Three senior citizens have been charged with misdemeanor theft for stealing political signs that supported adoption of the 30% Design for the improvement of Broadway. The individuals participated in the “Broadway Coalition” rally last weekend to oppose the Broadway project.
The three charged were described by one observer has “three old hippies:” The names released are:
- Laura Tabili, 61 (female)
- Melody Peters, 66 (female)
- Jay Vosk, 68 (male)
Another individual shown in security-camera video stealing signs is still unidentified. According to sources, those charged have been very involved in efforts of the “Broadway Coalition” for a considerable period of time.
On Saturday, a supporter of the 30% Design printed signs that business and property owners requested which included messages such as “Property Owner supporting the New Broadway” “move Broadway forward” “Support 6 Lanes,” and “Wider is Wiser.” Supporters put up approximately 40 in the yards and frontages Sunday morning, with property-owner invitations and permissions.
The signs were all stolen within a few hours of installation, between 10 and 11 a.m., according to an email sent to Tucson City Councilmembers. “At least four individuals in two different vehicles are recognizable on security camera video drove along Broadway, parking, exiting the vehicles, pulling out the signs, and returning with them to their cars. A Tucson police officer witnessed the activity, but mistakenly thought the group was putting up signs. One of the cars was identified at the Broadway Coalition rally Sunday night, and some of the signs that were removed from the 1600 block of E. Broadway Sunday morning were recovered from a dumpster at 48 N Tucson Blvd. (a block away from the rally location) at 6:30 p.m. Sunday night,” reads the email.
Opponents of the 30% Design have generally been opposed to any private vehicle traffic. Leaders of the group “hope that we will all become fierce advocates for public transportation,” according to the group’s Facebook page.
According to the email, the theft is not “aberrant behavior of a few rogue individuals within the “Broadway Coalition,” but just business-as-usual.” One prominent member of the “Coalition” reportedly berated and used “profanity-laden personal attacks against a Citizen’s Task Force member, and the author of a recent widely-circulated petition against the 30% Design treat a project consultant with similar dirty insults and personal attacks at a public open house event.”
The Tucson Mayor and Council will decide at their 5:30 meeting today, April 19, whether or not to approve the 30% design plan. In expectation of a large crowd, the City Council Regular Meeting will be moved to the Board of Supervisors Hearing Room in the Pima County Administration Building, 130 W. Congress St. The meeting will begin at 5:30 p.m. and will be broadcast live on channel 96 (Cox and Comcast).
The earlier Study Session will be held in Council Chambers in City Hall, 255 W. Alameda St. as previously scheduled.