Tucson Democrat tapped to lead Arizona Senate

Tucson and Pima County will have a stronger voice at the Arizona Capitol when Priya Sundareshan becomes the next president of the Arizona Senate. Her selection gives the region its first Tucsonan in the chamber’s top position since 2007, at a time when Democrats will control the Senate, House and governor’s office for the first time in more than six decades. For Tucson residents, the change could shape decisions on university funding, roads, housing, water, education and the city’s ability to address homelessness and public safety.

Sundareshan, a Tucson Democrat, was chosen by the newly empowered Senate Democratic caucus on Friday, Nov. 6, to preside over the chamber for the next two years. She is also the first Democrat to lead a Senate majority since Pete Rios served as president from 1991 to 1992. Rios represented Dudleyville, south of Hayden, rather than Tucson. Before Sundareshan, the most recent Tucsonan to hold the position was Republican Tim Bee, who served for two years beginning in 2007. Republican Bill Jacquin, who led the Senate in 1970, was the Tucsonan before Bee.

The leadership shift comes as southern Arizona remains substantially outnumbered at the Capitol. Four state senators and eight representatives currently represent some portion of Tucson or Pima County. By comparison, about 22 senators and 44 representatives come from the Maricopa County area. Sundareshan has argued that this imbalance has helped make state policy and budget decisions overly focused on the Phoenix region, leaving Tucson and other parts of southern Arizona struggling to secure attention and funding.

That concern reaches into several issues with direct local consequences. The University of Arizona lost $5.7 million in the latest bipartisan state budget, although that reduction was smaller than the roughly $14 million cut initially proposed by Republicans. The original Republican plan also called for removing about $19 million in sales tax revenue from Rio Nuevo, the tax increment district that supports downtown Tucson development, infrastructure and business projects. The final budget avoided that funding cut, but imposed new conditions on how Rio Nuevo could use its money.

Transportation funding is another long running concern. The Highway User Revenue Fund supports highway construction, maintenance and local transportation infrastructure, but lawmakers have swept money from the fund during the past two decades to help balance the state budget. At the same time, revenue from Arizona’s fuel tax, the main source of HURF funding, has declined. The tax has remained at 18 cents per gallon since 1990. Tucson has responded by seeking local revenue, including three half cent sales tax measures intended to pay for major road projects, neighborhood streets, pedestrian improvements and public transit.

Sundareshan has said Democrats will not seek additional cuts to university funding and will try to build a state budget that does not disadvantage communities outside Maricopa County. Her broader agenda begins with affordability, including lower costs for health care, housing, utilities and groceries, along with greater accountability for corporations she says are contributing to rising prices. She has also identified public education funding and protecting Arizona’s share of the Colorado River as priorities. Higher education and road infrastructure are among the specific areas she has described as especially important to southern Arizona.

Tucson Mayor Regina Romero welcomed Sundareshan’s selection and said the city is proud of the milestone. Romero pointed to several goals for the upcoming legislative session, including state support for Tucson’s Safe City Initiative, which addresses homelessness, substance abuse and violent crime. The mayor also said the city wants to protect local authority and funding, expand affordable housing, invest in infrastructure, and strengthen climate and water resilience. She said Tucson’s council members are looking forward to working with Sundareshan on those issues.

Sundareshan will not be the only Tucson Democrat in a prominent legislative role. She selected Sen. Alma Hernandez and Sen. Edgar Soto as presidents pro tempore. In the House, newly elected Speaker Oscar De Los Santos named Rep. Nancy Gutierrez majority leader and Rep. Kevin Volk majority whip. Together, the appointments give Tucson and the wider region several places in the leadership structure as Democrats prepare to take control of both legislative chambers.

Republicans have offered mixed reactions to the change. Kathleen Winn, chair of the Pima County Republican Party, said having Pima County represented in state leadership is positive and expressed hope that Democrats will act responsibly and deliver results for southern Arizona. She also said Republicans share some of the same concerns, but remain wary of the policies Democrats may pursue. Republican Sen. John Kavanagh was more critical, arguing that Democratic control will be harmful to the state and warning against undoing legislation passed under Republican majorities. The coming session will show whether Sundareshan’s promises of a stronger southern Arizona partnership translate into budget decisions and laws affecting Tucson.