Imagine Greater Tucson
Phase I Data Gathering

Jewish Federation – Table 2
Tucson Hebrew Academy - 3888 East River Rd,  Tucson
Date of Conversation: Tuesday, January 11, 2011  Time: 6:30 – 8:00 PM
Facilitator: Patrick Hartley  Recorder: Michelle Crow
Number of Tables: 1  Number of Participants: 12
 
Theme 1. Culture
 What do you like the most about our community/region?
  Lifestyle
  All of the arts, plays, and entertainment in the greater Tucson community
 What do you most want to change or improve about our community/region?
  Better Newspaper
 
Theme 2. Business
 What do you most want to change or improve about our community/region?
  Better shopping
  Greater business involvement with the community
 
Theme 3. Environment / Conservation
 What do you most want to change or improve about our community/region?
  More conservation of water- no lawns
  Less sprawl
 
Theme 4. Transportation
 What do you most want to change or improve about our community/region?
  Get rid of traffic cameras
  Road structure - the layout of the roads
  Infrastructure - roads
  Traffic congestion
  Traffic
  Improve transportation
 
Theme 5. Community
 What do you like the most about our community/region?
  Close community
  Community feel
  Community spirit - open to all; easy to build friendships
  Small feeling of the community (it's character)
  Still feels like a small town
  Small town feel
  Simplicity of living
  The cohesive Jewish community
  Community feeling
  Compassionate people
 Why is this important? How does this affect you?
  Weather creates a good mood
  It's slower paced here
  We have a laid-back lifestyle
  We are not fighting for every piece of real estate here in Tucson like in other places
  Each city has its own feel based on its main industry
  The sunny weather contributes to a favorable mood
  We don't have a high-pressure lifestyle, so we have more cordial relationships
  Other cities have reputations (example: New Yorker - people are 'pissed off' and 'too busy'). That is not the feel that is here in Tucson
  Is it the size of the city or the people that are here that make it have that Tucson feel?
  You can get involved in what you want
  In other big cities people are rude. They are not interested in helping you; here people stop and help you
  There is only 2-3 degrees of separation in Tucson
  Always can find a connection to another person and place
  We know each other
  Tucson feels nothing like Phoenix
  Brings closeness
  We help each other
  It's nice to feel like a community and talk to people
  Lot's of mom and pop businesses
  Even though we are getting larger, we still feel close
 
Theme 6. Religious life
 What do you most want to change or improve about our community/region?
  Start temples in the Northwest
 Why is this important? How does this affect you?
  People are moving to the northwest, a temple will give us the ability to maintain the Jewish community there
  We need to have temples where people are moving
 
Theme 7. Outdoors
 What do you like the most about our community/region?
  Access to outdoors
  Weather
  Outdoor recreation opportunities
  Mountains
  Mountains/hiking
  Outdoor space
  Weather
  Outside recreation opportunities
  Outdoor spaces
 Why is this important? How does this affect you?
  It's related to our health and it lowers are rate of obesity (the exercise and recreation opportunities)
  Expensive housing being built in the open space is not good
  It's what keeps people here and we need to protect that
  So much public land here and it's fully accessible
  We need to protect open space and the county has been short sighted in protecting that open space
  Tucson wouldn't exist without the weather
  Opportunities to join outdoor recreation clubs
  Started coming here on vacation and it led us to stay here
  Lot's of outdoor opportunities
  Love to hike
  The mountains are fabulous
  Brought us to Tucson
 
Theme 8. Provincialism
 What do you most want to change or improve about our community/region?
  Small town mentality when it comes to municipal government and infrastructure
  Small town thinking
 Why is this important? How does this affect you?
  Some of the charter schools are failures - but some are exceptional as well
  There are areas that don't need to be "small town" such as our local government, yet they still act that way
  Can you have one without the other? The "small town feel" and "provincialism."
  Don't want an LA. I like the small town feel, Provincial has a negative connotation and don't think that term applies
 
Theme 9. Education
 What do you most want to change or improve about our community/region?
  Strengthen education
  More state funding for education
  Education - an emphasis on K-12
  More emphasis on better education
 Why is this important? How does this affect you?
  We should support charter schools
  Private and charter schools are the wave of the future, provide more choice for parents and students - and charter schools are available to all in the community regardless of income
  Anything that increases choice is better for the system
  The education system is an embarrassment
  The funding of charter schools needs to be addressed, they are unlicensed an unsupervised and take funding away from public schools. 32% of students transfer back from charter to public schools.
  Arizona is ranked worst in the US
  Crime rates are higher with drop-outs
  An increase in social services
  Opportunities are not good for our kids
  If the drop-out rate is high, there is no workforce
  You lose a generation of kids
  Move more people around
  The university system
  Cut down pollution/preserve unique feel
  Attracts businesses
  Education is related to so many of the other topics that we have talked about
  Stronger families


Monday, January 17, 2011