Arizona Politics for Conservatives: Sonoran Alliance
Arizona Politics, News, Commentary and Information with a Blatantly Conservative Worldview Presented by an Alliance of Writers, Activists, Consultants and Government Insiders.
As if Valley Metro’s budget was not already in the pooper, today we learn that a homeless man boarded one of the light rail cars with a box of feces. He then proceeded to spread the contents of the box on the floor of the train. Needless to say, passengers made a hurried exit and departure from that car.
No word on whether the man was arrested but if he is, maybe the ACLU will be excited to take on the case? We suggest that he decry discrimination based on hygienic orientation.
OK, so it’s not what Valley Metro is really proposing but it does go to illustrate the absurdity of this taxpayer-subsidized system.
According to The East Valley Tribune,
Metro light rail believes it has found a solution to its budget woes: Smaller trains running with less frequency.
Facing a $1.3 million deficit in the coming fiscal year, the agency is considering as a cost-cutting measure the occasional use of single-car trains.
Also, Sunday’s schedule would be cut back, with any given station seeing in an hour three trains rather than the current four.
According to Metro, these changes, plus unspecified cuts in administrative costs, will result in an annual savings of $885,000. Making up the rest of the deficit is the expectation fare revenue will rise in the coming year.
Last week, Valley Metro revealed the “free rider” problem they were also facing as Phoenix employees were failing to swipe their ride cards as they boarded to travel to and from work.
“It is a way to coerce people out of their cars, yeah,” LaHood admitted. … And all of you who live around here know exactly what I’m talking about…. About everything we do around here is government intrusion in people’s lives.”
They’re planning to use $8 billion dollars of debt your children will have to pay off to force social change in American’s transportation habits. Is that the role of a government by the people and for the people?
“You’re going to see new buses; you’re going to see ability of transit districts to really have the equipment…. And we’ll begin at DOT to set a standard for our ability to get out of the recession, get people back to work in good-paying jobs.”
This moron is ignoring totally the fact that public transit hasn’t paid for itself since before WWII and that without another Law Enforcer authority (the Transit Police), public transit in many urban areas is quite crime ridden.
Moving along to more of the CHANGE you can expect from the Morons-in-Charge…
… yes, you guessed it; Your Diet is Causing Climate Change!
Here it is directly as reported in the Wall Street Journal.
“Changing our lifestyles, including our diets, is going to be one of the crucial elements in cutting carbon emissions,” said David Kennedy, chief executive of the Committee on Climate Change.
Alcoholic drinks are another significant contributory factor, with the growing and processing of crops such as hops and malt into beer and whiskey helping to generate 1.5% of the nation’s greenhouse gases.
The Carbon Trust, a government-funded firm, is working with food and drink companies to calculate the “carbon footprints” of products – sometimes with surprising results.
Elections have consequences and here’s one more consequence for those who voted for Barack Obama.
Meet your new government-issued automobile. Within the next decade, expect to have one of these beauties parked in your garage.
Don’t be fooled by the fancy glossy brochure though. These new Obamacars will come in two colors: grey and black.
Here’s what MyWay.com is reporting:
DETROIT (AP) – Some soccer moms will have to give up hulking SUVs. Carpenters will still haul materials around in pickup trucks, but they will cost more. Nearly everybody else will drive smaller cars, and more of them will run on electricity. The higher mileage and emissions standards set by the Obama administration on Tuesday, which begin to take effect in 2012 and are to be achieved by 2016, will transform the American car and truck fleet.
Of course, developing the technology will cost money – billions of dollars – and automakers will pass that on to their customers.
The Obama administration says the changes mean the average vehicle would cost about $1,300 more, although some private analysts say the increase will be much heftier.
“Does the average citizen understand what this means? In from 10 to 20 years this country will be dependent entirely upon outside sources for a supply of liquid fuels … paying out vast sums yearly in order to obtain supplies of crude oil from Mexico, Russia, and Persia.”—Yale Professor Harold Hibbert, ethanol promoter, 1925
Chairman Biggs passed around to the Members for review, a copy of Solicitation Number L8‑022 from DPS, which included an introduction to Redflex usage of cameras for tailgating infractions and equipment locations in an enforcement zone (Attachment 5).
Pay Attention
With the state budget woes, (and all bets suggesting Napolitano knew how bad it was going to be), consider the ubiquitous and hated by many photo radar from RedFlex or Arizona Traffic Systems. Recent upgrades to their system allow units to make real-time notification to law enforcement of any “vehicle of interest” that happens to pass the camera. This unit is operational in Show Low Arizona today. Re-read that last sentence, its not just a quick pic but a networked system to law enforcement to run your plates real-time on the fly.
But what does this have to do with the budget?
Per the contract documents, each speed camera is expected to generate 3,000 citations per month, or between 4 to 5 hits per hour per location. The first phase of the contract specifies 100 deployed cameras (not counting those in your local municipality, but on state highways). By 2010 the system is expected to expand to 200 units.
The state’s share of the booty? Each camera per month is projected to generate $282,600 and, when fully deployed over the entire state the new “speed tax” should generate upwards of $340 million dollars per year for a starved state budget and dubious programs.
In January H.B. 2106 was approved by transportation and infrastructure committee and approved by the House Rules Committee on March 30, 2009.
Faced with such a huge cash cow (remember only 5 snapshots per hour generate huge revenues to the state), does the Legislature have what it takes to do the right thing? Remove the system and prohibit the use of these devices in Arizona. Or will the lure of easy money have a very strong appeal?
It can be argued that these cameras are indeed a safety device. I doubt that however. And in Arizona, one key law enforcement official agrees with me 
And he cites the Constitution.
House Bills to monitor:
Senate Bills:
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: May 1, 2009
Brewer Announces Additional Appointments
Names Deputy General Counsel, Director of Children’s Division of
Governor’s Office of Children, Youth and Families and
Director and Deputy Director of Governor’s Office of Highway Safety
PHOENIX – Arizona Governor Jan Brewer today announced several appointments, naming Vanessa Hickman as her Deputy General Counsel, Patricia Cordova as Director of the Children’s Division of the Governor’s Office of Children, Youth and Families, Alberto Gutier as Director of the Governor’s Office of Highway Safety and Matthew Derr as his Deputy Director.
“I am honored that these talented and experienced individuals have agreed to serve in my administration and serve the citizens of Arizona,” stated Brewer. “Ms. Hickman’s impressive legal background will be vital to me during these trying times. Ms. Cordova’s numerous years in public service and her focused experience with juvenile issues make her the perfect fit for the Office of Children. Mr. Gutier’s extensive experience in government service will be invaluable to the Office of Highway Safety, and Mr. Derr’s combination of years in the public and private arenas will be the perfect compliment to Mr. Gutier.”
Vanessa Hickman has an extensive and broad legal background. She has practiced law with several firms, most recently with Withey Morris, PLC. While at Withey Morris, she focused on the areas of infrastructure and real estate development, land use planning, zoning, entitlements and development agreements. She also practiced law with the firms Wilenchik & Barness, P.C. and Wilcox & Wilcox, P.C. focusing on real estate litigation, family law, employment law and general civil litigation.
Ms. Hickman received her Bachelor of Arts in Humanities from Arizona State University, graduating Magna Cum Laude. She went on to earn her Juris Doctor Degree from the Arizona State University College of Law. She has been a member of the State Bar of Arizona since 2004.
Patricia Cordova has more than twenty years of experience in public service with a focus on juvenile justice and human services public policy. Most recently, she served in several capacities at the Arizona Department of Juvenile Corrections including Assistant Director of Support Services, Director of Communications and Legislative Policy and as Executive Assistant to the Director. She has also spent time as a Juvenile Justice Administrator with the Governor’s Community Policy Office, Division for Children and as a Program Specialist with the Arizona Supreme Court, Juvenile Justice Services Division. Ms. Cordova began her public service career with the Maricopa County Superior Court as a Juvenile Probation Officer and as a Judicial Services Administrator in the Juvenile Division.
Ms. Cordova received her Associate of Arts in General Studies from Scottsdale Community College and went on to earn her Bachelor of Science in Psychology from Arizona State University. She then earned her Master of Arts in Education and Human Relations from Northern Arizona University.
As has been previously reported, Governor Brewer announced the appointment of Alberto Gutier as Director of the Governor’s Office of Highway Safety. Prior to his appointment, Mr. Gutier founded and served as partner in the lobbying and public affairs firm, Gutier Group, representing associations and private entities in legislative, city and county matters. He has an extensive background in public service, having served previously as the Director of the Governor’s Office of Highway Safety, as State Personnel Director and Administrative Services Officer for the Department of Administration, and as Acting Driver Licensing Program Administrator and Driver License Deputy Program Administrator for the Motor Vehicle Division of the Arizona Department of Transportation.
Mr. Gutier has served on numerous community boards and committees including the Board of Directors of the National Association of Governor’s Highway Safety Representatives, The State Emergency Medical Services Council, the Legislative Oversight Committee on School Safety and the Drugs Don’t Work in Arizona Board of Directors.
Mr. Gutier attended Elementary and Preparatory High School at Christian Brothers, La Salle in Havana, Cuba. He graduated from the University of Florida, Gainesville with his degree in Business Administration and became a U.S. Citizen in 1966. He speaks fluent Spanish and English.
Matthew Derr will serve as Deputy Director of the Governor’s Office of Highway Safety. Prior to his appointment, he served as Campaign Manager for the Jim Ogsbury for Congress Campaign. There he was responsible for the formulation and execution of budgets, development of the campaign message and communications plan, management of the candidate’s schedule and formulation of the overall campaign strategy and fundraising. He has also served as Policy Advisory to Commissioner Kris Mayes of the Arizona Corporation Commission and as Deputy District Director and Political Director for Congressman J.D. Hayworth.
His experience in the private sector includes time as a Regulatory Affairs Analyst with Salt River Project and as a Competitive Marketing Analyst with New West Energy. In these roles, he gained extensive experience analyzing existing and proposed regulations and legislation, performing legal research and developing financial and business models for corporate profitability.
Mr. Derr received his Bachelor of Arts in Economics with a minor in Political Science from Arizona State University, graduating Magna Cum Laude.
###
While I understand the economic ramifications of a pandemic that could get out of control, there may be something to what Joe had to say. I disagree with the White House trying to dance around his remarks and his having to explain himself. If I had a wife and kids, I certainly would tell them to avoid air travel and public transit – especially here in Arizona. Why can’t Joe have the same freedom to express his wishes to his family?
Judge Provides Photo Radar Update
Judge Gerald A. Williams
North Valley Justice of the Peace
For a significant period of time, people received tickets for going 66 or 67 in a 55 mph zone. The problem was that the temporary 55 mph sign was often after the camera. As such, we have had hundreds of hearing requests. Thus far, drivers in this category have almost always been found not responsible at their hearing.
It is no exaggeration to avow that highway photo enforcement tickets have hit my court with such a significant volume that our regular business operations are almost in danger of slowing to the pace of a federal government bureaucracy. Some basic questions deserve an answer. Who is getting theses tickets? Who is getting the money from the fines? Will the law be “fixed” in the current legislative session?
Most of the Impact is on Four Courts: For reasons that are not completely clear, while some justice courts have a relatively few number of photo enforcement tickets, four courts received an avalanche. Those justice courts and the number of photo enforcement tickets they received in February 2009 alone are: Arcadia Biltmore (10,880), North Valley (9,062), Downtown (8,104) and South Mountain (6,791).
At North Valley, part of the problem was due to highway signs, or the lack thereof. For a significant period of time, people received tickets for going 66 or 67 in a 55 mph zone. The problem was that the temporary 55 mph sign was often after the camera. As such, we have had hundreds of hearing requests. Thus far, drivers in this category have almost always been found not responsible at their hearing.
Where Does the Money Go? It is worth repeating that former Governor Janet Napolitano’s budget materials, dated January 18, 2008, listed highway photo radar as creating $90 million in “Non-Tax Increase Revenue Generation.” It has brought in nowhere near that amount; but the money is still substantial, perhaps around $20 million in the first six months. Each ticket has a base fine of $165 and a surcharge for Clean Elections of $16.50.
Money from each photo enforcement ticket breaks down as follows: $16.50 to statewide public campaign financing, $13.48 to the Department of Public Safety, $25.17 to the Supreme Court of Arizona’s Administrative Office of the Courts, $29.70 to Red-Flex (the private photo enforcement company) and $96.65 to the State of Arizona’s general fund. Please note that neither the justice courts nor Maricopa County get anything from these tickets, other than perhaps a headache.
Will Someone Please Change This Law? The simplest and easiest fix would be to repeal sections B, C and D of A.R.S. § 41-1722. Doing so would essentially require highway photo enforcement tickets to be treated just like any other civil traffic ticket. Many of our problems result from the obvious unfairness of having substantially different penalties for otherwise identical speeding violations. A close second would be to repeal the highway photo enforcement law completely. Whether either of these things will get done, I have literally no idea.
The bottom line is that using photo enforcement tickets as a way to generate revenue has proven to be an extraordinarily bad idea. We now have a two tiered speeding ticket system on state highways.
If you are pulled over by a DPS officer, for going five miles over the posted speed limit, the presumed fine is $155; but, if found responsible, you also get two points recorded against your license and your vehicle insurance will likely increase as a result. If you receive a highway photo enforcement ticket, and you are found responsible, the fine is $181.50, whether you were going 76 mph or 106 mph, and nothing is reported to MVD. Hopefully, the state legislature will adopt a better system. I, for one, hope they do so soon.
Judge Williams is the presiding justice of the peace for the Northwest Regional Court Center. His column appears monthly in The Foothills Focus
The unfairness of the speed cameras plastered all around this state has reached an unprecedented, oppressive level. I received a speeding ticket for going 67mph on the 101 in an area that hadn’t been under construction much, and so the speed limit had been 65 for much of the past year. I pulled onto the freeway a couple hundred feet before the speed camera van, which I couldn’t see at night, and never saw the itty-bitty sign that had temporarily been put up in February saying the speed limit was now 55. The photo speed camera van was placed there to essentially trick people who thought the speed limit was 65, in order to collect money.
I went to court yesterday to appeal the ticket. The Justice of the Peace who handled the case also handled similar cases before mine, who had received tickets in that same location, all for going 1, 2, or 3 miles over 65mph. Clearly proving that 40% of us getting these ridiculous kinds of tickets are appealing them. Not surprisingly, I’ve never seen the van in that location again – it obviously generated so many ridiculous tickets like mine that they realized the court appeals were well above 40% and costing more than the cameras were bringing in revenue-wise. The van wasn’t in a location known for accidents, it was temporarily placed in that location because it was hidden behind bushes where drivers wouldn’t see it. A Redflex employee represented the state; there was no police officer or DPS representative there to prosecute the hearing, only this private employee guy.
The Justice of the Peace, who was obviously happy to be slamming down the law around his little fiefdom – unlike the outstanding Justice of the Peace in the West Valley, John Keegan, who throws out all photo speed camera tickets – didn’t care that the speed limit on the 101 has been constantly changing in places over the past year due to construction of a new HOV lane. He also didn’t care about any of my other arguments, which included there was a guy speeding up behind me and so I sped up slightly to get over into the other lane to let him speed on by. It was a very offensive, humiliating proceeding, those of us who had received tickets felt like we were treated like criminals, and the justice of the peace made it clear with some of us that he thought we were lying! Since I wasn’t, it was doubly insulting. This is the kind of unfair experience that spurs people to go to law school and become criminal defense attorneys.
It’s been documented much better than I could do on other sites like The Newspaper that speed cameras don’t work. Government officials admit they’re in place for revenue generation, not safety, and they actually increase accidents because there are more rear-end accidents. And most of the revenue generated doesn’t go to the state, the vast majority goes to the private speed camera company. The little money the government brings in goes to handle photo speed camera ticket appeals and non-necessary government functions like Clean Elections – not the highways. The cost to the courts is huge: Think of it this way – if police officers were giving out speeding tickets, you wouldn’t have all these marginal situations like mine and the others who were in court today. The camera catches all these kinds of incidents that a police officer wouldn’t ticket someone for, and that any normal person would appeal. The extra cost of addressing all of these kind of tickets is not sustainable. It was clear to me that my speeding ticket was not about safety – it won’t add any points to my record. Whereas if that same ticket had been given to me by a police officer, it would have. Where is the equal treatment under the law?
A lot of older people like the speed cameras, under the false impression that they make travel safer. Older people tend to drive slower, so they dislike speeders. Understandable. But if this is really about safety, then why don’t we ticket drivers who are driving too slow? Studies show that older people cause more accidents than the general population. Even though people over age 70 only make up 9% of the population, they cause 14% of all traffic fatalities and 17% of all pedestrian fatalities. And their percentage of the population is growing every year, as humans live longer and longer. “Road safety analysts predict that by 2030, when all baby boomers are at least 65, they will be responsible for 25% of all fatal crashes. In 2005, 11% of fatal crashes involved drivers that old…..Safety and health specialists are especially concerned about drivers 85 and older, who, federal crash statistics show, are involved in three fatal accidents a day.” So, if we’re really going to implement speed cameras for safety, they need to start ticketing drivers who drive too slow. Driving too slow is also dangerous.
The website stopcamerafraud.com is working on an initiative that would ban speed cameras in Arizona. But we hear their effort isn’t doing so well. Fortunately, there is another organization out there that is seriously looking into starting their own initiative. We wish them luck. Speed cameras have been banned in other states. Arizona now has more speed cameras than any other state thanks to Napolitano. What is freedom-loving Arizona doing with these revenue-generators that do nothing for safety and little for state coffers, sending most of the money to the private company operating the cameras?
I’d be interested in hearing from others who have had similar experiences, please leave comments. We will keep you updated on the progress of the new organization and its initiative.
by Gayle Plato
Phoenix rising from the ashes, an image we all know in this town. She is reborn after devastating challenges and rises again, eternal. In spite of bad times and economic downturns, we can depend on our warrior spirit to smartly retreat. Lean down the government costs and funnel any revenue to the most important programs, helping the needy among us. Help schools function, hospitals heal, and citizens be safe from crime. Face the burn of caustic fiscal devastation; Phoenix can rise again from the ashes.
Unless, the Phoenix City Council and a few other supporting municipalities, see everything through the windows of the light rail ride, or the netting of the stimulating jellyfish. Phoenicians make art without honoring the logic and science of the numbers. We are at prime Mayor, and the Fibonacci numbers of this golden strand of reality are on the wall like a gang tag.
I propose the City of Phoenix go back to the drawing board; in light of the severe recession. We need a referendum, City Council to rescind funding the superfluous, and crack the books to scale back. Turn off the light rail today and funnel any of that money including stimulus dollars into buses. It is a Crazy Train of debt, with future growth questionable at best. We need to take every extra dime and focus on the infrastructure that really matters. Finally, we need to demand a change of spending practices; a panel of citizens and politicians must start to oversee all spending of tax dollars. Billions are spent with very little accountability and only a few politicians in charge, and that is a waiting disaster. No Parent Teacher Organization could get away with doing that from a candy bar fund raiser.
I also ask that the 2.4 million dollar expense of the ‘art’, called, Her Secret is Patience, be scrapped if it costs one dime more. With a name only Ralph Waldo Emerson could love; she sounds more like horse running in the fifth and looks more like( I’m sorry but really) a glow-in-the-dark condom. Yet this art is a tad better than the horrifically ugly library near me, Desert Broom- the Big Rusted Tin Roof, or the infamous broken pots on the 51, a.k.a. Piestewa Pottery Barn. At least I can check out a book at the library and get in and out of town on the freeway.
It’s funny, but in truth, there are people who work for the city, getting fired this year while we pay for poorly installed art and light rails to a pancake house. There are thousands of children who could benefit from really good programming not happening or being cut, as we see money funnel into broken toilet bowls and multi-million dollar prophylactics. Let alone the stimulus redistribution of our hard earned wealth. No one is immune from this spending disease.
If my business slumps and I fall behind, I have to face reality. I do not go on spending, and if need be, I make drastic cuts. Anything not necessary is gone, and certain behaviors of business-as-usual discontinued. Families in this Valley are cutting to the bare bone, trying to pay for upside down mortgages, or worrying about rent paid to landlords in foreclosure. None of us wants to see completely irrelevant art, useless transportation, nor wasted future spending on upkeep and improvement. What are many businesses doing? Closing up shop on half of their locations. Schools and hospitals, day care centers, and local parks are shutting down. Yet, we can all ride the rail around if we lose our houses or cars I guess.
According to Valley Metro numbers, the light rail has exceeded expectations, with 34, 000 people per day ridership. Okay, let’s round that up to 35K. That means, if I do my math, dividing up the ridership by the overall cost as published of 1.4 billion (with more to come), each rider could have been given $40,000. That will buy a few decent cars. So those of you riding from the IHOP to the Capitol, would you have rather had a new car? Specifically, how about a Pontiac as I hear they are going outta style soon.
Phoenix is not alone in it’s future going out of business sale. But this bird will not be able to rise from the ashes of a fire sale. We cannot wait until the place goes up in flames as the blindfolded local leadership all lay down in ditches. My secret Mayor Gordon, City Council, my secret is not patience, but prudence.
First of all, a note to commenter Roger: If you’re going to launch another personal attack in the comments against “Chewie” defending your buddy Chuck Coughlin, why don’t you think about it a little harder instead first and direct your attack towards the Yellow Sheet, which reported this. An anonymous source has confirmed to the Yellow Sheet what we’ve been saying all along:
The perception among many lawmakers, the source continued, is Coughlin is the driving force behind the entire push for a tax increase and is coordinating the support effort on several fronts.
Coughlin has, according to the source, met with GOP leaders ostensibly on behalf of the governor and the Building a Better Arizona crew, which many believe he has organized. And one of Coughlin’s former employees, Colin Shipley, is political director for the Arizona Republican Party.
For copyright reasons, we can’t reprint the entire article; we wish the anonymous source would give US this information, but the Yellow Sheet is a great tipsheet and we’d like to see them survive. The article goes on to reveal that Coughlin’s High Ground is now the official lobbyist for the Building a Better Arizona coalition (the group that funded the dubious tax increase poll), and that the P.O. Box address for the group is the same P.O. Box used for Coughlin’s last two tax hike propositions he led, TIME and Prop. 206.
We wonder, with Coughlin now controlling the governor’s office and the State GOP, who is representing what Republicans want? See you at the tax protest Tea Party on April 15th at the Capitol. Unfortunately we won’t just be protesting federal Democrat taxation…..
In the comments, “Roger,” one of Coughlin’s fiercest defenders, keeps insisting that the tax increase is not going to fund transportation infrastructure and other construction projects, like the kind last year’s TIME initiative would have paid for. We have asserted, along with Veritas Vincit, that the billions being given to Arizona in federal stimulus funds will cover the schools, so the excuse that a tax increase is needed to pay for schools is not true.
We have now uncovered more evidence indicating that the tax increase would go to construction. It appears that the Arizona Contractor’s Association is having their folks send letters to state legislators asking them to support legislation that would help the construction industry. Hmmmm. If we remember correctly, the Arizona Contractor’s Association is one of the members of the coalition that paid for the deceptive tax increase poll commissioned by Coughlin’s High Ground/State GOP/Kenski. And what kind of legislation would support the construction industry? Only thing we can think of is a tax increase to provide construction projects like light rail, highway constructions, non-essential buildings for the City of Phoenix like stadiums, etc.
Dear State Legislator,
Support Arizona’s Construction Industry
Many construction Jobs Lost Since 2006. These job losses represent a real
tax loss for Arizona both in income tax and sales tax. Our business, as
well as many other businesses has been hard hit by the recession. New
jobs are at a standstill. It is difficult for a small business to survive
and contribute to the economy with the current economic condition
I realize Arizona has spent more than the incoming revenue. However,
spending in key industries like construction is what can assist in
rejuvinating Arizona’s health.
The construction industry is a primary indicator for job growth in
Arizona. When we are building, we’re building to create the flow of
commerce, via transportation, housing, manufacturing and office facilities
or establishing education environments for the next generation of workers.
We are building Arizona.
A healthy construction industry creates a healthy Arizona. Therefore, I
would like to ask for you’re carefully consideration during your budget
planning process to view to the construction industry as a significant
contributor to helping Arizona grow out of our current economic and budget
crisis.
Please consider developing a long-term plan to address Arizona’s
infrastructure in ways to create construction jobs desperately needed.
I appreciate your service to the State of Arizona and your efforts to
create a financially strong economy. Thanks for considering these ideas.
Leaders within the Arizona Construction Industry like the Arizona
Contractors Association are ready to assist you in Building a Better
Arizona.
Transportation & Infrastructure Moving
David Martin, was co-chairman of the TIME Initiative Campaign (Prop 203). Then Gov. Janet Napolitano supported the tax increase, while then Secretary of State Jan Brewer said Proposition 203
failed to gather the required number of petition signatures to qualify for the ballot. There was even a statewide poll among small business owners showing a mixed reaction to the new tax.
Now I recall, someone defending the current *temporary* tax increase suggested it was to be used for education. Oddly enough, it also seems that there will be over $800,000,000.00 of federal stimulus monies coming into Arizona to address education issues.
Now, David Martin is President of the AZ Associated General Contractors, and according to the Clients page of Chuck Coughlin’s HighGround (http://www.azhighground.com/clients/index.php), Mr. Martin’s trade group is a client.
Maybe its just me, or could this *temporary* tax increase be simply a trip down memory lane for Jan, Chuck and Dave?
Here’s some links to the past. Consider who the Governor’s chief adviser is. Consider someone is pushing pretty hard for a $500,000,000.00 tax increase that they promise is *temporary*. Psst… look for the crossed fingers.
http://triangle.bizjournals.com/triangle/othercities/phoenix/stories/2008/07/21/daily5.html
http://ballotpedia.org/wiki/index.php/Arizona_Proposition_203_(2008)
http://phoenix.bizjournals.com/phoenix/stories/2008/08/11/daily32.html?surround=lfn
Greg Patterson at espressopundit has clarified that his post about our blogging entitled “Adult Supervision Required” did not mean that he thinks anonymous blogging should be prohibited. That’s fine, we’ll take him at face value, but we beg to differ that we were purposely trying to interpret him otherwise. When you title something “Adult Supervision Required,” and talk about how the Arizona blogosphere needs to come up with guidelines for anonymous blogging, it sounds like you’re trying to shut it down, or regulate it until it’s no longer feasible. Reading the post, I distinctly felt like he was pressuring Shane to put a halt to this anonymous blogging.
What is peculiar is the subject matter Patterson has chosen to defend. This isn’t some dispute between two solid Republicans, like the controversies during the election of Pullen and James for State GOP chair. This is about stopping a tax increase by a Republican governor, which many Republicans at the legislature are concerned is being pushed behind the scenes by lobbyist Chuck Coughlin, known for backing liberal causes. Besides the TIME initiative, Coughlin was the consultant on the Prop. 400 campaign in 2004, the light rail/massive infrastructure tax increase initiative. Wonder how much business his client Associated General Contractors made off of that. Don’t forget all the brand-new equipment the construction companies went and bought for that project – it was an abuse of taxpayer dollars.
In May 2005, Peter Kanelos, Wal-Mart’s Community Affairs Director for Arizona and Southern California, approved an advertisement in the Arizona Daily Sun that featured a well-known 1933 photo of Nazis throwing books on a pyre at Berlin’s Opernplatz. The ad equated those who wanted to restrict Wal-Mart’s growth to Nazis. Wal-Mart’s advertising consultants produced the ad and the company acknowledged approving it.
Wal-Mart’s use of Nazi imagery in its ads was widely and nationally criticized by community groups like the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) and several members of Congress. “It’s not the imagery itself. It trivializes the Nazis and what they did. And to try to attach that imagery to a municipal election goes beyond distasteful,” said Bill Straus of the ADL.
Wal-Mart and Protect Flagstaff’s Future eventually issued full apologies, but at the time Chuck Coughlin, the president of the consulting company that produced the ads fought back. “We wanted people to think about the freedoms we enjoy in America. The intent was wholly honorable and good,” said Coughlin. “We will not back away from the substance of the ads.”
And just yesterday, the Yellow Sheet reported that Coughlin’s firm High Ground was behind a suspicious poll that found voters supposedly support a tax increase. Coughlin had denied being behind it (does he have a problem telling the truth?). The Yellow Sheet says the High Ground poll results were the exact opposite of a poll that was taken 2 weeks ago. The well-established polling company Rasmussen Reports had found in their poll on March 17 that 65% oppose a temporary tax increase to help the state’s budget. Isn’t it coincidental how Coughlin’s self-interest in getting this tax increase passed results in a poll with vastly different results from the reputable Rasmussen poll.
Coughlin’s cronies are posting numerous comments after these posts in order to try to prevent this kind of information from coming out. Add that to the usual cadre of leftists leaving comments, it is creating the impression that this information shouldn’t come out, it’s all just “mean personal attacks.” But in reality, there’s a silent majority out there telling us they want to know what’s really going on behind the scenes at the Capitol, and they don’t buy into the spin labeling this kind of information as a personal attack. It’s understandable why Patterson takes the position he does – he’s a lobbyist and has to work with Coughlin. Coughlin may be the most powerful lobbyist in the state, but he does not control all of the press. Republican voters have a right to know the truth about backhanded tax increases initiated by Republicans.
Anyone who reads The Arizona Republic knows that they are unapologetic cheerleader for light rail. And it’s impossible to miss the fact that they are constantly writing articles about how ridership has exceeded “predictions.”
If it seems to you like every light rail system opened recently exceeds “predictions,” there is a good reason for it. They have. Which begs the question of whether the predictions are really predictions or simply propaganda tools that allow advocates for light rail to declare light rail a success because it is performing beyond expectations?
Clearly it is the latter. Of the six new light rail systems in cities west of the Mississippi, Phoenix, Denver, Dallas, St. Louis, Portland and Salt Lake City, guess how many failed to exceed ridership expectations? NONE. There was one light rail system in New Jersey that failed to meet expectations, but also one in Charlotte that, once again, exceeded expectations.
So the next time you hear someone from the Republic pretending to be a journalist and trumpeting the claim that light rail exceeded predictions, you will know exactly what they mean by “predictions”–it’s the level at which light rail propagandists must set expected ridership in order to ensure that it will be exceeded no matter how poorly the system is utilized by the public. It’s one of the oldest tricks in the book-set expectations low so you can declare victory later no matter what. It may not be clever, but it is enough to fool light rail fawning journos.
Some excerpts from the KTAR article –
Arpaio weighed in on the issue while appearing on News/Talk 92-3 KTAR’s “Jay Lawrence Show” Sunday.
The sheriff said it’s up to attorneys to decide the legality of photo radar, but, “I like to stop people. You can’t spot a dead body in a truck or marijuana or anything else. I like my deputies to give warnings. I don’t like a stupid machine to give you a ticket.”
