Sources of Arizona Policy Information
| ♦ The Arizona Political Landscape |
| ♦ The Increasing of the State Sales Tax |
| ♦ The Level of Arizona State Spending |
| ♦ The Cutting of Business Taxes / Job Creation |
| ♦ The Expansion of Arizona Gaming |
Arizona Immigration Law
Governor Jan Brewer
April 23, 2010
Since the signing of SB1070, the state's political energy has been focused on immigration and the upcoming primary elections.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SJrcVvfv26Q
It is Time to Stand Up for Arizona
Buz Mills For Governor
May 9, 2010
"This is our home, don't let them tear it down."
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3ICT0lC3taE&playnext_from=TL&videos=OU9vCjMNJl0
Civil Anna"This ad uses the old political approach of attacking outside political forces to rally the locals. Maybe we should try to stop doing things that distract us from governing."
Grant Woods
Chuck Coughlin
Budget Impact on Republicans
Horizon, June 25, 2009
The state budget crisis caused an impasse between our Republican governor and our Republican-led legislature.
http://www.azpbs.org/horizon/detailvid.php?id=2005
Civil Anna"In 2009, there was a Civil War going on within the Republican Party between the moderates and ultra-conservatives. This civil war was temporarily suspended during the final three months of the session.
This Civil War is heating up as we head into the 2010 primary season."
Senate President Bob Burns (R)
Brewer Has No Control Over State Budget Mess
Channel 5 News
July 3, 2009
Civil Anna"As the Governor actually sued the legislature over a budget conflict, this Channel 5 news report has a very critical quote by Bob Burns about Governor Brewer's leaderships."
The Ultra Conservative Arizona Legislature
Birther Bill Passes Arizona House
April 22, 2010
Representative Cecil Ash explains his motivation on CNN for introducing a bill that requires Arizona to verify the birth certificate of Presidential candidates.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bj3f0gSv6HQ&feature=related
The Need for Improved Policy Development
Sandra Day O'Connor
The O'Conner House Project
September 11, 2009
Former Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O'Connor is launching efforts to re-vamp Arizona's political system.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W-TSlHyYBqs&feature=related
Are Arizona Elections Fair?
Ad Attacking Arizona Clean Elections
April 8, 2010
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fx9JxM5JA0U&playnext_from=TL&videos=DZIcSWafWVA
Civil Anna"I wonder if it really is the right time to eliminate the political reforms enacted after the AzScam scandal."
The Arizona We Want
Poll Results
Cronkite News, October 8, 2009
Samantha Boatman reports on poll results that show citizens' lack of faith in Arizona leaders.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zOq6d1Pj2nU&feature=related
Civil Anna"I hope the 2010 elections brings in officials the citizens of Arizona can indeed have faith in."
The Selling of the Arizona Capitol Building
The Daily Show with Jon Stewart
September 15, 2010
The Arizona legislature passed legislation to sell $700 million worth of buildings and then lease those building back over twenty years. This financial gimmick caught the eye of Jon Stewart and the Daily Show came to Arizona to film a feature at the capitol. Notice the cameo appearance by Kyrsten Sinema.
http://www.thedailyshow.com/watch/tue-september-15-2009/arizona-state-capitol-building-for-sale
Civil Anna"This is a very harsh presentation that makes fun of the Arizona legislature. Even in the face of national criticism of this budget gimmick, the state recently passed legislation for another $350 million building sale-leaseback program."
The Increasing of the State Sales Tax
PROP 100 Receives 64% of the Vote
65.6% Approval in Maricopa County with 38.1% turnout
Arizona Secretary of State Office
May 18, 2010
http://www.azsos.gov/election/2010/may_Special/2010_Special_Election_Official_Canvass.pdf
Advertisement for Yes on 100
Tim Hill
Professional Firefighters of Arizona
March 19, 2010
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RLVVpfSnoyI&playnext_from=TL&videos=5tYhAiz1Oh8
Civil Anna"A.S.U. Professor Bruce Merrill predicted the side that scared the public the most would win the sales tax election.
Well, this advertisement is designed with one goal in mind, to scare the public."
Senator Russell Pearce
Against Tax Increases
May 28, 2009
"The priorities of Arizona's voters are diametrically opposed to the priorities of the Grover Norquist Republicans in the Arizona Legislature who are opposed to any taxes and who are on an ideological jihad to destroy public education and to privatize for profit the education system. This vote is a resounding rejection of the Grover Norquist Republicans."
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=doVj0wv5_M8&feature=related
Message to Grover Norquist Republicans
AzBlueMeanie
May 19, 2010
"The priorities of Arizona's voters are diametrically opposed to the priorities of the Grover Norquist Republicans in the Arizona Legislature who are opposed to any taxes and who are on an ideological jihad to destroy public education and to privatize for profit the education system. This vote is a resounding rejection of the Grover Norquist Republicans."
Gov. Jan Brewer
Republican Gubernatorial Debate
April 19, 2010
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zp-1T3Vd-rY
Civil Anna"Do you want to see the fight in Jan Brewer? Just take a look at this passionate speech at a recent primary debate with Buz Mills and Dean Martin."
PROP 100 Wording Questioned
The Yuma Sun
Howard Fischer
April 26, 2010
"The one-cent sales tax hike is being pushed with the premise that two-thirds of the cash will go to primary and secondary education. But the veracity of that claim may be based, at least in part, on the dictionary. And even backers of Proposition 100 admit the wording of measure is not exactly clear.
The disconnect is between the ballot measure verbiage and the budget adopted by lawmakers. Mike Brain, staff director of the legislative council, said there is no definition in Arizona law of what constitutes 'secondary' education."
http://www.yumasun.com/articles/phoenix-58050-prop-questioned.html
Civil Anna"I am hopelessly confused. After a year of debating the sales tax increase before the legislature referred it to the voters, you would have thought that somebody would have READ THE BILL to clarify exactly how the money was going to be spent."
Arizona Sing-A-Long: Read Immigration Law!
May 21, 2010
Maybe someone the legislature, the governor and the donors to PROP 100 should have read the sales tax bill.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O6qEQ-KnitQ&playnext_from=TL&videos=CN3DMgY6pYc
Prop 100 is Fraudulent
Gil Guignat.Phoenix Small Business Management Examiner
April 29, 2010
"The actual ballot language of Prop 100 declares that “two-thirds of the revenues shall be appropriated for public primary and secondary education.” The new tax hike is expected to generate roughly $900 million in new revenues the first year. Using simple math, a voter might conclude that $600 million will go to K-12. But that voter would be wrong. According to the Legislature’s list of conditional enactments, only $430 million will go to K-12. The Legislature and Governor are planning to deposit $600 million into one pocket of the K-12 system, and pull $170 million out of another pocket—to be spent elsewhere."
Civil Anna"Sounds to me like Senator Ron Gould was right, it is all a shell game."
John Arnold
Governor’s Office of Strategic Planning and Budget
On the Wording of PROP 100
Horizon
May 19, 2010
John Arnold explains how the two third of the money from the sales tax increase will actually not be used for primary and secondary education as now stated in the Arizona Constitution.
http://www.azpbs.org/horizon/play.php?vidId=2023
Support of PROP 100
Governor Jan Brewer
March 15, 2010
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mjlw9-eRce0&playnext_from=TL&videos=ViD3wPC0MAM
Civil Anna"For clean election financial reasons, I wonder if this commercial is for Prop 100 or for the reelection of Jan Brewer."
Over $2 Million Spent on Advertising for PROP 100
Where did the money come to court your vote for Prop 100?
ABC 15
May 19, 2010
"As part of the governor's constitutional duties, this is the plan Gov. Brewer submitted to the Arizona legislature in conjunction with her 'State of the State Address' in January 2010."
http://www.abc15.com/dpp/news/state/
where-did-the-money-come-to-court-your-vote-for-prop-100%3F
See Detailed Listing of PROP 100 Contributors
Arizona Secretary of State Website
http://www.azsos.gov/election/2010/May_Special/BallotMeasureNotifications.htm
Civil Anna"Don't you wonder why corporations like Miller Coors contributed $10,000 to the PROP 100 campaign at the last minute?"
Mistake in the PROP 100 Election Process
10% of mailed pamphlets listed wrong polling place
May 7, 2010
A statewide the error resulted in about 191,000 households, roughly 10 percent of the 1.9 million pamphlets mailed, listing the incorrect polling place for the PROP 100 election. About 37 percent of the 24,304 voters in Santa Cruz County are affected.
http://www.nogalesinternational.com/articles/2010/05/07/
news/doc4be431ee37101643258492.txt
Civil Anna"PROP 100 was predicted to do well in the mail in vote and the urban vote.
So I find it a little bit alarming that the incorrectly identified polling locations were mostly in rural communities."
ASU Economist vs. Goldwater Institute
PROP 100 Debate
May 5, 2010
ASU economist Dennis Hoffman and Goldwater Institute economist Byron Schlomach debate the merits and economic impacts of Prop 100, the temporary state sales tax increase that’s on the May 18th special election ballot.
http://www.azpbs.org/horizon/detailvid.php?id=2396
Sen. Thayer Verschoor
Candidate for State Treasurer
NO on 100
GOP Town Hall
April 17, 2010
Darcy Olsen
NO on 100
Goldwater Institute
Channel 3
April 29, 2010
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8a8_09z-6t0
NO on 100
Advertisement
A Simple Lesson About Why Raising the Sales Tax is a Bad Idea
April 30, 2010
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zG5pc3QtBog
NO on 100
Discussion of the High Arizona Sales Tax
ShortForOrdinary
May 3, 2010
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZjOSjKz3THM
The Level of Arizona State Spending
Senate President Bob Burns (R)
Speaker of the House Kirk Adams (R)
On the Arizona State Budget
Politics Unplugged
January 17, 2010
http://www.azfamily.com/news/politics/Politics-Unplugged---81106072.html
Arizona Budget Proposal
The Executive Budget Proposal
Fiscal Year 2011
Governor Janice K. Brewer
"As part of the governor's constitutional duties, this is the plan Gov. Brewer submitted to the Arizona legislature in conjunction with her 'State of the State Address' in January 2010."
http://www.ospb.state.az.us/documents/2010/FY2011_BudgetSummaryFINAL.pdf
Civil Anna"This is a comprehensive plan that documents the Governors' proposals for significant spending reductions."
Is There More to Cut?
Goldwater Institute
April 14, 2010
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E0Wk5ruWjnI&playnext_from=TL&videos=o3EkH3pxrDI
Budget Analysis
JLBC Staff Shortfall Options List
January 2010
"This report presents a formal list of the state's budget options including estimates of spending reductions and amounts from possible new revenue sources."
http://www.azleg.gov/jlbc/jlbcstaffshortfalloptionslist.pdf
Civil Anna"Legislative leaders in the Senate and House used this budget list to cut $2.0 billion of spending from the Arizona budget.
Speaker Kirk Adams ran his speaker campaign on a promise of increased transparency. This budgetary process was done behind closed doors and even Adams admits he failed to deliver on his transparency promise."
Arizona Budget Proposal
Third Party Plan
February 2010
Over a period of several months, a group of Republican and Democratic legislators secretly met at an East Valley restaurant to discuss realistic solutions to the state's budget crisis. This plan represents a comprehensive solution to the budget crisis that addresses tax increases (and sources) as well as spending cuts.
This third party plan received a hearing in the House Appropriation Committee.
http://www.strongerarizona.com/documents/3rd%20Party%20Budget.pdf
Civil Anna"When Rep. John Kavanagh (R-Fountain Hills) said that this plan was a threat to the institutional process, that was when I figured this plan had some real solutions instead of budget gimmicks."
Arizona Budget Coalition
Increase Taxes
November 18, 2009
A press conference held by several citizen groups expressing their concern over the cuts made to the budget and their request to consider ideas to increase state revenues.
Civil Anna"Did you know that during the entire legislative session, not one serious discussion occurred about closing tax loopholes and strengthening tax collections? I can't help but wonder why."
Arizona Budget Report
Fiscal Alternative Choices Team (FAIR)
April 2, 2009
"On January 26, 2009, Senate President Robert Bob Burns sent a letter of invitation to the Arizona Board of Regents and University Presidents, inviting their assistance in examining options for closing Arizona‘s widening budget deficit. At the same time, at a meeting with House Speaker Kirk Adams, the Speaker made a similar request of the University System.
This report is a response to their request. In early February, the Regents announced the appointment of the Fiscal Alternative Choices Team (FACT), a 10-member team of faculty members and administrators with knowledge of the Arizona economy and state and local finances.
The Regents asked Ted Ferris, an economist and former Deputy Chief of Staff to Governor Hull and former Director of the Arizona Joint Legislative Budget Committee for 12 years to lead this effort."
http://www.strongerarizona.com/documents/FACT_Report_-_FINAL_April_2_2009.pdf
Civil Anna"Now here is a quality report on a comprehensive solution to the budget crisis. Unfortunately, I really haven't found any traces of this report's conclusions in any enacted legislation."
Speaker of the House Kirk Adams
On the Proposed State Budget Outlined in SB2001
March 2010
http://link.brightcove.com/services/player/bcpid65110967001?bclid=65043824001&bctid=72897151001
Arizona Public Media
Christopher Conover
Legislative Analysis
April 13, 2010
"This University of Arizona Public Policy site provides an easy to use link to the budget bills passed during the sixth special session in February 2010, including the sales tax referral."
The Debate About State Spending
GOP Gubernatorial Forum
Tempe Republican Women's Club
March 23, 2010
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vDRyaWVXGZk&playnext_from=TL&videos=br0820oczGQ
First Things First
Rhian Evans Allvin
Repealing Voter Approved Education Programs
April 7, 2010
State lawmakers have referred a measure to the 2010 general election ballot asking Arizona voters to repeal First Things First, an early childhood development and education program, funded by a tax on cigarettes, that was passed by voters in 2006. If approved, the measure would redirect tax money collected for First Things First to the state general fund.
http://www.azpbs.org/horizon/play.php?vidId=1894
Fixing Arizona's Education System
Gov. Jeb Bush
Addressing the Arizona Legislature
October 1, 2009
Jeb Bush addresses members of the Arizona State Legislature regarding education reform during a special joint meeting of the Senate and House of Representatives Education Committees.
Clash Over Arizona Health Care Costs
Jan Brewer and Kyrsten Sinema
March 18, 2010
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bm37L5sukfM&playnext_from=TL&videos=OfW2c65Vcic
The Cutting of Business Taxes / Job Creation
Speaker of the House Kirk Adams
Growing the Arizona Economy
June 24, 2009
Speaker of the House Kirk Adams discusses growing Arizona out of our deficit and tax reform.
The Job Recovery Package for the State of Arizona
Executive Summary
Elliott D. Pollack & Company
December 2009
"Speaker of the House Kirk Adams paid Elliott Pollack $65,000 to conduct an economic analysis report on how to best create new jobs for the state of Arizona. This report was released in December 2009."
http://www.tucsonchamber.org/fileadmin/files/pdf/February_10/AZ_Leg_Fact_Sheet.pdf
Civil Anna"I see some conflicts between this report and the final HB2250 legislation. Maybe that is why I never saw Elliott Pollack testify at any of the hearings at the capitol on this legislation."
Analysis of Arizona's Job Recovery Act
January 26, 2010
ASU Economist Dennis Hoffman shares his views on a bill (HB 2250) making its way through the state legislature that seeks to create new jobs with tax incentives and tax cuts.
http://www.azpbs.org/horizon/play.php?vidId=1665
JLBC: Amendment to 'jobs' bill reduces revenue loss by $300M
By Jim Small
April 9, 2010
"Legislative budget analysts have concluded that an amendment to a Republican-sponsored tax cuts bill would reduce the cost of the bill by about $300 million.
The bill, H2250, was expected to cost the state about $950 million in tax revenue. But a strike-everything amendment that is scheduled to be heard in the Senate Finance Committee April 12 would remove an individual income tax cut that was included in the original bill, thereby lowering the cost to the state to about $650 million.
The strike-everything amendment resulted from an agreement between Senate President Bob Burns, Gov. Jan Brewer and House Speaker Kirk Adams, who sponsored H2250."
Strike-All Amendment to HB2250
Response from House Democrats
House Democrats
April 12, 2010
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ic-0AtcNADg&playnext_from=TL&videos=a-5CFIV0d1M
Civil Anna"This press conference sounds like partisan politics complete with name calling. The funny thing is at the April 19, 2010 Republican Senator caucus meeting, Republican Senators expressed the same kinds of concerns.
It makes me uncomfortable that the House Republicans were so aggressively promoting this plan – when Democrats, Senate Republicans and the Governor all had the same concerns. What were they thinking?"
Response to Arizona Chamber of Commerce Poll
Increase of Individual Property Taxes
Democratic Diva
April 12, 2010
"Legislative budget analysts have concluded that an amendment to a Republican-sponsored tax cuts bill would reduce the cost of the bill by about $300 million.
"In talking about this with some other Dems, we concluded that the message in opposition to SB2250 has to emphasize how it increases property taxes on individuals to give corporations a tax cut. Now there needs to be a poll done on that. I’m guessing support would drop precipitously."
The Status of Arizona's Job Creation Bill
Senate President Bob Burns
April 15, 2010
Jobs Creation Proposal
Terry Goddard
"It's time for Arizona leaders to act like responsible adults. After almost two years, our state has no plan to restore the over 300,000 jobs we lost."
http://www.youtube.com/user/terrygoddard2010#p/a/u/1/BvXaRnbrmwQ
Governor Jan Brewer
On HB2250 Jobs Creation
February 09, 2010
Governor Jan Brewer
On HB2250 Jobs Creation
April 6, 2010
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AL3X11KWudM&playnext_from=TL&videos=C5fWnWRepYs
Governor Jan Brewer
On HB2250 Jobs Creation
May 11, 2010
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a3tXRYZ69-0&playnext_from=TL&videos=KwfXnA0afno
Arizona's Job Creation Bill
Glenn Hamer, Chamber of Commerce
Dana Wolfe Naimark, Children's Action Alliance
April 19, 2010
"A discussion on the merits of House Bill 2250 which seeks to grow jobs and attract businesses with tax incentives."
http://www.azpbs.org/horizon/play.php?vidId=1922
Incentives for the Solar Industry
Senator Barbara Leff
June 28, 2009
Arizona State Senator Barbara Leff (R-Paradise Valley) is interviewed about her solar jobs bill, SB 1403, on Horizon.
http://thephoenixsun.com/archives/3560
Arizona film projects in danger if tax incentive expires this year
David Madrid
AZ Central
May 26, 2010
"A film industry tax incentive that rewards companies for filming in Arizona expires on Dec. 31. Avondale fears that could kill a $100 million television- and movie-studio project, called Avondale Live, and thousands of potential jobs."
http://www.azcentral.com/news/articles/2010/05/26/20100526arizona-film-tax-credit.html
The Expansion of Arizona Gaming
No Neighborhood Casino
Gila River Indian Community
Against the Tohono O'odham Glendale Casino
October 28, 2009
"We figured it would be fun to speculate on what trick or treating might be like in the West Valley."
Polling Results
Policy Option for State Government
Dramatic Attitude Shift on Gaming at Horse, Greyhound Tracks
July 21, 2009
"In a poll conducted by Public Opinion Strategies, 62.8% of Arizonans expressed support for the idea of using racino revenues to supplement the state budget."
http://www.icarizona.com/2009/07/hundreds-of-millions-in-budget-relief.html
Glendale Casino
Legislative Action to Stop Construction
February 8, 2010
"A bill has been introduced that is designed to block a proposed casino in Glendale. State Representatives Rick Murphy and Chad Campbell discuss the pros and cons of the bill."
http://www.azpbs.org/horizon/play.php?vidId=1720
Gaming Report on States Interest in Gambling Revenues
The Nelson A. Rockefeller Institute of Government
"For the First Time, a Smaller Jackpot Trends in State Revenues from Gambling"
Lucy Dadayan and Robert B. Ward
September 21, 2009
"This report provides an independent assessment of the experiences and revenues from gaming on a state-by-state basis. This report also compared the sales tax rates to the state's gaming taxation policy."
http://www.rockinst.org/pdf/government_finance/2009-09-21-No_More_Jackpot.pdf
Report on the State of American Gaming
The American Gaming Association
2009 State of the States
Survey of Casino Entertainment
"A state-by-state analysis of gaming activities. This analysis includes the type of gaming that is allowed in each state and the revenues generated from the gaming activities."
http://www.americangaming.org/assets/files/aga_sos2009web_FINAL.pdf
Civil Anna"In 2010, twenty states are seriously looking at legislation to expand gaming as a way to increase state revenues.
I want to know why Arizona hasn't seriously looked at expanding the state revenues by authorizing additional gaming."
Gaming Could Produce Over $1 Billion for Cash-Strapped State
The Arizona Licensed Beverage Association (ALBA)
April 27, 2010
http://www.albainc.org/associations/2816/files/ALBAStudy_Anders_Consulting.pdf
Glendale Casino
Ned Norris
Tohono O'odham Nation
May 26, 2010
"Tohono O’odham Nation Chairman Ned Norris, Jr. discusses his tribes efforts to build a resort/casino in the West Valley."
http://www.azpbs.org/horizon/play.php?vidId=2048
Glendale Casino Opponents
Gila River Indian Community
City of Glendale
May 27, 2010
"Attorney for the City of Glendale Craig Tindall and Manuel Joseph, Lt. Governor of the Gila River Indian Community, explain their opposition to the Tohono O’odham Nation’s plans to build a resort casino on land in the West Valley."
http://www.azpbs.org/horizon/play.php?vidId=2054
Advertisement for Ohio Casinos
"Ohio Jobs for Ohioans"
Fraternal Order of Police
2009
"This Ohio Constitutional Amendment authorizing four commercial casinos passed in a November 2009 election. The promise of jobs created and the support of the Fraternal Order of Police were viewed as being critical in winning the election."
Governor Deval Patrick, Massachusetts
Expansion of Casino Gaming
Joint Legislative Committee Testimony
March 18, 2008
"See how a sitting governor presents a plan to the legislature on authorizing limited commercial casinos in the state."
Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, California
Advertisement for California Indian Gaming Expansion
January 2008
"This casino expansion bill was passed by the voters in February 2008."