Arizona-Mexico Commission: 60 years of success and friendship
Sixty years ago, Arizona Gov. Paul Fannin looked south across the border to Mexico and famously said, “God made us neighbors; let us be good neighbors.” It was then that the stage was set for the Arizona-Mexico Commission, an international entity that works to foster economic partnerships and an enduring friendship, which has only grown stronger through the challenges of the intervening decade[...]
Arizona must invest today in our STEM workforce of tomorrow
The idea of spanning generations with these types of public-private educational partnerships is incredibly rewarding for me – a woman who was enabled to pursue a successful career in aerospace that has allowed me to engage in challenging work which is even more exciting than what I ever imagined as a student. Investment in Arizona’s developing minds represents investment in America’s technol[...]
Legislators should protect abundance of jobs in HOA industry
At the Arizona Association of Community Managers, we do all that we can to support our management company members and their goal of providing excellent employment opportunities, and we look to our state legislators to help drive economic growth and to protect the industries, including the HOA industry, which provide tens of thousands of jobs within the great state of Arizona through sound policy d[...]
SOS AZ wants real reforms of vouchers, not extinction
Remarkably, I learned at last week’s Senate Finance Committee hearing that there are some people who still don’t know Save Our Schools Arizona’s stance on the Empowerment Scholarship Account voucher program. As an educator, I’m accustomed to repeating myself over and over again day after day for years on end, so I’m more than happy to apply that skill here.
Funding for school counselors is investment in state’s future
Ensuring that all students have access to a knowledgeable school counselor will be a powerful step toward increasing college access and toward reaching our statewide attainment goal of 60 percent by 2030, as set by Achieve60AZ. To this end, funding for school counselors should not be seen as an expense.
Cost implications of foregoing immunizations high
I’m very concerned with the increase in the number children attending Arizona schools who are not vaccinated. But, beyond posing a threat to the community-based protection many people need, as an economist I recognize the cost implications that accompany the decision to avoid vaccines.
Would you take away the ESA program from parents, or not
Families participating in Arizona’s Empowerment Scholarship Account (ESA) program received a warm and welcome reassurance at the Senate Finance Committee hearing on SB 1395, a bill that would alleviate many of the administrative struggles ESA parents have faced in navigating the program’s rules.
We must keep the heat on voucher backers
So, the fight continues because those in power do not care. So we watch. We attend hearings. We fill committee rooms. We report. We post. We tweet. We expose. We write these letters. We keep pushing the truth against those that want to twist, ignore or deny the facts.
Here is what is working in Arizona
The business and private sectors should appreciate the goals of the Ducey administration’s initiative to improve government referred to as the Arizona Management System (AMS), which focuses on understanding “customer” needs, identifying problems, improving processes and measuring results.
Restriction on prescription medication puts security at risk
Patients pay their insurance premiums with the expectation that the insurance company will pay their share. Just like patients who want to know their pre-existing conditions will be covered, the millions of Americans with chronic illness need to know that the cost of their life-giving medications are covered by insurance and that payment received to meet deductibles and co-pays, regardless of the [...]
Drought plan implementation must emphasize sustainability
I recommend that the Water Augmentation Council comprise a broad and diverse representation of all stakeholders, including agricultural and climate scientists, public health professionals, and concerned citizens representing our state’s mainstream population, including parents, teachers, community leaders and – yes – our children.
Let’s harness the power of free-markets to find conservation, environmental solutions
It is understood that mandates and big-government solutions originating in Washington, D.C. may not work for our western state, and therefore, we challenge ourselves, and those around us, to harness the power of free-markets to find long-term solutions.