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EPA cuts threaten Arizona’s natural water supply and air quality
The power is in our hands as citizens to influence change, and if we use it to contact our elected officials and voice our opposition, we can work toward a future where our health and safety are adequately protected. The beauty of Arizona, and the health of its residents, is being severely threatened. It’s up to us to take a stand. Please join us in this fight and call today.
Argument that pot is gateway drug is rooted in ‘reefer madness’
Prohibitionists refuse to have a legitimate conversation about the costs and benefits of legalizing a substance far safer than alcohol. Instead, they prefer to lie and lie again
To feed Arizona’s starved public school system takes money, leadership
Arizona’s schools are starving, and the leadership within our business community is telling them, “Go eat cake.” Starvation won’t kill our schools all at once, but Arizona’s schools are gradually wasting away for want of less than one added penny.
Long-awaited federal tax proposal holds promise for Arizona
At last, tax reform is taking center stage. After years of waiting and months of trying to read the tea leaves, Washington will now turn its attention in earnest to a real, substantive blueprint that has buy-in from the White House and congressional leadership.
Kill proposed marijuana measures and shut gateway to drug abuse
Three petition drives are underway in Arizona to legalize recreational marijuana. They should all fail. Marijuana is a gateway drug that leads to greater social and criminal problems.
Solution to opioid addiction epidemic is medication-assisted treatment
Addiction is a complex illness, with biological and psychological components. Medication pacifies the addicted brain’s receptors that produce cravings and rewards, while psychosocial rehabilitation helps the wounded, traumatized individual manage his or her depression and illness. Together, they produce the best outcome.
Why the A-F rating system for schools vexes policymakers
The issue vexing policymakers and the State Board of Education on the A to F school grade system is defining what one means by a “school.” The diverse education community, with its multiple delivery variables in unique learning communities, holds some dramatically different ideas of what is a school.
We have made Arizona teachers ‘test prep robots,’ ‘slaves to the test’
AzMERIT scores are in, and schools are being issued grades based on how their students performed on a test taken six months ago that measured math and English language skills. Teachers across the state are running for cover, hoping and praying their students fared well on these high stakes tests. Some will celebrate while others will wonder if they will lose their jobs. But all still must teach.
KidsCare vital to Arizona families, funding needs to be reinstated
Unlike other states, Arizona law says KidsCare will be frozen the day federal funding drops below 100 percent. Arizona is one of 12 states in the country whose CHIP program is paid for entirely by the federal government, which was a major reason we were able to get KidsCare reopened. Over 22,000 children from working Arizona families are now covered through KidsCare, showing us just how needed a p[...]
Congress should say yes to Trump’s tax proposal, no to skinny reform
Over the next few weeks and maybe months, you’ll hear much discussion of this bold proposal. Let’s not let Congress pass skinny tax reform. Any one of these measures would be great but we need to tell Congress to get their act together and pass it all.
‘Institute’ report reads like hit piece, charter schools well regulated, transparent
I was disappointed to read that a loosely organized “institute” of former elected officials and politicians released a report – not on how to help all schools improve – but, rather, singling out charter schools for unfounded criticism. The report is riddled with errors and inconsistencies, and drips with sarcasm. Suffice to say, it reads more like a campaign hit-piece than a scholarly anal[...]
Legal, but unethical – most charter schools use public funds for questionable transactions
A majority of Arizona’s charter schools spend taxpayer dollars on non-competitive business arrangements with for-profit businesses that are owned by the charter holder, board members, or their relatives. Grand Canyon Institute’s research found that 77 percent of charter schools engage in ‘related-party transactions’ in a manner that is not in the best interests of Arizona’s students, par[...]
