Arizona Capitol Times Your Inside Source for Arizona Government, Politics and Business

You don't have to work at a resort or sell souvenirs to be hurt by the downturn in Arizona's tourism industry, a group of Valley leaders said Sept. 22. "Do you know a teacher, a police officer, a firefighter, a librarian?" Phoenix Mayor Phil Gordon said. "They're all dependent on tourism because of the sales and property tax it provides."

The Arizona Constitution rates better than the constitutions of most other states in part because it guards against government seizing private property and putting public dollars toward private ventures, according to a report by a conservative Goldwater Institute.

FLAGSTAFF - Between working on class projects and studying for exams, medical student Nathalie Petein reports to Native Americans for Community Action Family Health Center at 8:15 a.m. five days a week, treating patients with chronic diabetes, hypertension and other problems. Some days she does the same thing at the county jail.

Barbara Hickman, assistant superintendent of the Flagstaff Unified School District, said the calls started not long after President Barack Obama announced a televised back-to-school address for Sept. 8. She'd received between 10 and 20 calls from parents by the afternoon of Sept. 3, one day after the announcement. Some raised mild concerns and others were much more leery.