I have never been to Tuscon but I hate Phoenix. I live in NE Mesa in the Las Sendas area which is beautiful. We moved here from the SF Bayarea and besides buying at just the right time it has been a nightmare move. There is no culture here. We find it to be the driest place on earth in regard to weather and humor. You try and make a joke with anyone here and you're greeted with a blank stare. The road rage is unbelievable I even had a car try and run me off the road purposely for daring to pass when it was moving too slow. There are still gun slingers. I went to Hollywood Video and thought that the place was being robbed when some old dude came out with his gun in his holster. The warnings of smoking and cancer have obviously fallen on deaf ears because people smoke everywhere. In the entrance of the grocery store, my doctor's office, name it there they are puffing away in 115 degree heat. White trucks displaying confederate flags tooling down the highway. It is a backwards place. They close the highways like it's a small town. I have been late because I didn't catch the news the night before when they list the highway closings. You will have to drive MILES out of your way. You don't have to have a license to be in business or "bidness" as we laughingly refer to it--unless you are selling something that requires a resale license. So every "shmoe and Joe" is in bidness. This is the grossest place I've ever lived. I've lived in 5 states and this one takes the cake. It's no wonder that despite being the 3rd largest city it is ranked 50 for conventions due to it's ass backwards ways.
