Arizona Politics for Conservatives: Sonoran Alliance
Arizona Politics, News, Commentary and Information with a Blatantly Conservative Worldview Presented by an Alliance of Writers, Activists, Consultants and Government Insiders.
Join the bloggers of Sonoran Alliance and other Arizona conservative bloggers at Nixon’s on Tuesday, February 5th as we watch returns come in during Super Tuesday. This will be your opportunity to meet some of the best bloggers and the staff of the best conservative talk in the State of Arizona. Eats and drinks begin at 6 PM at Nixon’s located at 2501 E. Camelback, Phoenix. Please sign up with KKNT if you plan on attending by clicking here. See you at the event!
AZ Politcal Intel has posted the latest rankings and Sonoran Alliance continues as one of the top conservative Republican blogs in the State of Arizona.
I really don’t understand how these rankings work so maybe some of you techies may want to comment on the details. Truthfully, I never thought we’d ever get this kind of readership but given the talent of our writers, I shouldn’t be surprised.
Thanks to all!
DSW
Senator McCain’s Campaign Advisor for Hispanic Outreach has a Mexico First position. Michelle Malkin has detailed coverage.
In a recent video McCain states that he will secure the border. Senator what have you been doing about the issue over the past 25 years in Washington?
One of our writers got a little snide with the title of a story so in an attempt to tone it down we are going to cover just the facts of Senator McCain’s ratings from the American Conservative Union. His lifetime rating of 82.3 has been cited often. One of the state’s other conservative blogs pointed out that his most recent score from the ACU was 65 for 2006.
We thought it would be instructive to look at the senator’s whole record. His first term was in the House in 1983. In 1987 he began his service in the Senate. Here are the scores from the last 24 years. The average of his first 10 years in office is 85.8 and for the most recent 10 years it is 74.9.
1983 96
1984 86
1985 81
1986 73
1987 91
1988 80
1989 93
1990 87
1991 86
1992 85
1993 83
1994 96
1995 91
1996 91
1997 80
1998 68
1999 77
2000 81
2001 68
2002 78
2003 80
2004 72
2005 80
2006 65
The Phoenix City Council is set to vote on a PERMANENT sales tax increase. Please make every effort to speak out at this Wednesday’s (Jan. 30) 3 pm city council meeting. The city council is expected to refer a permanent tax increase to the May 20th special election – a.k.a., an “invitation-only” election designed to ensure low voter turn-out.
There are two big problems with Phil Gordon and the City Council’s wanted tax increase. For one, its permanent. Typically, these are 10-year programs, so the city and voters can reassess if its working and needed. Second, this tax increase pays for maintainance and operations, which is supposed to come out of the city’s operating budget. Its highly unlikely the city will cut its operating budget, so this may free up more money for the city to spend.
If passed, this could open the door to the city putting most of its budget on a permanent sales tax, passed in invitation only elections, and freeing its $3 billion plus budget to be used for a local version of pork-barrel earmarks.
From the Arizona Federation of Taxpayers-Americans for Prosperity (disclaimer, I am the chairman):
AFT-AFP blasts Phoenix City Council’s “endless” parks tax
PHOENIX—The Arizona Federation of Taxpayers, a state chapter of Americans for Prosperity, condemned yesterday’s unanimous policy decision by the Phoenix City Council to move forward with a proposal to extend a city parks and preservation tax “in perpetuity.” The current parks and preservation tax, enacted in 1999, is set to expire next year.
“An endless tax gives city politicians a never-ending blank check,” said AFT-AFP state director Tom Jenney. “If a tax sunsets every ten years, that provides much-needed accountability, so that citizens can periodically review city practices,” he said.
Jenney also questioned the proposed uses of the tax. While the current tax has mainly been used to acquire and develop park lands, Deputy City Manager Rick Naimark explained to the Council yesterday that the endless parks tax would increasingly be used to pay for maintenance and operations functions, including park rangers and security. “This is a revenue source looking for a purpose,” said Jenney.
Jenney also criticized the City Council for failing to consider private-sector alternatives, such as taking competitive bids and granting private companies the right to operate exclusive concessions in parks…
AFT chairman Chad Kirkpatrick questioned the propriety of placing the tax question on the May ballot, when a much more substantial voter turnout will occur in the November general election. Kirkpatrick also pointed out that the vote on the parks tax would be the City’s second tax vote in less than a year. “The City Council put the Prop 1 sales tax increase on the September ballot to get an additional $60 million a year for police and fire, after it deliberately underfunded police and fire budgets in order to make the tax increase more attractive to voters,” Kirkpatrick said.
The current tax, which is one-tenth of one percent on sales in Phoenix, will have raised over $200 million by the time it expires.
At its meeting next Tuesday, January 29th, at 3:00 p.m., the City Council will hold a final vote on an ordinance to refer the tax for voter approval to the May 20th ballot.
Contact: Tom Jenney, Arizona state director, Americans for Prosperity, tjenney@afphq.org (602) 478-0146
