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Joe Ferguson @joeferguson.bsky.social · 17h

Anonymous source posted this video of grandmother cottonwood being dragged away.

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Joe Ferguson @joeferguson.bsky.social · 17h

Large turnout to this presser, about 100 people here. Currently, those in Lochiel are streaming messages to the crowd in Tucson. Their message is clear - they aren’t leaving.

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Joe Ferguson @joeferguson.bsky.social · 17h

Happening now: Protest in front of the federal building in downtown Tucson after contractors for Border Patrol cut down the last remaining “grandmother” cottonwood near Lochiel and raiding a camp of peaceful protesters.

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Joe Ferguson @joeferguson.bsky.social · 05/10/2026

What infusion? I am generally curious. Last thing I heard was some small dollar amount from Elon. Hadn’t heard of anything else recently and we are a few weeks out from seeing the filings. For the record, I use the term “Small” in terms of what a billionaire can infuse into an election.

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Good point! Then maybe it’s a pivot to remind people to vote/return their ballot.

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Got a favorite political sign? Leave me one in the comments.

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Here is the “b” side of the trailer I drove be recently.

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Joe Ferguson @joeferguson.bsky.social · 02/10/2026

In two weeks, #Tucson (and the rest of the country) will see thousands of people mobilize again for the #NoKings rallies. I strongly suspect there will be voter registration tables at some of the events.

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I’m happy they are doing polling, even if it is a text based poll.

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Joe Ferguson @joeferguson.bsky.social · 02/10/2026

For those who are curious, I do take the survey (to be able read the questions) but then give undecided/neutral answers. Some of these test-based polls have a small sample size. Reply if you got it too!

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Joe Ferguson @joeferguson.bsky.social · 02/10/2026

It’s always weird to get a poll sent to me. I got a very generic #AZ06 poll. (No questions on other candidates, but included all the #AZ06 candidates.)

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Joe Ferguson @joeferguson.bsky.social · 01/10/2026

We got caught up on #AZ06 in today’s @tucsonagenda.bsky.social. Honestly, the teaser below says it all.

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One small clarification: the South Tucson City Attorney wasn’t in the room but they were on the phone.

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It is hot 🥵 in here. That because the city shuts off the ac to save money. It is good fiscal responsibility, but also shows how tight the city budget is. I’ll have more in the coming days, thanks to everyone who read my live posts.

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She says that the current director of the housing authority has been the best person the city has ever had, and notes her critics have crossed the line with threatening texts and posting signs in the neighborhood that she lives in (which is far from South Tucson.)

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Vice Mayor Melissa Brown-Dominguez comes out swinging, noting she wants a real investigation - challenging two of her colleagues including Mayor Valenzuela - that they coordinated with the tenants union to get fired.

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She says the housing authority had rats 🐀 in 2020, and the director had her family living there.

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There is some dissent in the audience, one woman says the problems were much worse seven years ago - when there was a very different housing authority manager - and it is better now that it was six years ago.

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By the show of hands, nine people say they are part of the South Tucson Tenant Union.

But while allegations of abuses related to children and vulnerable adults is very concerning, I’ll channel the fact I am in courtroom - there is testimony, but sparse evidence and no cross examination.

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Tonight’s meeting has taken an interesting turn, members of the public in the city’s courtroom - which doubles as the Council chambers - are having a dialogue with council. This probably would drive the #RobertsRules nerds crazy, but it is a fascinating moment in local government.

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Mayor Roxanna Valenzuela says she will meet with city officials tomorrow - likely including the City Attorney, the City Manager and the City Housing Authority director - but it’s unclear whether they will act in private or publicly.

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I’ll note that any action here tonight is unlikely - the city attorney is not here tonight.

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The union also says the City Manager - or anyone under her authority - should not perform the investigation. (If they are going to investigate the director, the union is asking she be immediately suspended.)

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Again, tonight’s ask to fire the housing director - because she has refused to resign - even though there has not (to my knowledge) been any formal investigation.

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South Tucson - which again is a city, not a town - exemplifies that all politics are local.

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And it isn’t just this council, i’ve written about the firings of the city manager, the then-fire chief and the then police chief when I worked at the Star. I recall one of the mayor’s race being pretty ugly, with heated rhetoric at one particular meeting.

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The reality is South Tucson is a hotbed of political activity, just last year residents tried to recall Mayor Roxanna Valenzuela, Pablo Robles and Brian Flagg. It failed. But Robles and Flagg are running for re-election in a runoff election in November.

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Several speakers are addressing the #SouthTucsonCouncil in Spanish - with the support of the governing body - just underlying the complexities of this predominantly Hispanic square mile town.

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In Tucson, the city housing authority is massive by comparison, with public housing spreading across the entire city - with regional management of properties and onsite management on some of the large residential properties, like Tucson House. In South Tucson, the complexes are managed 1 person.

If you have heard of a citizen petition calling for the firing of the Housing Authority Director (and maybe the city manager) - you are not alone, this is a pretty rare situation.

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There is a seventh complaint - but this one is focused on City Manager Veronica Moreno - for failing to discipline the housing manager.

6.) Discrimination based on disability. Tenant said she was not offered reasonable accommodations when the elevator was being worked on for three weeks.

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5.) Excessive fees not outlined in the lease.

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(I happen to know a lot about eviction in this state, so “self evict” means something very specific to me. )

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4.) Retaliation and harassment. Unspecified retaliation forcing family to “self evict” after criticizing the housing director.

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3.) Nepotism. Records show she has hired her brother in law and her sister in law.

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2.) Lack of a formal HUD approval grievance procedures.

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1. Video and audio surveillance on the property. The cameras existed before she started but the accusation is augmented the cameras to record audio.

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A two-page report has been issued by the South Tucson Tenants Union to the Council and three members of the press. Here are the complaints:

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An organizer with the South Tucson Tenants Union, which meets weekly, switches from English to Spanish halfway thru her addressing the #SouthTucsonCouncil meeting. It was fascinating that no one got lost, complained or interrupted. She was understood.

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The South Tucson Housing Authority is managed as a department by the South Tucson City Manager. She can only be hired, fired or disciplined by the City Manager. The Council cannot directly dismiss staff. (This is pretty common in local government.)

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There is only one item on the agenda. A presentation by the South Tucson Tenants Union. This is a response to their request for a formal council hearing - but what they want is the removal of the current housing director.

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And, as I hinted earlier, he says he knows the housing authority is doing the best with what they can. He ends his speech by asking for proof, not anecdotes.

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He also notes that one person - the director - can’t make everyone happy. He talks about a massive AC unit - a chiller - going down and said he she did everything she could - but doesn’t control how quickly a vendor responds.

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One resident breaks the narrative, saying he has seen improvements over the last six months.

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Several people who have spoken tonight have lived there for 14 years.

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The outliers are general concerns about potential mold and one complaint about a service animal being removed from the housing authority.

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