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Maricopa County Pays Off Stadium Debt

June 27, 2007 By 3 Comments

Here’s something you rarely see. Maricopa County has paid off the debt it accrued on the baseball stadium – 19 years ahead of schedule.

According to the Phoenix Business Journal,

“The Maricopa County Board of Supervisors approved the final payment of $15 million, including more than $9 million in interest. The final payment was not expected for 19 years. By taking care of the payment early, the county saved taxpayers more than $9.5 million in additional interest.”

Considering all the controversy over Maricopa County’s role in the creation of this massive project, its quite a feat to walk away from the debt and tax burden this created for Maricopa taxpayers.

Read the original press release – Maricopa County Press Release – Stadium Debt.

Filed Under: Spending, Taxation

Governor cannot weasel out of signing employer sanctions bill

June 27, 2007 By 3 Comments

Arizona Political Heat has compiled a list of 7 statements Napolitano has made in the past indicating her strong support for employer sanctions. For her to try and weasel out of signing the bill now would reveal an arrogant disdain for the citizens of Arizona who voted for her and her promises. According to the article, Napolitano has a policy of not commenting on pending bills in order to leave wiggle room for herself later in case she decides to veto the bill. She can then point to some small part of the bill later and pretend that is the reason she is vetoing the bill.

Napolitano vetoed an employer sanctions bill in the past because she said it wasn’t tough enough. I’m not kidding, she really said that, it’s #2 in the article. So here we have a governor who talks as tough as Russell Pearce on a key illegal immigration issue, yet will do everything in her power to avoid actually putting any enforcement in this area into effect, spinning reasons so twisted you have to think about them twice to make sure you comprehend them.

Filed Under: Border, Illegal Immigration, Uncategorized

All hands on deck! – updated

June 27, 2007 By 5 Comments

Update II: According to Hot Air the senate immigration bill (S.1639) is in big trouble. The final cloture vote is scheduled for Thursday (6-28-07) and the clay pigeon maneuver did not go well today. Sonoran Alliance recommends adopting Senator John Ensign of Nevada. If you have a friend or relative in Nevada urge them to contact his D.C. office early Thursday morning. Phone would be best due to time constraints. Better yet call yourself. If they ask you where you are from tell them that you have adopted Ensign due to the John McCain’s dismissive attitude toward the law-abiding, hard-working residents of his state.

John Ensign:
(202) 224-6244 D.C. phone
(202) 228-2193 D.C. fax
Online contact form

If works better for you to adopt NM Senator Domenici here is his contact page.

Senators who have said they will switch their vote to no: Bond (R-MO), Burr (R-NC), Domenici (R-NM), and Nelson (D-NE.) Close to voting no (in addition to our newly adopted Ensign): Bingaman (D-NM), Gregg (R-NH), Menendez (D-NJ), Murkowski (R-AK), Pryor (D-AR), Stevens (R-AK), and Webb (D-VA.)

     National Review has confirmed our understanding that the senate immigration bill (now S.1639) will undergo one more cloture vote before it can pass. The vote will probably take place this Thursday.

     Cloture is the senate term for ending debate and proceeding. The importance of cloture is that it requires a super-majority (3/5) in order to pass. That means that if less than 60 senators vote yes the bill does not proceed. Given Tuesday’s vote on the immigration bill we only need 5 senators to switch in order to stop the bill.

     If you have any questions about how bad this bill is or you are distracted by the White House double talk please visit The Heritage Foundation for some very clear and reasoned information about the real effects that this bill would bring.

     National Review has an article on 8 senators who might change their votes on cloture. They are Senators Kit Bond (R., Mo.), Sam Brownback (R., Kan.), Richard Burr (R., N.C.), Norm Coleman (R. Minn), John Ensign (R. Nev.), Ben Nelson (D., Neb.), Mark Pryor (D., Ark.) and Jim Webb (D., Va.)

     Since this is an Arizona blog we encourage our readers to contact Senator Kyl one more time. There is not much point talking to McCain.

     If you would like to contact one more senator there are two great choices. Senator John Ensign (R) is right next-door in Nevada. Senator Norm Coleman (R) is up for re-election in 2008. Just call and say that you have been abandoned by one of your senators and that you are counting on them to do the right thing.

Jon Kyl:
Washington (202) 224-4521
Phoenix (602) 840-1891
Tucson (520) 575-8633

John Ensign:
Washington (202) 224-6244
Las Vegas (877) 894-7711

Norm Coleman:
Washington (202) 224-5641
St. Paul (800) 642-6041

Update: Michelle Malkin is providing minute-by-minute coverage of the senate proceedings.

Filed Under: Illegal Immigration

A taxpayer bill of rights

June 27, 2007 By 1 Comment

From Bob Robb’s tidbits:

Arizona has a relatively high corporate income tax rate, particularly compared to its personal income tax rate. Yet the Senate Republican leadership showed utterly no interest in shaving it a bit, as House Republicans proposed.

The excuse was that Napolitano opposed it. However, Napolitano has a very consistent record on tax cuts. She opposes them until they are passed. Then she signs them and takes credit for them.

The Senate Republican leadership, particularly President Tim Bee, clearly didn’t have the stomach to fight for meaningful tax cuts in the context of tight revenues.

Robb’s point is a good one: State spending is up about 70% since Napolitano took over as governor.  We need a spending limit that curb’s the growth of government.  Let’s hope the legislative leadership has the smarts to place this on the ballot and give its Republican candidates something to run on in 2008.

Filed Under: Spending, State Budget

Tax hikes for the rich

June 27, 2007 By Leave a Comment

Remember this next liberals howl about tax cuts:

The average federal worker made $59,864 in 2005, compared with the average salary of $40,505 in the private sector, according to the latest data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

In Arizona, the average annual salary for federal employees is $56,510, compared with the average annual private-sector pay of $37,706.

The gap may be driven by increased competition in the private sector, where globalization and technological advances have held salaries down.

Meanwhile, the federal workforce has no harsh business realities to face, said James Sherk, a labor policy analyst at the conservative Heritage Foundation in Washington.

“We have two parallel economies: one is hyper-capitalism, and one is from the Eisenhower administration,” [Harvard economist] Donahue said. “Government pays everybody the same, no matter their level of productivity. But the private sector pays people differently.”

Bush’s 2003 tax cut gave me a bigger raise than my employer had for the previous 3 years.

Filed Under: Economics, Uncategorized