South Tucson's El Independiente, 1983-10-01

              Despite bankruptcy, cuts to city services not expected
By Pat Brennan
Staff Writer
The residents of South Tucson will
breathe a collective sigh of relief once a
schedule for payment of the city's $4.4
million debt is hammered out in U.S.
Bankruptcy Court, some city officials
predict.
But one resident said bets expecting the
worst - namely, a significant tax increase
to help pay off the debts As a hedge
against such an increase, and as part of a
continuing effort, N. Stuart trwin said he
has gathered signatures from 900
registered voters on a petition for
disincorporation.
"Why not go into disincorporafion and
let the whole population of Arizona pay for
this?" Irwin said last week.
But City Manager Enrique G. Serna said
he does not anticipate any tax increases or
Por Pat Brennan
Escritor del Personal
Los residentes de Sur Tucson por fin
podrán respirar tranquilos una vez que
la Corte Federal de Bancarrotas decido
sobre ta manera en que la ciudad
tendrá que pagar su deuda de $4.4
millones de dólares; algunas
autoridades municipales predicen.
Sin embargo, un residente dijo que
él cree que la situación empeorará, por
ejemplo, at aumentar los impuestos
considerablemente para pagar la
deuda. N. Stuart Irwin dijo que ha
recogido 900 firmas de votantes
registrados para formular una petición
Photo by Troy soge Thomas
special tax levies to help pay off the debt,
and South Tucson Mayor Daniel W.
Eckstrom said the city will "continue to
function as usual," with no cuts in services
or personnel.
Former Tucson policeman Julian Roy
Garcia won a judgment of $3.6 million in
1978which has grown to $4.4 million with
interest - for a spinal injury he received
when he was accidentally shot by a South
Tucson policeman during a joint police
action against a sniper. The injury left
Garcia paralyzed from the waist down.
The city's other major debt is $105,000,
owed to Cox Cable of Tucson, Inc., for an
advance the company paid against
construction of a cable system. Other
debts include sums owed to various
businesses and private individuals,
including some former South Tucson
employees who want vacation pay and
compensation for overtime.
de desincorporación y así evitar el
aumento de impuestos previslo.
«,Por qué no tratar de
desincorporar la ciudad y así todos los
arízonenses contribuiran a pagar ía
deuda?» dijo Irwin la semana pasada.
Pero el administrador dc la ciudad,
Enrique G. Serna, no cree que se
producirá tal iOcremento o cualquier
otro gravamen fiscal para pagar la
deuda, y el presidente municipal, Dan
Eckstrom, dijo que la ciudad
«conlinuará funcionando como
siempre» sin recortes en servicios o
personal.
En anteriormante policía de Tucson
Julián Roy García ganó un juicio de
Bankruptcy raises questions
but business unchanged
By Julie A. Amparano
Staff Writer
It is business as usual in South Tucson.
A merchant sweeps out his South Sixth
Avenue shop, and the restaurant owner
prepares the day's meals. Just like any
other day.
The petition the city filed for
bankruptcy has not affected most
businesses.
The bankruptcy was filed after the city
could not find a way to pay a $3.6 million
judgment, which has grwon to $4.4 million
with interest. The judgment was awarded
to former policeman Julian Roy Garcia in
1978. Garcia suffered a spinal injury,
which left him paralyzed, after he was
shot accidentally by a South Tucson
policeman in a joint effort against a
sniper.
For the United Market and Discount
Liquors at 2424 S. Sixth Ave., the
bankruptcy is just news in the paper.
Ben T. Mar, the store manager, said,
"It hasn't touched our business. People
still come and go like they did before the
bankruptcy."
"Just because a city files bankruptcy,
doesn't mean they'll be shopping
somewhere else. They're still going to du
business inside the city, like they always
have," Mar said.
Inside Greyhound Park, 2601 5. Third
Ave., people continue betting on their
favorite dogs and the president, Ronald A.
READY TO PLAYClemernte Pimentel. a Quecha Indian from Bolivia, holds his Sultemeier continues with plans to upgrade the track
flute-like instrument, the tarqu, during a visit to Tucson. (Story pg. 3)
3,6 millones de dólares en 1978 (que la
suma la cantidad de 4.4 mitones de
dólares con los intereses) por una
lesión en la columna vertebral
producida accidentalmente por una
policía de Sur Tucson en una
operación policial conjunla contra un
franco-tirador. La lesión causó a
García un parálisis de la mitad del
cuerpo para abajo, La ciudad además
tiene otras deudas mayores como una
de 105.000 dótares a ta companía de
Cox Cable de Tucson por un adelanto
que la componía le pasó a la ciudad
por la instalación de un sistema de
televisión por cable. Además, adeuda
ciertas sumas de dinero a varios
"The bankruptcy hasn't affected us in
any way, and we're not going to let it
affect our plans for improvements,"
Sultemeier said.
Construction has begun on the first part
of $3 million improvement plan.
"Business has not slumped. The same
amount of people still come, and the same
amount of money is still spent," he said.
"Everything is normal. The city
services have not been interrupted. We
still have water, fire and police
protection," Sultemeier said.
City Manager Enrique G. Serna said,
"There will be no interruption of services
and no de-escalation of any service. We'll
continue to function as we have."
El Independiente
presses roll
El Independiente, the newspaper that
serves Soulh Tucson, is continuing
publication, despite plans to the contrary
in the spring.
The newspaper has been published by
students of the University of Arizona
Journalism Department during the fall
and spring semesters sïnce 1976.
The department will publish four issues
this semester: today's, and on Oct. 22,
Nov. 12 and Dec. 3. Six isnues are planned
between January and May of 1984.
El Independiente is distributed free of
charge at South Tucson markets,
shopping areas and public offices.
Richard D. Grand, Garcia's attorney, Serna said city officials are reviewing
filed a motion in bankruptcy court Sept. 2t their options with regard to a payment
to end a court order that protected South plan, but that those options do not include
Tucson from Its creditors. This means that extra taxes for the city.
creditors again may begin petitioning the
city for payment. The next step is a
hearing for the creditors to plead their
case before a bankruptcy judge, although
a date for the hearing has not yet been set.
The judge will hear both sides and decide
on a schedule of payment for the city.
Attorneys for the creditors refused to
comment last week on the issue of
payment, and South Tucson officials would
not comment on legal proceedings,
although Serna and Eckstrom offered
opinions on the future of South Tucson.
''I don't see any danger of
disincorporation," Eckstrom said. "There
shouldn't be any decrease in services.
Nothing's planned, nothing's Hesaidhehas beenadvisednottomake
contemplated; we will continue to function the petition public until the court has made
as usual." its decision.
"The major thing the citizens and the
businessmen will feel in relief," Serna
said. "Relief from not having to shoulder
addïtional tax assessments, and that the
whole thing is over with."
Of Garcia, Serna said, "Our intent is to
come up with a just and equitable plan for
him."
Irwin said the 900 signatures he and his
wife, Beatriz, have gathered represent a
majority of the 1,357 registered voters in
the city. But Irwin said his wife is keeping
the petition in a Valley National Bank safe-deposit
box until such time as it is needed.
La bancarrota no reducira los servicios, off iciales dicen
negociantes e individuos entre los que
se encuentran trabajadores
municipales que exigieron pagos por
vacaciones y compensaciones por
trabajo hecho fuera del horario
laboral normal,
Richard D. Grand, abogado de
García, presentó una moción en una
corte de bancarrotas el 21 de
septiembre para invalidar una orden
judicial que protegía a la ciudad de Sur
Tucson de sus acreedores. Por esta
acción los acreedores de la ciudad
pueden volver a exigir de a ciudad que
les pague lo que les debe - El siguiente
paso será fijar una audiencia para que
Continuado en la página 2
South Tucson's
El Independiente
Vol. IX No. I Published by the Department of Journalism The University of Arizona OCT. 1, 1983