Tucson Utility Contractors Association "Building Our Community!"

 

 

TUCA is a Professional Trade Organization representing the hard working people who build our community,
their families and the issues that enhance our quality of life in the beautiful Sonoran Desert.

Upcoming events

Wednesday, February 08, 2012 7:00 AM • Location~ to be notified by email
Wednesday, February 08, 2012 8:00 AM • Location to be notified by email
Wednesday, February 15, 2012 7:00 AM • TUCA Office 1842 West Grant Road Suite 103
Tuesday, February 21, 2012 8:30 AM • Granite Construction 4115 East Illinois


2012 ARIZONA ROADS & STREETS CONFERENCE

The Arizona Conference on Roads and Streets is the largest annual event for Arizona engineers and contractors from the public and private sectors. Approximately 1,200 attendees and 100 exhibitors are expected to participate in the 2012 conference. To be included, reserve your exhibit booth or sponsorship today! Sorry, there is no online booth/sponsorship registration. The 2012 conference theme will focus on the Arizona Centennial. We encourage all vendors to consider incorporating this theme into your booth, your hand-outs, and promotional material. There will be programs of interest for industry leaders and staff from small, medium, and large municipalities, counties, agencies, consultants and contractors. All sessions award professional development hours for attendance. For more information, please visit this website.


FROM THE STATE CAPITAL

Last week there was a joint Senate and Appropriation Committee that covered the Governors proposed budget. Revenues are growing as the economy is strengthening said the Governor’s Budget Director. In addition, the cuts that were made last year are NOT temporary cuts, they are permanent. Representative Vic Williams asked about the list of debt items that come from the general fund. A lot of the discussion was around paying off debt verses paying for services in other areas. Each year, rollovers are inevitable and because the governor wishes to pay the rollovers, a strong discussion will occur about where monies will be spent.

On another note, I had lunch with Representative Vic Williams in Phoenix. We discussed further about a potential bill to repay back the HURF. The State cannot accept debt and would have to repay back any loans from that debt. So, with the help of others, Representative Williams is considering a bill that would make the HURF a debt recovery item in the budget. So, if HURF was swept again into the general fund, at some point in time the HURF would need to be paid back. Stay tuned on this legislation.

Executive Director Message


PROCUREMENT ALERT

The monthly RTA Board of Directors meeting is this week Thursday, January 26, 2012 at 177 North Church Avenue on the 5th Floor in Suite 501. They will be discussing the recommended 10% cap on SBE goals when it relates to any RTA road project. We cannot express enough how important this meeting is to our industry and for you to be present. TUCA has been working on this subject for well over a year. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me directly by emailing me.

INSTALLATION DINNER


FROM WASHINGTON, D.C.

U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood this week announced nearly $1.6 billion to states and territories across the nation to help cover the costs of repairing roads and bridges damaged by a variety of natural disasters. Funding from the Federal Highway Administration’s (FHWA) Emergency Relief Program was provided by the Consolidated and Further Continuing Appropriations Act, 2012.  FHWA will provide a total of $1.58 billion to 30 states, American Samoa, U.S. Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico and federal land management agencies to reimburse them for repairs to roads and bridges caused by storms, flooding, hurricanes and other natural and catastrophic disasters. Vermont, hard hit by Hurricane Irene, will receive $125.6 million; North Dakota will receive $89.1 million for the Devils Lake Basin for damage caused by Spring 2011 runoff; and Iowa will receive $37.5 million to repair damage caused by the May 2011 Missouri River flooding.  . This money will reimburse states for fixing or replacing highways, bridges and other roadway structures. Costs associated with detours, debris removal and other immediate measures necessary to restore traffic flow in impacted areas are also eligible for reimbursement.

TUCA News

Friday, January 13, 2012 12:41 PM • Ramon Gaanderse
Friday, January 13, 2012 8:24 AM • Ramon Gaanderse
Friday, December 16, 2011 12:53 PM • Ramon Gaanderse
Friday, December 16, 2011 11:46 AM • Ramon Gaanderse
Friday, December 02, 2011 9:32 AM • Ramon Gaanderse
TUCA is following:



The Collation met recently with the House Appropriations Chair John Kavanagh (R-District 8) about Highway User Revenue Funds (HURF). The Representative did mention to us that it was his plan and the Legislature to STOP raiding the HURF. Although in the past, HURF dollars have been swept both to DPS and the general fund; he mentioned that sweeps will continue to DPS but not to the general fund. On the same breath, I sat down briefly with the Governor’s Office here in Tucson and was told that the buzz at the State Capital is all about the HURF. So on a very positive note, the coalition is moving strong and gaining some ground. We will still continue to apply pressure where needed. It’s not as if we are asking for more dollars, only asking them to STOP raiding the fund and putting the money to its intended purpose. When the economy suffers, so does the HURF as it’s tied to vehicles purchased and gas tax monies.

Conducting a statewide poll to registered voters about transportation. With this information, each organization can learn more about the voter’s needs and wants; and with this information we can educate our elected officials in Arizona. Click logo to directly to the website or click here for TUCA information.


A.C.T. PROPOSED JOBS PLAN FOR THE CITY OF TUCSON

TUCA is one of many organizations participating regarding the idea of creating an ordinance to find ways to hire more locally. These means that any contractor doing work with the City of Tucson would be required to hire those living in the City of Tucson limits. Because this was our first meeting, it is still too early to tell the direction of the Committee. We all support finding ways to create new jobs, but not at the expense of more red tape. Several cities have done similar types of ordinances; we all were given a lot of research to read. At the same time this is occurring, the Tucson Metro Chamber is working on a local preference ordinance, and the SBE program may add incentives to general contractors. As meetings continue, I will be in touch with the membership.


City of Tucson General Plan
Underway -Click logo for more information.

TUCA PARTNERS:

        http://www.azagc.org/      
         
 
 

Tucson Utility Contractors Association
1842 West Grant Road, Suite 103
Tucson AZ 85745
Phone: (520) 623-0444 Fax: (520) 623-5663