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When the offer’s off
After the bills passed, Sen. Albert Hale complained that he and the Republicans were in the middle of negotiations when leadership decided to go ahead and vote the bill out, presumably since they already had Sen. Thayer Verschoor's vote. The move doesn't bode well for future negotiations, Hale said.
Counting votes
Without Democratic support, Senate Republicans will be counting on every GOP vote they can muster. Sen. Barbara Leff is out of town and Sen. Ron Gould is a "no." That means Senate leadership will need the vote of everyone else in the caucus...
Special Session: Get ready for Thursday
Gov. Jan Brewer and GOP leaders are expected to meet this week to discuss a special session, which is still being penciled in for Nov. 17-19. House Speaker Kirk Adams and Senate President Bob Burns both told our reporter that they were speaking with members about the budget changes that would be voted on and both were upbeat about the possibility of the session happening.
A different kind of effort
Sen. Russell Pearce told our reporter yesterday he is advocating lawmakers "simply ignore" the maintenance of effort requirements for K-12, universities and healthcare funding that the state agreed to when it accepted the federal stimulus aid earlier this year.
Quelland not packing up office yet
Democrats were quick to rejoice in administrative law Judge Thomas Shedden's ruling to back the commissions' May decision to throw Rep. Doug Quelland out of office. But the Phoenix lawmaker won't be boxing up his office supplies and biker shorts just yet...
Will Jan get to be Jan?
Feisty. Straight. Tough. Over the last 24 hours state pollsters and Gov. Jan Brewer supporters have underlined the governor's advantages as a no-nonsense fighter ready to jump into a campaign and defend her positions.
The Pulse: Put some jelly on that toast
We've all heard it: Jan Brewer is toast. She can't get along with Republican lawmakers. She hasn't solved the budget deficit. She's despised by her own party - and by Democrats, too, her critics charge.
Pollsters say Brewer isn’t toast
Gov. Jan Brewer's poll numbers are among the lowest of any governor in the country. But the wild card, pollsters here say, is that many Arizona voters don't know enough about the governor to have an opinion. "The hardcore anti-Jan Brewer constituency is relatively small, especially among the voting population," said NAU pollster and political science professor Fred Solop...
Come on down…
Rep Andy Tobin told our reporter today that leaders are targeting Nov. 17-19 for a special session on a deal leadership reached earlier this week with Gov. Jan Brewer. The deal, which is currently being shopped to members, includes $540 million in total General Fund savings...
Thrasher distancing herself from ad
Former state Rep. Jackie Thrasher is distancing herself from an ad campaign that seeks to tie her with Rep. Jim Weiers in her District 10 quest to be returned to the House. Apparently someone named "Bill Smith" sent out an email blast with a graphic reading: "Keep the winning team: Vote Weiers, Johnson, Thrasher. Paid for by Bill Smith."
Brewer, leadership still working on terms of special session
The window is closing for Gov. Jan Brewer to bring lawmakers back to the Capitol for a special session before Thanksgiving, but the two sides still haven't agreed on exactly what issues they will deal with. Speaking to reporters today, Brewer said she has been ready for a special session since September and said she is waiting on leadership to get her a head count.
Allen: Fraud plan was ‘pat on the head’ for Seel
Rep. Carl Seel may think that Sen. Carolyn Allen tried to run his fraud reduction scheme through the ringer last spring, but the Scottsdale Republican now says it was actually legislative leadership who put her up to the task.
