Today marks the 166th day of the Legislative Session, eight days shy of the record set in 1988 (173 days). Since the Legislature completed the budget (although they have yet to transmit those bills to the Governor), members in the House and Senate have considered hundreds of bills on long committee agendas in a short amount of time. Legislators appear to be racing toward adjournment -- Sine Die! (Latin for "without a day").
It is likely that the Legislature will adjourn at some point next week, before the Fourth of July holiday weekend. However, at this point, the budget is still not a done deal. The House Appropriations Committee Agenda is posted for 9 a.m. on June 27 (Saturday). It includes 10 "trailer" bills and one House Concurrent Resolution, HCR 2037, that if adopted will send the temporary 1% sales tax question to the ballot for a statewide vote; which is included in the Governor's Five Point Plan. The "trailer" bills contain the changes to the original budget bills passed by the Legislature that bridge the sticking points in the negotiations, eliminating the need for the Governor to wield her veto stamp.
Disposition of Bills
As of this submittal, 59 non-budget bills have passed both legislative chambers, none of which have yet been sent to the Governor. When the Legislature adjourns, Governor Brewer will have 10 days to consider the flood of bills that will hit her desk. It has indeed been an unusual year!
Our city's budget for next fiscal year (July 2009-June 2010) was adopted in February and includes difficult cuts that impact services in our community. Remember to SHOP PHOENIX and tell your legislators to protect city revenues!
Source: P.L.A.N.
Friday, June 26, 2009
Wednesday, June 24, 2009
Super (Dog-Eat-Dog) Capitalism
Some years ago, when the administration was first giving the green light to corporate mergers, some writers speculated on the corporations expanding until they became bigger than the country. With no restrictions on growth, we could end up with a worldwide dictatorship under some kind of corporate coalition. How far have we progressed along the path?
Once elected, the primary concern of the legislator is not with the people or the country; it is reelection. Every Democrat in the state can write a letter to Senator Kyl but he will not notice because he knows that no Democrat will vote for him regardless of how he votes in Congress. The only communications any legislator considers are those from voters who, previously at least, supported, and voted, for her/him.
Today, elections are won with money and a few “dirty tricks” thrown in. Corporations have billions of dollars to invest in elections. This money can be spent to help a candidate be elected or to help make sure he don’t. How many legislators have the courage to resist this kind of pressure?
Can Obama afford to take a stand in favor of “single-payer” against the insurance establishment? The last two politicians who tried to make a major change in the direction the country was headed were John and Robert Kennedy.
Source: Rod - The Independent Voice
Once elected, the primary concern of the legislator is not with the people or the country; it is reelection. Every Democrat in the state can write a letter to Senator Kyl but he will not notice because he knows that no Democrat will vote for him regardless of how he votes in Congress. The only communications any legislator considers are those from voters who, previously at least, supported, and voted, for her/him.
Today, elections are won with money and a few “dirty tricks” thrown in. Corporations have billions of dollars to invest in elections. This money can be spent to help a candidate be elected or to help make sure he don’t. How many legislators have the courage to resist this kind of pressure?
Can Obama afford to take a stand in favor of “single-payer” against the insurance establishment? The last two politicians who tried to make a major change in the direction the country was headed were John and Robert Kennedy.
Source: Rod - The Independent Voice
Friday, June 19, 2009
P.L.A.N. Update - Blizzard of Bills
Here we are -- day 159 of the legislative session; June 30 (the last day of the fiscal year) just 11 days away. The Senate, having waited to work on "non-budget" bills until a budget had been passed, now is working late and on Fridays to consider an avalanche of bills. In this rush to deal with the huge backlog of bills, it's very hard to follow the issues. Citizens have a limited opportunity to share their views and impact the process, so mistakes will happen. As happened last session, some good bills will certainly fall through the cracks. Even more worrisome, some bad bills will pass because there wasn't an opportunity to thoroughly study and understand them.
Bills of Interest
Here are bills you may find of interest that are moving through the legislative process.
On Monday afternoon, the Senate Natural Resources, Infrastructure and Public Debt Committee are expected to vote on several measures dealing with State Trust Land Reform (HCR 2030 and SB 1077). Although the bill language is not yet available, it is an important issue. State trust land measures have been voted on numerous times by Arizona’s voters. Many are wondering if this measure will move forward given this unusual legislative session.
HB 2269: Landlords; Tenants; Foreclosures (Rep. Sam Crump, R – Anthem) requires contact information from entities that acquire properties through foreclosure to be disclosed in the property deed. Also, tenants of rental properties must be contacted prior to a trustee sale. This bill passed Third Read in the House 41 – 14 and now awaits a hearing in the Senate Government Institutions Committee. Phoenix supports this bill.
HB 2431: Vicious Animal Assault; Classification (Rep. Steve Montenegro, R – Litchfield Park) establishes a class 3 felony on persons that intentionally or knowingly cause a dog to bite or inflict serious injury upon another person. This bill passed the House Committee of the Whole and now awaits a Third Read vote in the House.
HB 2465: Scrap Metal; Theft; Dealers (Rep. Jerry Weiers, R – Glendale) increases the list of prohibited items (catalytic converters, water meters, manhole covers, etc.) that dealers cannot purchase unless authorized. The bill also requires dealers to electronically submit transaction records to the Arizona Department of Public Safety and make a database of such records accessible to local law enforcement. HB 2465 passed Third Read in the House 46 – 5 and now awaits a hearing in the Senate Commerce and Economic Development Committee. Phoenix supports this bill.
HB 2258: Consumer Fireworks; Novelties; Sales (Rep. Andy Biggs, R – Gilbert) allows for the sale of “consumer fireworks” and “novelties” by dealers licensed by the state fire marshal. Licensing revenues would go into a new fund and used for enforcement of the regulations required by the bill. Staff is concerned with the fire safety and preemption aspects of the bill. HB 2258 passed the House by a vote of 34 – 21 and now awaits a hearing in the Senate Government Institutions Committee.
The budget showdown between the Governor and legislative leaders took an unprecedented turn this week when Governor Brewer requested that the Arizona Supreme Court force transmittal of the 10-bill budget package passed by the legislature to her office. Lawyers representing both sides will present their arguments to the court at 10 a.m. on June 23. In the meantime, both legislative leaders and the Governor are collecting information and developing a plan for a government shut-down in case a budget is not in place by June 30.
Our city's budget for next fiscal year (July 2009-June 2010) was adopted in February and includes difficult cuts that impact services in our community. Remember to SHOP PHOENIX and tell your legislators to protect city revenues!
Source: P.L.A.N.
Bills of Interest
Here are bills you may find of interest that are moving through the legislative process.
On Monday afternoon, the Senate Natural Resources, Infrastructure and Public Debt Committee are expected to vote on several measures dealing with State Trust Land Reform (HCR 2030 and SB 1077). Although the bill language is not yet available, it is an important issue. State trust land measures have been voted on numerous times by Arizona’s voters. Many are wondering if this measure will move forward given this unusual legislative session.
HB 2269: Landlords; Tenants; Foreclosures (Rep. Sam Crump, R – Anthem) requires contact information from entities that acquire properties through foreclosure to be disclosed in the property deed. Also, tenants of rental properties must be contacted prior to a trustee sale. This bill passed Third Read in the House 41 – 14 and now awaits a hearing in the Senate Government Institutions Committee. Phoenix supports this bill.
HB 2431: Vicious Animal Assault; Classification (Rep. Steve Montenegro, R – Litchfield Park) establishes a class 3 felony on persons that intentionally or knowingly cause a dog to bite or inflict serious injury upon another person. This bill passed the House Committee of the Whole and now awaits a Third Read vote in the House.
HB 2465: Scrap Metal; Theft; Dealers (Rep. Jerry Weiers, R – Glendale) increases the list of prohibited items (catalytic converters, water meters, manhole covers, etc.) that dealers cannot purchase unless authorized. The bill also requires dealers to electronically submit transaction records to the Arizona Department of Public Safety and make a database of such records accessible to local law enforcement. HB 2465 passed Third Read in the House 46 – 5 and now awaits a hearing in the Senate Commerce and Economic Development Committee. Phoenix supports this bill.
HB 2258: Consumer Fireworks; Novelties; Sales (Rep. Andy Biggs, R – Gilbert) allows for the sale of “consumer fireworks” and “novelties” by dealers licensed by the state fire marshal. Licensing revenues would go into a new fund and used for enforcement of the regulations required by the bill. Staff is concerned with the fire safety and preemption aspects of the bill. HB 2258 passed the House by a vote of 34 – 21 and now awaits a hearing in the Senate Government Institutions Committee.
The budget showdown between the Governor and legislative leaders took an unprecedented turn this week when Governor Brewer requested that the Arizona Supreme Court force transmittal of the 10-bill budget package passed by the legislature to her office. Lawyers representing both sides will present their arguments to the court at 10 a.m. on June 23. In the meantime, both legislative leaders and the Governor are collecting information and developing a plan for a government shut-down in case a budget is not in place by June 30.
Our city's budget for next fiscal year (July 2009-June 2010) was adopted in February and includes difficult cuts that impact services in our community. Remember to SHOP PHOENIX and tell your legislators to protect city revenues!
Source: P.L.A.N.
Friday, June 12, 2009
P.L.A.N. Update - Bad Budget Exposed!
Digging into the Bad Budget Details
After a painful two-day marathon, the legislature approved a state budget on June 4. However, President Bob Burns (R – Peoria) and Speaker Kirk Adams (R – Mesa) did not immediately transmit the 10-bill budget package to Governor Jan Brewer, explaining that they are holding the bills in order to continue negotiations with her. The Governor has repeatedly stated that she will oppose budget bills that contain policy measures; she also has said that she would oppose a budget that does not include new revenues to address a FY 2010 shortfall that her office now estimates at $4 billion. This is the big sticking point -- in the budget proposal the Governor released on June 1, a temporary one-percent sales tax increase would provide approximately $1 billion toward that shortfall. Governor Brewer is adamant that any budget proposal transmitted to her needs to include it.
The legislative budget would take a chunk of vehicle license tax money from cities all over the state; the impact to Phoenix's budget would be about $11.8 million. This comes on top of $156 million in program cuts already made this year. A separate report is attached that details the most likely reductions in city programs that would result from that loss of general fund revenue. In a nutshell, because of the cuts already made, if this budget is enacted Phoenix would be forced to consider significant cuts in our public safety departments - the biggest cut is $5 million for our Phoenix Police Department -- the equivalent of 50 sworn officers.
Other harmful items in the legislative budget include:
Property tax assessment ratios are changed, significantly impacting the City’s current and future bond programs and likely shifting tax burden from business property owners to residential homeowners;
Cities cannot assess any impact fees for three years, shifting the costs of new development to homeowners in established areas;
Future impact fees could not be used for important infrastructure elements such as parks, recreation facilities, open space, historic preservation sites, park-and-ride parking lots, or other similar facilities; Cities cannot update their building codes for three years, thwarting efforts to increase safety and energy efficiency in new buildings; and
Authority and funding to proceed with expansion of the downtown Phoenix medical school is eliminated, doing nothing to address our state's shortage of medical doctors.
Which Legislators Support This Budget?
These Phoenix legislators voted YES on this damaging budget. Write or call them and ask why.
Source: P.L.A.N.
After a painful two-day marathon, the legislature approved a state budget on June 4. However, President Bob Burns (R – Peoria) and Speaker Kirk Adams (R – Mesa) did not immediately transmit the 10-bill budget package to Governor Jan Brewer, explaining that they are holding the bills in order to continue negotiations with her. The Governor has repeatedly stated that she will oppose budget bills that contain policy measures; she also has said that she would oppose a budget that does not include new revenues to address a FY 2010 shortfall that her office now estimates at $4 billion. This is the big sticking point -- in the budget proposal the Governor released on June 1, a temporary one-percent sales tax increase would provide approximately $1 billion toward that shortfall. Governor Brewer is adamant that any budget proposal transmitted to her needs to include it.
The legislative budget would take a chunk of vehicle license tax money from cities all over the state; the impact to Phoenix's budget would be about $11.8 million. This comes on top of $156 million in program cuts already made this year. A separate report is attached that details the most likely reductions in city programs that would result from that loss of general fund revenue. In a nutshell, because of the cuts already made, if this budget is enacted Phoenix would be forced to consider significant cuts in our public safety departments - the biggest cut is $5 million for our Phoenix Police Department -- the equivalent of 50 sworn officers.
Other harmful items in the legislative budget include:
Property tax assessment ratios are changed, significantly impacting the City’s current and future bond programs and likely shifting tax burden from business property owners to residential homeowners;
Cities cannot assess any impact fees for three years, shifting the costs of new development to homeowners in established areas;
Future impact fees could not be used for important infrastructure elements such as parks, recreation facilities, open space, historic preservation sites, park-and-ride parking lots, or other similar facilities; Cities cannot update their building codes for three years, thwarting efforts to increase safety and energy efficiency in new buildings; and
Authority and funding to proceed with expansion of the downtown Phoenix medical school is eliminated, doing nothing to address our state's shortage of medical doctors.
Which Legislators Support This Budget?
These Phoenix legislators voted YES on this damaging budget. Write or call them and ask why.
Source: P.L.A.N.
Tuesday, June 2, 2009
We have to TAKE ACTION NOW to stop a gigantic tax increase.
Last week, the public learned that Governor Jan Brewer’s unofficial adviser, political consultant Chuck Coughlin of HighGround, has put together a coalition of corporate-welfare interest groups (“Building a Better Arizona”) to fund a $225,000 campaign to buy radio, newspaper, e-mail, telephone and ground-mail advertisements, to try to fool the public into believing that Arizona needs a tax increase, and that your hard-working legislators are mean-spirited ideologues bent on passage of “draconian” budget cuts.
Right now, these corporate-welfare interests--and the government employee unions--are pressuring your legislators to pass a budget that includes tax increases. If they can’t get the Republican majority to do it, they will try to form a new majority by teaming up with Democrats and a small handful of big-spending Republicans. That kind of Big Spender coalition has come together before: Former Gov. Janet Napolitano used that kind of coalition to pass a gigantic budget increase in 2004, and to pass a massively unbalanced budget in 2008.
If the spending interests are successful, the state would have to spend millions of dollars to put on a special election—for the purpose of raising your taxes! Governor Brewer’s latest proposal would mean raising the average Arizona household’s sales and property taxes by $1,600 over the next four years. The tax hike would go into effect at the worst possible time: during a recession, when families and businesses are suffering.
But Arizona does NOT need a tax increase to get through the current budget deficit crisis.
A tax increase in Arizona would be a defeat for conservatives around the country, as they struggle against Big Government in the Age of Obama. In the minds of conservatives around the country, Arizona is still a conservative state, with a GOP governor and legislature.
We need to stand up now and serve the country as an example of how to manage a budget deficit crisis that was caused by massive overspending. We need to do it by reducing spending. Please contact your legislators TODAY, and encourage them to hold the line against tax hikes.
Source:
Tom Jenney
Americans for Properity
Right now, these corporate-welfare interests--and the government employee unions--are pressuring your legislators to pass a budget that includes tax increases. If they can’t get the Republican majority to do it, they will try to form a new majority by teaming up with Democrats and a small handful of big-spending Republicans. That kind of Big Spender coalition has come together before: Former Gov. Janet Napolitano used that kind of coalition to pass a gigantic budget increase in 2004, and to pass a massively unbalanced budget in 2008.
If the spending interests are successful, the state would have to spend millions of dollars to put on a special election—for the purpose of raising your taxes! Governor Brewer’s latest proposal would mean raising the average Arizona household’s sales and property taxes by $1,600 over the next four years. The tax hike would go into effect at the worst possible time: during a recession, when families and businesses are suffering.
But Arizona does NOT need a tax increase to get through the current budget deficit crisis.
A tax increase in Arizona would be a defeat for conservatives around the country, as they struggle against Big Government in the Age of Obama. In the minds of conservatives around the country, Arizona is still a conservative state, with a GOP governor and legislature.
We need to stand up now and serve the country as an example of how to manage a budget deficit crisis that was caused by massive overspending. We need to do it by reducing spending. Please contact your legislators TODAY, and encourage them to hold the line against tax hikes.
Source:
Tom Jenney
Americans for Properity
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