Tucson Speaks Out: October 18

No credit for Ciscomani

Representative Ciscomani is claiming credit for co-sponsoring the bill to upgrade Chiricahua National Monument to a national park. Well, that's nice. But where was he when the president he supports slashed the Bears Ears and Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monuments by about 90%? Where was he when Trump eviscerated endangered species protection and gutted clean air and clean water programs? Where was Ciscomani when Trump proposed opening up millions of acres of roadless national forests to all kinds of economic exploitation? And Ciscomani supports the horribly expensive and environmentally destructive border wall that ruins valuable lands, blocks critical migratory pathways for wildlife, rips through ancient archeological sites, and destroys lands and plants held sacred by the Tohono O'odham people. There were technological alternatives to that ugly eyesore of a wall.

Don't let him get away with it. Please, everyone, vote!

Mike Bender

West side

Yes on 425

In reading Supervisor Steve Christy's guest column a few days ago, I wondered about his objective for his stance against Prop. 425.

At first it looks like it is to try to save taxpayers ’ money. He then uses California's Prop. 13 from the late 1970s as an example of saving on tax rates. But Prop. 13 only saved taxes for those who never sold their property. It protected the status quo.

But life bypasses the status quo. To root a tax system based upon a 1980 standard in the year 2026 will only hold back what is necessary for future expenditures. For example, the county needs to replace the 1984 jail with one that is designed for 2050.

State Republican legislative policies have straitjacketed local governments. Supervisor Christy needs to look into his Republican mirror to find the culprit for the county's financial problems.

Matt Somers

Midtown

Voting

I have written to my four grandchildren about the importance of voting. Many races are settled with less than 1,000 votes between them. Voting is the most American thing you can do besides serve in the military. I have lived in Jordan and Vietnam where the people had no choice. We have a choice … use it!

Barbara Jorgenson Lewis

Northeast side

Another costly election for Arizona

Arizona's midterm elections and the governor’s race are attracting significant campaign contributions and could be among the most expensive ever. All that money brought months of nonstop ads, mailers and negative messages.

But here’s the good news: Americans are concerned about unlimited money in politics. In a Pew Research Center survey published in May, Americans identified the role of money in politics as the biggest problem among the issues surveyed .

However, there is a solution. A proposed constitutional amendment would restore the ability of voters and our elected representatives to set reasonable rules for money in elections. H.J. Resolution 191 has been introduced in Congress, and 25 states have called on Congress to propose an amendment solution. It’s time for Arizona to join this growing list of states!

Don’t let another election season leave our voices drowned out by elite donors. Learn more about the proposed amendment and urge your elected representatives to take action.

John Hanley

Scottsdale

Big thanks to President Trump

Thank you, President Donald J. Trump, for “giving” my household a $90 Medicare check for October. You must hand it to Trump to give the senior citizens of the United States of America their own money back to them and claim how great he is for doing so. So, guess what, Donald: I gave the $90 to two Democratic candidates in need of money for the midterms. Now I can put the donation on next year’s taxes, double win.

Also, I just got a Juan Ciscomani campaign mailer that reads, “Voted to Cut Your Taxes.” Well, Ciscomani, you just passed the debt bill of the USA on to those six children of yours .

Curtis Urban

Vail

Quid pro who?

President Trump has expended enormous time and energy on retribution against government, media and private entities that he feels were involved in investigating and reporting Vladimir Putin and Russia’s involvement in his 2016 presidential campaign.

Back then it was Putin and Russia helping Trump.

Evidently it’s payback time. Trump has reduced funding for Ukraine’s defense. He previously curtailed intelligence support. He has advanced proposed “settlement” terms that would concede Ukrainian territory and resources. He sought a cut of income from Ukraine’s mining and mineral resources. And now he has declared a unilateral “energy ceasefire” while at the same time cutting a deal with Putin to permit Russia to return to the diesel market, sell its fuels, and fund its aggression against Ukraine.

Now it’s Trump helping Putin.

And Trump is helping Trump by waving the flag of reduced fuel prices for the Midterms.

A false flag. Not the Stars and Stripes.

Chuck Barrett

Midtown

Ciscomani works across the aisle

Congressman Juan Ciscomani said he'd work with anyone in Congress, as long as it gets results for his constituents and he has lived up to his promises! For the second Congress in a row, Ciscomani has been ranked the most bipartisan Member of Congress in Arizona. His priority is people, not politics. He has delivered the Elizabeth Dole Act, now law, to improve veterans' healthcare and benefits; four veteran-focused bills passed through the House this Congress, including the Vets Opportunity Act, which would expand GI Bill access; and introduced bipartisan legislation to tackle the VA disability claims backlog. He consistently shows that delivering for Southern Arizona matters more than party lines. Ciscomani works for us and will do the same when re-elected!

Mona Gibson

Northwest side

Ciscomani's hypocrisy

In his current TV advertisement, Juan Ciscomani expresses gratitude for the opportunities he has received as an immigrant, but when it comes to ICE violence, deportations without due process, detention injustices and other immigrant abuses, he has been silent. Ciscomani says he will work to eliminate corruption in Washington, yet he has voted lockstep with the policies of President Trump . Ciscomani claims he will put money back in the pockets of working Americans, but healthcare premium costs will continue to rise for millions of Americans, and over 450,000 Arizonans have already lost SNAP benefits since mid-2025, contributing directly to our affordability crisis. Hypocrisy may make a good commercial, but it does not make a good congressman. Judge Ciscomani by what he does, not what he says.

Paul Butler

Foothills

Ciscomani the Immigrant

It really is hard to understand Juan Ciscomani's lack of interest in and vocal support for immigrants and their current plight. Ciscomani frequently highlights his family's immigration from Mexico to the United States and the opportunities this has provided him. However, rather than supporting immigration reform that provides others with the same opportunities he has enjoyed, he has instead opted to support Trump and his policies of vilifying immigrants and of ICE surges . This is ironic given the probability that, had the Trump current policies regarding immigration and the Trump Administration's attacks on immigrants existed at the time Ciscomani came over, he probably never would have been allowed in. So I guess the moral of the story is point out how you came in, point out how lucky and fortunate you are to have had these opportunities afforded to you, and then shut the door behind you. How so very very disappointing.

Joe Machado

Northwest side

What's in a name?

Trump says we shouldn't vote for those Democratic commies but, by all means, let's lift sanctions on Russia and potentially grant Putin billions in diesel oil revenues while we desert and endanger our European allies and Ukraine. I'm not sure the president knows what a communist is.

Barbara Benjamin

Foothills