Tucson Spotlight could receive $10,000 from Ward 5’s budget surplus when the Tucson Mayor and Council vote Tuesday on a funding proposal to support the outlet’s Spanish-language publication, El Foco de Tucson.

The initiative aims to fill the gap in Spanish-language coverage left by the 2023 closure of La Estrella de Tucson.

The funding designation, part of a larger request made by Ward 5 to distribute its surplus through the City Manager’s FY26 Contingency Fund, targets underserved communities on Tucson’s south side, southeast area, and historic barrios. Specifically, the allocation to Tucson Spotlight is intended to:

• Sustain the Spanish-language publication El Foco de Tucson
• Fund organizing efforts to counteract the decline in media coverage for Spanish-speaking residents

Tucson Spotlight will maintain editorial independence. City officials have no role in story selection and will not review or approve content before publication. All reporting will adhere to impartial and objective journalistic standards.

The $291,851.28 budget surplus also includes proposed allocations benefiting the Sunnyside Foundation, Education Enrichment Foundation, United Hearts of Arizona, and neighborhood revitalization programs.

This measure is scheduled to be included on the Consent Agenda during the council’s regular session on Tuesday.

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