring your own shovel.
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New Hours for the Community Food Bank
The Community Food Bank will close for inventory this past Thursday, July 1st and will not offer emergency food distribution on that day at its Tucson location and all other resource centers. Beginning Tuesday, July 6, new, earlier food distribution hours will take effect with the Food Bank opening one hour earlier for emergency food distribution from 7-10am on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays at 3003 S. Country Club in Tucson.
The change represents a small adjustment from the previous hours of 8am-11am to maximize distribution in the cooler morning hours.
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