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Scramble over rising revenues begins – save it or spend it
After four years of painful slashing, a steady uptick in state revenues could lead to a budget showdown the public hasn’t seen since the heydays of Arizona’s economy — what to do with “surplus” money.
Panel endorses convention on amendment to rein in national debt
The states can and should band together to rein in the national debt by amending the U.S. Constitution, a conservative group’s constitutional scholar told lawmakers Wednesday.
Montgomery questions DOJ report; calls for reinstatement of immigration checks
Maricopa County Attorney Bill Montgomery today joined the chorus of Republicans questioning the political motives of the U.S. Department of Justice and its release of findings that the Sheriff’s Office has followed a practice of racial profiling.
Montgomery also said he’s also going to ask the federal government to reinstate a program it stripped from the Maricopa County Sheriff’s[...]
Advocates to seek choices for kids in failing schools
A legal challenge to a state program that allows disabled students to attend private schools isn’t stopping school-choice advocates from trying to expand it.
States damaging their own case with insurance-exchange moves
On Nov. 14, the U.S. Supreme Court granted review of the 26-state lawsuit against the president’s health care law, the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. The court granted five and half hours for oral argument, including two hours of argument on the individual mandate and one and a half hours on severability, which addresses whether, in the event the mandate is found unconstitutional, t[...]
Federal money for health exchange puts Brewer in bind
The $30 million that Arizona received this week from the Obama administration will help the state develop and design a health insurance exchange website that can seamlessly interact with Medicaid.
But the pot of money, particularly given its size, potentially poses legal and political complications for Gov. Jan Brewer, who is against the federal health care overhaul and led Arizona in sui[...]
Court teaches school district a lesson — do what you promised
Imagine hiring a builder to add a kitchen on to your house. You agree to a price, sign a contract, and take out a loan. But without consulting you, the builder decides instead to build a garage. You would sue him for violating the contract and you would win.
This is exactly what Cave Creek School District did when it broke its contract with the voters.
Campaign finance maneuvers drawing state scrutiny
The difficulty of persuading groups to comply with campaign finance reporting laws stems from a more aggressive interpretation of a U.S. Supreme Court decision that gave corporations and labor unions the same speech rights as individuals.
Monuments to education funding
Reid Buckley, brother of the late political commentator William F. Buckley, Jr., used to ask audiences, “Do you know how high a pile one million bucks would make in thousand dollar bills?” After a pause, he would answer: “Seven inches.” Then he asked, “Now, do you know how high a pile one billion bucks would make in thousand dollar bills?” Again, after a pause: “Well, 28 feet higher [...]
Message to lawmakers – education system is economic engine
Call it a sign of the times. It used to be that education advocates could play up the morality angle — that education needed strong financial support because, well, it was the right thing to do. But now, they are taking a new, pragmatic approach.
The Bill of Rights comes to Arizona
If a silver lining exists to the explosive growth of national power over the past several years, it is that Americans are turning to their federal and state constitutions, reading them, understanding them, and invoking them to protect their rights.
Arizona’s minimum wage to increase 30 cents at start of next year
The Industrial Commission of Arizona announced earlier this month that the minimum wage will increase from $7.35 to $7.65 an hour. Tipped employees, who make $3 below the standard minimum wage, will also receive the raise.
