Recent Articles from Arizona Capitol Reports Staff
Federal tobacco tax hike could hinder state’s ability to close budget gaps
A 62-cent-per-pack federal tax increase on cigarettes to fund expansion of the State Children’s Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) will provide health care coverage for an additional 4 million children nationwide, […]
Regulatory reform needed for businesses to thrive in AZ
Last month, as part of the 49th Arizona Legislature’s Budget Summit, Arizona Chamber members Wells Fargo, Motorola Inc., Freeport McMoran Copper & Gold Inc., Rimrock Company, U.S. Airways, and Lee […]
10 years later: Voters still confused by Clean Elections
Arizona’s system of publicly funded elections known as Clean Elections remains as murky to voters as ever, despite 10 years of repeated legal assaults, operating over the course of five […]
HOAs should be bound by the Bill of Rights
In rebuttal to Mr. Dranias’ defense of his position on private HOA governments (Arizona Capitol Times, Dec. 19, “HOAs are not private governments”), I am quite flattered that he mistakenly […]
Immigration-related bills introduced in the 2009 Legislature
SENATEChuck Gray: SCM1004 — Urges the U.S. Congress to enact legislation pledging resources to reimburse Arizona for costs incurred by failure of the federal government to control illegal immigration. Jack […]
House paid $200,000 to attorney Starr in 2008
Attorney Ken Starr represents Arizona in the ELL case. He is shown in this AP file photo as he departs his McLean, Va., home after a jury in Little Rock, […]
Newly elected Eckerstrom resigns chairmanship; Weeg out, too
Citing the well being of his party, his family and himself, newly elected Arizona Democratic Party Chairman Paul Eckerstrom stepped down just two weeks after winning the post in a […]
‘Healthy Families’ workshop topics criticized
Officials with Healthy Families Arizona held a three-day workshop in Tucson last October that cost more than $100,000 to offer training that included exercises in belly dancing and yoga.Last week, […]
Still an Issue: Immigration measures overshadowed by budget, but not completely
In most years, illegal immigration is one of the hottest topics in Arizona politics. But with the state budget in the red by billions of dollars, the usually high-profile issue […]
DES requires furloughs for 9,000 employees
Agency in charge of social services took a $100 million budget hit in fiscal 2009
Lawmakers eye early child development money
For the second time this year, the Legislature has put the spotlight on First Things First, an early childhood development program funded by revenue from tobacco taxes. The Arizona Early […]
Ariz. House panel backs fund raid for state parks
Republican legislators on Feb. 10 moved to keep state parks open by taking money from a special fund for land conservation, rejecting criticism that the proposed diversion could violate a […]