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Brewer, Cardon proclaim a new day at Commerce Department
For much of its existence, the Arizona Department of Commerce has served as a political punching bag for those who believe the agency's work is inefficient, its mission vague and its credibility questionable. Don Cardon doesn't deny that some of those things have been true in the past, but a transformation is underway.
The cost of AZ’s budget crisis: 1,450 full-time state workers
Arizona's budget calamity cost at least 1,450 state workers their jobs last fiscal year, but the shedding of public employees is minor compared to losses endured by the private sector in Arizona. An analysis conducted by the Arizona Capitol Times shows the state trimmed roughly 4 percent of its full-time staff from July 1, 2008, to June 30, 2009. The state now employs 33,236 full-time workers.
Bashas’ attorneys hail judge’s ruling in suit against union
Arizona-based grocer Bashas' has declared a breakthrough in an ongoing defamation lawsuit against a national labor union and its local allies. The breakthrough: A judge has decided to waive a confidentiality agreement that so far has kept some information from creeping into the trial, including what a Bashas' attorney has said amounts to a threat of extortion by a union official.
Brewer signs first batch of non-budget bills
Members of the military were largely the beneficiaries of the first batch of non-budget bills signed into law by Gov. Jan Brewer. Brewer on July 9 signed 19 of the nearly 200 bills that were transmitted to her when the Legislature adjourned sine die on July 1.
Burns strips Verschoor of leadership role, removes 2 from Rules panel
The president of the Arizona Senate has removed Thayer Verschoor from his leadership position, replacing him with a freshman lawmaker. Sen. Steve Pierce, a lawmaker from Prescott, was appointed July 8 to replace Verschoor as Senate President pro tempore, as well as on the six-member Senate Rules Committee.
Bipartisan budget talks begin
Legislative leaders from the two parties hunkered down July 8 to restart budget negotiations, marking the first meeting since the Legislature unanimously passed four budget bills two days before.
Brewer signs the 4 budget bills
Gov. Jan Brewer has signed the four budget bills that restored nearly $400 million in spending for K-12 education.
Delay in tax referral may cause election complications
If lawmakers are going to put Gov. Jan Brewer's temporary tax hike proposal on the November ballot, they may want to do it soon. Maricopa County must order the paper for its ballots by July 16 in order to comply with the 26-day early-voting period mandated by Arizona law, according to Maricopa County Elections Director Karen Osborne. The orders can be placed past the deadline, she said, but eac[...]
Sheriff’s captain rebuffed again in quest to hide donors
Joel Fox doesn’t seem to be getting anywhere by repeating an argument that his six-figure donation to the Arizona Republican Party last election cycle was not intended to influence an election.
UPDATED: Brewer praises budget deal, credits vetoes
Gov. Jan Brewer praised lawmakers for their swift and bipartisan work in passing four new budget bills on the first day of the special session, and she credited her vetoes of the previous budget as the force that pushed them together.
4 budget bills pass unanimously; much work remains
The Arizona Legislature voted unanimously July 6 to pass four bills, one of which would restore funding to public education and add another approximately $400 million to schools. The measures garnered bipartisan support, passing unanimously, first in the House and then in the Senate.
Lawmakers tackle education budget first
A veto last week of public school funding has left Arizona unable to receive a billion dollars in federal stimulus aid for education, but lawmakers are hoping to pass legislation today (July 6) to restore the funding and qualify for the federal money.
