The following is the opinion and analysis of the writer:
In 1974, the Tucson City Council and the Pima County Board of Supervisors established the Commission on Improved Governmental Management ("CIGM"); a citizens' commission charged with studying the alternatives for improving the local governance.
CIGM found that citizens were often confused by the systems and frustrated by the conflict and competition between the city of Tucson and Pima County. CIGM evaluated a wide range of local governmental models, including incorporation, annexation, and the use of inter-governmental agreements.
Bruce Wright, a deputy director of CIGM and now a retired University of Arizona associate vice president, recalls that after much deliberation and debate, the commission recommended consolidating the city and county into a single unified government.
CIGM was successful in securing the necessary enabling legislation from the Arizona Legislature to present the proposal for consolidated government to the voters of Pima County. However, the idea of unified government died a quiet death as the city of Tucson supported the concept while Pima County opposed it.
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Originally published by Arizona Daily Star.
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