2 min readSpecial thanks to Msgr. Tom Cahalane, Dan Linhart from the Teamsters, Fred Yamashita from Pima Area Labor Federation and Dan Beckman from Rising Tide. Also, thanks to Council Members Karin Uhlich and Paul Cunningham for joining us at the party. This was a small victory in the war for transit justice! The result: the City Council did not raise the bus fares! They are gonna take more than $1 million from the transit budget at their August 9 meeting but it gives us time to work with them, especially Councilman Paul Cunningham, to make sure that bus fare increases don’t

3 min readCall the City Council today (especially Uhlich, Romero and Cunningham) and tell them: DO NOT RAISE BUS FARES!!! And Please attend the Bus Rider rally/party on Tuesday, May 17 at 5 pm at City Hall. The birria, rice and beans will be delicious! In addition to bus riders, speakers will be: Msgr Tom Cahalane, Pastor, Our Mother of Sorrows Catholic Church Fred Yamashita, President, Pima Area Labor Federation Dan Linhart, Chief Steward, Teamsters Local 104 So you know, the action around this issue will probably take place at the Mayor and Council Study Session that afternoon at approximately 2:30 when

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4 min readBy Sarah Launius, PhD Candidate at the School of Geography and Development at the UA On May 17 at 5:30pm Tucson’s Mayor and Council will review bus fare increases to get $440,000 additional dollars from the transit budget. It’s not a lot of money for the City of Tucson; heck the Star reported last fall that the City of Tucson gave the Bourn developers a tax incentive valued at $748,000 to finally develop the lot at 20 E Congress Street. That same amount could easily cover the hikes that bus riders are now being dealt. The budget ultimately is a

2 min readMaria Cadaxa, originally from Brazil, is a retired midwife and a Bus Rider Union member since the beginning of the BRU! “So sorry! Couldn’t make last night’s city council meeting. I was simply too tired after a long day. But I did go to the Sun Tran public meeting at the main library, and got some info. Those folks are hopelessly disorganized. Meeting was scheduled for 11am and they didn’t turn up til 10 past, then spent a half hour setting up and put a newbie up front to talk, barely knew the issues and wouldn’t accept questions (didn’t know the

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< 1 min readThese are pictures of Zaira with her mom, her bro Pancho Paz and School Board members Adelita Grijalva and Emiliano Juarez. She volunteers here at Casa Maria with her mom La Morenita, Amalia Tovar! May she go on to graduate from Tucson High, the U of A, and then return to light up our barrio! VIVA ZAIRA! ______________________ ZAIRA HIZO LA LISTA DE HONOR EN SAFFORD MIDDLE SCHOOL! Ella es voluntaria en Casa Maria con su mama La Morenita, Amalia Tovar! Esperamos que Zaira graduara de Tucson High, the U of A y que volviera a la barrio para ayudar

2 min readOn Monday April 11th, I had the privilege of praying and participating at Mass with the Casa Maria community.  It is always such a beautiful time and never without surprises.  Our celebrant and dear friend, Msgr Tom, invited me to share a little about the needs of our homeless youth and young adults in Tucson.  I have been volunteeringwith StandUp For Kids in Tucson for about 8 years and welcome any opportunity to speak about this work and more importantly about these kids that I truly love.  I have to admit, when I was first called out, I thought “wait, this is Brian’s turf and these

7 min readBy Sarah Launius PhD Candidate and Researcher in the School of Geography and Development at the UA Dear Reader, It is with apologies that I share that I gave bad information on the extent of the new Broadway bus pullout delays that bus riders will bear. City staff finally communicated at the 4/19 M&C meeting the expected time delays for Broadway with westbound delays of no more than 2 minutes 40 seconds and averaging 1 minute 35 seconds. Eastbound buses should experience no more than a 1 minute 20 second delay and average delay of 48 seconds. Given the increase

4 min readby Cesar Aguirre First off, I want to begin by apologizing to anyone I might offend with this because a few people I know and respect are in support of prop 123. When I ask why they support it the most common responses are, I’m supporting our childrens’ education, or I know it’s not great but our schools need the money and it’s the only way they’ll get it. I’m sorry but a yes vote on prop 123 does the exact opposite of supporting education and putting much needed funding back in our schools. If you support 123 think about where