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

Those of us who have been in the policy mix a long time noticed something different this year. For the first time since I can remember, advocates for public K-12 education openly opposed higher education funding.

Asking taxpayers to fund college will not make attending college any less expensive, and it certainly won’t make it “free.” David Garcia’s plan does nothing to reduce tuition and fees. Robert Samuels explains, “If you subsidize something but do not control its costs, it will not be able to achieve its policy goals.” Indeed.

There is no doubt that criminal justice and sentencing reform is needed in Arizona. But it is also important that the people or groups making proposals for change understand exactly what they are proposing, what the full impact of those changes would be on all stakeholders, and that in the rush to achieve results and re-apply for grant monies to support their work, that they do no harm. Do-gooders sometimes don’t “do good.”

To stay on the cutting edge and ahead of competition, technology companies need to always look forward to the next development or advancement. Our policymakers need to think with the same mindset. Unfortunately, the Border Adjustment Tax would be a major step backward with serious consequences for innovation.

The Peoria City Council insisted that the process allow Peoria residents to have a meaningful voice; that the city should do more than just give lip-service to public input. As the process developed, that ambition was solidly fulfilled.

Restoring the emergency dental benefit for adults brings an infectious disease approach to oral health, something we’ve long needed. Take care of the parent’s mouth, and the odds greatly increase that the child will have healthy teeth and gums.

As it stands, the AHCA would cut $839 billion in federal funds that help states, including Arizona, make sure that our most vulnerable citizens get the health care and long-term services and supports that they need.

We have less than 90 days to communicate to our federal elected officials in the U.S and in Mexico about the potential “modernization” of NAFTA. In a worst-case scenario, the erection of new trade barriers could disrupt key U.S. and Mexican industries for years to come and force consumers to pay more for big-ticket items.

Most legislation comes from citizens, businesses, organizations and associations who are confronted by a specific problem that needs redress. They look at their options at the state and political subdivision level. They look at their legal opportunities and whether court action might address the issue. And frequently they decide that fixing a perceived statutory deficiency is their best option.

There have been a lot of opinions about the impact that the American Health Care Act, passed from the U.S. House a couple weeks ago, will have on our country. Much has been made about the impact it will have on coverage, the marketplace, and on the cost of care. But, what impact will the legislation, in its current form, have on the citizens of Arizona, on our patients and on the health care delivery system we have all come to rely upon?