Imagine Greater Tucson 2010-11 Phase I Community Conversation and Survey Statements Related to A reduced influence of special interest groups and balanced participation across the community

1	100% literacy through 100% participation
2	A sense of community/neighborhood is important and encourages participation with a low-density population
3	Access to various outdoor activities (hiking, biking, etc.) and spectator participation in various levels of athletics from public schools through the university programs
4	Broaden community participation
5	Business roundtables: every council ward holds one - encourages community participation and positive speaking so people share their ideas. As participants, we go home and can speak more positively about our community to our families, friends, etc.
6	City of Tucson mayor and council and Pima County administrator and supervisors are showing very poor leadership and should all be replaces with compentent leaders that represent the people of the community and not special interest. Special interests (developers and money interests) are give most everything they want at the cost to the tax payers and community people.
7	City of Tucson needs to enforce all of its codes (land use, building & ordinances) instead of looking the other way or interperting their codes in favor of special interests, which they currently do. This includes getting compentant staff in lieu of the current system of nepitism and good old boy hiring practice.
8	Cut funding to special interests
9	Diversity of opinion and life experience informs the quality of my decisions and my participation in public life
10	Encourage more participation from the entire community
11	Encourages tourism, community participation, intellectual employers and employees, quality of education, standard of living
12	Everyone loves a good idea, but nobody wants that good idea in their backyard. We need to unify behind a vision for our community, and stop small special interest groups from blocking progress towards that vision.
13	For the 30 years I have lived here, I and everyone I know have been complaining about local government. For Tucson to achieve its potential, we need intelligent, forward-thinking representatives who can rise above reacting to special interest groups who get them elected.
14	Foster broader community participation in the enhancements
15	Get rid of the special interest influence on City
16	Government participation/action
17	I feel special interest groups have too much power in influencing our leaders. We need to focus on what this state was founded on (the 5 “C”) and stop allowing the “loud voices” to dictate our state/ county’s progression in providing jobs and essential natural resources that are demanded by the world economy.
18	I think so much can be done in Tucson, but our leaders seem to waste so much money planning and replanning and figuring out how to come up with the best plan that makes everyone in the community happy, when really not everyone is happy. Just small interest groups that always have the county's and city's ear are happy. Good leadership will truly create jobs and a better community, because they can make decisions that will help the community grow in a sustainable way. And sustainable does not mean in a way that is just environmentally friendly. It is a way that brings economic stability (jobs), and social stability (places to go like professional sporting events, parks, and places to eat). The leaders in the community are great at saying no to or messing up things that would bring economic and social stability, while at the same time of only focusing in on the environmental side of sustainability. We need good leaders that can act for Tucson, not for the special interest groups.
19	I voted for Rio Nuevo a number of years ago and find the actual implementation to be an absolute disaster - Tucson just hasn't gotten its act together at all. I prefer to support the arts through my direct purchases of items or participation in events or through personal contributions.
20	I would like our 'aide' organizations to be strong again, to have participation from the public via volunteerism, to have the funds to provide the material needs for those in need.
21	I'm tired of the Grijalva political machine, that works tirelessly against open political participation. King-makers don't support community success, just personal success. Thanks Grijalva for 'Boycott Arizona'- wasn't that helpful for all the people in financial distress/disaster.
22	Image of Tucson has been destroyed by the special interests
23	Improve and increase civic participation
24	Increase community participation
25	Increase involvement and participation of teens/youth in community-building
26	Increase participation of youth in Park and Rec ativities
27	Increase the number of youth and the opportunities for children so as to avoid gang participation
28	Lack of participation
29	Lack of participation in planning for the future
30	Less small special interest groups with power
31	Maximize everyone's participation by dealing with basic issues; so food and shelter are not so much a drain on their resources and they can concentrate on their overall wellbeing
32	More communtiy participations on all events
33	More strategies to motived community participation...
34	Part of being a part of this PACE classroom is that being respectful and participatory is key. It's more than a prerequisite, it's about democracy -- if we want democracy it requires participation -- the polls and voting are the least important, it's about the daily actions
35	Power of neighborhoods and special interests
36	Quit helping out all the poor people and the small special interest groups.
37	Sense of high community interaction (high participation in neighborhood organizations) Big in Tucson, rare in other areas
38	Small special interest groups seem to determine the future of the city, instead of strong leadership and a clear, dynamic vision of what kind of city residents want Tucson to become. Talk is much more prevalent than action.
39	Stop pandering to the special interest groups.
40	Strong comm = citizen participation
41	The governance of both the city and county is frustrating. Taxes are too high for everyone, especially businesses. Because of that the whole area is not growing and stagnant. The governance is too weak and refuses to cut hand-outs to pandering special interest groups to focus on the core services.
42	The high degree of participation by individuals in politics, issues and challenges which affect the community.
43	The local arts scene is vibrant and intersting and there are lots of opportunities for community participation
44	The state does not invest in education - many people are unaware of issues. an uneducated population creates problems. many tucsonans are apathetic and do not get involved. government is run by special interests.
45	The tax base and fee structure does not pay for the infrastructure. Development fees and taxes are often waived to special interests and put on the home owner tax payers to pay for the infrastructure the needs to be paid by special interests. This raises taxes to the poor in favor of the rich.
46	They routinely set up and encourage shadow bureaucracies in the form of Neighborhood associations and committees. This allows for radical special interests to drive the agenda an for the City government to shirk accountability. A council person was elected. They should make the decisions and be help accounted for them, not some 'citizen's' committee
47	Those elected in the city and county stand solidly for working families not special interests
48	Throw out the mayor & council & real estate special interests
49	To many special interests watching out for themselves and not for community as a whole.
50	Tucson has on of the most vicious, mean spirited political climates I have ever seen. Incestuous and seemingly locked into special interests.
51	Tucson is a great place to live and the special interests have smeared it's image because they don't like those who we elect
52	Uncontrolled growth is the result of the power of the special interests
53	We missed a huge opportunity to change our city government from one that is totally beholden to special interests who have a stranglehold on them to oppose any change, unless that change involves more spending and favors for the politically connected. That is how Tucson works. It's got to stop.
54	We need new leaders who put the community ahead of political ideologies and special interests. Who are honest and have a clear vision for a better future.
55	We need to act now. Make changes now to tired and outdated modes of thinking around our use of resources. It's not hard, it just takes education and awareness to make improvements in our community. Be bold about putting what's best for our community to thrive long term, not cave to pressure from special interest groups.