In case you missed the debut of JD Hayworth’s official campaign website, we have the link right here (www.JDforSenate.com). The site went public yesterday and already, we’re being told the traffic is high.
And We Even Have the Video to Prove It!
February 5, 2010 By 24 Comments
Straight from the mouth of “Republican” State Representative bill Konopnicki is the desire to tax Arizonans when they purchase food and stay at the hospital. (If that ain’t adding insult to injury!)
In a year when taxes ARE a dirty word, Konopnicki’s campaign against Conservative Senator Sylvia Allen is doomed before it even gets started. Here’s a little refresher to you BillKo, raising taxes punishes productivity AND crimps revenues.
AZ Energy Forum Praises Brewer for Opposing EPA Regs on Greenhouse Gasses
February 5, 2010 By 5 Comments
ARIZONA ENERGY FORUM PRAISES GOVERNOR JAN BREWER FOR OPPOSING EPA REGULATION OF GREEN HOUSE GASSES
PHOENIX, AZ – Feb. 2, 2010: The Arizona Energy Forum (www.azenergyforum.com) praised Governor Jan Brewer this week for opposing President Obama’s attempt to regulate green house gasses (GHG) through the Environmental Protection Agency.
In a letter written January 27th to the EPA, Governor Brewer points out that “in the face of this gauntlet of regulatory activity conducted in one calendar year, Arizona is compelled to make its position clear and unequivocal: it is poor public policy for the US EPA to regulate GHGs using the blunt instrument of the Clean Air Act.”
The Arizona Energy Forum was formed to achieve energy security for the United States and hold the elected officials accountable for shaping energy policies.
Arizona Energy Forum Chairman Troy Hyde said, “We appreciate Governor Brewer’s opposition to the Obama administration’s effort to achieve more control and regulatory powers by using the EPA to regulate green house gasses.”
“Since the Cap & Trade bill has no future, it is a back-door approach to make rules through regulation instead of legislation. At a time when the focus is on the economy, there could be no worse time to add costly, time-consuming and unfair regulations on Arizona business. Since this issue receives so little media attention, it would have been easy for the Governor to forego comment, so we applaud her courage on this subject.”
The Arizona Energy Forum encourages all who share their interest in energy security to contact their website www.azenergyforum.com
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STATEMENT BY JOHN MUNGER ON THE LEGISLATURE’S REFERRAL OF GOVERNOR JAN BREWER’S SALES TAX INCREASE PROPOSAL
February 5, 2010 By 9 Comments
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
(PHOENIX, AZ) February 4, 2010 – Republican Gubernatorial candidate John Munger released the following statement:
“Ignoring the basic laws of economics, the Arizona Legislature has referred Governor Brewer’s sales tax increase to the May ballot in a misguided effort to solve our State’s fiscal problems. Fortunately, the voters will have a chance to stop this madness from becoming reality.”
“Raising taxes will kill thousands of jobs at a time when we need them most. Another tax increase will also help ensure that Arizona remains one of the least competitive places to do business. With real leadership, we could be using this crisis to reset our budgetary priorities, restart our economic engine and reduce the size of our government to one we can afford.”
For more information on John Munger’s recent budget proposal Leading Arizona, which includes various non-tax revenue enhancements and other specific budgetary alternatives, please visit www.johnmunger.com or click here.
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Phoenix Withholds Public Records for Hotel Remodeling ‘Development’ Deal
February 5, 2010 By 6 Comments
PHOENIX–The City of Phoenix refuses to share with the public any records that might reveal details about a proposed tax exemption to help a downtown hotel remodel its rooms and hallways. The Goldwater Institute filed a new lawsuit today to compel Phoenix under the state’s public records law to release documents related to the City’s secret negotiations with the Wyndham Hotel at 50 E. Adams St.
The Arizona Republic reported on Dec. 16, 2009, that Phoenix was offering sizeable tax breaks to the Wyndham through a sale-lease back arrangement that Phoenix has used frequently in deals with favored developers. The Wyndham would use the tax incentive to complete $10 million in construction remodeling, the Republic reported.
On Jan. 5, the Goldwater Institute asked to see the development agreement, and any other public records related to the proposed sale-lease back arrangement. The City responded that no agreement has been reached. The City also said it won’t release any records related to the negotiations until a “development agreement is executed,” claiming this would protect the City’s interests and is allowed under state law.
A Goldwater Institute attorney says this stance is alarming because Phoenix residents won’t have any idea what tax breaks might be involved until after the City has signed a contract, which means residents won’t be able to raise objections or determine if the City is complying with Arizona law until it is too late.
“The public has a right to know if Phoenix will obtain real, tangible benefits in this development agreement and not just give tax breaks to a business that should pay for its own remodeling work,” said Carrie Ann Sitren, an attorney with the Goldwater Institute.
The City of Glendale tried to claim a similar exception to the state public records law during its negotiations with new potential owners of the Phoenix Coyotes hockey team. But in response to a separate Goldwater Institute public records lawsuit, Maricopa County Superior Court Judge Edward O. Burke ruled that Glendale was violating the law, and that the public was entitled to review at least some documents even as talks with the Coyotes continue.
While Glendale initially complied with Judge Burke’s order, the City has refused to release any new documents for months. The Goldwater Institute has asked the judge to hold Glendale in contempt of court, and a hearing is scheduled for Feb. 12, 2010.
By filing this lawsuit, the Goldwater Institute Scharf-Norton Center for Constitutional Litigation seeks to uphold transparency in government policy-making that enables citizens to understand the plans of public officials and to voice any concerns. The complaint is available here.
Read more about this and other Goldwater lawsuits to protect individual rights and keep government within its constitutional limits at www.goldwaterinstitute.org/litigation. The Goldwater Institute is an independent government watchdog supported by people who are committed to expanding free enterprise and liberty.
FCino (Fiscal Conservatives in name only)
February 4, 2010 By 13 Comments
I have to hand it to Californians for creative political ads. This ad was released by the Carly for California campaign attacking Tom Campbell. The voiceover was done by actor Robert Davi. Sound familiar? He’s the same voice heard in John McCain’s ads.
Carly Fiorina was one of several high profile spokeswomen and advisors for the McCain Presidential campaign. Now she’s running for US Senate in California in a primary along with several high profile Republicans including, Tom Campbell, Al Ramirez and Chuck DeVore.
What makes me uncomfortable about Ms. Fiorina is her close ties to John McCain. The fact that she is using the same actor (Robert Davi) to cut the voiceover signals that McCain is involved in much more than his own Senate re-election campaign.
But what is really disturbing is that Fiorina is using the same tactic to attack someone like Tom Campbell who has been a frequent guest on Hugh Hewitt’s radio show and is introduced as a fiscal and social conservative. It’s the same tactic being employed against JD Hayworth here in Arizona. Paint your opponent as a big spender and not fiscal conservative while trying to cover your own fiscally miserable record.
Last week, Red State’s Brian Faughnan wrote a piece entitled, “Arguments I Never Expected: Hayworth Is No More Conservative than McCain.” In that piece, Faughnan reminded us that McCain’s rating from Citizens Against Government Waste was 88% compared to Hayworth’s 89%. That’s not quite the huge chasm that McCain claims over Hayworth. (Incidentally, McCain’s lifetime rating from the American Conservative Union is a mediocre 81% compared to Hayworth’s 98%.)
Read perceptively between the lines. McCain and his allies are laying down fire on their opponents in order to distract the voters from their real record or position.
Obviously, I don’t live in California so I won’t vote there. (If I did, I’d vote for Chuck DeVore.)
But I can smell a political rat (FCino) and I think the infestation is more widespread than we realize.
Jim Ward(R-Ariz.) signs the Taxpayer Protection Pledge
February 4, 2010 By 4 Comments
From Amir Iljazi on Wednesday, February 3, 2010 9:01 AM
Businessman Jim Ward became the first candidate to sign the Taxpayer Protection Pledge in his 2010 bid to represent Arizona’s 5th Congressional district.
Ward is a GOP Primary candidate looking to take on incumbent, Harry Mitchell, who was elected in 2006 after defeating J.D. Hayworth. The seat is rated by Cook Political Report as R+5 on their PVI index, and Hayworth had held the seat for more than a decade prior to Mitchell’s win. Arizona’s 5th Congressional district is just one of a slew of seats where pledge signing challengers are taking on non-pledge signing incumbents from vulnerable districts.
Ward, the first pledge signer in the race, has made a commitment to the taxpayers in the 5th Congressional District in Arizona that he will fight to stop massive tax increases imposed by a reckless Congress. We here at ATR encourage all candidates seeking Federal office to sign the Taxpayer Protection Pledge and let the taxpayers in this country know that they stand with them; against higher taxes, higher spending, and higher deficits.
Here’s ATR’s official statement on Jim Ward signing the Pledge:
Jim Ward(R-Ariz.) signs the Taxpayer Protection Pledge
Congressional candidate promises to protect taxpayers’ wallets
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Jim Ward, a Republican running in Arizona’s 5th Congressional district, recently signed the Taxpayer Protection Pledge sponsored by Americans for Tax Reform (ATR). The Pledge commits signers to “oppose any and all efforts to increase the marginal income tax rates for individuals and/or businesses … and oppose any net reduction or elimination of deductions and credits, unless matched dollar for dollar by further reducing tax rates.”
ATR has offered the Pledge to all candidates for federal office since 1987. To date, 33 U.S. senators and 172 members of the U.S. House of Representatives have signed the Pledge. Additionally, seven Governors and over 1,100 state legislators have signed the Pledge.
“After the passage of the so-called “Stimulus Package,” better known as the Pelosi-Obama-Reid Spending Give-Away, Americans are desperately searching for candidates and politicians that will protect their livelihoods and put their wallets ahead of the federal government’s coffers,” said Grover Norquist, president of ATR.
“By signing the Pledge, Jim Ward demonstrates that he understands the problems of hard-working taxpayers nationwide, but especially the taxpayers in Arizona’s 5th Congressional district.”
“I challenge all candidates for federal office to make the same commitment to taxpayers by signing the Taxpayer Protection Pledge today,” Norquist continued.
Copies of the Pledge are available at www.atr.org or by calling (202) 785-0266.
To see ATR’s official statement on Jim Ward, click here.
Would AZ House and Senate Leadership Care to Comment?
February 4, 2010 By 18 Comments
Konopnicki announces run
for State Senate in District 5
(Eastern Arizona Courier) Published on Wednesday, February 3, 2010 2:00 PM MST
www.eacourier.com/articles/2010/02/04/news/breaking_news/doc4b69e48d62f77071282043.txt
Contributed Article
Arizona Legislative District 5 Representative and long-time voice for rural Arizona, Bill Konopnicki released the following statement today regarding his intention to run for the State Senate seat in LD 5:
“Over the last several months, I have been approached by constituents, friends and supporters from every part of Legislative District 5 to consider a run for the State Senate seat. I am heartened that so many folks think I am the right choice to represent our district’s diverse needs in the Arizona State Senate.
“From working to solve Arizona’s serious budget problems with a sound businesslike approach, to protecting rural healthcare, to keeping both K-12 and Higher Education funded at necessary levels, and helping local governments deal with the proposed state shift of costs to counties and cities, I have the experience necessary to serve in the State Senate.
“I have lived in the district for over 40 years and know our residents want leaders who aren’t simply followers; they want leaders who will rise above partisanship to do what is best for our state – no matter the political risk. It is time to change the way the Arizona Capitol functions, and I owe it to my constituents to run for the State Senate and begin to make these changes. We need new leadership and new direction, with a special focus on jobs and unemployment in rural Arizona. I can no longer allow misguided ideological decision making to override common sense.
“For these reasons and many others, I am announcing, today, the beginning of my campaign for the State Senate seat in LD 5. I look forward to spending time visiting with the many friends I have in the district and to carrying my message to voters throughout rural Arizona.”
Konopnicki has a history of developing solutions for issues affecting rural Arizona families, ranchers, hospitals, farmers, education and small businesses. He is a business owner, a former educator and community leader who understands the many challenges of the diverse constituency of District 5. These are very difficult times for Arizona and District 5 needs a strong rural voice in the Senate.
http://www.eacourier.com/articles/2010/02/04/news/breaking_news/doc4b69e48d62f77071282043.txt
The link to the original article in his hometown newspaper is provided to allow readers to view local comments … or share sage insights. Veritas would like to thank his friends out in Pima for this contribution from their side of the state.
Big Surprise! “Virtual” Border Fence Not Working
February 3, 2010 By 40 Comments
I know you will all be surprised to learn that the “Virtual Fence” along the Southern border is simply not working.
PHOENIX (AP) – An ambitious, $6.7 billion government project to secure nearly the entire Mexican border with a “virtual fence” of cameras, ground sensors and radar is in jeopardy after a string of technical glitches and delays.
Having spent $672 million so far with little to show for it, Washington has ordered a reassessment of the whole idea. The outlook became gloomier this week when President Barack Obama proposed cutting $189 million from the venture.
Ultimately, the project could be scaled back dramatically, with the government installing virtual fences along a few segments of the nation’s 2,000-mile southern boundary but dropping plans for any further expansion, officials said.
“The worst that happens is that we have a system which gives us some value but we conclude that it’s not worth buying any more of it,” said Mark Borkowski, the government’s director of the project at U.S. Customs and Border Protection.
Here in America, we get government contracts, budget over-runs, cool high-tech cameras and many press conferences and photo-ops. And years later, we are stuck with a system that does not work.
Too bad we aren’t as smart as Israel. They know how to build a fence.
According to the reports, we have spent $670 million dollars to end up with another government project that doesn’t work. Israel has projected their fence costs at $3.5 million per mile. My calculator says we would have gotten 191 miles of Israeli-style fence for that same $670 million. I haven’t seen all the stats, but I bet that Israeli fence works really, really well.
Via BreitBart.
Landmark free speech case restores right of groups to join election process
February 3, 2010 By 1 Comment
by Nick Dranias
Goldwater Institute
For all Americans, 2010 is starting off as a watershed year for free speech. In the landmark Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission decision, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled corporations, labor unions, and other groups can spend money on political campaigns as part of their free speech rights. The Court struck down a law that threatened criminal charges if a corporation publicly presented a documentary about Hillary Clinton during an election cycle. The Court’s majority opinion, written by Justice Anthony Kennedy, declares “under our law and our tradition it seems stranger than fiction for our government to make…political speech a crime.”
In his opinion, Justice Kennedy attacked every doctrine that has ever attempted to belittle the importance of various aspects of free speech. He rejected the idea that less effective means of communication can be more intensely regulated than more effective means of communication, such as blocking a little-known documentary film but allowing newspapers and bloggers to freely endorse candidates at any time. He also rejected the notion that only viewpoint discrimination is bad and discrimination against specific speakers is okay, underscoring the reality that the same danger of censorship exists whether the government discriminates against disfavored speakers or disfavored ideas.
Justice Kennedy clarified what the First Amendment is and what it’s not. He explained that it is fundamentally about preserving freedom from government restraint, favoritism and censorship, and the unfettered ability to communicate one’s thoughts. The First Amendment is not about promoting equal time for all to speak.
Justice Kennedy also spelled out what “compelling state interest” justifies regulating free speech, and it is only the goal of preventing corruption or the appearance of corruption. Kennedy specifically said preventing “distortion” or excessive influence by wealthy or powerful factions is not a compelling reason for the government to regulate campaign speech.
Finally, Justice Kennedy underscored that the least restrictive means of regulation must be used when it comes to free speech. This conclusion is significant because there has been a movement away from this concept in other lawsuits towards a more vague definition of regulations being “narrowly tailored” to create a regulatory structure for each specific instance brought before a court.
In my opinion, there has not been a more important U.S. Supreme Court decision since Brown v. Board of Education.
Nick Dranias holds the Goldwater Institute Clarence J. and Katherine P. Duncan chair for constitutional government and is the director of the Institute’s Dorothy D. and Joseph A. Moller Center for Constitutional Government.
Hayworth vs. McCain
February 2, 2010 By 33 Comments
For Immediate Release: February 2, 2010
J.D. Hayworth To Formally Launch Conservative Challenge To John McCain On February 15th
PHOENIX, ARIZONA. FEBRUARY 2, 2010. After filing the necessary paperwork last week, conservative J.D. Hayworth will formally launch his Republican primary challenge to 24-year incumbent John McCain on February 15th.
A temporary web site — www.JD2010.com — has been established to collect donations prior to the launch of the campaign and permanent web site on February 15th.
More announcement details will be released in the coming days.
Since leaving his radio talk show to pursue this conservative challenge, Hayworth has already garnered endorsements, donations and grassroots enthusiasm such as his straw poll thumping of Senator McCain at the Maricopa County Republican Party’s annual meeting ten days ago.
Vulnerable to the more conservative Hayworth on taxes, social issues and illegal immigration, McCain has resorted to attacking Hayworth on spending, despite Hayworth having a better lifetime rating from Citizens Against Government Waste.
McCain also voted for the $850 billion bailout of the big banks, which included $150 billion in pork, proposed a $300 billion bailout for mortgage lenders and, according to the Heritage Foundation, sponsored an amnesty bill in 2007 that would have cost taxpayers $2.6 trillion over the long-term.
“Chuck Todd and many others are right. This will be one of the hottest races in the country because this will be democracy at its very best. It will be an intense debate between a moderate with a transparent election year conversion and a conservative willing to respect but also stand up to the flip-flops and unreliability of a moderate masquerading as a maverick,”. Hayworth said.
“John, long a crusader against big money in politics will, ironically, try to use his special interest millions to silence our enthusiastic conservative support,” Hayworth said. “Arizonans, who are tired of a senator seeking to please the Washington elites, will rally to our cause and lead us to victory August 24th.”
Munger on Senate Approval of Sales Tax Referral
February 2, 2010 By 9 Comments
For Immediate Release: February 2, 2010
(PHOENIX, AZ) February 2, 2010 – Republican Gubernatorial candidate John Munger released the following statement today:
I am disappointed the Senate has chosen to place Governor Brewer’s misguided sales tax increase proposal before the voters in May. Raising taxes in the midst of Arizona’s fiscal crisis and economic downturn will cost thousands of jobs and further delay Arizona’s recovery.
I and others have proposed many sound, non-tax alternatives for generating the revenue required to eliminate our budget deficit. The people of Arizona do not need and cannot afford another tax increase, especially when there are so many other, less damaging options available. I urge the House of Representatives to reject the disastrous course of action taken by the Senate, and instead consider these options.
If our Governor had shown real leadership a year ago, and taken productive steps to grow our economy like the ones I have proposed, Arizona would not be facing this financial crisis and our citizens would not be forced to consider a destructive tax increase to solve the state’s problems.
Gov. Sarah Palin to Speak at Center for Arizona Policy Event
February 2, 2010 By 1 Comment
For Immediate Release: February 2, 2010
PHOENIX – Center for Arizona Policy announced today that former Alaska Governor Sarah Palin will be the keynote speaker for the 2010 CAP Family Dinner on April 24, 2010, at the Glendale Renaissance Hotel & Spa.
Sarah Palin is a trailblazer who understands the challenge of overcoming adversity on both a personal and professional level. Rising from small-town origins to become a dominant figure on the national scene, she served as the first female governor of Alaska and was the first Republican woman nominated for vice- president. Palin is a fearless, resilient, and independent voice who stands firm by the principles and values for which she holds dear.
Also speaking at the event will be Center for Arizona Policy president Cathi Herrod. Arizona newspapers have recognized Cathi as one of the ten most influential leaders of the 2000-2009 decade, one of the top five female lobbyists, and as one of the key people “with juice” at the Arizona Capitol.
For information about the event, contact 602.424.2525 or www.azpolicy.org.
Center for Arizona Policy is a nonprofit organization dedicated to protecting and defending the family by influencing policy, communicating truth, and empowering families to promote timeless values.
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Center for Arizona Policy
7227 N 16th Street, Suite 250 | Phoenix, AZ 85020 | 602.424.2525 | Fax 602.424.2530
Statewide 800.FAMILY.1 | info@azpolicy.org | www.azpolicy.org
The New Jersey-ization of Arizona
February 2, 2010 By Leave a Comment
Before we get into the new taxes coming down from our “conservative” governor and legislature, let’s take a quick detour and talk about Phoenix.
Phoenix in the past year requested and received the maximum available property tax funding. Then they declared a state of emergency and met in emergency session to obtain yet another 2% increase.
Remember last year (or was it the year before) the voters in the City of Phoenix (since it was an off election, that translates to the 4.7% of city voters who, during the workday, are 2/3 in unions who got to go to the polls on the city dime to vote in favor) voted in favor of a .1% sales tax increase for policemen. The city was supposed to get an additional 500 policemen. It got 450. The other money went to fund pet projects of the mayor and city council.
Now, we are not only paying the higher sales tax, but we are facing approximately 300 police positions that will be cut. On top of that, the city council is proposing to introduce a NEW 2% sales tax on food. On top of that, the police union PLEA’s spokesperson, Mark Spencer, argued that the new sales tax should be (ready for this) **4%**! The gall.
Now, the “conservative” governor is talking about “cost shifting”. Let me explain to you what that means.
Cost Shifting and Property Taxes
Have you noticed that your property taxes (in most cases) are higher now even though your valuations are lower? Odd, right? Nope. That’s the way AZ state law works. Unless the locality (city, county or secondary taxing district) submits to the county that they want to spend LESS than last year, then even if assessments go down, the tax RATE automatically floats up to adjust! That’s right, your danged if you do and your danged if you dont. The ONLY way to lower property taxes in Arizona is if your local government requests to spend LESS than last year. (When’s THAT gonna happen?!?!?)
Back to “cost shifting”. Cost shifting simply means that the counties will need to pay for it. There’s no cut involved. So, your state taxes will not be cut, but your county taxes (read: property taxes) will go up!
So, in fact, “cost shifting” is just another way to say “tax increase”, but in such a way to give state legislators and the governor political cover so they can say they “didn’t raise taxes” even though they did.
Now, onto the state sales tax. Using the phrase an opponent to the new city sales tax on food used when he spoke in opposition to the measure in front of the Phoenix City Council today, introducing a tax increase in the middle of a still-declining economy, is “economic retardation”.
Economic Retardation
There is no magic in economics. Here is the difference if government spends a dollar they tax you for or if you do. Taxation does not create money. (It actually destroys it, but that’s another lecture for another day).
If you are NOT taxed $1, you might spend it or save it. If you spend it immediately, the private sector’s output is boosted via economic value add. The $1 you spent, results in approximately $1.12-$1.20 in economic activity. If you choose to save it, the private sector’s current output is net zero, but the private sector’s FUTURE OUTPUT is boosted beyond the $1.12-$1.20 depending on how productively your savings institution invests it.
If taxed $1, the government chooses how to spend it. That choice is POLITICAL, not ECONOMIC. It other words, the government expenditure is necessarily economically SUBOPTIMAL. The result of government spending the $1 extra they taxed you for is approximately an $0.87-$0.89 economic value add to the economy. In other words it is 30%-40% LESS PRODUCTIVE than if you were to retain that $1 and spend it yourself.
This is why the state originally projected that a 1% sales tax would yield $1 billion in revenue. They have since revised the take down to $840 million. They will be lucky if they receive 2/3 of their original projection ($667 million) and will most likely net about $600 million.
Does this solve the buget crisis? No, not even close. Will it result in lost jobs? Yes, according to the Goldwater Institute, it will result in approximately 14,000 lost private sector jobs.
Danged if you do. Danged if you dont.
Why can government operate outside of the constraints that you and I or private industry has? Can you spend more than you make? No, or not for long. Can a company? No, or not for long. Government should be subject to the same constraints as you or me or a private company. When times are tough YOU CUT.
So much for our “conservative” governor and legislature. They will get their political cover and be able to claim they “didn’t raise taxes” . But you and I know they did.
Back to property taxes for a moment. Get ready for your property taxes to double over the next two years as (government bureaucrats like to phrase it), various levels of governmental entities search for “new sources of revenue.”
Keep in mind: There is no such thing as a budget shortfall, there is only overspending.
What if I told you that I had a budget shortfall? You’d laugh. I WANT to spend $1.1 million, but only have $100,000. Therefore, I have a budget shortfall of $1 million. Is that really a “budget shortfall”? No, it means I’m insane and I have to cut my spending expectations. Same thing goes for government.
The New Jersey-ization of Arizona
Arizona is currently being New Jersey-ized. Unfortunately, this time by “conservatives” who suffer from economic retardation.
Very soon no one will be able to argue “but we have the lowest property taxes in the nation.” Even if we did have the lowest [insert whatever kind of] tax in the nation, GOOD! Arizona can serve as the national model of efficiency and business friendliness. Let’s be a place where manufacturing of solar comes to, but not because of taxpayer subsidies and special deals for buddies on the Arizona Corporation Commission.
Let’s be a model BECAUSE INDIVIDUALS AND COMPANIES CAN PROSPER HERE MORE THAN ANYWHERE ELSE due to LOWER TAXES and LOWER REGULATIONS.
Final parting shot. If you want to prevent the New Jersey-ization of Arizona, be sure to check out the good folks at http://www.Prop13Arizona.com who are running a citizens constitutional initiative. Prop13 Arizona will provide tax cuts, tax caps going forward and force a new school funding formula that dovetails nicely with the recommendations coming out of the Goldwater Institute.
Here Comes the Sales Tax Measure?
February 2, 2010 By 21 Comments
Just released by Americans for Tax Reform…
Good Evening Arizona Taxpayers,
The Arizona Senate, moments ago, voted to send Gov. Brewer’s long sought sales tax increase to a May 18 special election ballot.
The bill, SCR 1001, now heads to the House where it will face staunch opposition.
In this afternoon’s vote, four senators broke their Taxpayer Protection Pledge, a promise they made to their constituents to oppose “any and all efforts to raise taxes.” The senators who broke their commitment to constituents are as follows:
Bob Burns (R-Peoria)
Linda Gray (R-Phoenix)
Barbara Leff (R-Paradise Valley)
Jay Tibshraeny (R-Chandler)
“Its always unfortunate when lawmakers prove that they made a central campaign promise for reasons of political expediency, only later to demonstrate, much like Obama’s pledge not to raise taxes on those making less than $250,000 a year, that the commitment was hollow,” said Grover Norquist, president of Americans for Tax Reform.
Americans for Tax Reform applauds those senators who stayed true to their promise to constituents today by opposing the referral. Those senators include:
Ron Gould (R-Lake Havasu)
Chuck Gray (R-Mesa)
Jack Harper (R-Surprise)
John Huppenthal (R-Chandler)
Russell Pearce (R-Mesa)
Thayer Verschoor (R-Gilbert)
Americans for Tax Reform
722 12th Street, NW – 4th floor
Washington, DC 20005
202-785-0266
Brewer to be First Candidate to Qualify for Governor
February 2, 2010 By 2 Comments
Governor Brewer’s campaign gathers over 5,900 $5 Contributions in less than 3 months
PHOENIX –– Governor Jan Brewer today filed all the necessary petitions and forms to became an official candidate for Governor of Arizona. Her campaign submitted over 5,900 $5 contributions and more than 8,000 petition signatures to qualify for the 2010 ballot. Governor Brewer stands as the only candidate for Governor to submit paperwork to officially qualify for the ballot – a feat that she was able to achieve in less than three months.
No other candidate for Governor – Republican, Democrat, or Independent – has filed petitions or $5 contributions (for those running under Clean Elections) to secure a spot on the ballot. Brewer is among the first handful of any statewide candidates to submit everything necessary to qualify for the ballot, despite a significantly higher number of required $5 contributions needed to run for Governor.
“To anyone who is able to qualify from this day forward,” said Doug Cole, Governor Jan Brewer 2010 spokesman, “just know that one tough lady who has 28 years of experience in serving the public will be there waiting for you.”
The news of Brewer’s official qualification comes on the heels of the announcement that the Governor has been endorsed by wide range of Mayors and Vice-Mayors from across the state.
Brewer, who took the helm as Governor a little more than a year ago in the midst of Arizona’s unprecedented financial crisis, has already cut more than $1 billion from the state budget and reduced the state workforce by 10 percent. She has pledged to continue to make the tough choices and renewed her steadfast commitment to serving the people of Arizona.
“In her years in public service, Jan Brewer has been a proven leader guided by consistent, conservative values,” said Mary Peters, former U.S. Secretary of Transportation and co-chair of Brewer’s campaign, “We are excited about the outpouring of support we have received so far and look forward to the opportunity to share the Governor’s unparalleled track record with the voters.”
“This level of support is a true testament to the Governor’s courage to be a tough leader in these tough times,” said Former Attorney General and campaign co-chair Grant Woods, “While others have failed to lead, Governor Brewer continues to be a problem solver – offering actual solutions.”
“As I said in my announcement, I am in this race to win,” concluded Governor Jan Brewer, “I’m proud of what we have been able to accomplish in such a short amount of time. I am thankful to my volunteers and supporters for their help.”
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Mitchell’s State of the District Address – AKA An Excuse for Doing Nothing
February 2, 2010 By 8 Comments
For Immediate Release: February 2, 2010
Making one of his increasingly rare public appearances after his unpopular vote for the Obama-Pelosi nationalized healthcare plan opposed by so many in his own district, Congressman Harry Mitchell delivered his so-called “State of the District” address that ended up being nothing more than a list of excuses for the do-nothing Democratic Congress’ failure to accomplish anything to substantively improve the economy despite having total control of the federal government.
In his remarks, Mitchell claims that his party is “frustrated by the inability to get anything done,” while strangely ignoring that with total control of the federal government they only have themselves to blame.
“Harry Mitchell stated that this year is the year that elected leaders have to get their priorities straight,” said David Schweikert. “My question and I am sure the question that thousands of Arizonans have about Congressman Mitchell and his Democratic colleagues is simple – what were they spending the last year doing?
“We have an economy that is suffering greatly and thousands of Arizonans out of work,” Schweikert continued, “and yet Mitchell and the Democrats have done very little, if anything about it except waste billion of dollars and engage in a quixotic effort to pass a liberal agenda opposed by the majority of Americans.
“In his speech, Congressman Mitchell also went on to extol the importance and virtues of small businesses here in Arizona while glossing over the fact that he voted for a nationalized healthcare plan that will, if it becomes law, devastate many of those same small businesses with crushing mandates and higher taxes.
“I share Congressman Mitchell’s stated desire to improve the economy and bring more jobs to Arizona, but at some point there he needs to get past the rhetoric and begin to show results. Results, that unfortunately for the citizens of Arizona’s Fifth Congressional District, are few and far between for Congressman Mitchell.”