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Tucson Spotlight will receive $10,000 from Ward 5’s budget surplus following a unanimous vote last Tuesday by the Tucson Mayor and Council to approve a funding proposal supporting 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 will:

• 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 will 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 allocations benefiting the Sunnyside Foundation, Education Enrichment Foundation, United Hearts of Arizona, and neighborhood revitalization programs.

Tucson Spotlight is a community-based newsroom that provides paid opportunities for students and rising journalists in Southern Arizona. Please consider supporting our work with a tax-deductible donation.