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Budget cuts mean fewer nurses working at Arizona’s public schools
Five minutes into recess at William R. Sullivan Elementary School, petite kindergartner Lily bursts into school nurse Sharon Roland’s office, clutching her elbow and crying.
AZ Chamber pushes for overhaul of state-retirement system
Despite a fairly positive report on the stability of the Arizona State Retirement System (ASRS) earlier this year, a major business group with no direct involvement in the fund is expressing serious concern.
The Arizona Chamber of Commerce and Industry, none of whose member firms has employees enrolled in a public pension plan, is calling for a major overhaul of ASRS to radically change h[...]
Arizona voters face choices on spending priorities
Proposition 302 on Arizona's general election ballot is about priorities. Passage of the referendum means tobacco tax dollars now allocated to an array of early childhood services under a 2006 voter-approved initiative would instead go into the general fund for the Legislature to appropriate.
UpClose with Bruce Liggett
Armed with fact sheets and graphs, Bruce Liggett laid out his case: He understands that child care can’t be spared from budget cuts, but he argues that investing in child care pays off.
State budget unbalanced again; next year worse
Arizona is recovering from the recession slowly and painfully, a view generally expressed by economists, but state lawmakers have yet to see any signs of improvement in sales and income tax revenues.
Panel to look into cost of federal health care law
A Republican state senator who last year created an ad hoc legislative committee that blasted scientific findings that global warming is man-made is at it again this year and has called together another committee to discuss the federal health care law.
Mental health assistance at any hour
When the economy took a nosedive, budgets for mental health care were slashed and the number of individuals feeling stressed rose, fostering the need to fill a gap in services between crisis care and out-patient services.
First Things First users caught in political, economic hailstorm
The Legislature's decision to go after First Things First and its $325 million was inevitable, given the magnitude of the state's financial woes. But the agency also made political missteps that made it a target. Now the agency that is dedicated to providing health care services to children is fighting for its existence. In November, voters will be asked whether to continue the programs or dissol[...]
Weiers, Yee team up to block Quelland in District 10
One of the House seats in Legislative District 10 has become the center of attention and drama in the GOP primary – Republicans want to protect it, ousted former lawmaker Doug Quelland wants it back and rising star Kimberly Yee wants to keep it.
Arizona gets funding to study health insurance rates
Arizona is among 45 states getting federal money to take a scrutinize health insurance premiums.
Watchdog agency files lawsuit over health care
An Arizona-based government watchdog group has filed a lawsuit against President Barack Obama and others in an attempt to derail the federal health care law.
First Things First sues state over ballot language
The board of a voter-approved state program for early childhood development has sued lawmakers over the description of a ballot measure that aims to eliminate the program and sweep its money.
