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Looking
for a city with laid back small-town  friendliness
but still want the culture and excitement of a booming metropolitan
area? Tucson is your choice!
 The
best of both worlds... the warm climate and friendly residents give
Tucson a cozy small town feeling, yet it is one of the fastest growing
cities in the southwest. The Tucson metro area/Pima County population
is over 1 million people.
For details about schools, weather,
history and sports/recreation (including golf), don't forget to
check out the links at the top of this page. Want even more details
about Tucson? Find it in my More Tucson
Links section.
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Geography
Part of the lush Sonoran desert, Tucson lies in
a valley surrounded by six mountains ranges; the Santa Catalinas
to the north (reaching 9,100 ft. elevation), the Santa Rita and
Sierrita Mountains to the south, the Rincon Mountains to the east,
the Tucson Mountains to the west, and the Tortolita Mountains
on the northwest.
 "Stats
& Facts"
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Population: approx. 1,000,000
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Elevation: 2,400 feet
- 115 miles south of Phoenix
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65 miles from US/Mexico border
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Tucson is the county seat of Pima County
Arts & Entertainment
Tucson is known as a "mini-mecca" for
the Arts. In addition to countless galleries around the city,
the downtown area is a designated arts district. Tucson also maintains
professional opera, symphony orchestra, ballet, and theater companies.
For new visitors and seasoned residents alike Tucson offers many
fun and fascinating attractions, for more information about these
please see my More Tucson Links
section.
Taxes
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Income Tax: State personal income tax is among
the lowest in the nation and ranges from 3.25 to 7% depending
on income.
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Retail Sales Tax: State sales tax is 5%, an
additional 2% is added for goods sold within the city of Tucson.
Non-restaurant foods and prescription drugs are tax exempt.
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Property Taxes: Residential property is assessed
at 10% of fair market value. Property tax is calculated by applying
the assessment ratio to the property's full cash value (80-85%
of market value) to determine assessed value. The property tax
rate for $100 is then applied to the assessed value. A quick
estimation would be 1.1% of the sales price.
Health Care
Tucson has some of the most exceptional medical research
and treatment facilities in the country. In addition to topnotch
facilities for traditional medicine, it is also quickly becoming
a leader in alternative therapies. The well-known doctor and author
Dr. Andrew Weil directs the University Medical Center's new Integrative
Medicine Center. Health resorts, natural food stores and wellness
programs abound in Tucson. Area hospitals focus a large part of
their efforts on senior health, offering a variety of free programs
on health education and prevention.
Tucson Medical Center is southern Arizona's largest
hospital and hosts one of the two trauma centers in the city. Sophisticated
medical research is conducted by the University Medical Center with
several research projects including the University Heart Center,
Arizona Cancer Center, Arizona Arthritis Center, Respiratory Sciences
Center, Arizona Aging Center and Arizona Emergency Medicine Research
Center.
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