2 min readby Brian Flagg A few nights ago I was in a meeting with a City Council member who said that ten years of not raising fares on the bus riders (they were slightly raised 2 years ago) is a disservice to bus riders, that they need lead time so that they can get used to the idea that they must pay more. But why? Why does balancing the city budget have to include increased hardship for many of the poorest people in Tucson? This is plain and simple an unjust mindset. Instead, maybe these politicians should be preparing the U

3 min readby Brian Flagg In a meeting at her office on August 20, Councilwoman Karin Uhlich told the Bus Riders Union that she was willing and able to table indefinitely the plan to develop the Ronstadt Transit Center. Thus, there wouldn’t be a reason to have the scheduled public hearing on the issue. Uhlich said she would get a recommendation to stop the development plan from the City Managers office and that it could be dealt with in a study session instead of a public hearing. That isn’t how it went down. The City Managers office was hijacked by monied downtown

< 1 min readby Brian Flagg and Jimmy Ojeda “A Ronstadt Transit Center for Everyone” is turning into a Ronstadt Center for developers, politicians, and organized money. The Tucson Bus Riders Union (TBRU) has always advocated for a “downtown for everyone,” including the Ronstadt Transit Center.  The vision of TBRU is to keep the Ronstadt as a place where everyone is welcome despite economic or social differences and as a vital resource for public transportation. On Tuesday, September 24, the Mayor and City Council voted to continue the process of seeking potential developers to transform the Ronstadt. Despite the promises from Councilwoman Karin Uhlich during a meeting with Casa