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Capitol Quotes: August 19, 2011
This week’s most outstanding utterances, gibes and quips.
Tobin/Brewer tiff expected to heal
In his first real test in his new role, House Speaker Andy Tobin found himself battling Gov. Jan Brewer.
Six weeks after being chosen by his caucus, Tobin and Brewer squared off over an extension of unemployment insurance: Brewer wanted to extend the benefits by 20 weeks and make some limited reforms, while Tobin publicly challenged her to expand the special session to include corporate[...]
Relationship strained? Special session fiasco may be sign of things to come
After back-to-back legislative sessions in which Gov. Jan Brewer and GOP lawmakers appeared to put their differences behind them, work as a team and strive for a common agenda, the failed special session on unemployment benefits threatens to poison a relationship that has already seen its share of discord.
Keep to the right: Does tea party politics mean yesterday’s conservative is today’s moderate — or a statesman?
Months after the red wave from last November, with the tea party gaining steam both in the streets and at the Capitol, some veteran conservative legislators are doing a double-take at where they now stand in their caucuses.
And for some, having a party morph around them, and seeing perceptions shift from “staunch conservative” to “moderate statesman” isn’t necessarily a welcom[...]
A battle of wills: Legislature tried to stop the Voter Protection Act before it started
Republican legislators have spent the past 12 years railing against the Voter Protection Act, but the reviled ballot measure that tied lawmakers’ hands was a largely self-inflicted and ironically unnecessary wound.
Capitol Quotes: May 27, 2010
This week's most outstanding quotes from around the Capitol.
Adams to step down Thursday
House members will be coming to the floor Thursday to elect a new speaker as Kirk Adams, R-Mesa,will be soon stepping down from his position.
Major pension reform bill headed to Governor’s Office
The Senate beat the sine die clock on Monday to pass legislation that contains major changes to the state’s pension systems.
The measure, which backers said would head off a collapse of the public pension programs, advanced on a party-line vote, 21-9.
Union leaders credit governor for pension bill compromise
Though union representatives are relieved to see the changes, they’re still disgruntled it wasn’t until the last minute before there was a compromise.
Major pension reform appears on track to beat final adjournment
Call it the ultimate going-home bill: House Speaker Kirk Adams is making an eleventh-hour push to win support for a series of reforms to the state pension programs before the legislative session ends.
Pension-reform: Similar destinations, divergent routes
In pursuing pension-reform, Speaker Adams travels a lonely road, and Sen. Yarbrough stops for visits along the way.
Two bills — one still embryonic, one written and ready — represent the common goal of reforming the state’s pension system. They also represent two very different approaches to legislation.
