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Tucson City Council - Ward 6

Mayor and CouncilTucson City Council Candidates Forum Ward 6, July 1, 2025https://youtu.be/aBQyD3u0_qs?si=-QzDXunU5SDymTHPThe Mayor’s role in a city or town is similar to the Governor’s role in the state. As the municipality s Chief Executive Officer, the mayor manages the municipality’s administration and operations. In some cases, an appointed City Manager handles day-to-day operations and staff. The mayor runs Council meetings to establish policy with the Council. Typically, a Mayor does not have the power to veto ordinances passed by the Council.The Council enacts ordinances, sets policies, develops an annual Legislative Agenda for the City, and oversees the city budget and capital improvements program. It responds to constituents concerns at neighborhood meetings through written correspondence, telephone communication, and staff assistance. 4-year term.Why You Should Care:The Mayor and City or Town Council play a significant role in keeping our communities running efficiently and overseeing dozens of programs and facilities that directly impact our daily lives. They determine priorities and spending for indispensable services such as police and fire protection, housing, emergency medical services, municipal courts, trash collection, traffic control, public transportation, parks and recreation services, zoning regulation, and public works, including streets, sewers, and signage.For additional information:https://www.azcleanelections.gov/how-government-works/arizona-mayor

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  • Candidate picture

    Leighton Rockafellow, Jr
    (Dem)

  • Candidate picture

    Miranda Schubert
    (Dem)

  • Candidate picture

    James Sinex
    (Dem)

Biographical Information

What are the top issues of concern to Tucson residents, and how do you plan to address those issues?

How would you build a coalition to address the City’s Climate Action Plan's main issues, such as extreme heat, clean energy, sustainable and equitable transportation, and water resources?

What actions would you take to balance population growth and economic development with quality-of-life issues, such as water availability, traffic congestion, affordable workforce housing, adequate medical services, and quality daycare?

How would you demonstrate transparency in your role as an elected city official?

Campaign Website http://leightonforward6.com
Campaign YouTube
Public Policy Priorities A. Economic development, including helping local businesses grow and attracting new employers. B. Improving our dire homelessness crisis by improving collaboration within the city, county, state, local NGOs, non-profits, and mutual aid groups and by quickly bringing more low-barrier shelter/housing online. C. Improving the safety and quality of our streets for all users.
Qualifications and Experience Personal Injury Attorney since 2011, Secretary for the Catalina Vista Neighborhood Association
Memberships & Affiliations Arizona Association of Justice, State Bar of Arizona,
Endorsements Ann Charles, 14-yr former chief of staff to Steve Kozachik
Community Service Volunteer for Step up To Justice
Education Salpointe Catholic, BS in Marketing from ASU, JD from UA Law.
1) The unhoused crises and the cost of housing

In Arizona, more than $70,000 was spent per unhoused person last year and yet the problem persists. The money is there, the will is there, but too many duplicative efforts are hindering real results. We must build a robust system of data sharing, so that all involved parties can work effectively to providing shelter first, then long term housing. We will collaborate with community partners to help individuals break drug addictions and overcome mental health disorders.

2) Safety and security

We must prioritize funding our police and fire departments to increase personnel and increase wages. We must also explore reinstating red-light and speed cameras to prevent rampant unsafe driving on our streets.

3) Our faltering economic outlook

We must break down the red-tape that prevents local businesses from expanding and seek out sustainably-minded industry and business to locate to Tucson in order to diversify our jobs market.
We must see ourselves as a region, recognize that all of the cities, the county, and most importantly, the residents, should have a say in our climate resilience plans.

Tucson has been a tremendous steward of our limited water resources and that trend must continue. By moving water use from low value, such as farming, to high value, such as job creation, we can still grow our economy sustainably.

We must continue to expand transit, bike, and pedestrian infrastructure as alternatives to driving.
In order to grow revenues, the city must be focused on growing our economy, not just through population growth, but by increasing the number of high-quality, high-paying jobs. This will increase our budget which will allow us to fund more preschool options for working parents, to fill funding gaps for strained medical providers who rely on diminishing medicaid money, and better transit and street infrastructure to reduce injuries, congestion, and to improve quality of life.

In order to encourage workforce housing projects, we must explore using state trust land and partnering with trusted developers here in Tucson.
We need to hold regular Town Halls again, communicate through social media daily, and fund more newsletters for neighborhood associations. These newsletters should include messages from the ward representative to communicate with residents about what is happening in our city.

We must also encourage and fund the growth of existing and creation of new neighborhood associations as a vehicle of communication and community involvement.
Campaign Email elect@mirandaforward6.com
Campaign Website http://mirandaforward6.com
Public Policy Priorities Safer Streets for All, Housing Justice, Community Engagement, Community Resiliency, Community Safety
Qualifications and Experience Miranda works full-time as the Operations Manager, on-air DJ, producer, and youth broadcasting camp counselor at KXCI Community Radio. She serves on two City of Tucson commissions – the Complete Streets Coordinating Council and Board of Adjustment – and is the founder of Tucson for Everyone, a local housing and transit advocacy group. She also helped form the Transit for All Coalition (TFAC) with other community groups and organizations across Tucson to advocate for more investment in public transit. Prior to 2022, Miranda worked for fifteen years as an advisor in higher education, including Pima Community College and University of Arizona, empowering diverse individuals to navigate systems and access resources. Miranda is in her ninth season skating with Tucson Roller Derby, volunteers as a cook at Casa Maria Soup Kitchen on a weekly basis, serves as a Steering Committee member of the Tucson Alliance for Housing Justice (TAHJ), and is a dues paying union member of UCWAZ - CWA Loca
Memberships & Affiliations United Campus Workers - Local 7065
Endorsements Ironworkers Local 75, International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 570, United Food and Commercial Workers Local 99, Sierra Club, Arizona List, American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees Local 449, Jane Fonda Climate PAC
Community Service Casa Maria Soup Kitchen
Education University of California, Santa Barbara
Having talked to voters at the doors and in our community, I've learned that Tucsonans are deeply concerned about affordable housing, safe streets, climate resiliency, and access to basic services like public transit. As a housing and transit advocate, I’ve seen firsthand how rising costs and outdated infrastructure are negatively affecting our quality of life. I support housing policies that promote affordability through infill and adaptive reuse, and I’ve worked to expand fare-free transit access and safer street design as a commissioner on the Complete Streets Coordinating Council. I believe that local government must be both responsive and proactive, and I plan to bring a community-first approach to every decision that centers those most impacted.
Coalition-building is how I lead. As the founder of Tucson for Everyone and a member of two city commissions, I’ve worked with grassroots organizers, environmental groups, housing advocates, and transit riders to shape policy that moves us toward equity and sustainability. I support expanding our tree canopy in underserved areas, investing in weatherization and shade infrastructure, and increasing access to clean energy– especially solar. To succeed, we need not just policy, but deep partnerships with community groups, technical experts, and everyday residents. I’ll continue convening those voices to ensure Tucson’s climate response reflects our shared values and lived realities.
We need smart, equity-focused growth that strengthens what the wonderful community that we already have. To me, that means investing in infill housing, expanding and improving the reliability of our public transit, and protecting Tucson’s water supply through conservation and infrastructure upgrades. I support using development tools that combat urban sprawl and promote affordability, walkability, and resilience. City government also has a role in supporting families by increasing access to early childcare through partnerships and co-locating services near housing and transit. If we make Tucson a place where people can live affordably, get around safely, and access care we build an economy in which everyone can thrive.
I’ll host regular office hours across Ward 6—not just in certain neighborhoods—and offer multilingual and digital access to city information. I support clear reporting of budget outcomes, expanded participatory budgeting, and increased community engagement before major decisions are made. Most importantly, I’ll report back with meeting summaries and clear, transparent explanations of how I voted and why. I believe residents should never have to dig to understand what their government is doing. If I have the privilege to serve, I’ll work every day to rebuild public trust through honesty, consistency, and accountability.
Campaign Email Jim@JimSinex.org
Campaign Website http://www.JimSinex.org
Public Policy Priorities A Modern Election System for proper representation, Sustainable infrastucture design
Qualifications and Experience 20 year Public School Teacher (Science), 20 year active union activity, 20 year record of voter advocacy.
Education BS - Ecology & Evoutionary Biology (Combined Physics/Chemistry/Math minor, Entomology minor), AZ Teaching Certification
I believe that Tucsonan's would like a better community. That requires better elective representation and a better push toward living within our "Desert Means" to blunt the effects of continued climate change. Our current election system is outdated and in need of reform, as it disenfranchises voters with every election. I would like to form a sub-ward committee to democratically prepare a better election format. This may include Instant Runoff Voting, also called Ranked Choice, and it may require districting changes , Council expansion and mayoral term adjustment. Tucson is also getting hotter for longer periods of time. Water is becoming more scarce and we just don't harvest enough of the one resource that we can count on, solar power. Beyond this, Tucson needs a better record of communication with the citizenry. Often, great frustraton can be elevated by just answering questions thoroughly. Often citizens simply want to know why.
Tucson's electric power should come from the Sun as much as possible. We can start by not taxing solar equipment and installation. Builders could also be required to design for solar panels and offer them as part of the home buyer's package. I have a sketch of how we can switch to solar in government over time in a tax free manner. Investing in shaded streets should be another first priority to blunt the problem of the "Heat Island Effect". Government should be a leader in coordinating our city to break from stereotypical and toward a unique concept that matches our standard of being different from Phoenix and Los Angeles.
Edward Abbey once wrote that growth for grow's sake is the policy of cancer cells. I believe that we should live within our desert means. That may mean the 1 million residents in our region is enough. This is a more difficult design measure, but it may be required if we are to avoid a future with resources diminished that might actually lead to a reduction of population. We need to stress that Tucson imports everything but sunshine. We exist due to trade and governmental resources (UofA, DM). A simple change in language is in order. Reflecting on the question, above, a home becomes more affordable with installed solar power. Electric bill can be repurposed into a better mortgage or to simply pay every day bills. A community-based approach, with proper educational outreach can do a great deal toward building a better city and that is an inexpensive approach toward good goverance.
The simple answer comes from availability. This can come online or in person. As an educator, it follows that I believe in educational approaches toward communication. This means active listening and fully answering questions. It also means being available after regular business hours without overly straining either the elected representative or staff. Regular town hall style meetings, open to the public would do a great deal toward gaining the trust of our citizens.