Two Horrific BUS STOP Crimes in last two weeks,  and Silence from City Leaders

Two disturbing incidents occurred within last two weeks in Tucson, both involving serious violence at public bus stops:

•             On April 5th, a couple visiting from out of state was attacked. The husband remains in critical condition after being struck in the neck with a hatchet.
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•             A developmentally disabled woman was followed, raped, and assaulted March 30-31.  25 year-old Hunter Fred Paddlety was arrested.  He was on probation for two felony offences.  We have seen no comment why he was out of jail with two felonies by County Attorney Laura Conover.
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Both attacks occurred this week as the City Council debated whether to reinstate transit fares. Despite the timing and severity of these crimes, neither the Mayor nor the Council has made a public statement. The lack of response from leadership is unacceptable.

TCFC Leadership To Our Members: Thank You for Answering the Call

The TCFC Steering Committee extends its sincere thanks to all members who participated in our recent Calls to Action. Many of you filled out the City of Tucson’s budget survey and contacted the Mayor and Council to advocate for reinstating fares on what many now refer to as the Free Crime Bus.

Your engagement continues to be the key to the coalition’s strength and success.

Survey Results: Top Budget Priorities from the Public

The City has released the results of its FY2026 budget survey, categorized by Registered, Unregistered, and Both.

The top five priority areas from the “Both” group — which includes all responses — were:

1.           Affordable Housing

2.           Homelessness Support

3.       Hire More Officers

4.       Shade and Trees.           

5.          More Firefighters

While these results are notable, it’s important to remember that this was not a scientific poll. City leaders would be making a serious mistake by using this flawed data as the basis for important policy decisions. Clearly there is more work to be done.

Budget Deficit Options: What the Survey Said

The survey also asked how the City should address its projected budget deficit. Here were the top responses out of 4,308 participants:

•             Re-implement transit fares

•             Create an Advertising Transaction Privilege Tax

•             Increase the local per-night-stay bed surtax

•             Implement a secondary property tax for capital equipment/projects

•             Cut existing services instead of raising taxes

•             Add a one-quarter-cent sales tax

The interesting take away here is that while “Hiring More Officers” was not the main priority area, “reinstating bus fares” are when it comes to revenue. Again, this poll not being scientific, it is still notable to see Tucson wants fares returned. The Mayor and Council ought to listen. The other hard fact of the matter is that even with reinstating fares, the City will have to budget for added security on busses and at stops.

Tucson Police Department: Underfunded and Overlooked

While crime increases, the Tucson Police Department continues to be shortchanged. Here’s a look at how public safety requests have been funded in recent years:

Over three years, the City has left public safety requests unfunded. The consequences of this neglect are now showing up in the form of rising crime, longer response times, and increased community fear.

Fentanyl Prices Have Spiked—Will Property Crime Follow?

Due to new federal border restrictions, the cost of fentanyl has jumped from fifty cents per pill to as much as five dollars per pill. This dramatic increase may push some users toward more frequent and aggressive property crimes to sustain their addiction.

TCFC will continue to monitor local crime data to assess the effects of this shift.

Ordinance 12150: A Common-Sense Law Still Ignored

On March 18, the City Council took up Ordinance 12150, a law already on the books that prohibits camping in washes law already on the books that prohibits camping in washes and watercourses—areas that pose a danger to both individuals and the community.

The vote ended in a 3–3 tie:

Against enforcement: Kevin Dahl, Paul Cunningham, Lane Santa Cruz
In favor of enforcement: Karin Uhlich, Nikki Lee, Mayor Regina Romero

Council Member Richard Fimbres attended remotely and voted to enforce the law. However, his vote was not heard or recorded during the meeting. It was later confirmed that he had in fact voted yes—meaning the ordinance should have passed.  Fimbres was recorded (audio) as voting YES, but Mayor and Council claimed they could not hear him.

Council Member Cunningham called for a re-vote at the April 8 meeting, but the item was never brought back. Fimbres did not attend that meeting.

One Meeting Remains: Time is Running Out

Council member Richard Fimbres has now announced he will resign effective May 1, 2025. That leaves just one City Council meeting remaining before his departure—scheduled for April 22.

TCFC is calling on the Mayor and Council to bring Ordinance 12150 back for a re-vote at that final meeting. This is a critical opportunity to enforce a law that protects public safety and restores basic order to our city.

Thank You, Council Member Fimbres

We want to acknowledge and thank Council Member Fimbres for his years of service to the City of Tucson. We hope he is able to focus on his health and family during this next chapter.

The Path Forward

Tucson is at a critical point.

Our city cannot afford to continue ignoring crime, underfunding police, and enabling unsafe policies. Core services—especially law enforcement and public safety—must be prioritized above all else.

We urge every resident to remain engaged. Call, write, show up, and continue demanding better from City leadership.

We have a New DONATE BUTTON at the top of our home website landing page.  To check it out:

CLICK HERE

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Tucson Crime Free Coalition
www.tucsoncrimefree.com