While checking Facebook recently, I stumbled across two quotes that really struck me and seemed poignant to share as we enter the nomination process for the third annual Arizona Capitol Times Leaders of the Year in Public Policy awards.

“The only safe ship in a storm is leadership,” by Faye Wattleton, the youngest and first African-American president elected to Planned Parenthood.

“Those who lead give sight to those who follow. Those who follow give life to those who lead,” by Pauline Tangiora, a Maori elder from the Rongomaiwahine Tribe on the East Coast of the North Island of New Zealand.

Coincidentally, both quotes were posted by one of the inaugural recipients of the Arizona Capitol Times Leaders of the Year in Public Policy awards: Rebekah Friend, executive director/secretary treasurer of the Arizona AFL-CIO. Friend, a leader in the Arizona Union movement, was the 2007 legislative category honoree for her work with the Minimum Wage Coalition, which brought Proposition 202 to the ballot in 2006 and raised the minimum wage to $6.75 an hour.

Once again this year, Arizona Capitol Times will honor 15 individuals, organizations or companies with this annual award that recognizes individuals and organizations for advancing public policy to positively impact the state and the lives of Arizonans without regard to political affiliation or partisanship. One honoree will be chosen from each of the following categories:

• arts and humanities
• business
• economic development
• education
• environment
• government
• health care
• legislative
• public safety
• social services
• technology
• transportation
• volunteerism
• lifetime achievement
• unsung hero

Nominees are selected by a panel of their peers for their accomplishments, contributions and leadership during the 2008-09 legislative session. They will be honored at a luncheon on Sept. 29, 2009 at the Wyndham Phoenix. Networking will begin at 11 a.m. followed by the luncheon at 11:45 a.m.

To nominate, click on the link below.
2009 Leaders of the Year Nomination form
The deadline for nominations is Aug. 3, 2009.

For more details, email me at ginger.lamb@azcapitoltimes.com or call 602-258-7026.

The staff was geared up and ready to go on Saturday in anticipation that we would move a step closer to Sine Die. But the Legislature didn’t pass any bills on Saturday and actually maneuvered farther away from anything close to a budget deal.

Despite that, the staff was at the Capitol, keeping track of what was happening and posting stories to azcapitoltimes.com. At noon, we hauled out our grill and cooked some cheeseburgers, hamburgers, and brats, followed by chips and cookies.

Definitely not a healthy lunch – but high fat and sugar was in order.

Then, on Monday night, our Capitol Reports team – which works with Legislation On Line Arizona, our online legislative bill tracking program – was busy updating LOLA with action as it happens from the House and Senate.

There were quite a few Hotword amendment alerts going out (special e-mails for azcapitolreports.com subscribers that track key words and bills on tracking lists) and votes being taken on 12 budget bills that were referred to the education committee at 7 p.m that night. 

The House finally adjourned and will be back at it at 9 a.m. this morning.

The managing editor for Arizona Capitol Times has posted several tweets corresponding stories with all the details on our web site.

Who knows where and when this will all end. The staff is hunkering down for what they believe (as do our clients) will be a late night. Our office has given so much business to Papa John’s the last few weeks – that  it’s no longer necessary to read my credit card number over the phone.

Do you think session will end tomorrow before deadline? Will there be a government shutdown? Will Arizona vote in favor of a ballot proposition to raise the sales tax? I’d like to know your thoughts.

Post the day, hour, minute you think the budget will be signed. If someone gets it right, we’ll send you an AzCapitolTimes.com t-shirt and add three months to your Arizona Capitol Times subscription.

Ewwww … like gross. Here’s what really goes on while we’re hanging out at the shop after hours. Actually this was very funny - you really had to be there.

I was typing my blog earlier tonight when all of a sudden I heard this loud, shrill, scream-like laugh. Then what sounded like two men laughing or crying. I walked out of my office, leaned over the railing and called out: “Are you all okay down there?” I heard “No.” So I ran down one set of stairs and heard someone yell “You don’t want to come down here.” I went down anyways. There was Burke with a broom hitting something on the floor. It was this big dark thing - whatever kind of bug it was - about 3″ by 1″.

The staff said it flew over their heads as they were eating pizza and found a landing spot on the false ceiling. It then dived down at Tracy. She’s worried about nightmares tonight.

Looks like it’s off to work for the Capitol folks tomorrow.

What do you do when the boss comes in and says you’ve got to work Saturday? For us, it’s not a matter of the boss coming in - it was just a matter of if the Legislature is working, then so are we.

In most companies working on the weekend means giving up a personal day to catch up on errands, golf or spend time with family and friends. But for those who are entrenched at the Capitol on a daily basis, there’s really nothing to think about - other than “gotta get it done.”

When the Arizona Capitol Times and Capitol Reports staff mentioned early this week that the Legislature may be in session Saturday - no one complained. They’re actually thriving with this fast pace of bills flying and budget negotiations. Plus, we haven’t really had that many late nights this session compared to other sessions.

But we’re going to have fun down here anyway. Maybe we’ll have a staff BBQ. It’s the least I can do for such a committed team who loves what they do. Plus, with the seriousness of the session, a little fun never hurts.

So when you head to the Rim or Lake Pleasant this weekend, think of us and the lawmakers and lobbyists at the Capitol. They’re working so Arizona will have a budget in place before the June 30 deadline and to bring resolution to bills.

And, hopefully, we’ll all be looking back at this year’s session next Saturday and glancing ahead, wondering what’s in store when the 49th Legislature’s Second Regular Session starts in January.

For their annual meeting, Arizona Town Hall officials asked me to answer the question “Is state government responsive to Arizona’s needs?” Considering my position as the leader of a non-partisan news organization, I thought it better to offer five topics that should be discussed at one of their two three-and-a-half day town halls that are planned for the coming year.

The topics were:

• Clean Elections
• Terms vs. term limits
• Legislators’ salaries
• Ballot propositions
• Should Arizona have a lieutenant governor?

Two other speakers also offered potential Town Hall topics on Arts and Culture and Higher Education. Both spoke of significant challenges in their sectors due to the economy and cutbacks in funding.

Shirley Agnos, the former president of Arizona Town Hall, held up a copy of a California newspaper editorial that had raised similar points. The editorial suggested it might be time for a constitutional convention in California.

Could it be time for Arizona to have a constitutional convention as well? Are structural problems at the root of our state’s fiscal dysfunction?