... "A great city has a dynamic and diverse market economy.

It has a growing, thriving middle class, measured in terms of home ownership, wages, and benefits.

It has true upward social mobility, with the opportunity for residents to improve their economic situations.

A great American city also has solidarity, a commitment to meeting all of its citizensí needs.

Finally, a great city has a wide range of strong institutions that work together to promote civic engagement and democratic practices.

Are we making the necessary investments to make Tucson a great American city?

Mayor and council members, it appears that we are faced with two choices. One choice would be to accept the downturn in the economy as a misfortunate circumstance and to subject ourselves to the whim of market forces.

Another, more appropriate response would be to fulfill the call to action from our faith and civic traditions and join together as agents of change and human development. Our various faith traditions each hold dear the notion of covenant, the idea that as a community, we have a responsibility for one another, for our children, our elderly, our workers, our newcomers. We are committed to working with you to fulfill this social compact and truly make Tucson a covenantal community."

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