Victor Soltero

Soltero was born on August 6, 1938 in Globe, Arizona, and moved to South Tucson, Arizona around the age of four.{{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/arizona-daily-star/157169016/|title=5 seek 4 S. Tucson council seats Tuesday (II)|first=Joe|last=Watt|work=Arizona Daily Star|date=April 10, 1983|access-date=October 15, 2024|page=44|via=Newspapers.com|quote=He was born in Globe, but has lived in South Tucson for 40 of his 44 years.}} He graduated from Pueblo High School in Tucson, Arizona in 1957 and later attended Pima Community College. Soltero worked as an aircraft electrician in the Arizona Air National Guard from 1956 to 1962 and a grounds maintenance field supervisor for the Tucson Unified School District from 1963 to 1991, retiring from the latter following his appointment to the Arizona State Senate.{{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/tucson-citizen/157203150/|title=Mayor Soltero will replace Higuera (II)|first=Mary|last=Bustamante|work=Tucson Citizen|date=March 29, 1991|access-date=October 15, 2024|page=20|via=Newspapers.com}}

On December 8, 1980, Soltero was appointed to the South Tucson city council on a 4–1 vote, with one abstention, to fill a two-month vacancy left by the resignation of Frank Lopez.{{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/tucson-citizen-s-tucson-enacts-cable-tv/157168705/|title=S. Tucson enacts cable TV code; to ask bids soon|work=Tucson Citizen|date=December 9, 1980|access-date=October 15, 2024|page=32|via=Newspapers.com}}{{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/arizona-daily-star-victor-soltero-appoin/157168769/|title=Victor Soltero appointed to South Tucson council|work=Arizona Daily Star|date=December 9, 1980|access-date=October 15, 2024|page=34|via=Newspapers.com}} He had previously served on several city committees and was on the Merit System Commission at the time. Soltero was twice reelected to his city council seat.{{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/arizona-daily-star-uncle-victor-soltero/141265191/|title=Soltero chosen as South Tucson mayor|first=Steffannie|last=Fedunak|work=Arizona Daily Star|date=May 3, 1988|access-date=October 15, 2024|page=4|via=Newspapers.com}}

On May 2, 1988, Soltero was unanimously appointed mayor of South Tucson by the city council, replacing Dan Eckstrom, the 15-year incumbent who resigned to become a Pima County Supervisor. Later that year, he inaugurated the city's new municipal complex and named it after Eckstrom to honor his service to the "square-mile city".{{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/tucson-citizen-s-tucson-city-complex-n/157195986/|title=S. Tucson city complex, named after ex-mayor, opens|first=Stella|last=Peña|work=Tucson Citizen|date=November 29, 1988|access-date=October 15, 2024|page=11|via=Newspapers.com}}

In March 1991, Soltero was one of 15 applicants who applied to represent the 10th district in the Arizona State Senate, a seat vacated by Jesus "Chuy" Higuera due to his resignation amid a corruption investigation.{{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/arizona-daily-star-15-applicants-seeking/157199673/|title=15 applicants seeking to fill Higuera's seat|first=Joe|last=Burchell|work=Arizona Daily Star|date=March 23, 1991|access-date=October 15, 2024|page=7|via=Newspapers.com}} From there, Soltero was one of three finalists recommended by a six-member citizens' committee.{{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/arizona-daily-star-panel-suggests-3-fina/157200521/|title=Panel suggests 3 finalists to replace Higuera|first=Joe|last=Burchell|work=Arizona Daily Star|date=March 28, 1991|access-date=October 15, 2024|page=1|via=Newspapers.com}} He was appointed to fill the State Senate vacancy via a 4–1 vote by the Pima County Board of Supervisors on March 29 and sworn in on April 1 along with Armando Ruiz.{{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/tucson-citizen-mayor-soltero-will-replac/157202739/|title=Mayor Soltero will replace Higuera (I)|first=Mary|last=Bustamante|work=Tucson Citizen|date=March 29, 1991|access-date=October 15, 2024|page=13|via=Newspapers.com}}{{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/arizona-daily-star-senate-debut-is-busy/157212970/|title=Senate debut is busy one for Soltero (I)|first=Mary K.|last=Reinhart|work=Arizona Daily Star|date=April 2, 1991|access-date=October 15, 2024|page=9|via=Newspapers.com}} In his first day in office, Soltero voted on 76 bills which had been backed up, including five campaign reform laws.{{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/arizona-daily-star/157213170/|title=Senate debut is busy one for Soltero (II)|first=Mary K.|last=Reinhart|work=Arizona Daily Star|date=April 2, 1991|access-date=October 15, 2024|page=10|via=Newspapers.com}} "It's a little difficult, but it's like getting into any other [new] situation," he said about his eventful first day. "At first it, it seems quite a bit more difficult than it actually turns out to be."

In 1992, Soltero sponsored a bill that would have appropriated $250,000 for a southside Tucson health center for victims of Trichloroethylene (TCE)-contaminated ground water.{{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/arizona-daily-star-senate-panel-oks-250/157214807/|title=Senate panel OKs $250,000 for southside center for TCE victims|first=Mary K.|last=Reinhart|work=Arizona Daily Star|date=February 29, 1992|access-date=October 15, 2024|page=3, [https://www.newspapers.com/article/arizona-daily-star/157214872/ 4]|via=Newspapers.com}}{{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/arizona-daily-star-azds-06-28-1992-az-se/18114920/|title=Senate votes to fund TCE health center in Tucson|first=Kim|last=Kelliher|work=Arizona Daily Star|date=June 28, 1992|access-date=October 15, 2024|page=18|via=Newspapers.com}} The TCE-contaminated area near the Tucson International Airport had previously been declared a federal Superfund site in 1983.

In the 1992 election, Soltero ran unopposed in the Democratic primary{{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/arizona-daily-star/157219493/|title=Early legislative results show incumbents winning (II)|first=Kim|last=Kelliher|work=Arizona Daily Star|date=September 9, 1992|access-date=October 15, 2024|page=5|via=Newspapers.com}} before defeating Libertarian challenger Arthur Kerschen in the general election.

{{reflist}}

{{Portal|Biography}}

• [http://www.azleg.gov/MembersPage.asp?Member_ID=63&Legislature=48 Senator Victor Soltero – District 29] official State Senate website
• [http://www.votesmart.org/bio.php?can_id=3082 Profile] at Project Vote Smart
• Follow the Money – Victor Soltero
• [http://www.followthemoney.org/database/StateGlance/candidate.phtml?c=90009 2006] [http://www.followthemoney.org/database/StateGlance/candidate.phtml?c=69423 2004] [http://www.followthemoney.org/database/StateGlance/candidate.phtml?c=21647 1998] [http://www.followthemoney.org/database/StateGlance/candidate.phtml?c=21425 1996] State Senate campaign contributions
• [http://www.followthemoney.org/database/StateGlance/candidate.phtml?c=17438 2002] [http://www.followthemoney.org/database/StateGlance/candidate.phtml?c=21890 2000] State House campaign contributions

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Category:1938 births

Category:Living people

Category:20th-century American legislators

Category:20th-century Arizona politicians

Category:20th-century mayors of places in Arizona

Category:21st-century members of the Arizona State Legislature

Category:Arizona city council members

Category:Democratic Party Arizona state senators

Category:Democratic Party members of the Arizona House of Representatives

Category:Hispanic and Latino American city council members

Category:Hispanic and Latino American mayors

Category:Hispanic and Latino American state legislators in Arizona

Category:Mayors of places in Arizona

Category:People from Globe, Arizona