COMMENTARY: Urban Agriculture is a win-win for Tucson

Dark red background, white text reads: "KEEP CALM AND FARM ON. Support Tucson's proposed Urban Ag zoning changes."

The Tucson Urban Agricultural Zoning Amendment looks solid and well written, with language that leaves it flexible and open to changes as they become needed by growers. I like that it addresses the sale of food to both neighbors and stores/farmer’s markets which is hugely important. I signed a petition for the amendment (below) and …

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Privatized Services Cost Taxpayers More than Government Funded Services

Closeup of dollar bill

This article was created by editing down and rewording the articles that are linked throughout—Ed In 33 of 35 cases the federal government spent more on private contractors than on public employees for the same services.  Bad Business: Billions of Taxpayer Dollars Wasted on Hiring Contractors * Health Care: Markups of 100%….1,000%….100,000% In his most …

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Tucson Merchants’ Demand is Unconstitutional

photograph of John Cooper speaking at Homelessness forum

Read John Cooper’s full letter to Tucson’s Mayor and Council—Ed The very purpose of a Bill of Rights was to withdraw certain subjects from the vicissitudes of political controversy, to place them beyond the reach of majorities and officials and to establish them as legal principles to be applied by the courts. One’s right to …

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Police as Drug Recognition Experts. What could go wrong?

OCCUPIED TUCSON CITIZEN Some serious errors can be fatal while others just result in life-changing havoc. For Gavin Douglas, AKA Gadget to five grandkids, life as a master metal worker, sculptor, and driver is over. These days he can’t be counted on to even recall his grandchildren’s names. “I think they just stereotyped him,” Mary …

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Market Based Health Insurance Solutions Won’t Work

Health Care Robbery from www.ampminsure.org

OCCUPIED TUCSON CITIZEN The Affordable Care Act (ACA), commonly known as “Obamacare”, does not adequately address the rising costs of healthcareand insurance. It retains the market-based insurance model responsible for a substantial portion of the rise in costs and does not have a long term plan to deal with our aging population. In fact, the …

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