According to unofficial results, Tucson voters have rejected Proposition 414, a measure which would increase local sales tax by half a percent to a total of 9.2%, in order to pay for improved public safety programs.
Despite safe communities being a policy priority for Our America, we did not endorse this proposal. Our America’s Arizona Grassroots Director Paul Parisi explained, “Proposition 414 would place an undue burden on Tucson families and small businesses who are already struggling with housing affordability and high inflation.”
In January, Parisi told KVOI radio that it’s a matter of priorities.
“Let’s look at the surrounding communities like Sahuarita, Marana, and Oro Valley. I was on the Oro Valley Town Council during the 1990s and we were going through a really bad financial period. When I joined the council, the population was 14,000; when I left, it was over 40,000. The money didn’t catch up with the growth. But we bit the bullet and funded public safety—police at 100%—and they’ve continued to do that every year. Even the most liberal town councils in Oro Valley have done it, and it remains the safest community in Arizona. Marana and Sahuarita do the same.
“Those three communities actually receive less money than Tucson because Tucson has a property tax, and they don’t. So how are they able to maintain pristine parks, well-maintained roads without potholes, strong public safety, and low crime rates—while Tucson spends its money on buying hotels for homeless people who refuse to get off drugs? What is the priority? Parisi asked.”
America was built on the idea that every person is entitled to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. This timeless idea is fundamental to creating a better society.
Yet, crime is one of the most pressing obstacles to achieving the American Dream as countless talented young Americans are lost to crime. As cities fail to promote safety, they fail to build ties which bind communities together and instead create a culture of fear and distrust among Americans.
The key to achieving safer streets and a brighter future lies in a combination of police and criminal justice reforms.
