by Daniel Stefanski | May 10, 2023 | News
By Daniel Stefanski |
Some Arizona special interest groups and legislative Democrats were furious with the state’s budget compromise this week, and Governor Katie Hobbs may be feeling their wrath for months to come.
As details of the finalized budget negotiations were unveiled, outrage ensued over the protection of Arizona’s historic ESA program, which Hobbs and most other Democrats have vowed to dismantle or cap while in office. Senate President Warren Petersen, House Speaker Ben Toma, and other legislative Republicans had accomplished their primary mission to defend and sustain the ESA program for existing and new families, despite the Grand Canyon State’s divided government.
Before the votes in both chambers, the two Democrat leaders for the House and Senate issued a statement, calling on negotiations to continue, in large part, due to the uncapped and very-much-so protected ESA program.
A coalition (consisting of the Arizona High School Democrats, Arizona State University Young Democrats, Keep Arizona Blue Student Coalition, Maricopa County Young Demcorats, Northern Arizona University Young Democrats, University of Arizona Young Democrats, and the Young Democrats of Arizona) wrote a letter to the state’s chief executive, urging her “to go back to the drawing board and reject any budget that does not include a cap on ESA vouchers.” The student-led letter asserted that “continuing this reckless expansion would have a detrimental effect on public education in our state.”
Save Our Schools Arizona Director Beth Lewis wrote an op-ed for a local publication, stating, “For Hobbs and legislative Democrats, this budget is a must-win game that will decide the future of public education in our state. Will they rise to the challenge and play full court press, or will they fail to deliver on their campaign promises to public education? We’ll know soon.”
The organization also reminded Hobbs of her recent call (on March 22) to roll back the ESA program in the latest budget, tweeting, “We couldn’t agree more, Governor Hobbs! AZ’s budget **must** roll back ESA vouchers, or the state cannot fulfill its constitutional responsibility to fund our public schools.”
The lobbying from Save Our Schools and others turned to desperation and politicized grief as both the House and the Senate passed the budget bills over Tuesday-Wednesday, ensuring that Arizona’s ESA program will continue to benefit tens of thousands of families attempting to control their children’s educational pursuits and objectives. After the state senate approved of the K-12 Education budget bill, Save Our Schools AZ tweeted, “Under cover of night, the Senate votes 25-5 to pass the K12 portion of the budget with zero progress towards a cap on unfettered ESA vouchers.”
And after the Arizona House gave a green light to the same K-12 budget bill, Save Our Schools AZ responded, “BREAKING: AZ House passes the K-12 budget 43-16, betraying AZ public schools by failing to cap the universal ESA vouchers that threaten to bankrupt AZ. Thank you to the 16 #PublicSchoolProud lawmakers who took a principled stand by voting NO. Fighting for what’s right matters.”
After the dust settled on the votes, Arizona Republic columnist Laurie Roberts opined, “Hobbs, in her State of the State speech, called for a repeal of the universal voucher program but the more likely prospect was a spending cap, to ensure it doesn’t suck the lifeblood out of the public schools that the vast majority of Arizona children attend. Instead, she negotiated a budget that protects the Republicans’ signature universal voucher program. Instead of standing tough and insisting on a budget that could draw legitimate bipartisan support, she teamed up with Republicans and steamrolled her own stunned allies.”
On Wednesday, the Arizona House Majority Communications sent out a press release, announcing the creation of an Ad Hoc Committee to Examine ESA Administration – due to “discussions between the House Speaker and the Minority Leader.” The purpose of the new committee is “to provide clarity and ensure that the governance and administration of ESAs is appropriately designed to manage a growing and complex program.”
Democrat Senator Catherine Miranda seemed to see it as an opportunity to quell her fellow Democrats’ complaints and applauded the news of the new committee, saying, “It was our last piece of hope to get SOMETHING to at least have ESA CAP talks. This will allow that path.”
Daniel Stefanski is a reporter for AZ Free News. You can send him news tips using this link.
by Daniel Stefanski | May 10, 2023 | News
By Daniel Stefanski |
Amid a growing dispute with Governor Katie Hobbs and the Arizona Legislature over water issues, Democrat Attorney General Kris Mayes is adding another grievance to her tab: the Arizona Fiscal Year 2024 budget.
On Saturday, Attorney General Mayes transmitted a letter to Governor Hobbs and the Arizona Legislature, expressing her “alarm concerning what is currently under consideration for the Arizona Fiscal Year 2024 budget.” According to Mayes’ knowledge of the state of budget negotiations at the time, “most state agencies, including executive offices established by the Constitution such as the Arizona Attorney General’s Office, would not receive any new ongoing monies from the state’s General Fund in FY24.”
In her letter, Mayes noted that her office had requested “a 15 percent pay increase equal to $3,864,700 in ongoing General Fund dollars for the DCS Attorney General Special Line Item to protect Arizona’s children;” an appropriation of “$3,014,500 from the General Fund for 18.5 full-time employees in the Criminal Division that are currently funded from a temporary appropriation from our Consumer Protection Revolving Fund (CPRF);” $1,750,000 to backfill that (National Mortgage) Settlement funding with a CPRF appropriation (for 13 employees in the Consumer Protection Section of our Civil Litigation Division);” and another “$2,150,400 from the General Fund to replace this funding (from the Anti-Racketeering Revolving Fund) we will lose (because of recent statutory changes).”
General Mayes explained her reasoning for this letter in a statement issued Monday, writing, “Over the weekend, I expressed my alarm over a budget proposal that ignores vital needs of Arizonans – including much-needed funding for our office to continue to crack down on crime and fraud. Today, we see a budget proposal moving forward that appears to be politically expedient for a few, but wholly inadequate for the majority of people in our state. As I said, I am opposed to any statewide budget proposal that does not adequately fund Arizona’s ability to fight the fentanyl crisis and the drug cartels, protect Arizona’s children and combat elder abuse and consumer fraud.”
The State’s Chief Law Enforcement Officer also challenged the governor and members of the Legislature to come up with the requested funds, saying, “The Legislature and Governor need to go back to work and produce a budget that is in the best interest of all Arizonans. We need a budget that funds essential state services that protect the well-being and safety of all Arizonans. I will continue to fight, especially for our most vulnerable residents, as well as the dedicated, hard-working public servants in the Attorney General’s Office.”
Mayes, however, saved her most contentious declaration for the end of her letter, mentioning the “talk of the Legislature sweeping the authority of the Attorney General to direct funds received through consent judgments against several pharmaceutical companies for their roles in the opioid crisis.” She warned, “Sweeping this authority from the Attorney General would be a breach of the consent judgments, and as Attorney General I will not stand by and allow this to happen. I fully intend to consult with the Legislature as the judgments dictate. Any proposal that contradicts this provision by having the Legislature instead direct how the state funds will be used is not acceptable, and I am prepared to go to court to ensure that the State is able to obtain and properly direct those funds for opioid treatment, prevention and education if warranted.”
“Attorney General Mayes should learn the facts first, and accurately convey those facts in committee hearings, before making demands and threats to sue the Legislature and the Governor over the budget,” tweeted Livingston with a copy of his letter to her in which he points out that the Legislature does in fact have a say in how the funds are used.
Daniel Stefanski is a reporter for AZ Free News. You can send him news tips using this link.
by Daniel Stefanski | May 10, 2023 | News
By Daniel Stefanski |
The Biden Administration is attempting to mitigate unfavorable headlines at the southern border once again.
Last week, the U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) confirmed a report that more troops were headed to the U.S.-Mexico border. A statement attributed to Pentagon Press Secretary Brig. Gen. Pat Ryder read, “At the request of the Department of Homeland Security, Secretary Austin approved a temporary Department of Defense (DoD) increase of an additional 1,500 military personnel to supplement U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) efforts on the U.S. Southwest Border.”
The news from the Pentagon came just days before a COVID-era border policy, Title 42, is scheduled to end. Title 42 was an action “derived under U.S. Code Title 42, Section 265” …to suspend “entries and imports from designated places to prevent spread of communicable diseases.” According to a memorandum from then-U.S. Border Patrol Chief Rodney S. Scott, “while operating under this authority, USBP will use Title 42 authority to immediately expel any individual encountered attempting to enter the United States in violation of travel restrictions.”
Experts and border officials have long predicted disastrous consequences for the end of Title 42, and recent numbers have confirmed those warnings. On May 1, U.S. Border Patrol Chief Raul Ortiz tweeted the news that there were 22,220 apprehensions at the southern border in the past 72 hours.
Brig. Gen. Ryder’s announcement gave insight into the assigned duties of the additional troops, stating, “For 90 days, these 1,500 military personnel will fill critical capability gaps, such as ground-based detection and monitoring, data entry, and warehouse support, until CBP can address these needs through contracted support. Military personnel will not directly participate in law enforcement activities. This deployment to the border is consistent with other forms of military support to DHS over many years.”
Texas Governor Greg Abbott had an entirely different perspective on the DOD’s move, tweeting, “Biden says he will deploy 1,500 troops to the border – primarily to do paperwork. And only for 90 days. This does nothing to stop illegal immigration. I deployed up to 10,000 Texas National Guard to the border to fill the gaps created by Biden’s reckless open border policies.”
Over the past few weeks, Arizona Governor Katie Hobbs does not appear to have proactively issued statements about the end of Title 42, the influx of troops to the border, or the expected increase in illegal immigration. Her last Twitter communication about border security may have been on April 24 when she touted her meeting with Sonora Governor Alfonso Durazo, writing,
“I had a productive conversation with Governor Alfonso Durazo on expanding partnerships in trade, commerce, and infrastructure, and opening lines of communication between our governments as we come closer to the expiration of Title 42. We will use all the tools and resources available to manage the effects of lifting Title 42, including our partnerships in Sonora that support the Sonoran mega-region and create lasting and meaningful cross-border collaboration.”
Daniel Stefanski is a reporter for AZ Free News. You can send him news tips using this link.
by Daniel Stefanski | May 9, 2023 | News
By Daniel Stefanski |
After a state senator aired his frustrations with the Maricopa County Board of Supervisors, two legislative vacancies have been filled.
On Friday and Monday, respectively, the Maricopa County Board of Supervisors filled a vacant seat in the Arizona House of Representatives for Legislative District 13 and a vacant seat in the Senate for Legislative District 26.
Julie Willoughby was appointed for Legislative District 13. The newest House Republican fell short of victory in the 2022 election but found her way into the chamber in 2023 thanks to the expulsion of former Representative Liz Harris.
In announcing the selection of Willoughby, Maricopa Board of Supervisors Vice Chairman Jack Sellers issued the following statement: “I would like to thank the PC’s from District 13 for selecting three qualified candidates for our consideration. I interviewed all of them about important issues such as Prop 400, homelessness, water, and elections. We take this duty seriously and follow a process that includes background checks and interviews so residents can be confident in the person chosen to fill the vacant seat.”
House Speaker Ben Toma told AZ Free News, “We’re proud to welcome Representative Willoughby to the House and to be a part of our majority Republican Caucus. There is still a lot of important work for us to accomplish this session for the people of Arizona and we can’t wait to get it done.”
Representative Flavio Bravo was appointed for Legislative District 26, opening up another vacancy to be filled in the state house. Bravo was selected after the resignation of former Senator Raquel Terán.
Bravo’s appointment was also heralded by another Maricopa County Supervisor, Steve Gallardo, who stated: “I would like to thank the PC’s from District 26 for selecting three qualified candidates for our consideration. It was a difficult decision because I respect all three of these community leaders. Flavio Bravo knows this district well and will represent it vigorously in the Senate.”
The Maricopa County Board of Supervisors’ appointments came after Arizona Senator J.D. Mesnard took to the floor of his chamber to address the Board’s ongoing consideration of two legislative vacancies.
Senator Mesnard’s frustrations boiled over on the Senate floor as he laid out his charge against the Supervisors’ alleged delay in filling the two vacancies for 19 (Senate) and 20 (House) days. He informed his colleagues “the length of these vacancies is the longest, while we’ve been in session, in a half a century – 56 years!” Mesnard also said that 8.76 days is the historical average to fill the vacancy.
The East Valley lawmaker indicated that due to this historic delay, changes in statute could be on the horizon to ensure a more expedient selection by a county board of supervisors during an ongoing legislative session.
Daniel Stefanski is a reporter for AZ Free News. You can send him news tips using this link.
by Daniel Stefanski | May 8, 2023 | Education, News
By Daniel Stefanski |
Last week, Governor Katie Hobbs signed HB 2456 into law, continuing the Arizona State Schools for the Deaf and the Blind (ASDB) for four years.
In a letter to Secretary of State Adrian Fontes, Hobbs explained the reasons why she signed the bill from the Legislature, writing, “The Arizona State Schools for the Deaf and the Blind (ASDB) is a cornerstone of the visually impaired and Deaf and hard of hearing communities in Arizona. For over 110 years, ASDB has moved forward with their mission of providing well-rounded, high-quality education to children who are blind, visually impaired, hard of hearing or deafblind from birth to grade 12.”
Hobbs, though, did not stop with this positive reinforcement of the bill, deciding to attack legislators over their deliberations. She stated, “The ASDB community was treated with a lack of respect and was not given equal access to participate in the legislative process. Parents, students, and teachers were made to worry about the continuing existence of their school while caught in the middle of political games being played by a fringe minority of the Legislature.”
The Democrat governor encouraged “the Legislature to reflect on the passage of HB 2456 and send (her) a bill next session that includes a full eight-year continuation.”
Republican legislators didn’t take kindly to the governor’s volley in their direction – especially Senator Jake Hoffman, who was one of the principals in shaping the proposal to ensure adequate oversight. He told AZ Free News, “Sadly, Katie Hobbs continues to engage in childish behavior and play petty partisan games in both her rhetoric and actions. Delivering the highest quality educational services to Arizona’s deaf and blind children is not only the right thing to do, it’s a constitutional obligation. Democrats’ exploitation of this important Arizona community in an attempt to score cheap political points is both despicable and highly offensive. Republicans are committed to providing the best education possible to every child, including the deaf and blind, and allowing for greater oversight furthers that mission.”
HB 2456 garnered significant bipartisan support on the floors of both legislative chambers; however, the process and debate was extremely partisan in nature – largely due to the number of years for the continuation. When the proposal was first put before the full House for a vote, it passed 60-0. The Senate then amended the bill and approved it 27-1, with two Democrats not voting. The House then concurred with the Senate’s changes, giving the final green light to transmit it to the Governor’s Office by a vote of 58-0, with one Democrat member not voting and one seat vacant.
Although most of their members voted to clear the bill from the chamber, the Arizona Senate Democrats Conference was furious after the vote, tweeting the following response to the Senate Republicans’ statement: “Try talking to the community before you speak on their behalf.
You know that the Conference Committee recommended 8yrs., the House passed 8yrs., the community asked for 8yrs. Senator Hoffman is dragging his caucus down with him.”
On April 14, the Senate Democrats also issued a series of tweets that blistered Republicans for “attacking the Arizona State School for the Deaf & the Blind.” The Democrats charged the Republicans were engaging in “discrimination,” writing, “This community has seen and dealt with this type of ableism and protectionism before. It was this type of thinking that allowed the disabled to be stripped of their autonomy and their fundamental rights in the past. Disability does not equate to incompetence and reviving this history of bias and prejudice is not only discriminatory, it’s dangerous and wrong. Republicans are performing a type of prejudicial bias that we cannot let go unchecked. Discrimination against the disabled should never go unchallenged.”
Of course, Senate and House Republicans would vehemently disagree with the framing from their colleagues on the other side of the aisle. During the legislative process, the Senate Republican Caucus shared a clip of Senator Jake Hoffman on the floor during the Committee of the Whole consideration of the bill, explaining “why an 8-10 year continuation of these schools without proper oversight would be a big mistake.” In his remarks, Hoffman said that “the Constitution gives us the authority and responsibility to provide educational services for deaf and blind children. Yet for some reason, we’ve been treating this incredibly important community within our state like we do the paper pushers at ADOA (Arizona Department of Administration)…. Our job, that the Constitution tasks us with, is to provide the best possible education to deaf and blind children in our state.” He championed the Legislature’s efforts to ensure oversight at ASDB and stewardship of taxpayer resources.
Daniel Stefanski is a reporter for AZ Free News. You can send him news tips using this link.
