Tucson News NowTucson reverses course on incorporations

Generally, state of the city, nation or state addresses are fairly predicable and not known for bold, sweeping policy changes.

Most of the time. Once in a while there's something that catches the eye.

Like during the state of the city address when Tucson Mayor Jonathan Rothschild said this, "if you do not want to become part of an existing municipality, I invite you to consider incorporation."

Not exactly an earth shattering statement but it does give pause for thought.

It wasn't very many years ago the city of Tucson took Casas Adobes and Tortolita to court to shop their incorporation movements - and won.

Is this a change of city policy?

Rothschild is not prepared to say yes but he hedged rather than say no.

"Times change," he says. "If a large area came together and said they want to be their own city, I think we need to take a hard look at that."

He would need to have a majority of council members to support him to make it policy but he has some support on the council.

'"We're shoveling off $80 million a year in state shared revenue year" says Council member Paul Cunningham. "That needs to change."

 He believes residents in Pima County are being short changed because much of the county is unincorporated.

"It's 64% here and 93% in Maricopa County," says Cunningham.

It was Cunningham's father, George, who was in the state legislature and helped write the laws which dole out the state shared money.

Cunningham says his father is disappointed things haven't worked out well for Pima County but he says "it's because so much of the county has remained unincorporated."

State shared revenues are proportioned according to how many people live in incorporated areas.

Unincorporated Maricopa County has fewer people but gets more money.

Several areas around Tucson have expressed some interest in forming a new, local government like Vail on Tucson far Eastside.

But it's also true forming a new municipality is expensive and unlikely many areas have the financial ability to begin a new city.

If Vail stepped forward, "I wouldn't oppose that," he says.

That's a new twist to an old Tucson policy.