You are here: Home / Archives for Legislation

Rep. David Smith Speaking at NE Valley Pachyderm Coalition Tonight

February 8, 2012 By Leave a Comment

Join us for a dinner meeting at our new location: the Rock Bottom Brewery at Desert Ridge.

The information is repeated below in text format to make it easier to copy into your calendar:

Location:
Rock Bottom Brewery at Desert Ridge Marketplace
21001 N Tatum Blvd, Phoenix, AZ 85050
(Near intersection of N Tatum and Hwy 101)
Date: Wednesday,Feb.8, 2012. (2nd Wed of Month)
Time: Dinner (order from menu) available at 6 pm.
Meeting from 7-8:30 pm

Contact Information:
Howard Levine,
NE Valley Chapter Chairman
Howard_Levine@rocketmail.com , www.pachydermcoalition.com
480-577-4168

Filed Under: Elected Officials, Legislation, State Government, Uncategorized Tagged With: , ,

Senator Russell Pearce predicts Supreme Court will uphold SB1070

February 7, 2012 By 27 Comments

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: February 7, 2012
CONTACT: Sen. Russell Pearce

Ban Amnesty Now president says America’s highest court will not turn back on states’ rights

PHOENIX—Senator Russell Pearce, the author of SB1070 and newly-appointed president of America’s largest grassroots anti-illegal immigration organization, said today the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision to hear arguments on Arizona’s contested SB1070 legislation was great news for every legal U.S. citizen.

“When the activist judges in lower federal courts bowed to Barack Obama’s whims and put illegal aliens ahead of American citizens, undermined the Rule of Law, they followed in the president’s footsteps in perpetrating a great injustice against our nation, our citizens Constitutional rights and the state of Arizona,” said Pearce.

“We are a nation of fifty sovereign U.S. states, not a nation of 50 subservient states to be dictated to by a Big Brother leviathan. When the Supreme Court rules, I expect that Washington will learn an important lesson in its proper role, not just on immigration but in its role in governance,” Pearce said.

“We send far too much money to Washington for this to be the treatment we get in return. Sovereign U.S. states and legal U.S. citizens were never meant by our Founding Fathers to become penniless orphans in some Twilight Zone version of a Charles Dickens story, begging for scraps from an all-powerful, dictatorial federal government which waves full ladles of nourishment above our heads but never pours anything into our bowls,” said Pearce.

“When the Court rules, I expect power to return to the states, and Ban Amnesty Now by then will be working diligently to pass SB1070-style legislation in all 50 states, like Alabama, South Carolina and Georgia already have” he said. “The president can sue every state if he pleases, or he can get out of the way while we do the job Washington won’t in protecting our great nation from illegal aliens.

“I fully expect we, the legal citizens of Arizona and America, will win in the Supreme Court on SB1070, just as we did with Arizona’s Employers Sanction Law, the toughest in the nation, which goes after illegal employers and protects American jobs and was upheld five-to-three in the Supreme Court,” said Pearce.

While 6 of the 10 provisions of SB1070 were upheld, four main provisions of the contested SB1070 were blocked from implementation by lower courts, including:

(1) requiring law enforcement officers to make a reasonable attempt to determine the immigration status of a person stopped, detained or arrested if there is reasonable suspicion that person is an illegal alien;

(2) creating a crime of failure to apply for or carry “alien-registration papers”;

(3) permitting the arrest of an illegal alien in which there is probable cause to believe the individual committed a public offense that makes him or her removable from the U.S.; and,

(4) making it a crime for illegal aliens to solicit, apply for or perform work.

“America is greater than any one man, than any one president,” said Pearce. “I believe the court will rule on the side of law, our Constitution, and states’ rights, and that we will prove our nation can indeed work again. This will be an important ruling, an important milestone, in a long road ahead to restoring the rule of law, America’s economy, political and national security.”

# # #

Filed Under: Illegal Aliens, Illegal Immigration, Judicial, Legislation, Press Release, State Government, States Rights Tagged With: , ,

Take Action to Control Powerful Government Unions!

February 2, 2012 By 3 Comments

Dear Arizona Taxpayer,

Today in the Senate Government Reform Committee, the majority members voted in favor of four important bills that would reform powerful government-worker unions:

SB 1484 — Paycheck Protection for Government Employees — Prohibits government employers from taking money from employee’s paychecks for union activities without express annual authorization.

SB 1485 — Prohibition on Government Collective Bargaining — Prohibits government employers from engaging in collective bargaining (including “meet and confer”) with government unions.

SB 1486 — Prohibition on Government Union Release Time — Prohibits government employers from paying employees to do union activities on the taxpayer dime.

SB 1487 — Prohibition on Withholding of Dues for Government Unions — Prohibits government employers from withholding any portion of public employee wages to pay for labor organization dues.

To send quick thank-you emails to the members of the Committee, click here. For Goldwater Institute fact sheets on the above bills, click on the bold bill titles, above.

TAKE ACTION! 

Senate Bills 1484, 1485, 1486 and 1487 will be heading soon to floor votes in the full Senate. Please help us rein in Arizona’s powerful government unions by sending an email to your state Senator in support of these bills.

To take action, simply REPLY to this email and click SEND. It will automatically send an email to your State Senator! You can also customize your message and take action by clicking here. 

To learn more about AFP-Arizona’s 2012 Legislative Agenda, click here.

Please forward this alert to your friends and family members!

For Liberty,

Tom Jenney
Arizona Director
Americans for Prosperity

Filed Under: City Government, County Government, Government Reform, Jobs/Labor, Legislation, State Government

OBAMACARE: A Panel Discussion at the Goldwater Institute

February 2, 2012 By Leave a Comment

FOR IMMEDIATE PRESS RELEASE

A Panel Discussion: OBAMACARE

Phoenix, AZ – On Wednesday, February 8, 2012, Arizona Mainstream Project (AMP) will bring to the public a panel discussion on Obamacare.  Speaking on this panel will be Goldwater Institute’s Senior Attorney Diane Cohen and Director – Center for Economic Prosperity Byron Schlomach, Dr. Jeff Singer, and former AZ Congressman John Shadegg.  550 KFYI Talk Host Terry Gilberg will be the moderator for the discussion.

Each panel member will share their personal expertise and direct involvement with uncovering the facts about The Affordable Care Act and how it has begun and will continue to negatively impact the lives of ALL Americans.  You will gain a better understanding of this law and how it applies to your access to health care, the current legal battles, and how you can help stop this anti-American and socialistic agenda.

Diane Cohen:

The Affordable Care Act mandated states to establish insurance exchanges by 2014 or have exchanges set up by HHS. These exchanges are nothing more than invitation-only clubs where only government sanctioned insurers can play. They must meet all the federally mandated medical coverages/benefits specified by the Secretary of Health and Human Services. In an effort to preserve some sovereignty, states, even some who opposed the federal healthcare law, including Arizona, are rushing to get federal money to set up these exchanges. Diane Cohen, Senior Attorney, of the Goldwater Institute will refute this notion.  Ms. Cohen has testified before Congress on the Independent Payment Advisory Board (IPAB). She will explain what effect this fifteen-member board of political appointees will have in our future.

Dr. Byron Schlomach:

Byron will discuss how government is at the root of our problems in health care, making it the problem, not the solution. He will show you how our income tax system plays a major role in determining what our health care system looks like and how it operates.

Dr. Jeff Singer:

Dr. Singer will discuss the ways in which “Obamacare” will affect the patient doctor relationship, the relationship of the doctor with the state, the relationship of the patient with the state, the loss of personal autonomy, and the ultimate decrease in quality and rationing of heath care that will inevitably result from “Obamacare.”

John Shadegg:

President Obama promised that the cost of health care would go down and it hasn’t. A recent HHS press release acknowledged that premiums have gone up by as much as 12.8% in the last year after the rates were reviewed by state bureaucrats under the provisions of Obamacare. Obama has also promised that if you liked your health care plan, you could keep it. Yet, we now know that Obamacare mandates will not allow anyone to keep the plan they had. As the nation’s economy struggles, Obamacare increases taxes by 800 billion dollars and crushes jobs. Learn how free market solutions will reform health care in ways that promotes quality and reduces costs for all Americans.

Date: Wednesday, February 8, 2012
Location:  Goldwater Institute Auditorium
Address: 500 E. Coronado Road, Phoenix,  AZ

Time: 6:00 pm – 8:30 pm (doors open at 5:30)

Light snacks and beverages will be served

Cost:  $10.00 per person

To reserve your seat we encourage you to RSVP and purchase tickets in advance

Go to: http://www.arizonamainstreamproject.org/#q=Seminars-18

or send payment to:

Arizona Mainstream Project
15029 N. Thompson Peak Parkway
Suite B-111 Box 589
Scottsdale, AZ 85260

This panel discussion will be STREAMED LIVE from AMP’s website.

A “Live Stream” button will be available on our homepage www.ArizonaMainstreamProject.org on the day of the event.  Follow the instructions to access the live video stream.

Contact: Honey Marques, Executive Director, at 808-283-3661 or honey@arizonamainstreamproject.org

Arizona Mainstream Project is a 501 (c) 3 non-profit charitable grassroots organization whose mission is to attract, educate, and mobilize the people of Arizona around America’s founding principles and leadership. AMP believes in the principles of a constitutionally limited government, free markets, fiscal responsibility, and individual liberty to promote the common good and prosperity for the people of Arizona.

Filed Under: Advertising, Conservatives, Federal Government, Government Reform, Health Care, Legislation, Press Release, Regulations, Special Event, States Rights, Taxation, Uncategorized Tagged With: , , , , , , , ,

Important Reforms Don’t Always Require a Grand Vision

January 30, 2012 By 1 Comment

By Nick Dranias

Sometimes important regulatory and tort reforms come in small packages. One example is SB1286, sponsored by Senator John McComish. It proposes a simple reform to insurance law, which currently requires a completely innocent car rental company and a completely negligent car renter to be equally responsible for paying for injuries caused by the renter.

It’s plain to see why this law is on the books: car rental companies have the ability to pay much bigger insurance claims than most people. In contrast to this “deep pockets” approach, SB1286 puts primary responsibility for negligent driving on the shoulders of the driver and his insurance company, rather than the company that rents him the car. The bill changes the law to say that the renter’s insurance is primarily responsible to compensate for injuries the renter negligently causes. Only once the negligent renter’s insurance is exhausted, will an injured person be able to seek money from the innocent car rental company. That makes a lot more sense. Having deep pockets isn’t a legitimate reason to make car rental companies pay for injuries caused by people who rent cars.

By putting the primary duty to compensate for an injury on the person responsible for the injury, SB1286 is a reasonable tort reforms that still protects people who are legitimately injured. It also illustrates how meaningful regulatory reform can often be achieved by correcting bad policy found in the nooks and crannies of Arizona law. By reducing the cost of doing business in Arizona, rental car companies will be able to pass along the savings to consumers, employees and shareholders.

SB1286 proves that important reforms don’t always require a grand vision. Significant opportunities to advance freedom and personal responsibility can often be found on the margins.

Nick Dranias holds the Clarence J. and Katherine P. Duncan Chair for Constitutional Government and is director of the Joseph and Dorothy Donnelly Moller Center for Constitutional Government at the Goldwater Institute.

Learn more:

Arizona State Legislature: Senate Bill 1286

Filed Under: Arizona Politics, Government Reform, Legislation, State Government

Battle at the Arizona State Capitol: A Tale of Two Press Conferences

January 26, 2012 By 1 Comment

Here is exclusive video footage of two different press conferences that occurred at the Arizona State Capitol on Monday, January 23, 2012.

First, coverage of Arizona Democrats making their best but feeble effort to repeal Arizona’s SB 1070:

YouTube Preview Image

Second, coverage of Arizona Republicans standing firm and united for Arizona’s southern border security and SB 1070.

YouTube Preview Image
Filed Under: Arizona Politics, Border, Conservatives, Elected Officials, Illegal Aliens, Illegal Immigration, Legislation, Political Parties, State Government Tagged With: , , , , ,

Open Public Notices to the Public

January 26, 2012 By 1 Comment

By Lynne LaMaster

Why shouldn’t Public Notices be online? 

The Arizona Newspaper industry is in a panic.

Why? Because the Arizona State Legislature is considering a bill that would allow public notices to be published online.

Public notices, also known as legal notices, are the columns of government-required announcements one sees in printed newspapers usually placed near the classified section, set in very small type. It contains information about legal issues such as trustee sales, articles of incorporation, foreclosures, delinquent tax lists and domestic relations, just to name a few.

Right now, an old Arizona State law requires that public notices be published in a printed newspaper. But, HB 2403, which is being considered by the House Committee on Technology and Infrastructure would allow public notices to be published either in a newspaper or online.

According to the House website, HB 2403 states, “…that if there is a statutory requirement for a publication of a notice in a newspaper, the person responsible for the publication may publish in the newspaper or may provide notice at a designated site on a worldwide public network of interconnected computers, for at least the specified number of times as prescribed by law.”

Newspapers do not support this proposed law because they would lose a great deal of income if it passes. FundingtheNews.com states on their homepage, “At a time when the financial model for news is facing the greatest crisis in decades, the level of government funding for news organizations has been declining sharply…”

Again from FundingtheNews.com, “Historically, these fine-print notices have been a lucrative business for newspaper publishers, and have touched off heated bidding wars for government contracts… While other forms of advertising have plummeted, public notices have been a bright spot for publishers.”

The question is, why should the government fund news organizations, anyway?

Arguments in Favor of Online Public Notices

The purpose of public notices is for public notification. What’s more public than the Internet? If placed properly online, the information can be searchable and indexed by search engines.

Public notices can be enhanced much more easily online. No more squint-to-read text. Online, it would be easy to add color if necessary, and photos when appropriate. If links to other information would be helpful, they can be added and made clickable. They can be formatted, headlines can be added easily and the content can become comprehensible with a decent layout. Public notices can even be placed in audio files for the disabled, if appropriate.

Public notices can be placed online at a much lower cost than in a newspaper. No ink, paper or distribution costs to pay for. Less waste to the environment.

Our local paper charges the City of Prescott $11 per column inch. Assuming that inch takes about 30 seconds to type in, it adds up to $1320 per hour.

Additionally, the public won’t have to purchase a newspaper to see the notification.

Government agencies and municipalities will save money if they can place their public notices online. Saved money just might end up being saved jobs.

The newspapers shouldn’t be given a free ride. Let them compete. Competition is good, it makes everyone better. Allowing online publication of public notices will simply level the playing field.

It’s time to level out the playing field. The Internet is the future. And that future is now. Nobody’s saying that one shouldn’t be able to publish in a newspaper, just that alternative options should be available.

So, now you understand why the newspapers are writing editorials and placing ads that read, “The fox shouldn’t guard the henhouse. Keep public notices in your local community newspaper,” or, “Don’t let government remove public notices from Arizona Newspapers… public notices need to be public.” After all, newspaper organizations have a monopoly to protect.

In conclusion, online public notices just make sense for almost everyone – except the newspapers. As one city official stated, “Online is easier, cheaper, greener and better. What’s not to like?”

Editor’s note: A hearing will be held on this matter tomorrow at 9 AM at the Capitol before the Committee on Technology and Infrastructure. Representative David W. Stevens is the Chair of the Committee. View the agenda.

Lynne LaMaster is the Editor for Prescott eNews.

Filed Under: Government Reform, Legislation, Media, State Government

Rep. Flake Praises House Passage of Giffords Bill Targeting Ultralight Aircraft Used for Smuggling

January 25, 2012 By Leave a Comment

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: January 25, 2012
CONTACT: Genevieve Fry Rozansky

Legislation Allows Harsher Punishments for Ultralight Smugglers and Those who Conspire with Them

Washington, D.C. – Republican Congressman Jeff Flake, who represents Arizona’s Sixth District, today praised the House passage of H.R. 3801, the Ultralight Aircraft Smuggling Prevention Act of 2012, which was introduced by Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords.

The legislation targets the use of ultralight aircraft in smuggling operations specifically along the southern U.S. border by assigning harsher criminal penalties to those who are smuggling and those who conspire to engage in smuggling operations using ultralight aircraft.

“Ultralights have become a vehicle for smuggling drugs across our southern border, but local authorities haven’t had the tools to discourage and punish their operators and those working with their operators,” said Flake.

“In speaking with ranch owners near the border in Arizona and state officials, this has become a serious problem. I’m grateful to Congresswoman Giffords for introducing this legislation, which will allow law enforcement to hopefully significantly curtail smuggling via ultralights and strengthen the integrity of our southern border.”

H.R. 3801 adds “ultralights” to the definition of aircraft under aviation smuggling provisions of Tariff Act of 1930 and would add “conspiracy to commit” smuggling to the charges one can be charged with (in addition to actually committing smuggling crimes) when using ultralight aircraft. Finally, it would encourage interagency cooperation between DoD and DHS on technology to detect ultralights.

H.R. 3801 includes provisions approved by the House in H.R. 5307, introduced by Congresswoman Giffords in the 11th Congress (H.R. 5307) and details included in H.R. 1507, the Border Security Enhancement Plan which Congressman Flake introduced this Congress and Senators McCain and Kyl introduced in the Senate). H.R. 3801 is identical to S. 1974, which was introduced by Senators Udall and Heller and approved last December.

“This bill is a fitting tribute on Congresswoman Giffords’ last day in the House. She’s worked to pass it for years. While today may be her last day in the House, her public service will certainly continue. She’s passionate about improving Arizona and the country, and she’s going to continue to be an effective advocate for the issues that are important to her.”

###

Filed Under: Border, Elected Officials, Federal Government, Legislation, National Security, Press Release Tagged With: , , ,

Time to Support HB 2403 – Online Public Notices

January 24, 2012 By 2 Comments

Imagine searching the internet and finding a hit on a public notice that catches your attention.

Now imagine being able to broadcast a public notice at a fraction of the cost that paper publications charge - public notices provided at a competitive rate. Maybe even a paper publication you have profound ideological differences with.

This post is about supporting passage of  HB 2403. This bill would allow online publications like Sonoran Alliance to post public notices as a fraction of the cost that other traditional news publications charge. You can also rest assured that your notice will be seen, read, searched and even archived.

Please support passage of HB 2403 by contacting your legislator today.

Text for this bill can be read here.

Filed Under: Advertising, Legislation, State Government

SB 1070 rally at the State Capitol Monday

January 22, 2012 By 86 Comments

A m e r i c a n  P o s t – G a z e t t e

Distributed by C O M M O N  S E N S E , in Arizona

Sunday, January 22, 2012

Need a show of support for SB 1070       

Sen. Gallardo will be holding a press conference to announce his bill to repeal SB 1070

RALLY AT STATE CAPITOL MONDAY AT NOON (ARRIVE AT 11:30AM)

 

ALERT!!! – SUPPORTERS OF SB1070 NEED TO SHOW THEIR SUPPORT THIS MONDAY AT OUR CAPITOL!!!

                                                                                                                                          Sen. Sylvia Allen and Arizona Border Security Arizona State Senator Sylvia Allen, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Border Security State Sovereignty will be responding to a public Press Conference being held this Monday, at the Arizona State Capitol approximately 12noon.

Sen. Allen will be responding to Sen. Gallardo (Friend of Randy Parazz)who is a publicly proclaimed advocate for Open Borders and severely opposesthe development of the Arizona State Guard to secure Arizona’s Border, and provide protection to the citizens of Arizona who continue to fight off the assault of illegal’s and drugs coming into Arizona.

Sen. Allen is requesting citizen support from fellow Arizonans who are willing to stand for a secure border. Arizonans willing to stand with Sen. Allen, Sen. Stevens, Sen. Griffin, Sen. Antenori, and Sen. Melvin.

 

Please show your public support for these elected officials who are willing to stand and fight the good fight to preserve the welfare of Arizona.

 

Come to the Arizona State Capitol this Monday by 11:30am. Come and bring your voices and your determination to preserve our Great Grand Canyon State

 

 
Join Our Mailing List
Filed Under: Arizona Politics, Border, Illegal Aliens, Illegal Employment, Illegal Immigration, Legislation, Liberals, Special Event

The Decision that Changed Everything

January 20, 2012 By

This Sunday marks the 39th anniversary of the most tragic U.S. Supreme Court decision in our nation’s history, Roe v. Wade.

Since 1973, more than 50 million abortions have been performed in America – roughly one-sixth of our population has been lost.

While there is much work to be done until we see the day when every life is cherished and protected from its very beginning to its natural end, the pro-life movement is stronger than ever.

The Pro-Life Shift
At the time of Roe v. Wade, a majority of Americans were asleep and not aware of the implications of legalized abortion for any reason, at any stage of pregnancy, at any age of the mother. Thankfully, our nation has experienced, and continues to experience, a dramatic shift in Americans’ attitudes about abortion. Americans have woken up to the fact that abortion stops a beating heart, breaks a woman’s heart, harms a woman physically and emotionally, and does not provide solutions to any problems.

Ultrasound technology has proven the humanity of the preborn child. Everyone knows a woman who was harmed by abortion and regrets her so-called “choice.” The dangerous practices of abortion providers like Planned Parenthood and Gosnell in Pennsylvania have been exposed in shocking detail.

In July 2011, Gallup found the following:

  • 26 percent of Americans believe abortion should be legal under any circumstances.
  • 13 percent believe abortion should be legal under most circumstances.
  • 38 percent believe abortion should be legal in only few circumstances.
  • 20 percent believe abortion should be illegal in all circumstances.

That means almost 60 percent of Americans believe abortions should be illegal in either all or most circumstances. Even though Planned Parenthood still receives more than 300 million tax dollars annually, there has been a shift in public perception about the abortion giant, in part thanks to Americans United for Life and their recent report The Case for Investigating Planned Parenthood.

Arizona: One of the Most Improved Pro-Life States
In Arizona, thanks to Arizonans voting their pro-life values to elect a pro-life legislature and Governor, we have made significant progress to protect preborn children and women – so much so that Americans United for Life named our state one of the “most-improved” states in the country for pro-life legislation.

In the last year alone, CAP-supported laws have taken effect that:

  • require an ultrasound be given to a woman at least an hour before an abortion,
  • ensure parental consent is notarized before a minor can have an abortion,
  • ensure a women has the right to meet with a doctor at least 24 hours before an abortion, and
  • prohibit non-doctors from performing abortion.

You can read more about Arizona’s abortion laws on AZPolicyPages.com

The Ongoing Fight
This session, CAP will once again be supporting legislation to promote the health and safety of women considering an abortion, and to protect them against the predatory practices of the abortion industry. Stay tuned over the next two weeks as key pro-life legislation is introduced.

We will also continue our work to defend CAP-supported legislation in court, like the law that would disqualify donations to any organization that provides, promotes, pays for, or provides referrals for abortion from being eligible for the working poor tax credit. This law is currently blocked from taking effect because of a lawsuit the ACLU brought on behalf of the Arizona Domestic Violence Coalition.

Join the Cause
Take time to consider these four ways you can make a difference for life in Arizona:

  • Join me this Sunday at the Arizona March for Life, sponsored by Arizona Right to Life. This year’s theme is “Respect, Love, Protect.” Click here for more details.
  • Order a Choose Life license plate. For only $25, you can make a statement daily to our community about the importance of promoting and protecting human life, while also providing funding that will help women find positive, life-affirming alternatives to abortion. Visit ServiceArizona.com to order your plate today!
  • Support your local Pregnancy Resource Center. Through their love and service, countless women have been given the hope and support needed to choose life when faced with a crisis pregnancy. Many of these organizations are led by volunteer staffs, so support from the community is vital.
  • Make sure you and your circles of influence are registered to vote then plan to help keep the Arizona legislature pro-life in this year’s elections. Check out azvoterguide.com for elections resources.
Filed Under: Family, Judicial, Legislation, Sanctity of Life Tagged With: , , ,

CD-9 Travis Grantham Criticizes Obama on Rejection of Keystone XL Pipeline

January 19, 2012 By 1 Comment

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: January 19, 2012
CONTACT: Evan Kozlow

Tempe – Travis Grantham, candidate for Congress in Arizona’s new 9th Congressional District released the following statement today following President Obama’s decision to reject the Keystone XL Pipeline:

“It is inexcusable that President Obama has chosen partisan politics over the people of the United States by rejecting the Keystone XL pipeline project. President Obama and his entire administration have shown that special interests far outweigh the needs of the American people in regards to job creation, national security, and reducing our dependency on foreign oil.

The Keystone XL pipeline would have created approximately 20,000 new jobs for American workers throughout the country and into the Gulf of Mexico while bolstering our national security and our economy. I’ve witnessed firsthand the sacrifice that our troops are making on a daily basis defending our foreign sources of oil due to our lack of domestic production. With the rejection of the Keystone XL pipeline, President Obama has further solidified our dependence on foreign sources of oil and has dealt a major blow to the United States of America’s domestic energy production.

The United States is facing an unprecedented economic crisis in addition to an energy crisis that can no longer be ignored or pushed off to the next generation. President Obama has put his special interests well ahead of America’s on this day. The American people deserve far better leadership out of Washington than what is being exhibited now by both our Congress and our President.”

Travis Grantham is a candidate for Arizona’s Ninth Congressional District. He serves as the Chief Operations Officer at International Air Response based at the Phoenix Mesa Gateway Airport. He is also a Captain and Pilot in the Arizona Air National Guard’s 161st Air Refueling Wing based out of Sky Harbor International Airport. Travis and his wife Patricia have two daughters.

###

Filed Under: Campaigns & Elections, Energy, Jobs/Labor, Legislation, Press Release Tagged With: , ,

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

Flying Out of the Gates

January 13, 2012 By

Only a week into session and two CAP-supported bills have passed out of a committee. SB 1047 and SB 1048 strengthen and expand Arizona’s Scholarship Tax Credit program, which gives a dollar-for-dollar tax credit to donations to School Tuition Organizations (STOs). STOs then provide families with scholarships so their children can attend the school of the parents’ choice.
Praying for those in Authority
At dawn Monday before the session began, concerned citizens from across the state participated in our annual Prayer Walk. We walked the grounds of the state Capitol, including the House and Senate floors, praying for our elected officials, the current legislative session, and for the future of Arizona. I hope you join me in continuous prayer for all of those in positions of authority.
Standing for Life
Opening day was full of citizens exercising their First Amendment rights. Planned Parenthood held a rally to push the pro-abortion agenda and tell legislators “women are watching them.” As it turns out, pro-life women are watching too, and Brooke Burns and the Arizona Right to Life crew held an impromptu rally to show our elected officials support for standing for life. Carrying signs that say “We Love You – Choose Life,” about 40 people boldly stood out in the Capitol lawn in support of preborn children and protecting the health and safety of women.
Arizona Day of Prayer Challenged … again
The Freedom From Religion Foundation has once again filed a lawsuit over the Arizona Day of Prayer, but this time in state court. You may recall a federal court judge tossed out FFRF’s lawsuit against the Day of Prayer in federal court. Prayer has been at the foundation of our country from the very beginning, and it is simply absurd that organizations like this are trying to rewrite history and block religious speech in the public square. Click here to listen to my interview with Family News in Focus on the lawsuit.
WARNING: Divorce Comes with Unexpected Side Effects
The University of Arizona released a review this week of more than 30 studies on the harms of divorce. They found that individuals that go through a divorce run a significant higher risk of dying earlier than married couples. In fact, they found that risks associated with divorce are similar to smoking and excessive drinking. Read more here.
CAP Back on Radio

Be sure to tune in daily to 960 AM The Patriot before the Hugh Hewitt Show in the afternoon and KPXQ 1360 AM The Christian Station in Phoenix to catch me on the Patriot Policy Minute. For you northern Arizonans, remember to tune into 90.9 FM Radio Shine every Friday for the CAP Family Minute, our weekly update from the legislature.
Filed Under: Legislation, Marriage, Religion, Sanctity of Life Tagged With: , , ,

A Letter from Arizona House Speaker Andy Tobin

January 12, 2012 By 2 Comments

Many people have asked me whether I believe there is a real chance for bi-partisanship, political civility and statesmanship to prevail in our current political climate. They are surprised when I say yes! The majority of legislation passed in every session at the capital is very much a product of bipartisan cooperation. Though said bills may be characterized as non controversial or “simple” they are numerous and have a real impact on people’s lives.

In times past, bipartisanship was only possible when bountiful state budgets provided ample capital with which to negotiate. This used to serve as the basis for bipartisan statesmanship and “compromise”. Regardless of what it is presently called what is obvious is that the elements of the art of statesmanship and compromise have now changed which must now be accomplished without the use of once seemingly limitless budgets.

It is an irrefutable fact that we no longer have discretionary funds. Those funds have been exhausted and we now find ourselves in debt. We could continue to borrow in order to support our operational costs but at some point we must recognize that such practices will cease to be an option.

Despite our circumstances I believe cooperation in our capital is still possible. In the last three years, we addressed the structural deficit through permanent spending reductions and through tough negotiations to only temporarily raise revenues. With these solutions behind us, it is now time to engage in meaningful policymaking. This will require us to put aside partisan bickering in order to concentrate on what is right and necessary for the good of all Arizona’s citizens.

We do also need to examine the hearts and minds of Arizonans to learn about their desires which with this state will move forward. Some desire their state government to secure everyone’s chances to their pursuit of happiness, individual competition as well as charitable opportunity. Others desire the redistribution of private wealth and increased dependency on the public funds of the state. It is time for the people to decide which philosophy will provide them with the best future.

Despite these conflicting ideological differences, I foresee what can hold us together is not unlike what cements the bonds between the men and women of our military. Our armed forces are comprised of Republicans and Democrats alike. They fight as one to defend our nation’s freedom. This serves as a great example of how people whom ascribe to extremely differing philosophies can still fight for a common cause.

Therefore, if we collectively hold a soft, unproductive economy and an insurmountable debt as our common enemy I propose we find the common ground with which to defeat it. If Democrats can’t agree to cut without raising taxes and Republicans won’t vote for increased taxes then let’s cap the budget where it is and dedicate future revenue increases and spending savings to service our debt and emergency contingencies.

So if bipartisanship is to be known as the act of people being intellectually engaged and ready to fight then surely there is room in the legislature for it. No good will be accomplished and our economic woes will never be resolved if the representatives of the people temper their passions and beliefs while trying to combat our common enemy.

We cannot allow for those whom seek to promote infighting in the pursuit of partisan advancement. The people of Arizona sent us 90 leaders to move Arizona forward. I am proud to honor and serve with this talented and resourceful group of public servants. I expect that in our 100th year of statehood we will live up to our obligation to provide for the common good, the security of the American Dream and to authentically come together to fight our common enemies. This is my New Year’s wish for my beloved Arizona.

Filed Under: Arizona Politics, Conservatives, Culture, Elected Officials, Government, Guest Opinion, Legislation, Political Parties, Political Science, Press Release, State Budget, State Economy, State Government Tagged With:

My Legislative Wishlist

January 10, 2012 By 4 Comments

I can’t recall ever putting out a legislature/legislative wishlist on Sonoran Alliance so this is a first. I know that legislators read Sonoran Alliance so I’ll announce these to the public and see where these go:

  1. Require that every Arizona County Recorder provides the latest voter registration to the Secretary of State’s Office on a weekly basis. This will allow the political parties to have fresh data in order to improve get out the vote campaigns.
  2. Change Arizona’s campaign finance laws to require a reporting period deadline to occur 10 days before early ballots are issued. This will allow the public to see who is giving to which campaigns and how that money is being spent. This is an issue of transparency. If the media and new media is doing its job, it will report this information to the public. This will include municipal and recall elections.
  3. Refer to the 2012 ballot a repeal of Proposition 106. This created the Arizona “Independent” Redistricting Commission in 2000 which gave us the 2011 fiasco. I would rather have our jurisdictional lines drawn by 90 elected accountable office holders than 5 unelected unaccountable office holders. It’s absolutely more “democratic.”
  4. If a repeal of Proposition cannot take place, than refer to the ballot an amendment to Proposition 106 that requires the AIRC to draft the lines of EVERY political jurisdiction in the State of Arizona effective the year after passage. This would include school board districts, city council districts, you name it.
  5. Finally, I call upon the House Ethics Committee to immediately begin ethics hearings on State Representative Daniel Patterson. Patterson has been in legal trouble for some time (and we have the documents to prove it!) Even members of his own party would like him to resign. As we learned from the recent hearings in the Senate, any member of the public can file a complaint with the House Ethics Committee.

Now feel free to discuss and even add your own suggestions!

Filed Under: Arizona Politics, Government Reform, Legislation, State Government Tagged With:

It’s time to square up the state’s debt

January 10, 2012 By 3 Comments

By Nick Dranias, Goldwater Institute

Governor Jan Brewer has declared that one of her priorities in the coming session is to pay down the state’s debt. The idea, mirrored by leadership proposals in the state house and senate, is both timely and refreshingly frank.

By any straight-face test, the state has continuously violated the Arizona Constitution’s mandate that current-year expenses be funded largely on a “pay as you go” cash basis — not through debt. Now that the state anticipates as much as $650 million in surplus tax revenue, it is time to square Arizona’s fiscal policy with the state constitution.

Enabled by legal precedents that embraced fiscal gamesmanship decades ago, the state has long skirted the Arizona Constitution’s $350,000 debt limit using a variety of budget tricks. Officials have sold and leased-back buildings, used credit lines and warrants to cover huge gaps between spending and revenue, and rolled-over liabilities from one budget year into the next.

While last year’s budget was relatively gimmick-free, hundreds of millions of dollars of past fiscal gimmickry remain on the books.

An unretired debt is a tax on future generations. Our state’s founders largely banned debt to protect those voiceless future generations from taxation without representation.

Arizona’s “pay-as-you-go” constitutional policy properly imposes political accountability on current politicians for their fiscal choices. For this reason, constitutionalists, tax hawks and fiscal responsibility mavens should agree with Governor Brewer and legislative leadership: Use the surplus to retire the state’s unconstitutional debt.

Nick Dranias holds the Clarence J. and Katherine P. Duncan Chair for Constitutional Government and is director of the Joseph and Dorothy Donnelly Moller Center for Constitutional Government at the Goldwater Institute.

Learn more:

Arizona Republic: Plans for Arizona Budget Vary

Goldwater Institute: Living Debt Free: Restoring Arizona’s Commitment to its Constitutional Debt Limit

Filed Under: Arizona Politics, Debt, Economic Development, Economics, Government, Legislation, Spending, State Budget, State Economy, State Government
« Older Posts