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Impugning or just inappropriate?
Sen. Ken Cheuvront responded to Sen Jack Harper's comment yesterday comparing the Senate Dems to the Sunni minority in Saddam Hussein's Iraq - if they were to get their way in terms of policy, it would be a case of tyranny of the few over the interests of the many. Cheuvront said today that neither he nor any member of the minority has ever been a Sunni...
For want of a vote, will a budget be lost?
The debate in Capitol hallways and offices today (Aug. 17) revolves around what will happen with the budget bills that have been approved by both chambers, having not secured the needed votes in the Senate for the tax referral. "We've tried it every which way. The votes just aren't there and they never will be," said one Republican source involved in the wrangling for votes.
Miranda unplugged
Sen. Richard Miranda said on the Senate floor today (Aug. 13) that he had always been supportive of the idea of a one-cent sales tax. He said the alternative plan to broaden the tax base - part of the Democrat's comprehensive budget proposal - was too complicated, unmanageable and unrealistic...
Did Burns have a 16th with Miranda?
Perhaps not. All Dems present voted no as did three Republicans: Pamela Gorman, Ron Gould and Jim Waring. Some in the gallery thought that Waring was playing safety for the team, voting no to give Burns someone on the prevailing side to ask for reconsideration.
Crump v. Gorman
Political pundits have been bloviating about Rep. Sam Crump and Sen. Pamela Gorman going head to head to succeed U.S. Rep. John Shadegg (whenever that opportunity arises) and pointing to votes on the budget that the other might use in a campaign hit piece. No issue is more central to their candidacies than taxes.
Election Deadline
How late can a special election be ordered and still keep the November 3 election date? Election officials told our reporter today (Aug. 10), that deadlines may be statutorily dictated, but that doesn't mean they are etched in stone.
‘They call him Flipper, Flipper, Flipper . . .’
" . . . faster than lightning, No-one you see, is smarter than he . . ." ~ from "Flipper" TV series Leadership was able to get Sen. Jack Harper, a signatory to the Americans for Tax Reforms' (ATR) "No New Taxes Pledge," to flip on the budget in a quid pro quo for what many viewed as minor concessions.
Did Brewer feel a little bit of Windy City politics?
Hey, Rahm, this ain't Chicago! The House Oversight and Government Reform Committee yesterday (Aug. 4) sent White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel a letter demanding to know his involvement in an effort to "threaten" Gov. Jan Brewer, after U.S. Sen. Jon Kyl said the president's economic stimulus program was a flop.
Yarbrough: Reporter bias in ‘Trib’s’ STO series
Rep. Steve Yarbrough told our reporter the East Valley Tribune's exposé on STOs and private school tuition tax credits was slanted to fit the pre-determined story angle that the tax credits were ineffective and are being abused. "I'm waiting for a discussion of the positives of school choice," he said yesterday (Aug. 3).
Horne responds to ABC-15 report
Arizona Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Horne has submitted a statement to Sonoran Alliance explaining and defending an Arizona Department of Education teacher conference in Tucson last month that ABC-15 said was an expensive tax-paid vacation for teachers, their families and friends.
AZ educators attend 4-star junket
For nearly a week this month, Arizona teachers partied a lot at a four-star resort in Tucson during a federally required conference, reports KNXV ABC-15 in a copyrighted story. And Huppenthal is mad has hell about it, saying those who took advantage of the system will be held accountable. "Teachers were there for training, but we spotted dozens of teachers working on their tans, lounging at the po[...]
Legislative UPDATE: Budget deal hung up
Republican leaders and Gov. Jan Brewer might have reached a tentative budget agreement, but they don't have the votes, for now at least, to get it to her. That became apparent when the Senate adjourned tonight without hearing the budget in Approps.
