By Seth Doria
Arizona Summer Wildcat
August 27, 1997

2 UA employees vie for City Council Rep. position

Image courtesy Tucson Weekly Allison Hughes	Image courtesy Tucson Weekly Octavio Barcelo

Two UA employees are among seven people who are on the ballot to follow Molly McKasson, who retired last April, as Tucson's City Council Ward 6 representative.

Octavio Barcelo, an officer with UAPD, and Alison Hughes, an administrator with the UA Rural Health Office, along with three others, are competing for the Democratic nomination and the right to face Republican Fred Ronstadt and Libertarian Dan Dougherty in the November general election.

Barcelo, who has been with UAPD for two years, is running a low-budget, grassroots campaign consisting primarily of door-to-door visits in an attempt to sway voters.

Barcelo said that if elected, his main goal will be to improve the ward "from the neighborhoods up."

He proposes a weekly forum in which his constituents could voice their grievances.

"It is about meeting people and listening to their concerns," he said. "They need to have a voice."

Barcelo said he would hold staggered office hours, including some during the evening so those who could not make it to the town hall type meetings would still have access to their representative.

Outside of hearing his constituents' complaints, Barcelo said he wants to increase the number of officers patrolling the streets in an effort to reduce crime.

He said he would also concentrate on improving city services.

One such improvement would be a drastic decrease in the time it takes the fire and police departments to respond to 911 calls.

"It can't take two hours for a police officer to respond to a tragedy," he said.

Barcelo also said he would concentrate on bringing high-paying jobs to Tucson saying: "We can't afford to not remain competitive in bringing good-paying jobs to Tucson."

Hughes summarized her position in two words: "people first."

She said her support of increasing social services for the elderly and children, as well as wanting to incorporate the Internet into city services such as business permits and taxes, is what separates her from the other candidates.

Hughes said every library should offer free e-mail and Internet classes so poor Tucsonans would not be left out of the technology revolution.

"Information is absolute empowerment," she said. "When a poor child gets addicted to the Internet, they are getting addicted to information."

Hughes also said she would like to increase programs designed to curb domestic violence and the spreading of HIV, as well as increasing funding for rape crisis centers and shelters for feeding the poor.

To pay for the increased programs, Hughes wants to use some of the $30,000 currently in the Neighborhood Improvement Fund kept by the city. She said she is also considering a gas tax to raise additional funds.

Hughes said she would also like to improve the look of the ward, saying she wants to severely penalize out-of-state property owners who let their property get run down.

"We need some rules and regulations to take care of these guys," she said.

Other agendas Hughes said she would like to tackle include improving the bike path system through the city, using alternative fuels in public transportation, and making sure all sidewalks are handicapped accessible.

The main difference between Barcelo's and Hughes's campaigns are in the amount of money raised.

Barcelo has not had many donations, something he said has affected the campaign, but it is not something he is concerned about.

"We would have liked more money," he said "but we are not big money people. Money won't win this campaign."

Hughes, on the other hand, has turned her extensive experience within the Democratic Party into a flood of donations with the latest tally at more than $9,500. The total makes her eligible for federal matching funds, which brings her campaign funds to nearly $20,000.

She said most of the money is spent on the printing and mailing of campaign fliers, as well as administrative costs.

Hughes said the influx of donations is due to her 27 years of service as a Tucsonan and Democrat. She was the first executive director of the Tucson Women's Commission and was also named the state party's Democrat of the Year in 1995.

Hughes is apparently so well thought of that former Congressman Jim McNulty, who employed Hughes as an aide for two years, has joined her campaign, going door to door every Saturday morning in an effort to raise funds for her campaign.

Competing with Hughes and Barcelo are Carol Zimmerman, Tres English and Leo Pilachowski.