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The Growing Danger at Tucson Bus Stops and Mayor Romero’s 

Continued Denials 

What was once a routine part of daily life, waiting for or riding the bus, has become a source of fear and trauma for many Tucson residents. In 2025 alone, a disturbing pattern of violent crimes has erupted at city bus stops, including hatchet attacks, sexual assaults, and attempted kidnappings. These are not isolated incidents. They are the result of a public safety crisis that city leadership has failed to address.

Despite Mayor Regina Romero’s recent statement assuring the public that “riding the bus remains safe,” the facts tell a different story. Transit users, bus drivers, and neighborhood residents have all reported escalating violence, open drug use, and unsafe conditions at and around bus stops. Encampments are taking hold. Repeat offenders are roaming freely. And vulnerable residents—often women, children, and even those with disabilities, are paying the price.

Chorus Nylander KVOA Channel 4

Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SzvnR5oHKH0  

Mayor Romero’s Dangerous and Irresponsible Statement:

 

CLICK BELOW to Hear ROMERO:   "LUDICROUS"

It’s no longer enough to reinstate bus fares, which are urgently needed to fund basic operations and restore a sense of order. Because Mayor Romero and the City Council including Kevin Dahl, Ward 3, and Paul Cunningham, Ward 2, have allowed crime around our bus system to spiral out of control, the City must now go further: an entirely new budget for transit security must be established. This should include uniformed officers or trained security professionals stationed at high-risk locations, routine patrols, and real-time surveillance just to begin to repair the damage.

Tucsonans deserve a public transportation system that is safe, clean, and functional. Not one that has become a symbol of the City’s neglect.

Would you let your child or loved-one ride the bus?

May 12 – Hatchet Attack Near Udall Park

On May 12, 2025, around 3 p.m., a woman waiting at a bus stop near Sabino Canyon and Tanque Verde Roads was approached by 42-year-old Frank Rick Lopez, who attempted to steal her cellphone. When several male bystanders intervened, a physical altercation ensued. During the struggle, a hatchet fell from one of the bystanders' waistbands. Lopez seized the hatchet and attacked two individuals, causing serious but non-life-threatening injuries. He was apprehended shortly after fleeing the scene and is charged with two counts of Aggravated Assault with a Deadly Weapon and two counts of Aggravated Assault Causing Serious Injury. Lopez is being held on a $1 million bond. 

April 5 – Fatal Hatchet Attack Downtown

Jacob Couch, a 32-year-old man from Alabama, was brutally attacked with a hatchet while sitting at a bus stop at the corner of 6th Avenue and Broadway Boulevard. The assailant, 25-year-old Daniel Michael, struck Couch in the neck without provocation. Couch suffered critical injuries and was placed on life support. Michael was arrested three days later and initially charged with aggravated assault. Following Couch's death, Michael's charges were elevated to murder. He is currently held on a $1 million bond.

March 30–31 – Assault on Developmentally Disabled Woman - THIS HORRIFIC SITUATION RECEIVED VERY LITTLE MEDIA ATTENTION

On the night of March 30 or early March 31, 25-year-old Hunter Fred Paddlety allegedly raped and assaulted a developmentally disabled woman at a bus stop near Speedway and Kolb. The victim, who operates at the cognitive level of a 14-year-old, was reportedly followed and attacked by Paddlety after he had been drinking at the bus stop. He faces multiple charges, including sexual assault, sexual abuse, kidnapping, and aggravated assault. Paddlety was on probation for two prior felony offenses at the time of the incident and is being held on a $400,000 bond.

April 17 -- Machete Attack at Grant and Oracle Bus Stop

Aidan Palmer allegedly attacked another man at Grant and Oracle Bus Stop fracturing his cheekbone.  He also discharge a firearm!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jg8rbwxYAvw

April 16 – Assault on Two Teenage Girls

In the Midvale Park area, two 12-year-old girls were assaulted after getting off their school bus. 30-year-old Jesse Howlett attempted to kidnap and sexually abuse the girls. Both victims managed to escape and alert their mothers. Howlett was arrested the following day and faces charges of attempted kidnapping, aggravated assault, and sexual abuse. He is being held on a $50,000 bond

April 30 - Assault on Gridley Middle School Girl at Bus Stop

A 13-year-old student from Rollin T. Gridley Middle School was assaulted at a bus stop near Broadway and Harrison Roads, according to court documents.

 

MUST WATCH In-Depth: Tucson bus riders uneasy despite mayor's safety claims

Thank you to Chorus Nylander for shedding light on these pressing issues and giving a voice to concerned Tucson residents.

https://www.kvoa.com/news/in-depth/in-depth-tucson-bus-riders-uneasy-despite-mayors-safety-claims/article_41c20233-b22b-4973-a338-6e0683dd93a5.html

  

The Tucson City Council will be meeting on Tuesday, May 21st. View the full agenda here:

Study Session (the meeting BEFORE the meeting):

https://tucsonaz.hylandcloud.com/221agendaonline/Meetings/ViewMeeting?id=1854&doctype=1

Plan Tucson 2025: Ideology Over Infrastructure

The City of Tucson’s newly released Plan Tucson 2025 outlines a sweeping vision for the next decade of development but once again sidelines the basic services that residents rely on every day.

This 10-year General Plan, which is set to go before voters later this year, is being framed as a comprehensive roadmap for Tucson’s future. But a closer review reveals a troubling truth: the plan reads more like a policy wish list for the Mayor and Council than a practical blueprint for running a safe, affordable, and functional city.

Mesa will over take Tucson as Arizona’s second largest city in the near future. Plan Tucson is a perfect example as to why Tucson is stagnant (or declining) and has an 18.8% poverty rate.

What It Promises

The plan lays out 14 broad goals covering everything from housing affordability and climate change to cultural preservation, walkability, and government equity. Among the most prominent priorities:

•              Aggressive climate action mandates

•              Major zoning reforms to encourage high density development

•              City led affordable housing initiatives

•              Expanded investment in pedestrian, bike, and transit infrastructure

•              Public art, identity, and cultural programming

Tucson is presented as a future focused, equity driven city powered by public investment in ambitious progressive goals.

What It Ignores

But what’s missing from the 300 plus page document is just as telling:

•              No concrete plan to improve public safety beyond vague wellness language

•              Minimal focus on core services like roads, trash, sewer maintenance, or 911 response

•              No meaningful strategy to grow the tax base or attract private sector job creators

•              No detailed financial roadmap to fund the sweeping initiatives outlined

There are no commitments to improve deteriorating roadways, address growing 911 response times, or confront rising property crime and homelessness with real solutions. Meanwhile, the plan is loaded with commitments to expand the city’s role in housing, heat mitigation, and cultural investments without a word about how it will be paid for.

Impact on Taxpayers

This is yet another example of the Mayor and Council burdening existing residents to pay for programs disconnected from basic needs. Tucson families and homeowners are being asked to fund more and more while receiving less in return.

With no significant economic development plan to grow the private sector, Plan Tucson 2025 will require more funding from the same shrinking pool of taxpayers and likely lead to more utility fee increases, rate hikes, and tax levies in the years to come.

A Pattern of Misplaced Priorities

This plan is not about public safety, infrastructure, or core government services. It is a continuation of the same ideological playbook: centralize control, expand government’s role, and pass the cost onto those already paying the bills.

Tucson residents deserve a city plan rooted in reality, not rhetoric.

READ PLAN TUCSON HERE:

https://tucsonaz.hylandcloud.com/221agendaonline/Documents/ViewDocument/ATTACHMENT%20A%20%20PLAN%20TUCSON%202025%20DRAFT%20FOR%20MAYOR%20AND%20COUNCIL%20REVIEW.pdf?meetingId=1855&documentType=Agenda&itemId=75476&publishId=172584&isSection=false

The Fiscal Year 25/26 Budget Will Be Discussed. Here Are Key Highlights:

City of Tucson Budget Grows Again — With No Relief for Taxpayers

The City of Tucson has adopted its FY 2026 budget, increasing total spending to $2.41 billion, up nearly $20 million from last year. While the property tax levy remains mostly flat, the General Fund grew by over 11%, and capital spending rose significantly.

Among the largest increases:

•              Police Department: $302.9 million — the City’s biggest single expense, YET TPD IS STILL UNDERFUNDED

•              Transportation & Mobility: $552.8 million across all funds

•              Parks & Recreation: $150.1 million, including Prop 407 projects

•              Tucson Water Utility: $396.4 million — higher than last year

At the same time, federal ARPA funds have disappeared, putting pressure on local revenues to fill the gap. While property tax rates appear stable, residents will still feel the impact through higher utility fees, development charges, and indirect cost shifts.

This is not new. As the Tucson Crime Free Coalition reported in earlier newsletters, the City of Tucson continues its trend of growing government without expanding the economic base. Whether it’s differential water rates, new affordable housing tax policies, or absorbing state cost shifts, the burden keeps falling on those already struggling.

Tucson doesn’t have a revenue problem — it has a spending and priorities problem. Until there’s real focus on efficiency, economic growth, and taxpayer protection, the City’s budget will remain a burden rather than a blueprint for opportunity.

The Pima County Board of Supervisors will be meeting on Tuesday, May 21st at 9:00 am. View the full agenda here:

https://pima.legistar.com/View.ashx?M=A&ID=1235763&GUID=2D029482-333C-4800-ADC1-8EA1A10040DC

The Fiscal Year 25/26 Budget Will Be Discussed. Here Are Key Highlights:

•              Total Expenditures: $1.76 billion — a 1.9% increase ($32.2 million) from the prior year.

•              General Fund Budget: $947.3 million — a 5.3% increase from FY 2024/25.

•              Employee Compensation: 5% total salary increase for County employees ($22.8 million investment).

•              Capital Investment: $202 million in infrastructure, including $53.2 million via PAYGO for:

◦        Transportation ($25 million)

◦        Affordable housing ($5 million)

◦        Open space ($2.2 million)

◦        County facility renewal projects ($2 million)

•              Staffing: Countywide staffing reduced by 92 full-time equivalents (FTEs); now at 7,014 (16.5% below the 2008 peak).

•              Reserves: General Fund reserve requirement lowered from 17% to 15%, freeing over $25 million for spending.

•              Contingency Funds: $65 million held for economic volatility and uncertain federal funding.

Impact on Taxpayers

•              Property Tax Increases:

◦        Primary Rate: Increased from $4.0990 to $4.2299 per $100 of assessed value

◦        Secondary Rates: Minor adjustments—net result is a slight decrease in debt service rate, but increases elsewhere

◦        Total Combined Tax Rate: Rising from $5.1048 to $5.2317—a 2.5% increase

•              Estimated Cost to Homeowners:

◦        For a $250,000 home (assessed at $250,000): tax increase is approximately $33 annually

•              Truth in Taxation Hearing: Required due to rate increases above the State's neutral levy threshold.

Underlying Trends

1.           State Cost Shifting: Pima County is absorbing $125.9 million in costs offloaded by the State, now equal to 25.7% of the property tax rate.

2.           PAYGO Capital Funding: The County is shifting from debt to cash-funded projects, adding $23 million in new tax burden to fund infrastructure.

3.           Employee Pay Increases: $22.8 million allocated for salary increases and benefits to retain talent.

4.           End of Federal Support: ARPA and COVID-era federal aid are ending, requiring the County to replace funding locally.

5.           Slower Population and Economic Growth: While property values have increased modestly, Pima County is not significantly growing its tax base through new development or economic expansion.

Concern for Taxpayers

Pima County continues to raise taxes to maintain operations, not because the region is growing, but because revenue needs are rising and the tax base remains stagnant. Instead of expanding the economic base through private-sector growth or new development, the Board of Supervisors appears content to pass the burden onto existing residents, many of whom are already struggling with inflation, housing costs, and stagnant wages.

This pattern of backfilling state and federal cost shifts with local tax hikes, risks long-term affordability and competitiveness for the region.