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Arizona’s “Freedom to Breathe Act”

February 22, 2010 By 21 Comments

Finally Arizona is drawing the line against more federal incursions into Arizona’s sovereignty.  Cap-n-Trade is a disaster to any developed society and to think that Senator McCain remains staunch in his belief that its the right thing to do is completely beyond belief.

The McCain/Palin position from 08

The McCain/Palin position from 08

Cap and Trade Nullification

“Arizona State Senator Sylvia Allen (R) of District 5 needs your help! She and Senators Gould and Grey are the primary sponsors for Senate Concurrent Resolution (SCR) 1050. Together, they have made Arizona the fourth state to introduce Cap and Trade nullification legislation, and this bill has “teeth”!

Known as the “Freedom to Breathe Act”, the legislation, if passed, would make it illegal for “..any governmental official to enforce within the borders of the state of Arizona federal laws or federal regulations purporting to restrict intrastate emissions of anthropogenic carbon dioxide or other greenhouse substances is herewith declared a violation of civil rights and unlawful under Arizona state law.””

Senator Allen addresses the AzFRW on Cap-n-Trade

Senator Allen addresses the AzFRW on Cap-n-Trade

At last an idea who’s time has come … sure beats missing committee hearings like her left-of-center opponent seems to.  Here is the full story:

http://arizona.tenthamendmentcenter.com/2010/02/cap-and-trade-nullification-arizonas-freedom-to-breathe-act/

Filed Under: Government, International Trade, Legislation, Regulations, State Government, States Rights

Arizona House Considers Rental Car Tax Increase

February 22, 2010 By 8 Comments

Guest opinion from Americans for Tax Reform

While much attention has been paid to Gov. Brewer’s sales tax increase and the Phoenix food tax, Arizona taxpayers should keep an eye on legislation (HB 2736) currently moving through the Arizona House that would raise the already high rental car tax in Maricopa County and impose a new tax on ticket sales for all Cactus League spring training tickets sold in Maricopa County. Funds from these tax increases would be used to keep the Chicago Cubs in Mesa. While this is certainly a desirable goal, raising the rental car tax, or any tax for that matter, is the wrong way to go about it.

Considerable costs are already heaped upon car rentals at Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport with the five taxes and fees that are currently applied. For example, these taxes and fees already add over 38% to the four day rental base price for a midsize SUV. Also keep in mind that the 18% sales tax hike that will be on the ballot in the May already threatens to substantially jack up the cost of renting a car.

While proponents of this tax hike may claim that this bill mainly affects out of state visitors, that is most certainly not the case. Arizonans renting replacement vehicles would be subject to this tax increase. Given the fact that replacement vehicles represent the majority of the car rental business, this tax increase would be paid mostly by Arizona residents.

HB 2736 would also have a negative economic impact on the local economy. One study shows that a recent localized rental car tax hike led to a 9% reduction in car rentals and as much as an 86% reduction in the number of days cars were rented. Likewise, HB 2736 will lead to reduced demand for rental cars and likely not meet revenue projections.

Additionally, the Goldwater Institute has pointed out that raising taxes to benefit a single sports franchise, as HB 2736 would do, may very well violate the Arizona constitution. Furthermore, Goldwater Institute also points out that this bill would grant a sports authority a level of power that may constitute an improper delegation of legislative authority.

ATR is asking lawmakers to reject HB 2736, which is simply bad policy and worse, violates the Taxpayer Protection Pledge. Five Pledge signers are listed among the bill’s sponsors. ATR urges those lawmakers (Sen. Verschoor and Reps. Adams, Nichols, Tobin, and Yarborough) to reconsider their support.

Filed Under: County Government, Taxation

Nuclear Energy Could Create 10,000 Jobs in Arizona

February 22, 2010 By 7 Comments

For Immediate Release: February 22, 2010

Nuclear Energy Could Generate 7,743 Construction and 3,000 Nuclear Engineering Jobs in Arizona

ASU Study Predicts Non-Carbon Energy Impacts

PHOENIX – According to a study by Arizona State University, Arizona could gain 7,743 highly paid construction jobs and 3,000 atomic engineering jobs if the plan proposed by Arizona House Leadership gets passed. ASU’s Steidman Institute prepared an economic impact report for industry leadership last week showing significant benefits to the high paying jobs that would be created by such a massive multi-billion dollar atomic energy construction project. If another atomic energy plant is constructed in Arizona, the 414 jobs could be created within 24 months and up to 7,743 jobs within the 7 year construction period.

Last Monday President Obama awarded a $9.3 billion loan guarantee to the Southern Cos., the main power provider in Georgia to simulate high tech jobs in the atomic energy sector. A request for Arizona’s share of atomic energy planning and development money was passed in the Arizona House Energy and Water committee last week on a straight party line vote in HCM 2014.

Governor Brewer came out in support of solar, atomic and other non-carbon sources of energy last month in speeches to industry groups.

House Bill 2767, which is an Energy Parks concept plan, includes tax incentives, tax exempt loans for solar, atomic, wind, geothermal, and other non carbon energy sources, as well as a 50 year strategic energy plan. This bill goes to Government committee and if passes, advances to the full House next week for consideration. “This Energy Park incentive bill closely matches the incentives Utah passed last June, with the addition of a 50 year statewide energy strategy plan. We can’t let Utah beat us in the non-carbon energy race, like they beat us in basketball,” Representative Warde Nichols said, the bill’s co-sponsor.

The construction and development of a new atomic energy facility in the State would provide Arizona families with $2.46 billion in new disposable income, and provide the state $457 million in new revenues according to the ASU study. “These are private sector jobs, private sector projects, and public sector benefits,” said Representative Tobin. “It only makes sense that we should grow private sector high energy physics projects in atomic energy just like we grew the high tech bio medical sector years ago.”

Filed Under: Economic Development, Energy, Press Release

Author isn’t fessing up to Alternative Budget Proposal

February 22, 2010 By 5 Comments

To: poster #2 on the Konopnicki swap with Allen story (PCbutnotPC). Since you said Konopnicki has something to offer it got us to wondering and we found this little gem. What we really thought was interesting was the food tax proposal and in the video, a hospital bed tax proposal. Yes, Konopnicki does have something to offer … but isn’t leadership putting your name on your work?

Arizona lawmakers review Mystery Alternative Budget Proposal

By Paul Davenport

PHOENIX (AP) – Arizona legislators are examining and debating an alternative budget-balancing proposal whose origin remains somewhat murky.

The proposal widely circulating at the Capitol in recent weeks has been called a bipartisan alternative to Republican Gov. Jan Brewer’s budget proposal, skipping her spending cuts while using significantly more tax increases and borrowing.

Brewer’s plan is the basis for a legislative budget proposal that majority Republicans are drafting behind closed doors.

Several legislators have voiced support for parts of the alternative while acknowledging involvement in 2009 discussions leading to its preparation.

Republican Rep. Bill Konopnicki of Safford has told The Associated Press he personally paid $2,000 to a retired California university economist to help compile the proposal.

However, none of those lawmakers accepted invitations to discuss the proposal Thursday during a joint House-Senate briefing to compare it with Brewer’s offering, said House Appropriations Committee Chairman John Kavanagh, R-Fountain Hills.

That left Kavanagh and several other senior Republicans complaining they don’t know the alternative proposal’s true origins and couldn’t ask questions to its drafter or drafters about its revenue assumptions and specific provisions.

“If they can’t put on their big-boy pants … and take responsibility for the plan they’re trying to implement, then they must not really believe in them,” said Rep. Rick Murphy, R-Glendale.

http://www.azpbs.org/horizon/play.php?vidId=1704

[does anyone remember watching Horizon on PBS on Feb. 2, 2010?]

Kavanagh said he won’t spend more time on the alternative because issues as important as the budget require more transparency.

“It’s a real threat to the institutional process. This committee is not a hotel where you book a room and bring in whoever you want,” he said.

However, several other lawmakers, including Democrats and at least one Republican, said their colleagues should keep the door open and not reject the alternative proposal out of hand.

“We have a culture that doesn’t encourage people to step out and try to find ideas that are out of the box,” said Rep. Vic Williams, R-Tucson.

Responded Senate Appropriations Chairman Russell Pearce: “I’m not sure I’m finding any gems here. It’s $3 billion of taxing.”  Pearce, R-Mesa, at one point said parts of the alternative proposal mirrored a budget spreadsheet linked to an Arizona State University administrator.

But ASU officials have denied involvement, Pearce said.  The university official named by Pearce, Richard Stanley, did not immediately respond to a query e-mailed to him by the AP.

Filed Under: Campaigns & Elections, Legislation, State Budget, State Economy

Salvino Challenges Sinema to Healthcare Debate

February 22, 2010 By 3 Comments

Chris Salvino

For Immediate Release: February 22, 2010

After Appropriations Hearing Dust Up Dr. Chris Salvino Challenges Rep. Sinema to Debate on Healthcare

Tempe, AZ -Last week, GOP Congressional candidate Dr. Chris Salvino testified before the House Appropriations committee on ways to help save the state of Arizona money spent on healthcare. Rep. Sinema became upset because Salvino had dared to send out a press release announcing that he was providing testimony.

“Perhaps Rep. Sinema wasn’t prepared to talk about the issue last week, that is why I wrote her today,” said Dr. Salvino.

Today, Dr. Salvino wrote to Rep. Sinema and challenged her to a debate on the healthcare issue. [The text of the letter is below]

“With Harry Mitchell ducking town hall meetings and Rep. Sinema’s position as President Obama’s lead Arizonan on healthcare reform, I thought that she might be willing to have an honest dialogue on the healthcare issue. Last week when I testified Rep. Sinema was clearly not interested in talking about policy, I hope that changes,” concluded Dr. Salvino

February 22, 2010

The Honorable Kyrsten Sinema
Arizona House of Representatives
1700 W. Washington
Phoenix, AZ 85007

VIA FACSIMILE 602-417-3015

Dear Representative Sinema:

I write to you today in reference to our exchange from last week when I was providing testimony to the House Appropriations Committee. Specifically, you took issue with the fact that I had put out a press release about my testimony, and you seemed uninterested in discussing the issue at hand. I and other members of the committee were clearly surprised by your reaction.

My purpose was to help educate legislators on the costs associated with the use of helicopter transport in connection with acute trauma care, something that as a trauma surgeon I have firsthand experience with.

My opponent, Congressman Mitchell voted for the disastrous Pelosi-Obama Healthcare Plan, but he won’t engage his own constituents on the issue – that is unfortunate.

However, most Arizonans know President Obama personally selected you to lead the discussion effort in our state on his healthcare proposals. It is with this in mind, and considering that perhaps discussing healthcare at a different venue might be more to your liking, I would like for you and I to debate healthcare in a public forum.

In case you were unaware I have introduced my own healthcare plan and attached a copy of it, the HELP (Health Expense Lowering Plan) for your review.

To schedule the event please call my Campaign Manager, Teresa Martinez on her cell phone at ***-***-****. Thanks again and I look forward to this event!

Most sincerely,

Chris Salvino, M.D.
Republican Candidate
Arizonas Fifth Congressional District

Filed Under: Campaigns & Elections, Health Care, Press Release

Hayworth Endorsed by Phoenix Law Enforcement Association

February 22, 2010 By 24 Comments

JD Hayworth for US Senate

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: February 22, 2010

CONSERVATIVE SENATE CHALLENGER RECEIVES MAX CAMPAIGN CHECK FROM MEN & WOMEN IN BLUE

PHOENIX, Ariz. February 22, 2010. The organization representing the officers of the largest law enforcement agency in Arizona announced their support of JD Hayworth today in his bid to unseat Senator John McCain. The Phoenix Law Enforcement Association (PLEA) also announced today that they are making the maximum contribution allowed by law to Hayworth’s campaign.

“We are proud to stand behind JD. He stood behind our officers during his time in Congress and during his time as a broadcaster,” said Mark Spencer, President of PLEA. PLEA represents more than 2500 sworn officers of the Phoenix Police Department. “We look forward to his continued community service through his support of front-line public safety personnel.”

Hayworth, who is mounting a conservative challenge to the moderate McCain, is moved by the endorsement.

“Few endorsements mean as much to me as the folks who are on the front lines of keeping our communities safe. I am honored that Phoenix cops think that much of me,” said Hayworth. “The fact that they are supporting my campaign financially makes it that much more special.”

Vulnerable to the more conservative Hayworth on taxes, pro-law enforcement issues and illegal immigration, McCain has resorted to attacking Hayworth on spending, despite Hayworth having a better lifetime rating from Citizens Against Government Waste, among other organizations.

McCain also voted for the $850 billion bailout of the big banks which included $150 billion in earmarks, proposed a $300 billion bailout for mortgage lenders and, according to the Heritage Foundation, sponsored an amnesty bill that would have cost taxpayers $2.6 trillion over the long-term.

Filed Under: Campaigns & Elections, Endorsements

Eric Wnuck Withdrawals; Endorses Ward

February 22, 2010 By 12 Comments

Eric Wnuck
Eric Wnuck Announces His Withdrawal as a Candidate for Congress and Endorses Jim Ward for Arizona’s Fifth Congressional District

For Immediate Release: Monday, February 22, 2010

February 22, 2010 – Today Eric Wnuck issued the following statement regarding his plans to represent Arizona’s Fifth Congressional District:

“Today, I am announcing that I will no longer be a candidate for Congress. Representing the great citizens of the Fifth Congressional District would have been an honor and a privilege and to step down now was an exceedingly difficult decision.

“As many of you can understand, this is a tough economy and we all have been affected. I too have been impacted and need to concentrate on protecting my business and all of my employees whose jobs and families depend on its success. But most importantly, I must focus on what has always been my first priority, my family.

“This has been an amazing experience and in stepping down I would like to thank those who were instrumental to my candidacy. “First and foremost, I would like to thank my wife and son for always standing by me and supporting me. Second, thank you to all the volunteers and contributors who put your faith and support behind my campaign. And finally, thank you to my dedicated staff. Although this may not have been our time, you continually impressed me with your determination and commitment to stand on the side of freedom.

“We live in a time where the Democrat leadership in Washington would have us believe that the solutions to our high unemployment and troubled economy are increasing the size and influence of government. They tell us that a bigger government is the only solution and that we must accept the hand out of big brother instead of the hand up from our community. However, their plans are always based on the premise that as long as they have the ability to tax, you and I and future generations will be there to bail them out.

“Arizona’s Fifth Congressional District deserves a Representative that understands that the path to prosperity and liberty is not through the heavy hand of government control, but through the principles of a free-market.

“It is because of this and many other reasons, I am proud to endorse Jim Ward. Jim is a successful business leader that knows what it means to do more with less and expects the Federal Government to operate the same way. He knows what it takes to balance a budget, create jobs and provide opportunities to his employees. He’s a principled business man who never backs away from his beliefs. I believe in Jim Ward and I know he is the right candidate to beat Harry Mitchell.”

Filed Under: Campaigns & Elections, Endorsements, Press Release