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You’re Going The Wrong Way!

May 18, 2009 By 1 Comment

There’s a great line in one of my favorite movies, Planes, Trains & Automobiles, when John Candy and Steve Martin are driving down a dark highway the wrong direction and another motorist is yelling and warning them they’re driving the wrong way.

Today, Glenn Beck, on his Fox program attempted to tell Californians the same thing. Here’s the clip from that presentation:

It is certainly times like these that give rise to individuals like Ronald Reagan who will go in and raze, overhaul and rebuild a state like California back to sanity.

God help us if the State of Arizona goes down the same road as California.

Filed Under: Economics, Spending, State Budget, State Economy, Taxation

County Treasurer Hos Hoskins may sue Board of Supervisors over extravagant $347 million court tower

May 18, 2009 By 1 Comment

ABC-15 has another report on County Treasurer Hos Hoskins demanding accountability from the Board of Supervisors on their extravagant $347 million court tower. Hoskins held a press conference today expressing his outrage. Hoskins has had his share of run-ins with the County Supervisors, as have most of the other elected county officials. Most recently, he’s sparred with them over budget cuts – the Supervisors insisted that he cut 15% of his budget, but they refused to cut a cent from the court tower (obviously they’re in the tank to the construction companies that funded their reelections). Some excerpts from the article –

The project raises “grave concern for the financial well being and financial stability of Maricopa County,” according to County Treasurer Charles Hoskins.

“That report raised additional concerns about improper conduct by the Board of Supervisors, not the least of which is the refusal of the Board to provide public records to a major television network, effectively denying the public of the right to know how their tax dollars are spent,” the news release continued.

Click here to watch the video segment.

ABC-15 is asking readers to leave comments for the Board of Supervisors about the tower here.

We’re having a REALLY hard time figuring out how this pricey Taj Mahal court tower being paid for in cash (which includes penthouse quarters for the judges) can be justified as 45 employees from the Superior Court were just laid off.

Filed Under: County Government, Judicial, Spending, Taxation

Pima GOP Files Open Meeting Complaint Against Tucson City Council

May 18, 2009 By 3 Comments

For Immediate Release: May 18, 2009

PIMA GOP CHAIRMAN FILES FORMAL COMPLAINT TO INVESTIGATE OPEN MEETING VIOLATIONS BY CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS

Tucson, AZ – Bob Westerman, chairman of the Pima County Republican Party, today sent a letter to Pima County Attorney Barbara LaWall to formally request an investigation of an obvious violation of the Arizona Open Meetings Law by members of the Tucson City Council.

“During a time when most elected officials are striving for transparency in government it is unfortunate that Councilwoman Trasoff has decided the people’s business can be conducted off-line” said Westerman. “Arizona law clearly states that public officials should refrain from any activities that may undermine confidence in the public decision making process including actions that may appear to remove discussions and decisions from public view”. The local press agrees. Last week the Tucson Citizen editorial stated “Council’s talks likely violated Arizona Open Meetings Law”.

We strongly encourage Pima County Attorney Barbara LaWall to fully investigate this matter and take the appropriate action.

Filed Under: City Government, Ethics

Franks to Pelosi: Apologize or Resign

May 18, 2009 By 1 Comment

Congressman Trent Franks (AZ-02) appeared on Fox New this morning to discuss the controversy over how much Speaker Pelosi knew about the CIA’s enhanced interrogation policies and when she knew it, and the significance about the Speaker of the US House potentially lying to the American people about a national security issue.

YouTube Preview Image

Filed Under: Ethics, National Security

Republican Professionals Hosts Successful Event at NRA Convention

May 18, 2009 By 14 Comments

Rep. Debbie Lesko and new Republican Professionals president Beth Hoel

The Official Republican Professionals held a successful event on Saturday in conjunction with the NRA National Convention, drawing 150 Republicans, conservatives and NRA members from across the nation.

The free networking event, held at downtown Phoenix’s Wyndham Hotel featured speeches promoting Republican principles, galvanizing conservative grassroots efforts and taking back local, state and national offices.

Republican Professionals President Beth Hoel, Guest Speaker Sen. John Huppenthal and RP Executive VP Thomas Galvin

Distinguished guests include featured speaker, and State Senator, John Huppenthal, State Representatives Ray Barnes, Debbie Lesko and House Majority Whip Andy Tobin, and many prominent members of state, county and local Republican parties.

Filed Under: Special Event

$347 million Taj Mahal new court tower includes marble, travertine, decorative porcelain tile, wood floors

May 18, 2009 By 6 Comments

Taj Mahal
The investigative reporters at Channel 15 have uncovered some of the extent of the luxury being paid for by taxpayers to build a new building for Maricopa County Superior Court. This blog and others have covered how not a cent is being cut from the pricetag, even though 45 employees were laid off from the courts a few weeks ago, and even though it had been brought up numerous times over the past year in meetings that due to the economy, the building could be scaled back or postponed. Unlike other projects, the tower is being paid for with cash, not bonding. We suspect there is an unethical relationship between the County Supervisors who refuse to cut any costs from the tower, and the construction and related companies who won the bids on the project – they probably contributed to the Supervisors’ reelection campaigns.our Taj Majal

Not all of the money is going to construction. In February 2007, 16 county officials traveled to New York and Philadelphia to tour the courts. The trip included sightseeing and expensive dinners along the way. Barbara Mundell, liberal presiding judge of the Superior Court (for all you commenters – she’s liberal even though she’s a registered Republican) led the trip.

Fortunately, the Sheriff’s Office is criminally investigating the court tower.

ABC 15 reports that the County is refusing to grant them access to thousands of pages of documents.

Filed Under: County Government, Crime and Punishment, Judicial, Spending, Taxation