Tucson balanced a $2.466B budget, kept buses fare-free after a dramatic 3-4 vote, and got proof that STAR Village cuts crime by 35%. Full April 21 council recap.
Tucson Just Balanced a Budget the Feds Are Trying to Break
On Earth Day eve, your city council spent ten hours refusing to abandon the people who need it most. Here’s everything that happened — and why it matters.
by Three Sonorans
Imagine this: you’re Gina Renfroe. You don’t own a car. You’ve never owned a car. The bus isn’t a lifestyle choice — it’s how you get to work, to the doctor, to the grocery store. On April 9, you and your neighbor Vanessa Gallego stood outside Tucson City Hall with hand-lettered signs because someone, somewhere in that building, was thinking about charging you to ride.
Twelve days later, on April 21, the council voted. The buses stay free.…