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

According to 2007 and 2013 Gallup polls, lobbying is the most despised profession. Lobbyists are ranked below lawyers, used car salesmen, and even politicians.

The same year I was born, my dad was diagnosed with a genetic form of chronic kidney disease (CKD) and told he had 20 years to live. When I was 20, I was diagnosed with the same kidney disease that took my father’s life in his early 40’s.

It has become fashionable in certain political circles to try to minimize the ramifications of the $99 million cut to the public higher education budget by presenting some misleading “facts.”

Many people are concerned about the lack of support for education, child support, etc. in the Legislature’s recently approved budget. But, it is inevitable when the mantra of “No New Taxes” is our highest priority, as supported for years by the majority of those who voted!

Today's (April 13) story, "Winners and Losers," regarding those who gained from legislative action at this year's recently completed session and those who “lost” was telling.

I often miss my time in the Maricopa County Treasurers Office, and last week was one of those times. Arizona’s newspaper of record published a story about legislation affecting a portion of Arizona property tax lien system.

The joke is on you, Senator Carlyle Begay. You sold your vote, your district and your integrity for one mile of road repair.

When President Obama announced his plan to make community college free to all students, I felt that the future now looks bright for the younger generation of college hopefuls, especially for those students in Arizona.

If a citizen breaks the law and no law enforcement action is taken, what message does that send to everyone else? This is exactly what’s happening with our immigration laws in America.

While I understand that things move slowly in Washington, D.C., I simply don’t understand why it’s taken more than 20 years for Congress to take action to help America’s local businesses.