SAHBA  NEWS  RELEASE                    

Builders Seeking Pro-Business Council Members

SAHBA PAC Endorses Kozachik, McClusky, Buehler-Garcia

 

Faced with increased government regulations during a down housing market, the Southern Arizona Home Builders Association Political Action Committee (SAHBA PAC) announced today that it will be advocating for new leadership on the Tucson City Council.  The SAHBA PAC has endorsed pro-business candidates Steve Kozachik (Ward 3), Shaun McCluskey (Ward 5) and Ben Buehler-Garcia (Ward 6). 

“It is no secret the home building industry is struggling,” said Carl Schroeder, SAHBA PAC Chairman. “Unfortunately, we are not seeing a meaningful effort from the current City Council to help our industry, or any other business sector, get back on track.”

The home building industry has seen sales plummet the past year and a half. Once contributing more than $2 billion annually to the local economy (more than Raytheon, Davis-Monthan Air Force Base or the Gem & Mineral Show), the industry is expected to contribute only a quarter of that total in 2009.

“Kozachik, McCluskey and Buehler-Garcia have demonstrated that they will work tirelessly to ensure Tucson’s economic success. This type of leadership is needed on the Council starting in November,” continued Schroeder. “The time for talk and grand planning is over. We need action taken now to help our local economy recover.”

Schroeder added that in an attempt to stimulate the local economy and put people back to work, more than 25 city and town governments across the country have taken action to reduce or freeze impact fees in recent months.  In March, the Tucson Mayor and Council had a proposal before them to adopt a temporary moratorium on impact fees but chose not to pursue it.

Additionally, an Economic Stimulus Stakeholder Group, of which SAHBA was a member, recommended numerous non-impact fee related stimulus ideas to the Council but no action has been taken on them to date.