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Change to Prop. 105 assault on accountability, education
Something’s gotten into the water at the state Capitol.
Republicans — specifically one out of southern Arizona — want more government control by taking power away from the people of Arizona. In the Arizona Capitol Times May 27 article “Fit to be tied: Republican lawmakers say Prop. 105 too restrictive,” Rep. David Stevens, R-Sierra Vista (District 25), said he is vying to put [...]
Rural GOP legislators torn between ideology and helping jobless constituents
Not all Republicans are celebrating the special session as a victory over federal spending.
For representatives from rural areas, where unemployment is more than 20 percent in some pockets, it can be frustrating to hear their colleagues from urban centers like Phoenix denounce efforts to help the unemployed as unnecessary spending.
Debt reduction is next fiscal hurdle
After policymakers borrowed heavily to keep government afloat amid a festering fiscal crisis that blew holes in the state’s budget for four years, a former Senate president tried to put into place a mechanism to rein in politicians’ appetite for debt-financing.
Correcting ‘misinformation’ about the special session
I’d like to set the record straight due to the political intrigue and misinformation that have been ascribed to the recent special session on continuing the federal Extended Benefit (EB) Program until the end of the year in Arizona.
Lawmakers reconvene to mull unemployment proposal
The Arizona Legislature will reconvene Monday afternoon to consider Gov. Jan Brewer's push to keep 20 weeks of federally funded extended unemployment benefits flowing to thousands of Arizonans.
Unemployment benefits special session: No vote today
Arizona lawmakers have convened a special session to address extending unemployment benefits for those who have been out of work for more than a year, but there won’t be a vote today.
Brewer health insurance bill veto was a mistake
Rather than respond to Henry Grosjean’s commentary (Brewer was right to veto health insurance bill, 5/27) in-kind with an ad hominem attack on his intelligence, I will respond to his claims and why the governor’s veto of SB1593 was a mistake that will have adverse consequences for the 1.3 million Arizonans with no insurance today, and for the thousands of small businesses being crushed under t[...]
Despite strong resistance, Brewer calls special session to extend jobless benefits�
Baring the same determination she employed in pushing for a temporary sales tax hike when she first took office more than two years ago, Gov. Jan Brewer called for a special session to be held June 10 to extend aid to unemployed Arizonans, despite the objections of many Republican lawmakers.
Arizona’s rural areas cited in pitches for unemployment benefits extension
Social-service advocates are pointing to higher unemployment rates in Arizona's rural counties as they urge legislators to keep extended unemployment benefits flowing.
Immigrants worry about upcoming ID card law
Arizona will no longer recognize photo-ID cards issued by foreign consulates beginning July 20. The state legislature passed the bill as part of a package of illegal-immigration measures.
Group submits 18,000 signatures to recall Pearce
Saying they have defied doomsayers and skeptics, a group filed Tuesday more than 18,000 signatures to recall Senate President Russell Pearce, a conservative lawmaker from Mesa who is nationally known for his anti-illegal immigration legislation.
The long and short of 100 days: Faced with vetoes, some GOP lawmakers question quality of bills in fast-paced session
As legislators were filing into their offices in January, preparing for the start of the 50th Legislature, Republican leaders set a lofty goal: to be finished in 100 days.
