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

The inauguration of Governor Doug Ducey and our fellow Republicans to every statewide elected office, and to majorities in both legislative chambers, makes the case that Republican leadership and policymaking are what voters are looking for in both good times and bad.

We know that Arizona’s budget is facing a $1 billion shortfall and the state has been court-ordered to pay $317 million to schools. We also know that while other states are rebounding from the recession, Arizona’s employment rate and economic recovery continue to lag behind others.

Almost every argument in favor of legalization is, quite simply, wrong.

On election night, just after being named the winner of Arizona’s hotly contested race for governor, Doug Ducey promised to “make Arizona a place of opportunity for all.” He reiterated that promise during his Jan. 5 inaugural address, saying every Arizonan must be “given a fair chance and even a second chance, no one forgotten, no one written off.”

I can’t help but be optimistic about Arizona’s 52nd legislature. This may seem strange considering some are saying Center for Arizona Policy is “not hot” right now. This very paper recently wrote that CAP had a “terrible year” in 2014, which is news to me.

As school superintendents we would never propose eliminating fifth grade to save money. Yet such a far-fetched policy would hold much more water than short-changing those students representing the greatest return for our education dollar: kindergartners.

What has changed? Through the eyes of a battered child, not much.

With the holidays approaching, it’s time again to remind Maricopa County residents and businesses to not burn wood or wax logs in fireplaces, chimneys and outdoor fire pits on designated No Burn days.

All too often, fiction and gossip move faster than truth and reason. As such, it is often stated by our detractors that our $8 billion portfolio is the state’s “worst-performing pension plan,” which gives the impression that our investment staff is incompetent and responsible for the trust’s sagging pension funding levels.

Water is a very precious and scarce resource in Arizona. We are fortunate to have innovative water management that has enabled Arizona to prosper while providing a quality water supply for industries, businesses, residents and visitors.