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

Rep. Mark Finchem and Sen. Sonny Borrelli have taken a backward and myopic view of our shared public lands, while at the same time directly infringing on the rights of private landowners. That’s no small accomplishment.

When it comes to constructing rental housing for these new residents, the law of supply and demand very much applies in our state. When developers cannot construct new rental units quickly enough to meet the needs of these new Arizonans – and estimates show that Arizona needs to add about 240,000 new rental units this decade – the marketplace dictates that rents rise. The greater the rise in rents, the more challenging it is for many residents to find housing in their price range.

Protecting people from getting sick should be the definition of an uncontroversial idea. Unfortunately, it doesn’t seem like our state legislators agree.

Sen. McSally, please stop misleading Arizonans about your health care record.

This week I am especially grateful for Arizona’s micro schools. As students, parents, and educators will gather at more than 50,000 events and activities around the nation, let’s use National School Choice Week to continue to innovate so that all children can find schools where they succeed.

If school choice proponents truly care about kids, they will mandate that charter schools and private schools taking ESA funding accept students with special needs and follow recommended educational plans in accordance with federal law. Then maybe families like mine can get a little closer to having a choice.

Everyone will need paid leave at some point in their lives, whether to heal from injury or to care for a loved one. No one should keep you from a spouse battling cancer or a new baby needing attention or a parent nearing their final days. So how is it that one of the richest nations on the planet hasn’t found a way to guarantee we can all be good parents to our children and good caregivers for our parents without risking our jobs or our pay?

Arizona’s Home-Sharing Act is a sensible law that says cities should use their existing powers to crack down on bad actors, rather than stripping innocent homeowners of their rights. Eliminating it would make it harder for Arizonans to pay their bills, increase neighborhood conflict, reduce property values, and hinder the state’s economy. And it’s all unnecessary. Cities already have the tools they need to address nuisances. They just need to use them.

In 2020, we must see to it that our committed educators and passionate students have the resources and support they need to be successful.

There is a lot to be concerned about right now as there are a lot of unknowns and possibilities yet to unfold. But I encourage everyone to take a minute to celebrate the 0.5% of Americans selfless enough to put aside their own politics and protect us all from whatever mess is either started or needs finishing.