No big surprise here: Burt Lopez has pulled the plug on the recall of Mayor Bob Walkup and City Council members Regina Romero and Karin Uhlich.

We said it was in the works last week:

Here's what Mayer and Humphries really need to worry about: Will Lopez go down to City Hall and formally disband his political committee? If that happens, the Tea Party guys would have to start the recall all over again.

Looks like they might just end up as two more guys who are sorry they decided to do business with Bert Lopez.

Tucson is at the threshold of a new era—an era that will be defined by a business-friendly approach to our shared future.

Many people and events played a role in ushering in this new, welcoming attitude toward the city's business community. As a longtime resident of Tucson, I am proud to count myself among this group of concerned citizens.

In September of last year I hosted a gathering

of business owners and leaders to discuss how we could work together to change the anti-business climate that exists in our community. We all agreed that something had to be done, particularly in light of the severe economic conditions that were impacting every city and state in the country.

A sense of urgency came to our group in January when we read a study stating that Tucson was ranked as one of the worst places in the country for doing business. It was then that I decided to lead the recall effort against Mayor Bob Walkup and Council Members Karin Uhlich and Regina Romero.

Our goal was simple: we wanted the recall to be the tool that allowed us to reform the anti-business policies that have been an obstacle to new and existing businesses.

Today, I am able to report that our goal is well on its way to being achieved. To the credit of elected officials we sought to remove from office, they have adopted a decidedly different approach to Tucson's business community. They are now talking about working towards an economic recovery and the creation of jobs that will benefit everyone in our community.

As a result, the recall no longer is necessary, the termination statement and final report are being finalized and will be submitted in the next few days. The mere possibility of it happening was enough to bring about the change that is desperately needed. From my perspective, this represents a clear success.

Make no mistake, community reaction and support for the recall effort has been very strong and still remains so. To date we have collected several thousand of the required signatures. Had we not achieved the goals we wanted, we would certainly press ahead.

I have always been aware of how this effort could divide our community. I seriously weighed the necessity of this effort versus the cost. And I have always known that this effort would not be easy.

Over the past few weeks I have worked tirelessly with many fellow Tucsonans to come up with what I believe is a real "win-win" for our community. The pain of a recall has been avoided but the grievances that sparked it are now being addressed. This is very good news for everyone who loves Tucson.