Recent Articles from Guest Opinion
Tested, successful Scottsdale model ignored by Gress
With much fanfare, on Sept. 13, state Rep. Matt Gress, R-Phoenix, choreographed a committee hearing at the Scottsdale Civic Library, which Gress characterized as an “Ongoing Fight Against Scottsdale’s Taxpayer Funded Homeless Hotel Plan.”
Protecting children from their opportunistic social influencer parents
A new law in Illinois will require parent social media influencers to set aside money for their children, under age 16, who appear in the parents’ vlogs. Sounds like a good intentioned law, right? Well, it’s a bit complex.
It’s time to give thanks, show appreciation to Richer
A welcoming Stephen Richer heads up the Maricopa County Recorder’s Office with knowledge and a dedication to continue meeting the needs of constituents, improving processes and procedures, and instilling confidence in Maricopa County elections.
Concerned resident raises concerns about Horne’s actions as schools chief
A concerned Arizona resident shared a letter she sent to Tom Horne, who she claims has overstepped his power since assuming the office of State Superintendent of Public Instruction.
The crisis hiding in plain sight? Advocating for 1.2+ million students facing homelessness
In 1988, about 1% of U.S. families were experiencing homelessness. Today, that number has grown to 34%. Since 2004, the number of students experiencing homelessness has risen by 63%. In a 2022 report from The National Center for Homeless Education (NCHE), it was reported that 1,280,886 students experienced homelessness during the 2019-2020 school year, which represented 2.5% of all students enroll[...]
Audacious art rising – remembering Tiananmen Square
Only art could bring two people together from across the world, one living in Taiwan the other in Paradise Valley. We are the unlikeliest of creative couples, now surrounded by an incredible cast, director, writer and composer to bring to life, and music, one of the globe’s most important moments in the past 50 years: the stirring protests of 1989 and subsequent tragedy in Beijing’s Tiananm[...]
15 years later: reflecting on the Lehman Brothers crash of 2008
As we move forward, it's imperative for leaders in Congress to remain committed to crafting responsible legislation. Such legislation should not stifle the financial sector but should ensure it operates with responsibility and integrity.
Republicans are protecting the Arizona we love
When you think of Arizona, you can’t help but think of freedom. Freedom to keep the money you earn. Freedom to send your kids to the school you want. Freedom to start a business without layers of red tape. And freedom to work – our licensing reform has become a national model.
Protect unborn children with genetic anomalies
Eight years ago, Samantha discovered she was pregnant and was told her baby had Down syndrome, a hole in her stomach, and only one foot. She was devastated. Some of her family members pressured her to abort the baby. Samantha didn’t want an abortion. But she worried about how her other children might be affected by having a sibling with a disability. In her despair, Samantha attempted suicide.[...]
We cannot escape our past; we can only improve our future
For the second time, as a monitor for the Flores case that outlines conditions for holding minor children, I interviewed unaccompanied minors in an ICE detention center. Prior to Covid, I had done monitoring at the Yuma facility. The experience this time was the difference between noon and midnight.
Paving way for successful entrepreneurs starts early, happens often
The workforce is changing, and the way young people view the workforce is changing, too. One of the surprising outcomes of the pandemic’s impact on the economy continues to be the surge in entrepreneurial activity, as more Americans leave their jobs and careers and strike out on their own.
Arizona has more work to do to fund public schools equitably
As students in Phoenix and across the country continue to reel from the effects of the Covid pandemic, there has been a lot of conversation about the importance of students receiving the education funding they need. By March 2021, the federal government had committed an unprecedented $190 billion in extra funds to public schools—but by most measures, students are still far behind their pre-pande[...]