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Draft bills show special session cuts of $300M
Draft versions of the bills lawmakers are expected to consider this week in a special legislative session show about $300 million in spending cuts to education and social services, as well as the restoration of funding for high-tech economic development.
Lawmakers getting hammered in court; resources strained
Arizona's 49th Legislature has been tasked with keeping the state financially afloat during the most troubling economic times in state history. But the choices lawmakers made this year in an effort to balance the budget have led to six lawsuits challenging the state's use of fund sweeps to fill in deficits.
Lobbyist, lawmaker to resume Clean Elections clash
The Citizens Clean Elections Commission has renewed a $6,500-per-month contract with lobbyist Mike Williams, setting up another battle over the fate of the public campaign-funding system. Todd Lang, director of the Clean Elections Commission, said hiring a lobbyist was necessary to protect a system he credits with increasing political participation of the public and encouraging people to run fo[...]
GOP pushing for 1-day special session
Barring any surprises, Gov. Jan Brewer is expected to call the Legislature into special session in the next few days. But her 1-cent sales tax hike won't be on the table - at least not this time. Still up in the air is the possibility of doing a second special session, possibly in December, for another round of cuts and potentially approving revenue generating options.
The Pulse: Oh, Christmas tree
Pretty soon folks at the state Capitol will be taking the Holiday Tree out of storage. Well, at least that's the politically correct term former Gov. Janet Napolitano gave the artificial evergreen that sits every year in the lobby of the Executive Tower at 1700 W. Washington.
Goddard can draw on experience from 2 gubernatorial campaigns
No matter which Republican he faces in the 2010 general election, Attorney General Terry Goddard will have something they don't - two previous gubernatorial campaigns to learn from. Goddard's second run in 1994, when he lost the Democratic primary to grocery magnate Eddie Basha, may not provide too many lessons, since the attorney general appears to have no challengers for his party's nominatio[...]
Adams fires back via Twitter after League vote to sue state
A recent vote by the League of Arizona Cities and Towns to sue the Legislature in an attempt to undo provisions passed in the most recent special session could have broader effects on the lobbying group for local governments.
Mixed messages emerge from school override, bond votes
If there's a message in the results of this month's school bond and budget override votes, the meaning is up for wide interpretation. The approval rate for overrides and bond issues requested by school districts on Nov. 2 was lower than the five-year average, leading some to conclude that the public's willingness to pay more taxes for education has decreased.
DHS hearing focuses on child care; lawmaker blasts First Things First
A joint legislative panel approved a recommendation on Nov. 9 to extend the Department of Health Services, which was the subject of a sunset review, for another decade. That was the easy part.
Munger sparks war of words with Brewer on Clean Elections
With their 2010 campaigns officially underway, John Munger is taking Gov. Jan Brewer to task for her plan to run as a publicly funded candidate.
UPDATE: Judge upholds Clean Elections’ decision to unseat Quelland
An administrative law judge has rejected Rep. Doug Quelland’s appeal of a decision by the Citizens Clean Elections Commission to force the lawmaker from office.
League will file suit against state over impact-fee limits
Municipalities are gearing up for a lawsuit challenging restrictions lawmakers put on cities and towns when they approved the fiscal 2010 spending plan.
