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Alcohol and Substance Abuse Prevention and Early Intervention Health Initiative files for 2012 Ballot

January 17, 2012 By 7 Comments

This was just filed with the Arizona Secretary of State’s Office. Supporters of this ballot initiative would like to see it appear on the 2012 November ballot:

ALCOHOL AND SUBSTANCE ABUSE PREVENTION AND EARLY INTERVENTION HEALTH INITIATIVE, proposes an alcohol tax of 25 cents on a gallon of spirituous liquor, and one dollar each on a gallon of beer and wine, the equivalent of less than ten cents per drink. Proceeds will fund prevention and early intervention services for any entity that affiliates with a community based prevention coalition. The initiative establishes an eighteen member commission which sets policy. Only the thirteen members, including three tribal representatives are voting members. The non voting members are directors or deputy directors of the Arizona’s governmental departments.

Should this pass it would require the taxpayers of Arizona to create another new tax on a “sin” and get the State of Arizona involved and investing in keeping yet another source of revenue.

One would think that the solution to alcohol and substance abuse prevention would be parents, family, friends, neighbors and the faith-based community and perhaps an ounce of discipline.

Filed Under: Ballot Measures, Campaigns & Elections, Culture, Drugs, Family, Legislation, Taxation, Youth

Rep. Jeff Flake: So Just How Broke Are We?

January 17, 2012 By 3 Comments

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: January 17, 2012
CONTACT: Genevieve Frye Rozansky

Washington, D.C. – Republican Congressman Jeff Flake, who represents Arizona’s Sixth District, today illustrated the size and scope of the growing national debt.

For a $2 fee and by placing a minimum order of either $8 or $10, some residents in the greater Washington, D.C. area could enjoy home delivery from fast food giant Burger King. It was announced over the weekend that Burger King has been testing home delivery for its menu items from four of its locations in the D.C. suburbs.

The U.S. is so broke that even adding the $2 delivery fee and based on a minimum purchase of $10, our $15.2 trillion federal debt could pay for $1.3 billion at-home Burger King deliveries.

“The level our debt has reached is a real Whopper,” said Flake.

Along with Senators McCain and Rubio, Congressman Flake introduced H.R. 634, the Debt Buy-Down Act, which allows taxpayers to designate up to 10 percent of their federal income tax liability to reduce the national debt. The bill then requires Congress to reduce federal spending by that amount. More information on the Debt Buy-Down Act can be found here.

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Filed Under: Elected Officials, Federal Budget, Federal Government, Press Release, Spending, Taxation Tagged With: ,

US Senate Candidate Wil Cardon: Congress Has 84% Disapproval Rating. Time for the Pink Slips!

January 17, 2012 By 5 Comments

For Immediate Release: January 17, 2012
Contact: Katie Martin

Proven job creator and conservative outsider calls for new leaders in Washington 

Phoenix, Arizona – Wil Cardon, Mesa businessman and candidate for U.S. Senate, issued the following statement after a new poll by the Washington Post and ABC News showed Congress has an embarrassing 84 percent disapproval rating:

“In what other business would an employee still have their job if 84 percent of their bosses disapproved of their performance? These career politicians in Washington are failing our country. It seems that members of Congress have forgotten that we, the American people, are their boss and it is time they are given a pink slip for their poor job performance.

“Across Arizona, families are struggling, jobs have vanished, home values have plummeted, taxes are too high, and unfair government regulations are stifling business growth. Record spending and debt threaten our nation’s stability and our children’s future. The politicians in Washington either don’t get it or they don’t care. With an 84 percent disapproval rating I urge voters to send these career politicians a clear message that we have had enough. I am running for the U.S. Senate because as a job creator and a conservative outsider I want to bring a new generation of leadership to our nation’s Capital.”

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Filed Under: Campaigns & Elections, Federal Government, Press Release Tagged With: ,

Republican precinct committeemen select three replacements to fill State Senate vacancy in LD-4

January 17, 2012 By 4 Comments

Tried and true Republican precinct committeemen gathered Monday night in Sun City to choose three individuals to fill the vacancy left by recently resigned State Senator, Scott Bundgaard.

The meeting which was held at the Union Hills Country Club and conducted by the State Republican Party in accordance with Arizona law, began at 6:15 and lasted two hours with two rounds of balloting.

Seven candidates were nominated from the floor knowing that only three would survive the final cut. Those nominated included, State Representative Judy Burges, former NFL pro Tony Bouie, former State Representative Jerry Overton, longtime Republican activist Lyle Tuttle, David Livingston, Eric Spencer and Joy Grainger.

Each candidate was allowed five minutes to speak and make the case for their nomination.

In order to survive a round of balloting, candidates needed 75 votes.

Precinct committeemen proceeded to vote in the first round with the results selecting two candidates: Eric Spencer with 121 votes and Judy Burges with 101 votes. No one else survived the first round and the David Livingston was eliminated as the lowest vote receiver.

In the second round of balloting, Lyle Tuttle surpassed the 75-vote threshold with 77 votes. That concluded the lineup and the meeting was adjourned.

Spencer, Burges and Tuttle now head to the Maricopa County Supervisors who are required to make a final appointment. That appointment may come as early as Wednesday or Thursday.

Based on the vote count totals, that candidate will likely be Eric Spencer. Should the Supervisors appoint Representative Burges, Legislative District 4 Republicans will be required to gather again within a week in order to nominate a replacement to succeed Burges’ House vacancy.

Filed Under: Campaigns & Elections, Political Parties, Political Science, State Government Tagged With: , , ,

For Cities, a 20-Year Roadmap to Prosperity and Freedom

January 17, 2012 By 1 Comment

By Nick Dranias

At least one Arizona city understands that the key to economic growth is more freedom and lower costs levied on businesses.

The City of El Mirage recently announced that it was abandoning “impact fees” – regulatory hurdles that hold a developer’s property rights hostage. The fees are supposed to cover the cost of the impact that new development has on city infrastructure. But in reality, they’re a surtax on economic growth that is often used to fund unnecessary luxuries like public art and theatres.

El Mirage has set a great example, but one isolated reform won’t prevent El Mirage or any other city in the U.S. from slipping back into bad habits once the good times return. Local governments still need a long-term plan for embracing freedom and prosperity-friendly policies in good times and bad.

Fortunately, a new bill sponsored by Senator Lori Klein promises to fulfill that need in Arizona.

Based on the Goldwater Institute’s research in A New Charter for America’s Cities, Senator Klein is sponsoring SB1064, which would give cities the power to adopt a “Local Liberty Charter.” Any city adopting the charter would embrace a 20-year plan for economic growth based on individual freedom and responsibility, including a prohibition on subsidies to private businesses, an end to excessive regulations, competitive contracting of services other than public safety, and the limitation of local spending to population and inflation growth.

Even if only a handful of cities adopted the charters, the contrast between them and others would eventually produce a stark difference in prosperity. Moreover, the inevitable success of what Senator Barry Goldwater called “freedom’s model” would be a crucial force in persuading cities to choose freedom.

Learn more:

Arizona Republic: “El Mirage showing that it’s ‘pro-growth’”

Arizona State Senate: Senate Bill 1064

Goldwater Institute: A New Charter for American Cities

Filed Under: Arizona Politics, City Government, Economic Development, Economics, Property Rights

Babeu raises $263,302 in 68 days from 1,100 donors

January 17, 2012 By 2 Comments

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: January 17, 2012
CONTACT: Chris DeRose

Has $235,072 cash on hand for Congressional campaign

San Tan Valley – Sheriff Paul Babeu today announced his fundraising totals for the first 68 days of his campaign for Congress, which included Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Years Eve and ended January 1st, 2012.

While in the exploratory phase, without a single fundraising event, and without a final Congressional district, Sheriff Babeu raised $263,302 from 1,100 donors. This represents an estimated 300 new donors. The Sheriff has over 8,000 unique donors, meaning a significant reservoir of support not yet tapped for the Congressional race.

“I’m absolutely blown away by the generosity of my supporters,” Babeu said. “People agree it’s time for a new Sheriff in Washington. I pledge to represent them with honor and integrity in the next Congress.”

Babeu officially announced his candidacy on January 4th.

Paul Babeu is America’s Sheriff of the Year, as voted by his colleagues in the National Sheriff’s Association. As Sheriff, he reduced his budget by 10% while decreasing response times to emergencies by 50%. As a police officer, he was awarded two medals for saving lives, and served as President of the Chandler Law Enforcement Association. A retired Major in the United States Army National Guard, he commanded Task Force Yuma, which reduced illegal border crossings by 94%, and served a tour of duty in Iraq. 

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Filed Under: Campaign Finance, Campaigns & Elections, Press Release Tagged With: ,