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

This is Arizona’s centennial year. It’s both a grand accomplishment to celebrate and an occasion that we should mark by making our state government more effective and efficient.

Most people would agree that the world of law enforcement is not the place for strident political agendas. So when an ideological organization whose lobbying activities are being challenged by the secretary of state starts pushing for changes that affect front line police officers, the law enforcement community stands up and takes notice.

While many Arizonans are enjoying spring break and our beautiful weather, it is an appropriate coincidence that this past week was also designated “Sunshine Week,” a nationwide initiative that draws public attention to the need for increased government transparency and accountability.

During the past few years, Arizona has done more than any state to position itself for strong economic growth once the national economy recovers. In particular, the broad-based tax reforms and new economic development tools contained in last year’s competitiveness package laid a strong foundation on which to grow the state’s economy.

The Arizona Legislature is considering HB2789, which significantly increases government regulation by requiring every rule the Arizona Corporation Commission (ACC) makes that affects “public service corporations” (a.k.a. utilities) go before the full House, the Senate and the governor for approval ...

Nothing is more devastating than losing a child.

It’s like a bad re-run. A few legislators are trying to revive Arizona’s film production tax credit (SB 1170) that lapsed in 2011.

I’m not an environmentalist and I don’t understand all of the environmental issues, but I do understand that we get 5 million people coming to the Grand Canyon every year. Tourism is not compatible with mining or with the mining trucks transporting uranium to be processed in Utah, and generally running the risk of despoiling this national treasure.

Two bills last week took one more step down the path to bolstering our state’s reputation for enjoying a legal environment that is welcoming to business. One bill got the headlines, but they’re both an important component of Arizona’s ongoing civil justice reform efforts.

Five pieces of new legislation introduced by House Speaker Andy Tobin have taken power-grabbing to a whole new level, and would set redistricting back to a time of shadowy legislative deals. We could start by asking the now worn-out phrase, “What part of independent does the Arizona House not understand?”