I hope you’re hanging in there on this most blustery day in Tucson! The Ward 6 team and I are catching our breath on this crisp autumn Friday and wishing you well as we head into a very busy time of year. 

Last Saturday was a beautiful day to be out in the community. After swinging by a midtown canvass launch, I met up with W6 Council Advisor Lisa at Thunderbird Heights’ annual neighborhood association meeting. 

Connecting directly with neighborhoods is such a fun part of my job. Some of the Thunderbird residents took us on a short walk to look at a nearby wash in need of repair, and we discussed possible strategies and next steps. We really appreciate opportunities to have conversations with people and hear their perspectives about how to improve their neighborhoods and help more of their fellow community members thrive.  

Later that day, my wife and I (and 4-year-old puppy) took the streetcar downtown and walked over to Armory Park for Poets in the Park. What a beautiful event! You can check out the chapbook online here: POETS IN THE PARK 2026. There was a sudden downpour partway through, and it was so sweet to huddle under the bandshell with everybody. Here’s a couple of snapshots Julius Schlosburg took of me with my friends Emily and Elva, as well as my sweet wife Maass. And I had to take a photo of how pretty the bandshell looked at night.

On Tuesday, the morning flew by. We had our regular monthly check-in with Planning and Development (PDSD), and topics included the CODE Tucson update as well as upcoming agenda items related to Living Landscapes (to grow a healthier urban forest by helping new homes and businesses collect rainwater and plant trees and other plants native to the Tucson area), and updates about the City’s VANS program (Vacant and Neglected Structures).  

We also had a couple of internal planning meetings, and I spent some time that afternoon thinking and planning for the next day’s presentation to a group of UA Public Health graduate students.  

It was so much fun to start Wednesday off with those graduate students in Professor Ingram’s Public Health Advocacy class. Hearing each student describe what drew them to the field and what they’re working on was so energizing, and I always love talking to people about why it’s important and impactful to engage in local issues. It was also great to have W6 Council Advisor Lisa there to share about how she applies her Public Health background to her work. Thank you to Maia for the invitation! 

More meetings happened throughout the day, including a prep call for a panel I’ll be serving on next week hosted by the AZ Capitol Times called The Real Cost of Deportation. The discussion will examine new data, real-world perspectives and the economic impacts and trade-offs associated with deportation. You can register to attend the virtual roundtable called The Morning Scoop here.

Later that day, Lisa and I headed to the Visit Tucson 2026 Annual Meeting at Starr Pass. It was a fabulous event. The first part consisted of a presentation of their annual report, and then we all headed outside for the reception. I always love bumping into Downtown Tucson Partnership (DTP) President & CEO Crystal Moore. We’re so excited about Halloween on Congress Street! 

Thursday continued in the vein of the previous days and went by in the blink of an eye. In the morning we met with a large group to continue progress on getting a stormwater park built at a nearby underutilized parking lot and had a productive meeting to push forward some next steps.  Then I jetted downtown to join Pima County and the Downtown Tucson Partnership in announcing Supervisor Cano's new See YOU Downtown initiative where we announced the Car-Free Congress Street Halloween Pilot plus several new coordinated efforts to provide a safer and more accessible experience downtown.  And, in the spirit of seeing YOU downtown, I ran into some colleagues! Pictured below, Arizona State Senate Minority Leader Priya Sundareshan and Senator Analise Ortiz.

It’s Friday afternoon as I wrap this up, and I’m looking forward to getting out to 4th Avenue again later to stop into businesses to talk and listen. Victoria from our beloved W6 Chill Space is coming with me, so I hope you’ll say hello if you see us out and about. We'll be holding on to our hats so they don't fly away. 

Fortunately, today’s high winds are expected to settle down a bit right around 6pm-- just in time for the first-ever SPLENDOR happening tonight at Armory Park. SPLENDOR is a series of community-driven live music events in the new Armory Park bandshell. Concerts are free to the public and all ages. Many thanks to organizer Laurie Starr, the Tucson Food Truck Roundup, and Rio Nuevo for making it all possible. Hope to see you there! 

And of course it's Tucson Meet Yourself this weekend! I am especially excited to check out the reimagined footprint for the event, encouraging us all to explore deeper with micro-pavilions and the Smithsonian "Of the People" Village. We are the people and I resonate deeply with the symbolism of these words this year. 

In community,

At the request of Council Member Schubert, Mayor Romero, and Vice Mayor Santa Cruz, the Department of Transportation and Mobility (DTM) will share information about the upcoming Congress Street closure set for Halloween on Saturday, October 31, 2026, and other related pedestrian-focused street closures. The opportunity for a Halloween closure this year was also raised by Downtown Tucson Partnership and Tucson Police Department in July 2026, recognizing that this year’s Halloween falls on a Saturday and will likely bring even higher attendance than past years. During Study Session, staff will revisit a 2014 Congress Street Circulation study and review cost considerations, potential funding sources, and case studies from other communities with pedestrian-focused street closures. (You can also read more in the press release about the Congress pilot closure below, under Policies and Programs of Note!) Council Member Schubert is a big supporter of pedestrianized streets and looks forward to a robust conversation on how we can move quickly from pilot to permanent streets for people. 

Planning and Development Services Department (PDSD) staff will also provide an update about proposed CODE Tucson ‘26 changes to the Unified Development Code (UDC). Staff previously completed a first round of code amendments in 2023, primarily to address duplicative or confusing processes. At that time, Mayor & Council requested repeating the process again in two years. The proposed code amendments being discussed today were informed by:

• two online surveys,
• two community meetings,
• stakeholder briefings, and
• written comments over the past eight months.

The current proposal includes 78 specific code amendments, with the largest number of changes falling into the Emerging Land Uses and Adaptive Reuse, Code Clarity and Usability, and Simplify Review Process categories.

Over the past two months, the Planning Commission also held two study sessions and a public hearing, recommending conditional approval – their conditions will also be reviewed during the item. No final decisions about approval or adoption are expected at this meeting, but staff are requesting Mayor & Council consider setting a public hearing for November 17th. 

Other items set for the agenda’s include an IGA regarding the Tucson Police Department’s participation in the Arizona Vehicle Theft Task Force grant which is being revisited from its original consideration in August after Council Member Schubert raised concerns about data sharing and privacy (M&C voted to continue the item for 60 days in order to gather additional information); the monthly update on Strategic Initiatives Related to Unsheltered Homelessness; the results of an independent economic analysis for a new hotel development in Ward 5; and more.   

As always, our office welcomes feedback, questions, and concerns, particularly about items on the upcoming agenda. Feel free to call or email us – ward6@tucsonaz.gov. 

Restaurants, bars, entertainment venues, and cultural spaces in and around the pilot area will remain open and accessible during the closure. The pilot is intended to improve pedestrian safety and movement while maintaining access to downtown businesses and transportation services.  

"This pilot has been years in the making," said Crystal Moore, president and CEO of the Downtown Tucson Partnership. "With Downtown Links complete and our transportation and public safety partners aligned, we can finally put years of planning into practice. Our nighttime merchants have been instrumental in this effort, and their continued collaboration is helping us create a safer, more vibrant downtown for everyone."  

Read the full press release here: Halloween Night – Congress Street To Close To Vehicles As City Pilots Pedestrian-Focused Downtown Space

Many neighbors have reached out to the Ward 6 office recently to provide feedback about shelter care zoning. Currently, the City is in the early stages of a public process to collect community input before proposing any new or updated code amendments.  

This effort to start exploring potential changes to shelter zoning codes was initiated by Mayor & Council earlier this year, in part due to the limited number of emergency shelter spaces available in Tucson. The 2026 Point in Time Count identified 683 individuals sleeping in emergency shelter and 1,269 sleeping without shelter, and according to data from City staff and our Emergency Shelter Dashboard, our community only has 20-40 emergency shelter beds available on any given night. Our Safe City Task Force, a group made up of representatives from nonprofits, faith groups, law enforcement, courts, and behavioral health, also identified expanding shelter resources as one of our top six opportunities for improving community health and safety.  

For those interested in this topic, we recommend completing the Planning and Development Services Department (PDSD) survey about community priorities - also note that the deadline was recently extended, and the survey will now close on Sunday, October 25th: Shelter Zoning Standards in Tucson 

In the coming months, City staff will be reviewing survey results and community feedback in order to develop draft edits to the City’s code. Additional community meetings, discussions, and public hearings are set for early 2027, and information about the full process can be found on this PDSD webpage: Housing & Homelessness Emergency and Shelter Care Code Amendment City of Tucson

To qualify, businesses must: 

• Be located in the construction work zone of a selected City project corridor. 

• Have been located in the project corridor for at least six months before construction began. 

• Have a current City of Tucson business license. 

• Be a local independent business. Local franchises may qualify if they meet applicable employee and revenue limits. 

• Have 25 or fewer full-time equivalent employees. 

• Have annual revenues less than $2 million. 

• Meet the program's requirements regarding eligible business activities. 

• Not have previously received the same grant type for the same selected project. 

Prospective applicants are encouraged to attend upcoming Technical Assistance and Education webinars, via Microsoft Teams, on: 

• Tuesday, October 20, 2026 | 1 p.m. 

Learn more, and register for webinars, on the Ready Steady Open webpage: https://www.tucsonaz.gov/Departments/Transportation-Mobility/Ready-Steady-Open 

Prop 421 – Franchise with Tucson Electric Power Company 

This proposition is focused on the franchise agreement with Tucson Electric Power (TEP), a subsidiary of Canada-based Fortis. A franchise agreement is a legal contract that gives a public utility permission to use city rights of way such as streets, alleys, and easements to build, maintain, and repair infrastructure needed to provide their service. The franchise agreement does not contain rate change information, as the City government does not have the legal authority to set rates prices. Utility rates are regulated and approved separately by the Arizona Corporation Commission. 

Tucson voters previously rejected a proposed franchise agreement in 2023. According to news articles published at the time, many pointed to controversy surrounding infrastructure funding in regards to the Midtown Reliability Project, 0.75% resiliency fee, and lack of intentional climate impact mitigation efforts as major factors contributing to the rejection. Following the voters’ rejection, the City and TEP re-entered negotiations to update a proposed agreement, resulting in this new proposition. 

If passed, Prop 421 would: 

• Allow the City to enter into a 25-year franchise agreement with TEP 

• Give TEP the permission to build, maintain, and operate electric transmission on public rights-of-way.  

• Include the 2.25% franchise fee to customers that also existed in the 2023 agreement. 

• Trigger a voluntary Energy Collaboration Agreement (ECA) 
  
  

Alphabet Soup! 🫨🍲 What’s an ECA? 

The Energy Collaboration Agreement’s (ECA) primary provision is a negotiated amount of $2 million per year from TEP to invest in local sustainability projects. The agreement also states that the funds will increase 2% each year. According to an article from AZ Luminaria, the full 25 year term of the ECA is estimated to contribute $64 million for projects such as bill assistance for low-income households, increased tree canopy, resilience hubs with solar battery storage over 25 years, and more. The ECA’s funds come directly from TEP corporate – meaning they cannot recover these costs through customer utility rates or fees. However, the ECA is contingent on the full franchise agreement and will only take effect if Prop 421 passes.  

Prop 422 - Reauthorization of a one-tenth cent (0.1%) transaction privilege (sales) tax and use tax with revenues dedicated to the Gene C. Reid Park Zoo. 

This proposition asks voters to reauthorize an existing sales tax allocation to fund the Reid Park Zoo. The zoo is a public/private partnership between the City and the Reid Park Zoological Society.  

Tucson voters approved the original tax in 2017, and over the last 10 years it brought in between $3.6 to $8.4 million a year to aid in zoo operations, exhibit expansion, capital improvements, and educational programs. Some of these efforts did raise concerns from constituents, particularly when expansion plan drafts discussed the removal of Barnum Hill and the much-loved duck pond. Residents pushed back, and Mayor and Council voted to approve an alternative plan that did not impede Reid Park amenities in May 2021. Proposition 422 would allow the Zoo to maintain their current trajectory, with funding to carry out that alternative plan, along with other expenses related to operations, infrastructure, and more. 

If passed, Prop 422 would: 

• Reauthorize the existing 0.1% sales tax for 20 years 

• Use the collected monies to fund capital improvements, infrastructure repair, exhibit expansion, operations and maintenance 

As is the standard process, any major changes in use of the dollars will have to be included in the Zoo’s Master Plan Update, which goes before Mayor and Council.  

What’s Your Plan? 

So on that note – what’s your plan to vote? The Pima Votes website, a cooperative effort from the Pima County Recorder’s Office and the Elections Department, offers key information to inform your decision in one place, from early voting to election day to FAQs. Here is a rundown of three pathways, using info from that site: 

• Mail ballot back early: If you received an Early Ballot through the mail, it can be mailed back using the Postage Paid Yellow Envelope included with the ballot. No stamp needed – simply drop in a USPS box or to your mail carrier. Be sure to mail back it at least a week early (by Tuesday, October 27th). 

• Drop off ballot early: Early ballots can also be dropped off at any Early Voting site. Most of these locations are open 8am-5pm through the end of next week and then have adapted hours (Emergency Voting) during Election Week. See below for the list of sites, days, and hours. Additionally, seven Ballot Drop Boxes are available for 24/7 drop off access – that info can also be found below.  

• Vote on Election Day (Tuesday, November 3rd): On Election Day, registered voters can vote at any Vote Center across the County. Early ballots can also be dropped off at any of these locations on Election Day.

You can also use this interactive map to identify a potential voting site (early, ballot box, or vote center) and verify that it’s open when you plan to use it: Pima County Voter Information Map 

Key Ward 6 Town Hall Questions  

1. How can people report observed issues related to voting? 

Speakers were careful to note that two different offices are likely the best contact, depending on when an issue arises. For issues related to early voting or early ballot drop off sites, the Pima County Recorder’s Office is the best contact. 

On Election Day, the Pima County Elections Office takes the lead and is the best contact. Additionally, speakers shared that there will be coordinated response effort that day, with staff from multiple departments and municipalities all connected on one communications thread (ex. Pima County Elections Office, Tucson Police Department, Pima County Sheriff, City Attorney, County Attorney, etc.). The best contact for most voting centers (polling sites) is likely the on-site Elections Security Supervisor, who is trained to verify infractions and can escalate appropriately and as needed. But the group also shared that a good central contact for reporting Election Day issues is the Pima County Elections Office, which you can call at: (520) 724-6830. 911 calls will also be looped into the communications chain. 

2. How are local offices preparing for potential election interference? 

Speakers shared that legal teams, law enforcement, and elections/voting operations teams from across the County have been meeting frequently to stay up-to-date on the latest developments related to the election. They are also developing plans for numerous “scenarios” that have happened before – or could potentially happen in the future – in order to develop clear plans, chains of commands, and responses to prepare our community as much as possible. 

3. What’s needed from the community? 

The speakers voiced a request for the community to report potential issues using the pathways noted above, particularly if it appears that people are being dissuaded or prevented from voting. Timely reporting, along with key observed details, should be prioritized – along with a strong preference for first-person reporting (ex. what you observed, not necessarily what you heard someone else observed.) They also encouraged people to seek and verify info from trusted sources (see below for a few key websites!) - and to make a plan to vote. 

Additional Resources 

• Pima Votes Site: Again highlighting this resource from the Pima County Recorder's Office and the Elections Department! You can use this site to find voter information, polling & vote center locations, live ballot processing, election results, and more. 

• Become a Poll Worker: A poll worker is a county resident who works at one of Pima County’s 100 Vote Centers on Election Day and is paid a stipend for training, time, and travel. Learn more about eligibility requirements and how to apply at the link.   

• Monitoring and Observing Opportunities (Indivisible Tucson): Additional opportunities to serve as an observer and monitor can assist in ensuring that our elections remain fair and secure. Indivisible Tucson’s webpage includes a helpful rundown with additional information and next steps. 

• Info Sessions: Speakers at our session, particularly the Tucson Police Department, offered to join future sessions with groups to answer questions if it might be helpful. If you’re interested, reach out to ward6@tucsonaz.gov and we can help connect you with next steps. 

‘Tis the season for community clean ups! Ward 6 staff is working with Team Up to Clean Up on three upcoming community events. Team Up to Clean Up is our citywide initiative to keep neighborhoods safe, clean, and beautiful. So far this year (as of earlier this week), the Team Up to Clean Up crew has already collected 3,422 bags of litter over 90 cleanups, utilizing 700 volunteers.  

The City of Tucson Team Up to Clean Up webpage includes information about how to organize your own event and connect with City of Tucson support, such as supply requests for gloves, grabbers, and trash bags and coordinating trash pickup and disposal. We also invite community members to join Ward 6 staff at one of our three upcoming clean ups – flyers also found below! 

Fourth Avenue Cleanup (organized by the Mayor’s Office!) 

Friday, October 23rd 

9-11am 

Meet at Haggerty Plaza (316 N 4th Ave) at 9am 

More info and register here: Friday, 10/23 4th Ave. Clean Up 

 

Speedway/Alvernon Area Cleanup 

Thursday, November 5th 

8-10am 

Meet at Cactus Jack Car Lot (3925 E Speedway) at 8am 

More info and register here: 11/05/26 Ward 6 TUCU 

 

Armory Park Area Cleanup 

Thursday, December 10th 

8-10am 

Meet at corner of 3rd Ave / 12th St at 8am 

More info and register here: 12/10/26 Ward 6 TUCU

Join the City of Tucson’s Environmental Services team and Ward 6 staff for a Recycling 101 session! 

The Recycling 101 Workshop is a 60-minute educational session exploring how we can reduce waste and make more sustainable choices at home, at work, and in our community. Participants will learn Tucson’s recycling guidelines for paper, metal, plastic, and glass, along with ways to reduce, reuse, and recycle correctly. The workshop also covers waste diversion options and proper household hazardous waste disposal. Join us to discover simple ways to help create a more sustainable Tucson!

 

Recycling 101 with Ward 6 

Thursday, October 28th  

5:30 – 7:00 PM 

In-Person: Ward 6 Office – 3202 E 1st Ave 

Virtual Link: Microsoft Teams - https://teams.microsoft.com/meet/239794755359483?p=BYhB29rnCYik1HkKql  

Meeting ID: 239 794 755 359 483 

Passcode: bn2Xn65J 

Feldmans, YOU'RE UP NEXT! 

DTM will be in the Feldmans neighborhood (Tucson Heights & Highland Park Addition) to begin prep work for a mill and pave project.    

This project is part of the Prop 411: Tucson Delivers Better Streets Program. Please see the attached postcard mailed out to residents this week and project area map.

Here is the link for the Tucson Heights & Highland Park Addition project website: https://arcg.is/0Oz9j1 

If changes are made to the project schedule, we will immediately update the above link.    

Ward 6 is happy to share information about upcoming Neighborhood Association and community coalition meetings in our newsletter. If we are missing a meeting that you are used to seeing here, please reach out ward6@tucsonaz.gov to help us keep our list updated!  

 

Literacy Connects - Call for Volunteers

Do you want to make a difference in people's lives? Are you looking for a fulfilling way to feel connected to your community? 

Literacy Connects is seeking volunteer coaches to help children become confident readers and volunteers to help adult students with basic literacy, GED prep, and career goals. 

Visit literacyconnects.org today to help change our world for the better. 

If you are familiar with the Transit App, you may notice that the Pro features that are typically an extra cost are now included for FREE in the City of Tucson and surrounding Sun Tran service areas. 

If you are not familiar with the Transit App, you can watch Sun Tran’s explainer videos: 

Download Transit 

How to Use the NEW Sun Tran App 

Note: if you press *GO* for your route, you will be asked to complete a user survey, where you can give valuable feedback directly to Sun Tran about your ride.  

• Website: Allows you to see all your options for Request Category in one easy-to-navigate place. You can also choose the location of your request on an interactive map: https://www.tucsonaz.gov/Residents/311-Service-Request-Portal 
• App: Gives you the ability to input your request category, intersection, and email address to receive an immediate email confirmation that your request was submitted. Under the "Requests" tab at the bottom of the app, you can also see a map of all existing map of all the existing 311 contacts your neighbors and fellow Tucsonans have submitted across the city, request status, and submission date.
  
• Call: And of course, as always - you can dial 311!