Local opinion: Tucson's challenges require more care, not more control

Recent criticism of Tucson's leadership — specifically Tucson’s Mayor and Council — reflects real frustration felt by some. We know this because we take the time daily to meet with and listen to constituents, regardless of whether we agree on all issues.

Too often, public debates assume the primary role of government is to maintain order, punish disorder, and protect property and commerce. But there is another tradition of leadership, one rooted in care, stewardship, and mutual responsibility. It’s a philosophy where the measure of success is not how effectively power is exercised over people, but whether everyone's basic needs are met. True leadership means having the courage to roll up our sleeves and put in the unglamorous work of tackling complex, systemic challenges head-on. It’s rooted in building a community that invests in the well-being, safety, and economic stability and mobility of all Tucsonans.

From that perspective, many of the challenges we see around us are not evidence of too much compassion. They are evidence of too little.

When we see people sleeping at bus stops, struggling with addiction, or living in encampments, it is tempting to focus on the visible symptoms. But no one dreams of becoming homeless. No child grows up hoping to live outdoors in Tucson's summer heat. Homelessness is not a moral failure; it is a housing failure. Addiction is not simply a criminal justice issue; it is a public health issue. Mental health crises do not begin on sidewalks. They begin long before the public ever sees them.

This does not mean we should tolerate violence, reckless driving, assault, theft, or behavior that harms others. Every resident deserves to feel safe in public spaces. But true public safety requires more than enforcement after harm has occurred. It requires preventing harm in the first place.

We see results of this path of leadership working in Tucson. The City's Community Safety, Health and Wellness (CSHW) team focuses on addressing the root cause of an issue rather than cycling people through emergency rooms and jail. Trained outreach workers build trust and connect people to housing, treatment, and resources. Since starting in 2020, CSHW has increased acceptance of assistance from roughly 10 percent of contacts to more than 50 percent today. This work takes time, but it is effective.

We have also seen how investments in safety-focused street design save lives. On South 12th Avenue, the La Doce Road Diet removed a travel lane in each direction and reduced vehicle speeds through the corridor. Since those improvements were completed, the corridor has experienced zero traffic fatalities. The lesson is straightforward: when we design systems that reduce the likelihood of harm, fewer people are harmed.

The same principle is evident in STAR Village, Tucson's first temporary safe sleeping site. By providing a more stable place for people experiencing homelessness, the program has reduced calls for emergency services in the surrounding neighborhood. Meeting basic human needs is not separate from public safety; it is one of the most effective ways to create it.

That means investing in affordable housing, behavioral health services, youth programs, cooling centers, safe streets, accessible transportation, and economic opportunities that help people build stable lives. Communities where people's basic needs are met are consistently safer than communities that rely primarily on punishment and exclusion.

Critics often point to fare-free transit, homelessness services, or other public investments as examples of misplaced priorities. But those programs should be judged by the lives they improve. How many workers can reach their jobs because transit is accessible? How many seniors can get to medical appointments? How many young people can get to school? How many families can keep a little more money in their pockets each month?

A leadership model rooted in care asks: Who is being left behind? What unmet need is driving this problem? How do we reduce harm before it occurs? How do we ensure that every child has opportunity, every elder has dignity, every worker has stability, and every resident has a place to call home?

The path forward is not more control. It is more care. That is the strongest form of leadership we can offer one another.