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Judge leery of Clean Elections referendum
A pending ballot referendum that would allow voters to decide the fate of publicly funded political campaigns in Arizona could be deemed illegal by a county judge, but a former lawmaker who has set his sights on Arizona’s Clean Elections system promises voters will have the last word.
How courts can help end public-sector collusion
From Phoenix to Pima County, politicians and public-sector unions routinely agree to put union representatives on the government payroll, paying them millions of taxpayer dollars exclusively for union work, renewing these agreements year after year.
Surplus? What surplus?
Arizona’s fiscal 2011, which ended June 30, was expected to end with a $332 million shortfall. As it happens, the shortfall was instead around $30 million, mainly due to a big uptick in corporate income tax collections.
Arizona high court won’t hear energy rules challenge
The Arizona Supreme Court is letting stand lower court decisions that uphold the state's requirement that regulated electric utilities get some of their power from solar and other renewable sources.
Group wants state-backed venture capital fund
With investment capital for cash-strapped businesses scarce and banks warier than ever of loaning start-up money, a group of investors wants the state to create a government-baked fund to fill the void.
Court tosses AZ law over unused school bond money
A judge says legislation passed last year that would allow Arizona school districts to spend unused bond money is unconstitutional because it would benefit few districts.
Fiscal Fright: Budget storm clouds could put state ‘under water’ in 2014
Arizona has weathered its share of economic storms in recent years. Stopgap measures, a temporary tax increase and incessant budget slashing allowed the state to precariously stay afloat.
But the horizon promises no relief yet. In fact, many budget decisions drawn up by state leaders have actually put Arizona on a course toward troubled waters.
Commerce quandary: Sharp differences over picking winners and losers with state money
The man who was hand-picked by Gov. Jan Brewer to oversee a new agency charged with re-igniting Arizona’s struggling economy is set to collect a whopper of a paycheck. But Don Cardon’s idea of how to guide the Arizona Commerce Authority may run contrary to the governor’s own philosophical leanings about how the quasi-public group should go about luring new business to the state.
Bennett says Horne should’ve consulted on Voting Rights Act lawsuit
Arizona Secretary of State Ken Bennett says Attorney General Tom Horne should have consulted with him before filing a lawsuit against the preclearance provision of the Voting Rights Act.
Lawyers say Parraz has uphill climb to prove defamation
Lawyers familiar with First Amendment issues and campaign laws said Randy Parraz, one of the organizers of the recall drive targeting Senate President Russell Pearce, would have a tough time proving he was defamed by signs that say he supported the boycott against Arizona and he pines for open borders.
Burges, Gould top Goldwater Institute report card
Conservative stalwarts Rep. Judy Burges and Sen. Ron Gould nabbed the top honors for their respective legislative chambers in the Goldwater Institute’s 2011 legislative report card.
Limited financial disclosure in Pearce recall may spur law changes
The recall election targeting Senate President Russell Pearce is among the highest-profile legislative races in the state’s modern history.
But the public won’t have a clue how much cash is being raised or spent — or who’s doing the raising and spending to influence the race’s outcome — until a few days before the election itself.
