Tucson Conveys 212 Acres to Air Force at No Cost for Raytheon Expansion in Split Vote

Tucson Conveys 212 Acres to Air Force at No Cost for Raytheon Expansion in Split Vote

The Tucson Mayor and Council voted 4-2 Tuesday, Aug. 18, to convey 212 acres of city-owned land to the U.S. Air Force at no charge, paving the way for potential expansion of Raytheon's operations — a decision that prompted some of the night's sharpest debate over weapons manufacturing, community benefit, and the limits of local authority.

Council Member Miranda Schubert, who pulled the item from the consent agenda, pressed staff through a lengthy series of questions before casting a no vote alongside Vice Mayor Lane Santa Cruz. Council Member Nikki Lee recused herself, citing a family conflict of interest she had declared at the day's study session. The city attorney confirmed the conveyance stems from a 2009 amendment to a 1995 pre-annexation agreement — struck when the property belonged to Hughes, Raytheon's predecessor on the site — under which the city collected a differential utility tax from Raytheon to fund the land acquisition. The city manager confirmed the transaction value was $6,470,000. Because those funds were derived from Raytheon under the agreement, staff said no additional monetary consideration would accompany the transfer. The city attorney added that if the council had declined, the city would most likely have had to return the $6,470,000.

Schubert asked whether the anticipated expansion was connected to weapons or missile production. The city manager said the city does not know which product lines are associated with the planned expansion, but confirmed it would not be a data center. In response to a question from the dais, staff confirmed that the city's recently adopted code changes governing data centers and large water users would apply to the site. The city manager confirmed that upon completion of the conveyance, the differential tax rate that funded the acquisition terminates and the city would begin collecting its full tax amount from Raytheon. Other council members said an item of this significance should have reached a study session before appearing on the agenda — a sentiment several public commenters echoed.

TPD Vehicle Theft Task Force Agreement Delayed 60 Days Over Data-Sharing Concerns

The council voted 7-0 to postpone for 60 days an intergovernmental agreement that would have continued the Tucson Police Department's participation in the Arizona Vehicle Theft Task Force, directing staff to brief council offices on the program's surveillance methods, data retention policies, and information-sharing practices before the item returns.

Schubert, who also pulled this item, said she was concerned the IGA's materials did not clarify whether TPD's internal technology-use policies apply within the task force, and noted the AVTTF operates under Arizona's Border Strike Force with an explicit mandate to coordinate with DHS and other federal agencies. "Once data is shared in statewide and or national databases, we don't know who can access it," she said. Council Member Lee moved to continue the item, and the council's motion included routing the agreement to the city's Independent Audit and Performance Commission — described from the dais as the citizen oversight committee — before it returns to the full council. Staff confirmed that reviewing such agreements is among that commission's primary functions.

Public Housing Authority Expands Project-Based Voucher Flexibility

Sitting as the Tucson Public Housing Authority Board of Commissioners, the body voted 8-0 to amend both the 2026 PHA Annual Plan and the 2025–2029 PHA Five-Year Plan to allow non-competitive allocation of project-based vouchers to units owned by the PHA and its nonprofit subsidiary, El Pueblo Housing Development — a broader scope than the El Portal portfolio originally described in public engagement materials.

Staff presented a last-minute modification to the resolution's preamble to reflect the expanded language, which the city attorney read into the record. Staff noted that 37 current public housing residents participated in the consultation process and were "overwhelmingly supportive." Staff said voucher holders specifically cited difficulty renting in the open market and saw project-basing of city-owned units as providing easier access to affordable housing.

City Acquires 10 Acres from TUSD for Ridgeside Park

The council voted 7-0 to purchase approximately 10 acres of vacant land from Tucson Unified School District for a future Ridgeside Park on the city's east side. Council Member Cunningham said the purchase price was drawn from a fraction of the impact fees the development generated, and that TUSD would reinvest those impact fees into school improvements on the east side.

Tucson School for the Blind Secures Downtown Space

The council voted 7-0 to approve a lease with Tucson School for the Blind, LLC, for approximately 4,000 rentable square feet on the third floor of 149 N. Stone Ave. Vice Mayor Santa Cruz, in whose ward the building sits, said the school was created after the Arizona School for the Deaf and Blind announced closure of its historic campus earlier this year.

Also discussed:

• Two Armory Park Historic Preservation Zone demolition-and-replacement applications — 330 S. 3rd Ave. and 424 E. 16th St. — were each approved 7-0 following public hearings.
• A rezoning of a 1.11-acre parcel at North Pantano Road from C-1 to C-2 for an automotive service facility was approved unanimously.
• A Pima County IGA for the 2026 Heat Relief Program and campaign finance code amendments were approved as part of a 7-0 consent calendar vote; items 7-i, 7-l, 7-m, and 7-n were removed for separate consideration.
• Accepting a council proclamation supporting the American Federation of Musicians Local 33, a musicians' representative announced the union won its election at True Concord Voices and Orchestra with 84% of votes cast.