Business groups move to center

Arizona’s business community has sent a message to legislative candidates: Commit to a pro-business agenda, and stop wasting time with kooky stuff like “birther” bills.

In exchange, candidates who cooperate may get tons of cash for their campaigns and the support of chambers of commerce across the state.

Horne, Thomas go on the attack in debate

Andrew Thomas accused Tom Horne of being a con artist in his opening statement, and the debate never got more civil than that. The first televised debate between the two Republican candidates for attorney general was replete with the now-familiar accusations and denunciations that have characterized their campaigns thus far.

Arizona Libertarians engaged in battle for party purity

Twenty-two Libertarians have qualified for the Aug. 24 primary election ballot, and many are hoping that the anti-incumbent, fiscally conservative sentiment that helped spawn the tea party movement could lead voters to reject the mainstream parties and vote Libertarian instead.

Reliable political tactic narrowing the field

Sixteen court challenges against legislative, statewide and congressional candidates’ nominating petitions have already spurred at least five people to drop out.

Challengers say Brewer doing little to lead AZ through tough times

With Gov. Jan Brewer leading in the polls, Dean Martin and Buz Mills sought to turn her self-proclaimed strengths into her greatest weaknesses. Brewer, in turn, questioned Martin's record and Mills' plans for the state, while all feuded with Matthew Jette, whose positions seemed more fitting for a Democratic debate than a contest between GOP hopefuls.

Clean Elections won’t allow more fundraising

The Citizens Clean Elections Commission decided there is little it can do to help publicly funded candidates who are suddenly without matching funds, and Gov. Jan Brewer won't throw it the lifeline it's asking for either.

Death-penalty cases put public defender $8M over budget

A Maricopa County agency that contracts with private attorneys to represent indigent criminal defendants is going to end the fiscal year over budget by more than $8 million, or about 63 percent, due to a glut of death-penalty cases and the high cost of defending them.

Lawmakers miss fewer votes this year

10 senators, 15 House members log perfect attendance on floor votes

Q&A with Jan Brewer; Guv says economic recovery, more “streamlining” ahead

After a brutal first legislative session, Gov. Jan Brewer ended her second on a couple of high notes.

On the verge of collapse

Crippling budget cuts to Arizona State Parks have forced the agency to close parks or seek a temporary patchwork of funding to keep others open. But it's unclear how long that will last. A bipartisan report concluded the entire system is crumbling before our eyes and is on the verge of collapse.

ASRS director says fund solid, Legislature can’t touch it

Even with a mind-numbing return on investment of minus 18 percent and a report suggesting that the Arizona State Retirement System is woefully underfunded, retirees and current employees banking on a stable pension check need not worry.

So says Paul Matson, ASRS director, who notes that the retirement system is sitting on a whopping $25.5 billion pot of money.

Pearce pushed, prodded and pandered to pass his ‘legacy bill’

Sen. Russell Pearce was the driving force behind the immigration reform package that has once again put Arizona in the national spotlight. But he wouldn't have been able to get it passed without the help of several people who either supported S1070 or moved out of its way.