Bronson's critics initiate recall drive

The Recall Sharon Bronson Committee formed last month. The committee submitted a 200-word statement to the Pima County Division of Elections on Wednesday, which allows it to start collecting signatures. It has 120 days to get them.

Ally Miller, leader of the drive, said she's sick of feeling like Bronson doesn't listen to the people who elected her, and she is frustrated by this year's county budget and related tax bills.

Bronson, a Democrat who has been in office for 13 years, said the budget and tax issues Miller is raising as the basis for the recall effort are the same complaints Republican challenger Barney Brenner raised in their 2008 election campaign.

"I presented myself and my record to the voters of District 3 less than a year ago. The same issues that they're raising were raised then. I was elected by 60 percent of the vote," she said.

A recall petition needs to get signatures equal to 25 percent of the number of votes in the previous election for that position — 16,166 from Bronson's district. Signatures must be from registered voters in the district.

Miller is trying to time the process to allow a recall vote to be included on next fall's primary election ballot. If enough valid signatures are gathered, Bronson has the option of resigning or facing all comers in a recall election. The winner just has to get the most votes, not necessarily a majority.

The drive marks the fourth time in 16 years petitions have been taken out to recall a county elected official. Supervisors Bronson in 2000 and Ed Moore in 1993 were targets of recall drives that failed to get enough signatures to make the ballot.

The last recall to make it all the way to voters was in 1994 for County Assessor Alan Lang, a Democrat, according to elections records. He was removed from office.

Bronson, who is serving her fourth term, doesn't have to launch a campaign, and said she will wait to see if the recall campaign gets enough signatures before she does.

Miller, however, can't sign her own petitions. She lives in Supervisor Ann Day's north-side District 1, and said she is happy with her representation other than the fact that Day and fellow Republican Supervisor Ray Carroll's governance efforts are often turned down on 3-2 party-line votes.

Bronson represents the county's sprawling District 3, which encompasses nearly all of Pima County west of Tucson city limits, plus areas in Marana, the northwest side and a small section of midtown Tucson.

Miller said she has never been politically active, beyond voting. But this year she watched taxes go up because of rising property valuations and attended the public hearing on the county budget in July.

The board's reaction to pleas from the audience to make more budget cuts to lower the tax burden was "appalling," she said. "No one motivated me more than the board did that day."

Miller said she is frustrated with a lack of public interaction in setting the budget, and wishes the supervisors held more public discussions with department heads about their budgets.

She chose to target Bronson because she's been in office for 13 years and votes for tax increases, Miller said.

"I find it ironic that the tax issue is their issue, when in fact the largest tax increase in Arizona history was brought to us by Phoenix. I find it odd that they're not directing their energies north of the Gila," Bronson said.

Bronson said Pima County has "one of the most transparent budget processes" in the state, given that the budget proposals and supporting documents are posted on the county's Web site for the public.

"I'm pleased that the citizens are able to access all of that without having to come down to county buildings," Bronson said.