Local reaction offered on city and school props

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Quinn Schuler - View Bio

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Even though supporters of the Tucson Unified School District overrides started campaigning early, Prop 401 and 402 were defeated by about a 20 percent margin.

Paul Eckerstrom, chair of the Invest in Our Kids Committee and supporter of the Props, said he was disappointed.

He thought after the state budget cuts and seeing the affects on schools, voters would have stepped up.

"The only explanation I can expect is it was the economy that sunk us," Eckerstrom said.

However, Lori Oien who was at the Republican celebration at an east-side Chuy's Tuesday night, said that wasn't it.

"I will not support a TUSD override until I see more accountability within TUSD," Oien said.

The Public Safety First Initiative, or Prop 200, also failed by about a 40 percent margin.

"Along the way it got muddled with figures and innuendos and I think misquotes," Oien said.

Some proponents like Brandon Patrick, head of the campaign against Prop 200 called Don't Handcuff Tucson, believes voters realized we don't have the money.

"This sets a good precedent for Tucson. We're not going to accept ill-thought out, ill-conceived mandates that people are now putting forward without telling us how our money is supposed to pay for it," Patrick said.

Some voters on both sides are now hoping Prop 200 will at least start the ball rolling in the right direction to appropriately staff police and fire.

Rich Cornell, supporter of Prop 200, says if the city council doesn't respond soon, there will be more action in the coming months.

"Mayor and council have been spending money and their priorities have been out of wack. So, hopefully this will change the attitude of the spending habits and re-prioritize safe streets," Cornell said.

Even the mayor is hoping for change.

"I'd like to see us go back and reaffirm the affordable budget and declare to the public that we're going to move to 2.4 (officers per 1,000 people), and we're going to find a way to pay for it over a longer extended period of time," Mayor Bob Walkup said.

Early Tuesday morning, Prop 400, the "Home Rule" option, was failing by about 600 votes.

Click here for the most up-to-date results, http://www.pima.gov/elections/results.htm