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

Eight words many Arizonans thought they would never hear: “Public transportation in Arizona is exceeding ridership expectations.” While the last nine years have seen Arizonans, on average, drive fewer miles each year, transit agencies across our state have seen record ridership.

In 1980, local mental health experts came together to draft what became known as Senate Bill 1057, a proposed statute intended to create a responsive and accessible community-based system for persons with serious mental illness.

The remarkable growth of the Internet over the last 20 years has largely been driven by technological advances, but proposed regulations threaten to put the brakes on this communications medium that has been a boon to business and consumers alike.

In a recent Arizona Capitol Times commentary, advocates peddled support for Proposition 480, the county hospital bond proposal. It was revealing that the advocates left out the most important piece of information about the proposal; the price tag. This wasn’t an oversight but rather a clear recognition that the overwhelming cost of the proposal is impossible to justify.

The recent comments regarding forced birth control made by Russell Pearce, while certainly unacceptable and wholly inappropriate, uncover a fascinating insight into the nature, philosophical underpinnings and outlook of modern day conservatism and the Republican Party’s future.

In May 2013, Gov. Jan Brewer signed House Bill 2136, sponsored by Rep. Bob Robson, authorizing the construction of a statewide memorial on Wesley Bolin Plaza to commemorate the loss of 104 firefighters and paramedics in Arizona since 1902. A polished black granite wall will surround most of the site with firefighter names, dates and departments engraved in its slanted top.

Forbes recently released its 2014 list of the world’s most innovative companies, and once again, the lineup is impressive. Whether or not you agree with the selections, the impact these companies are having — sometimes on entire industries — is undeniable.

Many people have come to know our “county hospital” through the iconic 1970s-era tower on East Roosevelt Street, known as Maricopa Medical Center.

Increased awareness of water scarcity at a global scale has driven efforts to establish a common definition of water’s value. Calls to price water based on its “real value” encounter the problem that there exists no generally accepted formula to determine such a value.

Moving to Maricopa County in May 2013 turned out to be tragic for my 51-year-old sister, Jewel Ewing.