Organizers of a recall effort to oust South Tucson Mayor Ildefonso Green and three council members have turned in roughly 450 signatures, nearly twice the number needed to trigger an election next March.
A city official confirmed the forms were filed with the city last week, with organizers turning in 112 signatures on each of the forms to recall Green and councilmen Rufino Cantu, Robert Larribas and Carlos Romo.
The forms are now in the possession of the Pima County Recorder’s Office, which is required by law to verify that the signatures on each petition are valid. However, each petition only needs 60 qualified signatures to trigger a recall election.
Results for the signature verification are expected later this week.
Leading the recall effort is Rita Rogers, a failed write-in City Council candidate with close ties to the owner of the former Spanish Trail Motel, Dennis Luttrell.
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Rogers has been openly critical of Green and the council majority in recent months, complaining that the council reduced payments into the pension system, cut firefighter positions and zeroed out its reserve funds to address an anticipated $650,000 budget shortfall.
Rogers also blames Green for the firing of former Police Chief Michael Ford after the two openly clashed at a council meeting.
The mayor does not have the power to fire employees, although Ford’s contract was not renewed by City Manager Sixto Molina a day after the contentious council meeting.
Contact reporter Joe Ferguson at jferguson@tucson.com or 573-4197. On Twitter: @JoeFerguson
Joe Ferguson
Reporter
