Sign In
Free Newsletter
Pearce’s bill would increase county costs, eliminate accountability
Sen. Russell Pearce has introduced a bill that would make elected county offices totally dysfunctional and far more expensive.
Injury, death in family led to missed votes
Recently, the Arizona Capitol Times ran an article stating that I was absent for a number of votes during the past legislative session.
Congratulations to Brewer for Privatization Commission
Gov. Brewer is on the right track in looking for ways to save money by establishing her Privatization Commission (announced Dec. 21). I hope that the targets for this commission will not be limited, since there is virtually no function of state government that cannot be privatized. We may choose to keep the courts and police as government employees, but even they could be private, albeit as a gove[...]
Kavanagh clarifies remarks on Maricopa Integrated Health Care
I wish to apologize to the staff of the Maricopa Medical Center for implying that it was a poorly performing hospital. It is not.
Senator Burns: Read our lips – no new taxes
Based on Senator Burn's recent editorial in The Arizona Republic ("Conservative Calls for Sales-Tax Hike") it is apparent that we need to look to other leaders for solutions to our budget challenges. Burns labors mightily to create the impression that everything that could possibly be done to stem the tide of red ink has been done. This is false.
Time has come for sentencing reform
In 1990, a 31-year old man went into a Fry's grocery store. When no one was looking, he picked up a carton of cigarettes and walked quickly to the exit. All of this was captured on the store video, and he was apprehended in the parking lot with the carton of cigarettes and no receipt. This offense could have been prosecuted as a misdemeanor, given the value of the cigarettes ($16.95). A misdeme[...]
Stop the school-funding disparity
As an 18-year-old high school senior, I decided to join the lawsuits against the state of Arizona over school finance. I have seen my school go without many of the basics that help create better students, while other schools have the things that better prepare students for the rest of their lives and the world.
An inside look at Maricopa County’s evolving mental health system
Undeniably, one of the biggest issues of the day is how to reform our nation's health care system. It's a colossal task and one that's long overdue. The same can be said for mental health care in Maricopa County.
Fiscal conservatism and the future of the Republican Party
It doesn't take a DC insider to know that conservatives are in a battle for the soul for the Republican Party. It is a battle for the future of fiscal responsibility in America. It's a battle between the George W. Bush wing of the Republican Party and the Reagan/Goldwater conservatism that made our nation the strongest, most prosperous and freest in the world.
Mines’ non-disclosure agreement a bad deal for environment
As a lifelong resident of Superior, I resent Sens. John McCain and Jon Kyl and U.S. Rep. Ann Kirkpatrick for promoting a mine here for two foreign companies, BHP and Rio Tinto.
Mining companies shouldn’t receive environmental exemptions
Some Apache hope they might get jobs from the proposed Oak Flat/Apache Leap Resolution Copper mine. They hope these British/Australian mining companies (BHP and Rio Tinto) will hire Native Americans. In fact, the "block cave" mining jobs are highly specialized and not about truck driving or picks and shovels.
Ending the casino monopoly a good idea
The proposal to end the tribal casino monopoly and allow other businesses to own and operate casinos across Arizona should be thoughtfully considered.
