Sign In
Free Newsletter
Recent Articles from Guest Opinion
Children attending school outside assigned boundaries the new norm
For decades, our state has been a national leader in education freedom – the radical concept that parents know their own children best and should be empowered to select a school for them that is the right fit. The movement has flourished. Consider public charter schools, where enrollment is booming and reached a record 185,000 students statewide this year.
EPA cuts threaten Arizona’s natural water supply and air quality
The power is in our hands as citizens to influence change, and if we use it to contact our elected officials and voice our opposition, we can work toward a future where our health and safety are adequately protected. The beauty of Arizona, and the health of its residents, is being severely threatened. It’s up to us to take a stand. Please join us in this fight and call today.
Argument that pot is gateway drug is rooted in ‘reefer madness’
Prohibitionists refuse to have a legitimate conversation about the costs and benefits of legalizing a substance far safer than alcohol. Instead, they prefer to lie and lie again
To feed Arizona’s starved public school system takes money, leadership
Arizona’s schools are starving, and the leadership within our business community is telling them, “Go eat cake.” Starvation won’t kill our schools all at once, but Arizona’s schools are gradually wasting away for want of less than one added penny.
Long-awaited federal tax proposal holds promise for Arizona
At last, tax reform is taking center stage. After years of waiting and months of trying to read the tea leaves, Washington will now turn its attention in earnest to a real, substantive blueprint that has buy-in from the White House and congressional leadership.
Kill proposed marijuana measures and shut gateway to drug abuse
Three petition drives are underway in Arizona to legalize recreational marijuana. They should all fail. Marijuana is a gateway drug that leads to greater social and criminal problems.
Solution to opioid addiction epidemic is medication-assisted treatment
Addiction is a complex illness, with biological and psychological components. Medication pacifies the addicted brain’s receptors that produce cravings and rewards, while psychosocial rehabilitation helps the wounded, traumatized individual manage his or her depression and illness. Together, they produce the best outcome.
Why the A-F rating system for schools vexes policymakers
The issue vexing policymakers and the State Board of Education on the A to F school grade system is defining what one means by a “school.” The diverse education community, with its multiple delivery variables in unique learning communities, holds some dramatically different ideas of what is a school.
We have made Arizona teachers ‘test prep robots,’ ‘slaves to the test’
AzMERIT scores are in, and schools are being issued grades based on how their students performed on a test taken six months ago that measured math and English language skills. Teachers across the state are running for cover, hoping and praying their students fared well on these high stakes tests. Some will celebrate while others will wonder if they will lose their jobs. But all still must teach.
KidsCare vital to Arizona families, funding needs to be reinstated
Unlike other states, Arizona law says KidsCare will be frozen the day federal funding drops below 100 percent. Arizona is one of 12 states in the country whose CHIP program is paid for entirely by the federal government, which was a major reason we were able to get KidsCare reopened. Over 22,000 children from working Arizona families are now covered through KidsCare, showing us just how needed a p[...]
Congress should say yes to Trump’s tax proposal, no to skinny reform
Over the next few weeks and maybe months, you’ll hear much discussion of this bold proposal. Let’s not let Congress pass skinny tax reform. Any one of these measures would be great but we need to tell Congress to get their act together and pass it all.
In the end, Arizona must speak with one voice
Coming to agreement on how best to marshal the state’s water resources and to create sustainability for future Arizonans is among the toughest challenges that leaders in our region can take on. Arizona has chosen to act now. We are opting to improve on the work of previous generations of state leaders to ensure that the word “crisis” remains banished from Arizona’s water lexicon.
