McCain legislation benefits mining companies, hurts environment

Obama’s Agriculture Secretary Vilsack and Interior Secretary Salazar recently met in Arizona with proponents and opponents of McCain- sponsored copper mine “land swap” legislation. Mine supporters participated in the meetings, as did opponents such as local townspeople, Native Americans and conservationists.

Help, I’m doing a report on Arizona

Dear Editor,

Hello, my name is Vanessa Espinoza. I am a fifth grader at Napa Valley Language Academy in Napa, California.

The reason I am writing to you is that my class is doing state reports and I have chosen your magnificent state, Arizona.

An open letter on health care to Sens. McCain and Kyl

Here we go again. I’ve lost track of what round this is over health care, but it doesn’t change the fact that the federal government cannot “mandate” American citizens to purchase health care coverage.

Tougher penalties needed for pedophiles

I am a local political activist. I brought up the issue of child endangerment to the local press during the school override election for Apache Junction Unified School District. I also raised the issue during city council meetings and in the blogs.

Third parties must print public notices

H2244 was appropriately defeated because, by definition, removing print publication of public notices defeats the very purpose of public publication of the notices. The intention is to provide as broad a public notice to the citizens as is economically and reasonably feasible without preferring, by the method of publication, which group should get the information while intentionally not providing notice to other citizens.

Put Arizona prisoners to work on cleaning duty

I toured some our neighborhoods recently, and you know what I saw?

Feral cats everywhere. Does no one in this town care that these animals are potential reservoirs of diseases like rabies that might affect our children?

35-page pot initiative too complex

Anyone who thinks a 35-page law is a good idea needs a brain scan.

With so many lawyer words in one place, the mischief the marijuana- regulation law is bound to do will be enormous and filled with stupidity.

I would never vote for any initiative so complex that I cannot readily understand it.

Coughlin’s prominence is no accident

Political consultant Chuck Coughlin was recently recognized in an issue for having some “juice.”

But what accompanied the kudos was a snide, anonymous comment that his achievement was “accidental.” The quote offered other gratuitous criticism too.

Government should require unit-cost accounting

Experience has taught me there is little to gain with simple, direct personal appeals to most of my representatives, past governors and state agencies. Thank God there are a few exceptions - but very few.

Suspicious signatures

Maricopa County Attorney Andrew Thomas is collecting signatures to run for attorney general and Bill Montgomery is collecting signatures to run for Maricopa County attorney.