Opinion

Star's endorsements for a heated election

Tuesday's city elections will put an end to some lively and, at times, acrimonious campaigning for the two contested seats on the City Council. Three council seats are up for grabs in the election, but one of the candidates running for re-election in Ward 5, Democrat Steve Leal, is unopposed. Voters also get to decide the fate of two ballot propositions. One increases the salaries of the mayor and members of the City Council. The other frees the city from the constraints of an ill-advised state law that says the city must keep its spending to a set limit even if it collects revenues that greatly exceed its expenses. In the runup to the election, this newspaper has written endorsements in each of the contested races and on both propositions. The following is a recap of the Star's endorsements: In the two contested City Council races, incumbent Republicans Fred Ronstadt and Kathleen Dunbar are challenged, respectively, by Democrats Nina Trasoff and Karin Uhlich. Ward 3: Dunbar

In the particularly contentious contest between incumbent Dunbar and challenger Uhlich, the Star endorsed Dunbar, the Republican, because of "her central role in much of the progress that the Tucson City Council can claim during the past four years, resulting in part from her energy, legislative experience and sheer force of will." Ward 6: Trasoff

The Star endorsed Trasoff "as a candidate who can bring fresh perspective to the council and a capacity to balance the competing interests of a diverse and growing city." The Star rejected Ronstadt, the incumbent, on grounds that he's functioned "more as a follower than a leader" and because he "continues his pattern of driving a wedge between the governments of Tucson and Pima County at a time when a new spirit of cooperation is emerging between these two local governments." Propositions 100 and 400: Yes

The propositions on this year's ballot are, for a change, straightforward matters and the Star recommends that voters approve both. Proposition 100 gives the mayor and members of the City Council their first pay raise in five years. It increases the mayor's salary from $42,000 a year to $52,080. The pay for council members would increase from $24,000 to $29,760 annually. The Star endorsement noted that increasing the salaries "widens the field of potential candidates who might run for office." At present, many who might run for office are discouraged from doing so because it would involve a financial sacrifice. Approval of Proposition 400, known as "the home rule option," is an essential ingredient in the city's ability to maintain the services it now provides. Without increasing any taxes, it will give the city an estimated $16 million to spend on normal expenses in the coming year. This money, derived from ordinary taxes the city already collects, is locked in limbo by a flawed state law adopted in 1980. That law imposed limits on the amount a city could use for expenses, regardless of how much it collected in revenues. The effect of the law is that the city has received deposits in its checkbook but is prohibited from writing any checks on that account. The 1980 law allows a city to ask voters for permission to exceed the statutory limitations. If voters approve, the spending limits are dropped for four years and cannot be renewed until another vote is held. Adopting Proposition 400 does not give the city carte blanche to go on a spending spree. By law the city is still obligated to have a balanced budget. Voters in 85 percent of Arizona's cities and towns have already adopted the home rule option. Tucson should do so, too. - S.N.