Arizona Capitol Times Your Inside Source for Arizona Government, Politics and Business

Federal stimulus money has saved more than 12,000 jobs in Arizona and laid the groundwork for a economic recovery built on information services and technology, Vice President Joe Biden said Nov. 16.

Brian Williams will take a short break from delivering the nightly news to millions of people across the country to accept a journalism award in Phoenix. Williams is set to accept the Walter Cronkite Award for Excellence in Journalism on Nov. 18.

A newspaper investigation has found that tuition tax-credit laws intended to help the needy attend private schools often go to students from middle- to upper-income households.

TEMPE - A program helping students develop good character leads to higher grades and better attendance in school and decreases the chance that children will use alcohol or drugs, Gov. Jan Brewer said Nov. 13.

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.

If an active shooter is in your vicinity, protect your own life first. That is the chief message from an Arizona State Capitol Police press release issued Nov. 12, in the wake of the shooting rampage that left 13 dead and 31 wounded at Fort Hood Army base in Texas The tip-sheet explained what to do when law enforcement arrives and how to recognize behavior that could be a precursor to workplace violence.

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.

Sean O'Hara graduated from Arizona State University in 2003 with a bachelor's degree in political science and then got a law degree from the University of Kansas. He belongs to the ASU Alumni Association, attends many home football games and plans to donate money to the school's foundation one day.

Republican legislative leaders have reached a deal with Gov. Jan Brewer to erase a portion of the estimated $2 billion budget deficit in a special session later this month, including about $300 million in spending cuts. The plan, if carried out, would eliminate a fraction of the overall deficit, and a $1.4 billion shortfall would remain.

In her 2008 State of the State Address, Gov. Janet Napolitano proposed providing, despite the state's growing economic challenges, free college tuition to Arizona high school students who get good grades, perform community service and stay out of trouble.