What does Southern Arizona expect from the economic stimulus package?
U.S. Rep. Gabrielle Giffords on Thursday will host a roundtable discussion with local business and economic professionals on the proposed economic stimulus package.
As Congress and the White House move closer to agreeing on a compromise economic stimulus package, Giffords wants to hear directly from the people she represents about how Washington can best respond to the current economic downturn.
Participants in the discussion include some of the most influential business and economic leaders in Pima County. They include Paul Portney, dean of the University of Arizona's Eller College of Management; Bonnie Allin, president and CEO of Tucson Airport Authority; and Chris Monson, president of Rocking K and owner of the Aberdeen Group.
The congresswoman has asked the participants to provide her with specific concerns about the sector of the economy they represent, and to discuss concrete solutions that could benefit Southern Arizona.
Other participants are Maricella Solis de Kester, president and CEO of the Tucson Hispanic Chamber of Commerce; Paul Parisi, vice president of governmental affairs at the Tucson Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce; Dave Naugle, administrator of corporate public affairs at Southwest Gas Corp.; Anne Mehochko, vice president of public policy at the Tucson Association of Realtors, James Tsighis, associate broker at Realty Executives; Valerie Rauluk, CEO of Venture Catalyst, Inc.; and George Favela, director of community affairs at Qwest.
WHAT: U.S. Rep. Gabrielle Giffords hosts a roundtable discussion with local business leaders and economic experts
WHEN: 11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m., Thursday, January 24
WHERE: Tucson Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce, 465 W. St. Mary's Road