Guest opinion

Kozachik to Ducey: End pre-emptive orders, allow Tucson to determine local CV-19 response

Posted Jun 12, 2020

Steve Kozachik
Special to TucsonSentinel.com

Ducey speaking to reporters on Thursday.

The full text of a letter sent by Tucson City Councilman Steve Kozachik to Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey on Friday:

Dear Governor Ducey,

Steve Kozachik writing, Tucson City Council, representing Ward 6. With what is a snowball's chance of this being acted on favorably, I hesitated even investing the time to write. And yet I owe it to my constituents to reach out and make the effort.

Since the onset of coronavirus in March, we have seen a series of executive orders coming from the federal, state and local levels, the result of which has been policy being framed without the benefit of consultation and input from other elected officials. The notion of 'just because you can' does not make the process good governance. We are not served well by autocratic rule-making at any level of government.

Coronavirus infections are increasing at an alarming rate state-wide. Hospital bed capacity is dropping, and ventilator use is increasing. Other jurisdictions' leadership may speak on their own behalf, but for my constituents I request an immediate rescinding of your remaining executive order that prohibits local governments from implementing our own policies for managing this health epidemic. The circumstances in Tucson and Pima County are not the same as those in other parts of the state. Our approaches should be driven by local conditions, decided on through a consultative process among local elected officials and local health experts.

We can debate the causes of the current surge in infections; your ending Stay at Home, Memorial Day celebrations, recent protests — the cause is not the issue. What matters is the effect of your executive order has been to nullify local decision making authority. Whether an executive order is generated from the federal, state or local level without the benefit of input from other elected officials, the result is undemocratic and must stop.

Thanks for your time and attention. These are tough times for all of us. It is appropriate that those of us elected to represent Tucsonans craft policy decisions for our constituents at the level of government closest to them. Please end pre-emptive elements of your executive orders immediately.

Sincerely,

Steve Kozachik, Ward 6 Council Member

Steve Kozachik represents Ward 6 on the Tucson City Council. Contact him at at .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) or (520) 791-4601.