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Access Tucson Update September 23, 2010
Now Open for Checkouts!

digital field production
Access Tucson is opening up for field production equipment checkout. Please call us at 624-9833 Wednesday through Friday 2-6pm to schedule an appointment.
 
You must have a current project and a Digital Field Production Certification or be working with another member with DFP certification.
 

We hope to follow this service shortly to include Studio and Editing hours.
 
Your Patience Is Appreciated
 
Thank you for your patience. It continues to be a battle for the very existence of Access Tucson. The City budget is currently being discussed by Council Members, weighing the Core Tax Committee recommendations and some of their own plans.

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How this will ultimately impact Access Tucson remains to be seen. The Access Tucson staff has been hard at work to make sure that our organization is considered during these budget deliberations.

We have submitted a proposal to City leaders that would have Access Tucson work with high school students to cover the City council meetings. This is not only a very valuable way to include youth in governance, but would save the City over $200,000. We are trying to be part of the solution to this budget crisis.
 
Be Part of the Process

You can be a part of this decision-making process. The City Council listens to their constituency. If you have not let them know that Access Tucson's continued existence is important to you-and why it is important to you-please take the time to do so (see below).
 
Bob Kovitz on the marchWe are not giving up ground on the issue of direct funding from the cable operator. We believe that the $1.38 listed on subscribers' bills should, at least in part, be identified as funding for Access Tucson as it states on the bill. 

We are however looking at the very real budget crisis that the City of Tucson finds itself in and what that could mean it terms of current and future funding. Access Tucson should be looking at ways to diversify its funding base so that no single entity can threaten its mission and very existence. We are pursuing ways to better position this organization for the future and this immediate urgent situation.
 
Give Us Your Input

As any member-based organization should, we are asking our base to weigh-in on what you think is most important about this community resource, for now and for the future. The Transition Committee is looking to finalize a survey that will be widely distributed. Through the survey, we can learn what services are highly valued.
Contacting Mayor and Council
 
We ask that you continue to contact the Mayor and Council about these important points:

1. Preserve community media because it's the only remaining means for citizens' access to television as an outlet for free speech.

2. The Access Tucson budget has been systematically cut since 2002. This is part of the methodical dismantling of Tucson's public voice.

3. Cox subscribers still see PEG Access fees on their bill. Where is this money going if not for PEG services? At best this is misleading, at worst it's a bait and switch tactic.

MAYOR AND COUNCIL CONTACT INFORMATION

You can call the Mayor and Council comment line at 791-4700 which gives callers a menu to reach the individual offices of City elected Officials. Please stay on the line and designate the office you wish to leave a message with by entering the Ward number (i.e., 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, or 6). Please note that you will need to make seven phone calls to leave a message for each council member and the mayor.

Or you can try emailing them all at once by clicking here (may not work with all email programs). If you use Outlook as your email program, you may have to change the commas into semi-colons. Also, a blank webpage may open. If it does, just close it and your email window will be there.

See the information below if you would like to just talk with your own City Council representative.

Individual Mayor and Council contact information:

(520) 791-4201

(520) 791-4040

(520) 791-4687

(520) 791-4711

(520) 791-3199

(520) 791-4231

(520) 791-4601

If needed, you can go to City Scan to find out which City Council member represents you.

Two Core Services Tax Forums on TV!

Election Day is coming and there are some important propositions on the ballot. Watch Access Tucson to get the facts and then, vote smart.

core tax forum
On September 9th, Access Tucson hosted Studio A Live: Core Services Tax Televised Forum. The panel answered some tough questions from the studio audience as well as callers about Proposition 400, the proposed half-cent Core Services Tax that would be dedicated to funding core services like Police, Fire and Parks and Recreation.



With a $50 million dollar budget deficit, the City will be forced to terminate 659 city employees and many services from the Tucson Police and Fire Departments, Parks and Recreation, City Court, Public Defender and City Prosecutor's offices- if the Core Services Tax (Proposition 400) fails at the ballot box.

core tax forumThe panel included Roberto Villaseņor, Tucson Police Chief; Patrick Kelly, Tucson Fire Chief; Mike Letcher, City Manager; Fred Gray, Director Parks & Recreation; and Roberto Bedoya, Executive Director Tucson Pima Arts Council. Bob Kovitz, Chair, Access Tucson Board of Directors will moderate.

If you missed the forum, catch it on Access Tucson.

Cablecasting October 1st through November 1st
M/W/F at 8pm
Tuesdays at 7am
Thursdays at 12pm
All on Access Tucson channels 74 (Comcast) and 99 (Cox)

Ward Six Town Hall on 400 and 401

Steve KozachikAccess Tucson also covered a Town Hall hosted by Council Member Steve Kozachik on September 16th. This Town Hall presented information about Proposition 400 (Core Services Tax) and Proposition 401 (Tucson Charter change).

Catch a replay of the Ward 6 Town Hall and be informed.

Starting October 3rd through October 31st
Tuesdays at 8pm
Thursdays at 8pm
Sundays at 7pm
All on Access Tucson channels
74 (Comcast) and 99 (Cox)

Remember, early voting starts Thursday, October 7th and Election Day is Tuesday, November 2nd.

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Celebrating 26 years, Access Tucson strives to provide the highest level of public media access service to the community. We facilitate the expression of ideas, opinions, and perspectives through electronic media. By tuning in to public access, viewers are discovering their own communities, alternative news and information not influenced by corporate or government interests.

All Tucson public access channels are operated and controlled by Access Tucson.  Access Tucson is an independent, nonprofit corporation and is not an agent or affiliate of Cox Communications, Comcast or the City of Tucson. 

Cox Communications, Comcast, the City of Tucson and Access Tucson are prohibited by law from controlling the content of programs on public access channels.  They are not responsible in any way for the content of public access programs, and are not liable for any material cablecast on public access channels.  Public access users and producers are solely responsible for and have complete control of the content of their programs. 

You can produce your own program and use this channel to share your message with the community.  Go to accesstucson.org or call (520) 624-9833 to find out how.