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Cronkite/Eight Poll: Most Arizonans happy with their insurance but want health care revamped
Most Arizonans think the U.S. health care system needs revamping even though the majority are satisfied with the health insurance they have, according to a Cronkite/Eight Poll released Tuesday (Sept. 29). Fifty percent of those surveyed said the health care system needs major changes and 31 percent said minor changes would do, while 12 percent said the system is fine as is.
Tele-town halls to keep residents updated on health care reform
Rep. Kyrsten Sinema has announced three tele-town hall meetings in to take place in October to hear residents' stories, concerns or ideas about health care reform. Sinema, a Phoenix Democrat, is the only Arizonan of the 32 state legislators on President Obama's White House Health Reform Task Force.
Uncertainty looms in off session for Brewer, lawmakers
The uneasy stalemate that ended this year's budget battle didn't answer many questions, and the new ones it raises loom large as Gov. Jan Brewer and the Legislature look to what will probably be an even tougher fight ahead.
Indecent proposals: No winners so far in budget marathon
Legislative leaders from both parties were guardedly optimistic they would reach an agreement when they began negotiating a solution to the fiscal 2010 deficit with the governor last month, and even when it appeared the talks were faltering, some saw hope as long as the parties kept talking.
Billion-dollar deficits to plague Ariz. through 2013
Most states are swimming in red ink, but Arizona is on the verge of drowning in it. Federal stimulus dollars intended to prop up government revenues and help states weather the economic storm have been spent, and the Grand Canyon State is facing deficits that could reach $3 billion in each of the next three years.
Lawmakers from both parties criticize Brewer’s budget action
The governor’s actions on the state budget drew jeers from both Republicans and Democrats, but for wildly different reasons. House Speaker Kirk Adams and Senate President Bob Burns, both Republicans, said Gov. Jan Brewer increased state spending by more than $350 million with her line-item-vetoes of cuts to K-12 education and the Department of Economic Security, which provides benefits for Arizo[...]
Proposed sales tax hike blocks budget deal
With the clock ticking, lawmakers and the governor held a series of closed-door meetings leading up to the Sept. 5 deadline for action on a slate of budget bills. But the negotiations did not produce the outcome Gov. Jan Brewer had desired - a bipartisan coalition of support for a special election to temporarily raise the sales tax to help balance the budget.
Capitol Quotes 9/3
“The governor can’t claim the mantle of strong leadership, that’s for sure.” – Rep. Sam Crump, a Republican from Anthem, speaking Sept. 3 about Gov. Jan Brewer’s inability to get... […]
Resigning to ignore the law
In the latest chapter of who may or may not be violating the state's murky resign to run law, it seems at least one legislator didn't know the law even existed. Rep. Ray Barnes, termed out in the House next year, has already formed a Senate campaign committee: not an exploratory committee - a committee.
GOP chairman seeks resign-to-run probe of Goddard, lawmaker
The state Republican Party chairman called Sept. 2 for a special prosecutor to investigate whether Attorney General Terry Goddard and a House Democratic leader violated the state’s resign-to-run law.
Democratic leader: Five-party talks fall apart
Last-ditch budget negotiations between Republicans and Democrats appear to have fallen apart, which makes it unlikely Gov. Jan Brewer will see her sales-tax-increase proposal on a ballot any time soon.
Five-party talks in peril
Rep. Kyrsten Sinema spoke to our reporter at the conclusion of today's five-party talks. "I'm not sure there's going to be any more of those meetings," she said. She identified the repeal of the equalization tax as the biggest obstacle. She said Republicans "won't budge" on reinstating the tax...
