Campaign for new medical center raises $910,000
Construction firms and groups closely associated with the county’s public hospital contributed nearly 80 percent of the $910,000 raised for a campaign to convince voters to approve financing for a new medical center and revamped health system.
Foes question $1 billion plan for new county medical center
Opposition to a nearly $1 billion bond proposal to build a new public hospital and modernize the county’s health system is beginning to take shape, with critics questioning why the... […]
Arizona teacher pay ranks higher than reported
The Arizona Tax Research Association would like to correct an important error in the Arizona Capitol Times (July 11). The National Education Association (NEA), the largest teachers union in the nation, ranks Arizona 29th for school year 2012-13 in average salaries for K-12 “public school teachers.” The Capitol Times article incorrectly reported Arizona at 42nd.
Extracting funds for K-12
Crandell’s overhaul of school finance plan attracts skepticism and support
It’s a puzzle that has vexed policymakers, education leaders and business groups for decades, but it’s one that Sen. Chester Crandell hopes to solve: How can the state revamp education funding to be both fair and simple?
Some panel members say Arizona’s income tax system is fine after all
Members of a panel tasked with studying Arizona’s personal income tax system said that while flattening or doing away with the income tax may be a popular talking point, the state’s current system is reasonably fair and may not need a major overhaul.
Mesnard spurs drive to reconsider flat tax for Arizona
Two years after efforts at the Capitol to create a flat income tax rate in Arizona failed, a state representative wants to tackle the issue again with the hope of proposing legislation next year.
The perils of voting yes to Medicaid expansion
Long before casting their votes for Medicaid expansion and a bipartisan budget proposal, Republican lawmakers who chose to support Gov. Jan Brewer had been issued a warning: Vote yes at your own risk.
Top Quotes of the 2013 Session
The most outstanding quips, gibes and utterances from the 2013 Legislative Session.
Brewer signs sales tax reform bill
Gov. Jan Brewer signed her sales tax reform bill, bringing closure to an issue that has lingered since the governor’s days in the Legislature nearly two decades ago.
Welcome to the world of competition
The effectiveness of economic development programs has long been hotly debated. Recent events, like the closing of Suntech’s manufacturing facility in Goodyear, have given rise to a new wave of criticism by organizations like the Arizona Tax Research Association, the Arizona Free Enterprise Club and the Goldwater Institute — most of it unwarranted and unsubstantiated.
Capitol Quotes: May 3, 2013
This week's most outstanding quips, gibes and utterances from Arizona's political scene.
Authorities debate whether lavish economic development incentives are worth the price
Arizona’s city, county and state governments are handing out billions in economic development incentives to attract business — but not without resistance from critics who dispute their necessity.