Last Tuesday Mayor Walkup and the Tucson City Council reversed
their previous decision to move Tucson 12, the City government access channel
into the Access Tucson building. The move was supposed to save money but by the
time the City's General Services department tallied up the costs, there were no immediate savings. They rough-estimated that it would cost between $513,000 and $818,000 for minor modification of the facility at 124 E. Broadway and to move the ten Tucson 12 employees
and their equipment in.
Hunker DownBecause the City is in such deep financial trouble and the
prospects for next year are bad to worse, City Manager Mike Letcher told the
Access Tucson Board that there is no money to move anyone anywhere and that both
Access Tucson and Tucson 12 need to "hunker down and try to survive." Letcher
was also instructed by the Council to take a look at a proposal made by the management of where Tucson 12 is currently located and paying rent, The Pioneer Building. The Pioneer Building management proposed to move Access Tucson into their space with Tucson 12 and to
buy the city-owned Access Tucson building.
Pennies on the DollarThe area around Access Tucson is undergoing
change
with the soon to be
constructed Tucson Electric Power building on the
site of the former Santa Rita Hotel, the recent announcement that Janos will
open a restaurant in the former Barrio Food & Drink location and other businesses renovating space
in the area. City real estate advisors recently informed the Council that it
should not sell it's property now at the bottom of the market and that
speculators and "bottom-feeders" are out there trying to buy for "pennies on the
dollar."
Furthermore Michael Keith, the newly-named CEO of the
Downtown Partnershipalso believes that property values will increase as well, citing a Marshal Vest report stating that Tucson's Real Estate
prices may recover significantly in the next three years.
Weathering This Economic DowntownWith all of this lack of funding and uncertainty, one thing
is certain - Access Tucson is in dire need of financial support from its members
and the community. The People for Access Tucson Foundation is about to step up
its fundraising efforts but don't wait to be asked. You can contribute right
now by clicking on the donate button.
You will help make
the difference in Access Tucson weathering this economic downturn and surviving
until funding from the City resumes.
Budget for July
Although the City Manager's
budget for July is not due out for a few more weeks, it seems sure that the
recommendation will not be more than $303,000. That is the amount that was
promised this year--$758,740 reduced by 60%. And remember, Access Tucson only received $379,370 this year because all funding was cut half way through the fiscal year. Compare these amounts to about $1 million
awarded just a couple years ago. And for those comparing Access Tucson's
funding to that of Tucson 12 -- theirs is over $900,000 this year.
Sticky Situation
That
brings us back to that sticky situation of the cable license and that $1.38
monthly charge for PEG (public, educational and government) Access that Tucson
Cox subscribers pay. Well, according to Cox, they just hand the money
($5,250,000 a year) over to the City and don't really have any say how it is
spent. The City says the cable revenue goes into the general fund and is
allocated yearly in the budget process. The City claims that the language in their
agreement with Cox which says that the City will apportion the estimated $1.6
million a year (roughly about the same as what that $1.38 per month per customer
generates) for PEG capital actually means it can choose to apportion any or all
of that amount to PEG capital and it chooses to apportion none of it to PEG
capital. Access Tucson has made an inquiry about this seemingly unusual
interpretation of the cable license agreement to the City Attorney but has yet
to receive a response.
Mail in Your BallotAll of these matters are under discussion by the
Access Tucson Board of Directors, a 15 member body of community volunteers nine
of whom are elected by the membership. If you are an active member you will
soon receive a ballot in the mail. Please take the time to read the information
provided by the eleven candidates running for four Board seats this month. Mark
your ballot and return it in the mail in the envelope provided to the certified
public accounting firm that will count the votes and provide the tabulation at
the annual meeting on Thursday May 13 at 7pm. Come to the annual meeting and honor our
many volunteers and participate in an interactive discussion about the state of
Access Tucson. Your views and ideas are welcome.
L and H Shorts: Michael's Knight 
Due to the fact that there has been no funding for Access Tucson since December,
Access Tucson is no longer able to rent the western half of the parking area
next to the building. The Fenton family, its owner, has blocked access to that
part of the lot.
