[{"_1":2,"_111":-5,"_112":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87,99],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6264553,"mediaKeyId","3096291-279799900b208594855c57277e4d02a7","parentId",3096291,"title","County and city task force proposes $8M opioid spending plan; Tucson council urges faster move on sobering center","audioSeconds",1623,"startMs",3437000,"endMs",5060000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3096291-279799900b208594855c57277e4d02a7&start=3437&end=5060","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3096291-279799900b208594855c57277e4d02a7/thumbnail_3437000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6264553/Tucson-City/Pima-County/Arizona/County-and-city-task-force-proposes-8M-opioid-spending-plan-Tucson-council-urges-faster-move-on-sobering-center","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6264553-4177599bb8399d7cefd238e6eeb42f30/orig.mp4?Expires=1771136938&Signature=cmv8S4oEsTRlozY1uTpwk1ST5KLyvRC8Pi~dZITR~gFeUnz~AqZOr-Ht6zmOBPyv-M~Sywo2H-dSVQOOzIULZPxU476d9Fri9A5rkZd7FVuQhgCBXlXpDqYGkVqnB1vMmvjZdSbZN8Sm0P33~HclhM926PHuJIslfgom8WBWDsn2cATnUxNzOOqfqaRaInm1PcHP2WKP7o2quXm8JTE9yr6II3ywSeHcitHUFGb0Y0c88QobpyHBarTuvCvus9TMyP9dOVU4kOlslMW86nA9EdQORR-EQAIzFFYMNBELz4IsAC0vhIJ4rl~kxrfGRIzvj-26YIy8rmTD0KZDFFULYg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Tuscon City, Arizona","date","2025-04-23T16:54:52.57Z","article","Pima County Health Director Teresa Cullen and the Regional Opioid Settlement Advisory Committee (ROSAC) presented a draft plan April 22 for how local opioid settlement dollars would be spent across the city and county. The committee’s recommendation proposes using roughly $8 million in a first funding tranche (one-third of a projected $24–$85 million total settlement pool) to support youth prevention, peer navigation, transitional wrap‑around supports, co‑response for law enforcement, innovation grants, and planning for a sobering center.

Why it matters: Council members and many public speakers stressed immediate community needs — especially the absence of a local sobering center and rising overdose and unsheltered population challenges. Several council members argued the sobering center should be prioritized and receive additional early funding from the pooled settlement dollars. The council voted unanimously to ask ROSAC and the County Board of Supervisors to reconsider their recommended priorities and to return within 30 days with more focus on urgent sobering center startup funding and earlier implementation.

ROSAC’s process and recommendations
- ROSAC convened representatives from the City of Tucson, Pima County, Town of Marana and South Tucson, along with community and subject-matter experts, to assemble priorities and a rubric for scoring proposed investments. The committee emphasized evidence‑based measures, impact on vulnerable populations, and sustainability.
- The advisory group proposed a package of priorities to be funded across three years (dividing an assumed $24M allocation into three $8M tranches as a planning construct). The initial $8M tranche focused on: youth prevention; peer navigation and case‑management expansion; transitional wrap‑around supports (housing, transportation, food during treatment); law-enforcement co‑response and peer‑navigator support for first responders; innovation funding; staffing the regional coordination effort; and a planning grant for a sobering center implementation study.
- ROSAC noted the total pool remains uncertain because some settling parties are insolvent; staff estimated the region might receive $80–$85 million per earlier communications but warned the final total could be lower.

Council and community push for a sobering center
Council members from across the dais urged ROSAC to accelerate plans and add more funding for a sobering center — a staffed facility offering medically supervised sobering, withdrawal management, peer navigation and linkage to treatment — that could house people short‑term (pilot beds established quickly, scaling up over time). Council members and public speakers emphasized rising overdose activity and the urgent needs of unsheltered residents with substance use and mental health disorders. Several asked ROSAC to return with a clearer, accelerated-cost estimate to start a pilot within months rather than years.

Motion and vote
At the end of the presentation the City Council voted (motion and second) to ask ROSAC and the County Board of Supervisors to reconsider the recommended allocations and fast‑track funding for sobering center planning and startup. The council’s motion carried unanimously; members also scheduled a focused meeting with regional law‑enforcement, county and court leadership to coordinate operational pathways for people who might otherwise cycle through arrest or emergency care.

Next steps
- ROSAC will finalize a consolidated RFP and scope of work and said it expects to publish grant solicitations and evaluation metrics. The committee plans to return to the jurisdictions with more detailed scopes, budgets and metrics for evaluation; council asked for more urgency on sobering‑center implementation funding.
- The council also set up a Monday meeting between Tucson, the County Board chair and justice system leaders to align options for diversion, booking, and alternatives to incarceration.

Ending: The county’s public health director urged investment in a mix of prevention, peer support and “creative solutions,” while council members emphasized that a sobering center could be the missing operational element to divert people from arrests and hospitalizations and to stabilize unsheltered neighbors in the weeks ahead.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Tucson Mayor and City Council Meetings APR 22, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","Pima County and city officials presented a draft regional opioid settlement spending plan April 22 that earmarks an initial $8 million tranche for youth prevention, peer navigation, transitional supports and planning work, including a sobering center study.","taxTitle","Tucson City, Pima County, Arizona","taxId",2572,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6264549,"City and TEP agree to 'letter of intent,' start public engagement on energy collaboration and reserve November ballot placeholder",2000,12420000,14420000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3096291-279799900b208594855c57277e4d02a7&start=12420&end=14420","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3096291-279799900b208594855c57277e4d02a7/thumbnail_12420000.jpg","/articles/6264549/Tucson-City/Pima-County/Arizona/City-and-TEP-agree-to-letter-of-intent-start-public-engagement-on-energy-collaboration-and-reserve-November-ballot-placeholder","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6264549-704ea208d94231a482c4a4e4735a0bab/orig.mp4?Expires=1771136938&Signature=Xq3bYCSf10sGMGcMMs7Jc37OR7o3xjhY8VjYBPLaFAXmj8saZ0TF2mQHnimZq1Ro4uPlU9pLHl3GG4HB5kOfIlhKKG6nLXQYFR1METfW9JdXJZU8N5kKLYr6HaU7xte48YsF5Wx2yoSFi-rD67pOqMCfyWC-tUyvMGprFpi68uOxP-tuXYwz8IOfR4~UZOzHFBpzwk00C67ZFDPWkeNH3S0RzSYgaj2ODs1M~yoOOo0~cVilhLuNT7qNDOoLqJ~R8~AKNzA3SQgP-ah~t86FlrVoTEonUpGdRAwarMnl1-OaRPkKcXwZit6N0YhJNTgiLkkrAi7ZG1maUX3rIUkW~w__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","City staff reported April 22 that the city and Tucson Electric Power (TEP) have exchanged a letter of intent laying out mutual commitments to continue good‑faith negotiations on a new franchise agreement, an energy collaboration agreement (ECA) and near‑term pilot projects including a Donna Liggins microgrid pilot and a city green tariff for municipal operations.

What the letter of intent frames
- The letter of intent summarizes the parties’ intent to negotiate: (1) the franchise that governs a utility’s use of city right‑of‑way; (2) an ECA that would specify collaborative climate and resilience commitments (for example clean energy procurement, resilience projects and community benefits); (3) a pilot battery‑energy storage / microgrid project at the Donna Liggins site; and (4) a green tariff allowing the city to buy a fixed percent of renewable power for municipal needs.
- Staff said TEP participated in three public town halls in April and will take part in additional engagement; city staff is preparing materials and a framework for a second engagement phase starting immediately.

Public engagement and schedule
- The city hosted three town halls to solicit priorities — clean/renewable energy, resilience (microgrids and backup systems), affordability and protections for low-income customers ranked highly — and will host four additional events (English/Spanish, in-person/online).
- City staff expect to craft a draft ECA for public comment after phase 2 engagement; a later phase will publish a final draft for public comment on the Climate Action Hub.

Franchise election placeholder
- Because Arizona law requires six months’ notice to call non‑candidate elections, staff asked the council to place a placeholder on the November 4, 2025 ballot today to preserve the option of a franchise vote that month. Council approved the placeholder by unanimous vote but staff emphasized the action is a timing step and not a commitment to final language — community engagement and drafts of the ECA and franchise would continue before any final decision.

Donna Liggins microgrid and green tariff
- Staff described an ongoing effort with TEP and the Pacific Northwest National Lab to scope and pilot a microgrid/battery energy storage system at the Donna Liggins transit/resiliency site. The pilot would support a community resilient hub and could be funded in part through grants.
- A proposed green tariff would allow the city to purchase a defined percentage of renewable power for city operations; staff said a $300,000 per‑year estimate for the tariff is already included in the manager’s recommended budget.

Why it matters
- The package seeks to align TEP investments with city climate and resilience goals while preserving public review. The placeholder election vote keeps the November ballot option open but does not otherwise narrow the terms or require council to finalize a franchise in November. Councilmembers emphasized the importance of community engagement and transparency before any final ballot measure.

Next steps
- Staff will continue phase 2 community engagement immediately, post a draft ECA for public comment after that phase, and then return to council with final materials and options; staff tentatively plan a planning report and follow‑up in May and a later public hearing depending on progress.

Ending: city staff said the LOI reflects mutual interest in working together on decarbonization and resilience while committing to a robust public process and a future possible franchise question for voters.","City staff and Tucson Electric Power circulated a letter of intent and launched a public engagement process April 22 on a new franchise, an energy collaboration agreement and a Donna Liggins microgrid pilot; council approved a November ballot placeholder to preserve the option of a franchise vote.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6264558,"City manager presents FY26 recommended budget with $2.4 billion total and $16.3M proposed employee investments",3384,816000,4200000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3096291-279799900b208594855c57277e4d02a7&start=816&end=4200","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3096291-279799900b208594855c57277e4d02a7/thumbnail_816000.jpg","/articles/6264558/Tucson-City/Pima-County/Arizona/City-manager-presents-FY26-recommended-budget-with-24-billion-total-and-163M-proposed-employee-investments","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6264558-3c54f849c86db9b464660b7d60cb422e/orig.mp4?Expires=1771136938&Signature=Wuf4Vw3plMxV~G4hDCpr27V~LsNGgjlWeKCrPQ3TFL8cgFDbA0hKDACRqfUX6aRO0C~AMx1o5mZYaemNtk49nhJDWSZZxonBikIRdw8kxB4cXVRXcdyEAo0-kLSFgSWAG-PAArhAZR16tHVjbPZ6-d6J0LKLSVsIl4Mmlll3N7n03wNazOmAoak4ROD3n~63OBhDfUPalNUlOuZv0wIJaIoDawfkyRs-ZfBYnwDjquiYXbvpXEj868UR3eu5QwxkVVQfuaT-v~MkLmJxSz9MduTnbi5xpxm36D0ywfDfEFi~2USTen2dV0HuTTCS4GHUK-ga5qLefNFGCnRUKXjuug__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Tucson City Manager presented his first recommended budget for fiscal year 2026 during the April 22 council study session, proposing a $2.4 billion citywide budget with roughly $750 million in general fund spending and an emphasis on employee pay and retention.

The recommended budget includes $16.3 million in general fund employee investments for FY26, continuation of a multi-year compensation plan, market adjustments for multiple classifications (including Tucson Fire and Tucson Police), and an in‑range pay placement process. The manager also recommends a change to the city’s reserve policy, replacing a percentage-based rainy day reserve with a flat $142 million general fund policy reserve and a package of $6.6 million in proposed new revenues (public utility tax options, a higher hotel-motel surcharge, possible naming-rights proceeds for the Tucson Convention Center and other fee changes).

Why it matters: the package is presented as a “balanced” FY26 recommendation but occurs amid several revenue pressures — a multi-year decline in state shared income tax receipts following a state flat-tax change, recent softness in sales tax collections, and uncertainty about federal competitive grant funding — that will affect multi-year projections. City staff said they expect to end FY25 with a positive year-end balance (est. $78.8 million unrestricted cash) but warned that without near-term policy choices operating deficits reappear in later years of the five‑year forecast.

Key revenue and policy points
- General fund: ~$750 million spending (without transfers) and about $70–75 million in transfers to other funds; manager said “you can say between $750 and $800 million and be in the ballpark.”
- State-shared income taxes: the state forecast presented to the city shows a decline from $144 million in FY24 to an updated forecast of $108.9 million for FY26, a multi-year drop the manager described as roughly $35 million lower than two years prior.
- Proposed new revenues: the manager included $6.6 million in prospective new revenue measures under mayor/council control (public-utility tax options, room tax surcharges, TCC naming rights, park and recreation fee changes).
- Reserve policy: staff propose changing from a percentage reserve to a flat $142 million “rainy day” policy, to provide predictability in a volatile revenue environment.
- PSPRS pensions: the manager proposes continuing general fund and Section 115 trust contributions and recommends a partial “pay‑ahead” toward the unfunded liability ($7.6 million proposed this year, with a target of $15 million annually in future years).

Expenditure and one-time items
- $19.5 million in recommended increases to base budgets (including capital funds, Thrive investments, software licensing). Software licensing increases were listed at $1.44 million; staff agreed to follow up on the baseline total software licensing spend.
- $12.5 million in one-time items and carryforward allocations, including elections and rehab carryovers.
- 25 recommended general fund position additions (including 911 call takers, 14 firefighter positions, and a Somos Uno project manager), offset by 36 position reductions overall as part of an ongoing realignment.

Public and council reaction and next steps
Council members noted the importance of both protecting reserves and exploring new revenue options (including parking and a downtown mobility enterprise and possible adjustments to parking rates/hours). Several members urged caution on the magnitude and speed of new fees and wanted more public engagement before final adoption. Staff said the city will continue daily revenue monitoring and has instituted a “hiring frost” to control vacancy and recruitment pacing.

Timeline: the manager said the budget will continue through May 6 study sessions, an initial public hearing May 22, and a final June 3 adoption with final tax action June 17.

Ending: staff emphasized the five‑year view; under the recommended package FY26 is roughly balanced but future years may show operating shortfalls unless the council adopts additional revenue or expenditure measures.","Tucson City Manager presented his first recommended budget for fiscal year 2026 during the April 22 council study session, proposing a $2.4 billion citywide budget with roughly $750 million in general fund spending and an emphasis on employee pay and retention.",{"_33":100,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":101,"_41":102,"_43":103,"_45":104,"_47":105,"_49":106,"_51":107,"_53":108,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":109,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":110,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6264544,"Council approves Casita Village rezoning after flooding debate; developers had promised additional modeling and basin dedication",950,15690000,16640000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3096291-279799900b208594855c57277e4d02a7&start=15690&end=16640","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3096291-279799900b208594855c57277e4d02a7/thumbnail_15690000.jpg","/articles/6264544/Tucson-City/Pima-County/Arizona/Council-approves-Casita-Village-rezoning-after-flooding-debate-developers-had-promised-additional-modeling-and-basin-dedication","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6264544-fe327aec6dae24b248da4610b66633dc/orig.mp4?Expires=1771136938&Signature=Z8d8uD2lLWb6rs~OJKglj6TdNsUl92FPeeYtwvVGlpf9Mf2707t0tvMwcmXvfUcz7JYyDnlBAk8f4ZNf3QwL2l5Y6UOnLF9r~wcIqZsaH27sg-Uywi0~cnq5ah5K4nH2fpAU0eWdpBg6gBzRw8Ecr~uq8eAbEFIQUl6mZX5jXFmZ7BrYPwDwD5wRMvS2s7-f-IR-Dj7Vf2pVE7xbdD0pRRYjOX7mWtIRRd6~jx572H6C5jK7wqaSBcTVDEhICexWnVQmtf3tyJ3ijV83xXotAVnUQZGy4WqYrGQLK74JLYd358TLLGEfmXEmlB3IgaQly-Rvz4lu4Rtg4QKksIUHxw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Council authorized the rezoning of roughly 19.8 acres for the Casita Village at La Mariposa after an extended hearing and dispute over upstream flooding risks and the adequacy of hydrologic modeling. Pima County and city staff, the developer’s engineers and neighborhood experts debated the modeling and whether the project would raise water surface elevations offsite.

Developer commitments and ROSAC-style review process
The developer agreed to several measures during an extended pre‑council process: an updated, higher‑resolution topographic survey and hydrology; submission of a CLOMR to FEMA; increased detention/retention sizing (developer committed to 120% of code requirement for retention basins); and an agreement to dedicate an adjacent 11‑acre area (the former polo fields) as a regional recharge/detention basin under Pima County Flood Control management. Developers also re‑configured the plan to move living units out of the 500‑year flood areas and bring buildings out of the 100‑year floodplain.

Why it mattered: flood risk and public debate
Neighborhood groups and independent consultants, led by a hydrologist retained by Bear Canyon Neighborhood Association, said the models relied on dated FEMA hydrology and urged the council to delay rezoning until new hydrology and more advanced modeling (3‑D capabilities) could be reviewed. Developers and city/county reviewers said the project used current engineering practices (2‑D hydraulic modeling), the updated topography and FEMA/County review processes and had not created new flooded properties in the FEMA regulatory mapping; FEMA approved the CLOMR the developer submitted.

Council action and rationale
The council debated the technical issues and broader neighborhood concerns and approved the zoning authorization 6–0 after staff and the developers described the additional mitigation (larger basins, CLOMR, and proposed dedication of the 11‑acre recharge basin) and after the developer agreed to move living units out of the most at‑risk flood areas. Several councilmembers said the basin dedication and river‑edge open space increased their confidence that regional mitigation measures were in place.

Next steps
The zoning authorization requires the developer to meet conditions listed in the record (submitting final development plans, hydrology confirmations and compliance with FEMA/Pima County requirements) before final subdivision approval and building permits are issued. Bear Canyon and other community groups signaled they will continue to review technical submittals and to seek continuing oversight of construction work and flood protection implementations.

Ending: The vote ends the rezoning chapter but not technical review. Council members and staff said that as construction moves toward permitting, city floodplain, Pima County Flood Control and FEMA will continue to review final engineering, and residents will have opportunities to review and comment on those subsequent steps.","After months of dispute about flood risk, Tucson Mayor and Council authorized a rezoning April 22 for a 162‑unit Casita Village at La Mariposa contingent on larger retention basins, updated hydrology and an 11‑acre recharge/detention basin dedication.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

County and city task force proposes $8M opioid spending plan; Tucson council urges faster move on sobering center

City and TEP agree to 'letter of intent,' start public engagement on energy collaboration and reserve November ballot placeholder

City manager presents FY26 recommended budget with $2.4 billion total and $16.3M proposed employee investments

Council approves Casita Village rezoning after flooding debate; developers had promised additional modeling and basin dedication