These changes are for the good of the city. We are just bringing these issues to their attention. At the time, Scott said that city staffers failed to resolve technical issues. Easing the annexation of unincorporated areas into the city was also an implicit part of last year's plan. Johnston recently acknowledged that facilitating annexation is still the main reason his group wants to implement changes to the charter.
Annexation remains a major priority of city officials, too.
Andrew Greenhill, Walkup's chief of staff, said the mayor last week asked Pima County's state legislative delegation to consider a bill that would remove barriers to annexation. Greenhill could not say what the mayor specifically had in mind when he put forward his ideas. Walkup was unavailable for comment. Without changes to current state law, a large-scale annexation could take years to accomplish. Johnston says his organization will not play a spoiler role in trying to influence the outcome of the incorporation election taking place in Casas Adobes on March 13.