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Traditional races rising as ‘Clean Elections’ candidates dwindle
Since the passage of the Citizens Clean Election Act in 1998, a significant number of people have run for office with public funding — and many have won. Clean Elections changed the face of Arizona politics, but with fewer people deciding to run with public money, we may be poised for another big shift.
Wrongful birth, wrongful life: SB1359 is anti-motherhood
If Karen Santorum — mother of six, wife of GOP presidential contender Rick Santorum — had been subjected to Arizona’s proposed “wrongful birth, wrongful life” legislation back in 1997, she could have very possibly died.
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.
Public must demand competitive districts, scrutinize new maps
It’s been a quiet summer at the Arizona Independent Redistricting Commission, punctuated by some predictable partisan posturing. But now we are seeing the early outlines of maps, even before the draft maps are released. The commission is in the stage of the process where it is considering “what if” ideas about what the first draft maps will look like.
Who controls public streets?
H2153, sponsored by Rep. Nancy Barto, R-Phoenix, seeks to retain control of public streets under legitimately recognized local governments, the towns and cities.
Hero or Pied Piper?
Every industrialized country on Earth delivers health care to its people at a far lower per-person cost than the United States. How do they do that?
It’s time to shine light on wasteful spending at the local level
When Phoenix realized that it faced a projected $245 million budget shortfall for the coming fiscal year, new City Manager David Cavazos requested that every department submit proposed budget reductions ranging from 7 to 25 percent. Those proposals were placed on his desk in November and early December. But when the Goldwater Institute asked for them, they disappeared into a black hole.
Republicans made reckless decisions; now vote them out
Seriously, are you happy with Arizona's leadership? I'm not. There's not a lot to be happy about right now. Arizona has become the only state in the union to eliminate its Children's Health Insurance Program, KidsCare.
Passage of Prop. 100 will signal voter permission to raise taxes even higher
A recent survey found that 71 percent of Arizona small-business owners oppose passage of Proposition 100, the one-cent sales tax on the May 18 special election ballot. Our entrepreneurs and job-creators know instinctively that this tax increase is a bad deal for Arizona and the start, not the end, of further bad public policy decisions.
McCain legislation benefits mining companies, hurts environment
Obama's Agriculture Secretary Vilsack and Interior Secretary Salazar recently met in Arizona with proponents and opponents of McCain- sponsored copper mine "land swap" legislation. Mine supporters participated in the meetings, as did opponents such as local townspeople, Native Americans and conservationists.
Help, I’m doing a report on Arizona
Dear Editor, Hello, my name is Vanessa Espinoza. I am a fifth grader at Napa Valley Language Academy in Napa, California. The reason I am writing to you is that my class is doing state reports and I have chosen your magnificent state, Arizona.
Support for payday lenders grows where money flows
In the March 5 edition of the Arizona Capitol Times, three of the state's chambers of commerce ran a full-page ad on page 2 supporting the "short-term consumer financing industry," or in English, the payday lenders.
