STEVE KOZACHIK Honorable Governor Doug Ducey June 12th, 2020

COUNCIL MEMBER 17 W. Washington Street

Phoenix, AZ 85007

Dear Governor Ducey;

Steve Kozachik writing, Tucson City Council, representing Ward 6. With what is a snowballs
chance of this being acted on favorably, I hesitated even investing the time to write. And yet I
owe it to my constituents to reach out and make the effort.

Since the onset of coronavirus in March, we have seen a series of Executive Orders coming from
the Federal, State and Local levels, the result of which has been policy being framed without the
benefit of consultation and input from other elected officials. The notion of ‘just because you can’
does not make the process good governance. We are not served well by autocratic rule making at
any level of government.

Coronavirus infections are increasing at an alarming rate State wide. Hospital bed capacity is
dropping, and ventilator use is increasing. Other jurisdictions’ leadership may speak on their own
behalf, but for my constituents I request an immediate rescinding of your remaining Executive
Order that prohibits local governments from implementing our own policies for managing this
health epidemic. The circumstances in Tucson and Pima County are not the same as those in
other parts of the State. Our approaches should be driven by local conditions, decided on through
a consultative process among local elected officials and local health experts.

We can debate the causes of the current surge in infections; your ending Stay at Home, Memorial
Day celebrations, recent protests – the cause is not the issue. What matters is the effect of your
Executive Order, has been to nullify local decision making authority. Whether an Executive
Order is generated from the Federal, State or Local level without the benefit of input from other
elected officials, the result is undemocratic and must stop.

Thanks for your time and attention. These are tough times for all of us. It is appropriate that those
of us elected to represent Tucsonans craft policy decisions for our constituents at the level of
government closest to them. Please end pre-emptive elements of your Executive Orders
immediately.

Sincerely,

Steve Kozachik, Ward 6 Council Member

TUCSON CITY COUNCIL · WARD 6 · 3202 E. 1st ST. · TUCSON, AZ 85716-4207

(520) 791-4601· FAX (520) 791-3211 · ward6@tucsonaz.gov
www.tucsonaz.gov/ward6