The intent of this report is to provide the Tucson region with an indication of the perspectives, including the hopes and concerns, of a representative sample of stakeholders about regional water planning. Forty-three interviews were conducted during March and early April 2008. While this study surely does not capture all of the opinions about regional water planning that exist in the diverse Tucson region, it does provide a starting point for understanding areas of agreement and differences among stakeholders.
All participants in the study were asked a common set of questions. Participants were categorized into six groups: elected officials; local jurisdiction managers; water managers; business stakeholders; environmental stakeholders; and miscellaneous stakeholders. The questions were open ended and assumed that some sort of regional process would occur, but did not further define the process. Questions fell into four general categories: goals and outcomes; participation, public involvement, and structure; assumptions and the region of focus; and concerns about engaging in a regional process.
The following themes were evident in responses across stakeholder groups:
- Stakeholders from each category favored the creation of some sort of long-range regional plan based on a common set of facts.
- Most stakeholders think everything should be on the table at the start of a regional process.
- Everyone who has an interest in participating in the regional process should be given the opportunity to do so.
- There was near unanimous agreement that the Tucson AMA should be the region of focus for regional planning.
- The majority of respondents did not favor the formation of a regional authority at this time.
Overall, the responses universally reveal a sincere desire to cooperate on regional water planning.