Financial accountability should be for all public schools
Accountability of how public tax dollars are spent is an expectation of citizens throughout the state and country. It is very much part of the principles of governance that has separated this country from the rest. The need for an alternative model for public education should not override the public’s concern for how public tax dollars are spent.
Trust, connections needed for strong community-based food system
MarCo is working to build community connections between farmers themselves and Maricopa County consumers. If you would like to learn more about how we are advocating for the regeneration and advancement of the local food system in Maricopa County and get involved, please visit marcofoodcoalition.org.
Stronger laws needed to fight white collar crime
By acting proactively I hope that Arizona and the victims I represent here will be able to turn tragedy into a transformative tale of how to better protect all state residents, giving no safe harbor to any criminal endeavor named David, or otherwise.
Old tired arguments to deny fairness must be rejected
The meme that the ERA will destroy the family has been dragged out every time women have attempted to drag themselves out of the cave. In fact, all of the evidence points the other way. Countries that have higher indexes of equality between men and women have stronger families with less divorce and inter-family violence. If you support the women who serve and have served in the military, if you su[...]
What Arizona can do to prepare for a post ACA
A federal judge in Texas (Judge Reed O’Connor) dealt a blow to the Affordable Care Act in December when he ruled in Texas v. Azar that the ACA is unconstitutional in its entirety, including the implementation of market reforms (e.g. protections for folks with pre-existing conditions), the health insurance marketplaces, and the expansion of Medicaid.
More electric vehicles means more savings for Arizonans
Electric vehicles are the gift that keeps giving. Electric vehicles help cut consumer energy bills and boost the economy while protecting air quality and public health.
Arizona leads the way in criminal justice reform
Arizona’s criminal justice system is not perfect. There is always room for improvement in any system, and I and other prosecutors remain willing to engage in productive discussions and initiatives to improve criminal justice system outcomes for crime victims, the public we serve, and defendants to reduce recidivism.
FMLA needs to include time for worst tragedy
In the past year, there has been a movement in American business to grant certain familial leave, responding to the evolution in our society of companies responding to the basic needs of their employees. Arizona is a state made up largely of small businesses so it doesn’t have the leeway many large companies do. But at the end of the day, it’s about employee/employer loyalty and compassion.
Tough-on-crime prosecutors distort truth, block prison reform
While the criminal justice reform movement gains momentum across the country, Arizona remains on the outside looking in. Even as more conservative states with a tradition of harsh justice reduce prison populations through smart reforms that target the root causes of crime, Arizona persists in the failed policies of mass incarceration, wasting resources to imprison low-level offenders.
Common sense says to sign the ballot, not the envelope
I tend to reason through my personal experiences using common sense, but I have learned as Will Rogers once said, “Common Sense ain’t so common.” If it doesn’t make common sense I usually don’t accept it as fact or the truth. Voting in Arizona just doesn’t make the common sense smell test.
21st century prosecutors strive for far more than convictions
The prosecution function has come a long way in the last two decades across the country and here in Maricopa County.
Looming specter of the political-industrial complex
Eisenhower said five decades ago, “…Only an alert and knowledgeable citizenry can compel the proper meshing,… so that security and liberty may prosper together.” So vote, because what we know is voting is a behavior. Engage civilly, because tolerance renounces bloodshed. Mostly, love thy neighbor…. Unless he is a bowtie-wearing, espresso-drinking, data-geek who can tell you the price of [...]