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

The Colorado River is entrusted to us and is a vital source of water, life, and economic prosperity, but we must take care of it in return. Protecting the river and the water it provides will require us to develop resilient solutions that reduce water consumption and efficiently share the river’s waters.

Remember, it took generations upon generations of hard work, bravery, determination and grit from those willing to work together for the greater good of society. In this way, America belongs to them, not self-serving thought leaders and politicians. Most importantly, let’s not forget why America was able to become a great nation in the first place — there were a lot more people holding out their hands asking how they could help others instead of asking who could help them.

The Public Safety Personnel Retirement System (PSPRS) is on track to bankrupt Bisbee and Prescott and adversely affect larger cities. Obligatory payments to PSPRS have drained money from cities’ budgets resulting in reductions in basic services such as police and fire protection, garbage collection, and wastewater treatment.

Our attacks on Waymo vehicles, not our forward-looking regulatory policy, have garnered national attention, making us seem almost barbaric – fighting technological change tooth and nail. Rather than fight against a developing technology for growing in our backyard, we should fight for it, setting an example for the rest of the nation and moving us one step closer to perfecting this life-saving technology.

Arizona voters sent a clear message to our elected representatives when they overwhelmingly passed Proposition 126. The will of the voters should be respected.

We look forward to the Arizona Legislature continuing our state’s proud tradition of water stewardship. Arizona’s residents, our way of life and economy need the Legislature to approve DCP as soon as possible to protect our water future.

There is room for continuous improvement and a better criminal justice system. Prosecutors often lead the way. But let us take our cues from our own history, facts and experiences. And from the testimony of our own people. And from our own blessed landscapes. We have more than enough resources to get us where we need to go on the journey of innovation in criminal justice.

If Arizona is going to continue to allocate $1.5 billion per year to charter schools to educate 17 percent of the state’s public school students, then our Legislature should approve legislation and invest the resources to ensure they operate with sufficient financial oversight and transparency.

Nobody likes lawsuit abuse. But Arizonans benefit when vigilant taxpayers challenge potentially unlawful government actions in court. Our laws should ensure that frivolous cases are penalized, but conscientious taxpayers are not.

Marijuana is a dangerous, mind-altering drug. In today’s highly potent forms, it poses risks to adults and children, but the risks are far greater for teens. Let’s no longer let the pot profiteers fill our children’s brains with dangerous messages. It’s time to make sure the truth is told, so the next youth survey doesn’t give us even more to be alarmed about.