by Staff Reporter | May 23, 2025 | News
By Staff Reporter |
Maricopa County leaders are considering a $400,000 consulting contract to review and advise on elections.
The county is looking to contract with the accounting and consulting firm BerryDunn. The proposed contract would last for one year, with options to renew for up to four additional years. The contract also allows for the county to extend the contract on a monthly basis for up to six months after May 2026.
The Maricopa County Board of Supervisors was scheduled to decide on this contract during Wednesday’s meeting. They opted to delay a decision on the contract until their June 25 meeting.
BerryDunn has previously engaged in elections-related projects for the county. The firm conducted a procurement audit for the county’s voting system and related equipment in 2021, and an assessment of the county recorder’s election planning and Election Day activities following the 2018 primary and general elections.
Talks to secure a consulting firm for another audit of the county’s elections system emerged at the start of this year immediately after a slate of fresh faces took over the board of supervisors.
If approved, BerryDunn would review six areas of the county’s elections system with the goal of improving its efficiency: chain of custody, physical security, candidate filing compliance, temporary worker hiring and training, ballot drop boxes, and vote center selection and setup. In terms of efficiency, BerryDunn promised competency in assessing risk and analyzing trends while maintaining compliance with state and federal regulations.
The proposed timeline spans three phases promising 12 deliverables: planning and oversight for the first four weeks, discovery and fieldwork for the following 14 weeks, and reporting for the final seven weeks.
In its pitch to the county for the contract, BerryDunn pointed to the size of past clientele: 650 state, local, and quasi-governmental clients nationwide. Among those, BerryDunn completed election-related engagements for the New Hampshire secretary of state from 2020 to 2021 concerning its CARES Act elections assistance and grant management.
Within Maricopa County, BerryDunn has undertaken other non-elections projects over the last decade: the Adobe Dam Recreation Center Feasibility Study, Adult Probation Case Management Consultant, Adult Probation Department – Victim Services Review, Cyber Security Risk Assessment for the Judicial Branch, Housing Choice Voucher Forensic Audit Services for the Housing Authority, Information Security Program Maturity Assessment, Parks Fee Analysis, Regional County Parks Master Planning Services, and Sheriff’s Office Bonds, Fines, and Court Order Processing Audit.
Aside from Maricopa County, BerryDunn has contracted with many local and state entities within Arizona in the past: the Departments of Agriculture, Economic Security (and its Division Of Developmental Disabilities), and Health Services; the Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System; the State Land Department; Coconico, Maricopa, and Pima counties; the cities of Avondale, Glendale, Goodyear, Mesa, Phoenix, Scottsdale, Surprise, Tempe, and Tucson; and the towns of Gilbert, Prescott Valley, Queen Creek, and Sahuarita.
Several months ago, BerryDunn entered a $7.25 million class action lawsuit settlement over a 2023 data breach affecting over 1.1 million individuals. The data breach compromised the names, addresses, dates of birth, Social Security numbers, and health insurance policy numbers for the affected individuals.
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by Staff Reporter | May 22, 2025 | Education, News
By Staff Reporter |
Editor’s Note: A Higley Unified School District spokesperson has denied that the Quran was taught to Pre-K students. The spokesperson has claimed that that social media post (see below) was due to an autocorrect error that changed Qatar to Quran. AZ Free News attempted to recreate the autocorrect error with no success. A search of Google AI indicates that “Qatar” is not likely to autocorrect to “Quran.”
An East Valley school is coming under fire from parents for teaching the Quran to pre-kindergarten students.
Children involved in the PreK THINK! Highly Gifted Academy at the Sossaman Early Childhood Development Center within the Higley Unified School District (HUSD) got an impromptu lesson on the Islamic religion this week.
A teacher for gifted students, Janet Williams, allowed the father of one student to teach the class about the Quran. In a picture posted by Williams to a forum frequented by parents, a father wearing Islamic garb offers the children to inspect his clothing.
“We celebrated [a student’s] birthday and his dad told us all about Quran,” said Williams.
Peggy McClain, who runs the Not in Our Schools website, questioned the legality and fairness of the school allowing a lesson on the Islamic religion.
“Where is the separation of church and state we are always lectured about?” asked McClain. “Look what happened in a Pre-K in a Higley District school, they discussed the Quran.”
A parent asked whether HUSD would allow their daughter to teach the Mormon religion to students next.
“Since you’re allowing members of the community to come in and share their religion, my daughter is a missionary for the LDS church and would love to stop by with treats and a quick message about Jesus Christ,” said the parent. “My Catholic and Jewish friends want their turn, too.”
Schools may not compel religious action, such as prayer. Coercion violates the separation of church and state, according to the advocacy group Secular Arizona. Schools may also not distribute religious materials, or present religious content as true or false, or present religious doctrines or beliefs as factual.
“It is easy for a teacher to give students the impression that submitting to an unwanted religious exercise is required, expected, or preferred, even if you don’t mean to do that,” stated Secular Arizona. “Students have an absolute right to be free from that pressure.”
Arizona’s chief executive and legal officer are vocally opposed to religious influence in public education. Both women have consistently maintained that religion in the classroom violates the “separation of church and state” — not an exact phrase enumerated in the U.S. Constitution but a concept derived from the First Amendment’s Establishment and Free Exercise clauses.
The Establishment Clause prohibits Congress from making laws establishing religion, while the Free Exercise Clause stops Congress from making laws prohibiting the free exercise of religion.
Last year, Governor Katie Hobbs vetoed a bill approved by the legislature to allow schools to post the Ten Commandments in classrooms.
Hobbs asserted in her veto letter that the display of the Christian religious text was not only not essential for education but likely unconstitutional.
“Not only do I have serious concerns about the constitutionality of this legislation, it is also unnecessary,” said Hobbs.
Last month, Attorney General Kris Mayes joined 17 attorneys general in a legal fight before the U.S. Supreme Court against the creation of the nation’s first publicly funded religious charter school.
“Charter schools are not private schools – they are public schools,” said Attorney General Mayes. “Allowing religious charter schools would force states to choose between violating the Constitution or dismantling their public charter systems.”
In 2023, HUSD again irked parents when it relaxed its dress code policy to allow for clothing which expose the chest, abdomen, and midriff.
AZ Free News is your #1 source for Arizona news and politics. You can send us news tips using this link.
by Staff Reporter | May 21, 2025 | News
By Staff Reporter |
The city of Phoenix will base its next climate, energy, and food policies on a community survey.
The city’s Office of Environmental Programs (OEP) has an ongoing survey this month in which they offer a $100 VISA gift card drawing as a reward.
The bulk of the questions provide insight as to the potential policy directions the city is looking to take to address climate, energy, and food.
The survey suggested the greatest barriers to addressing climate change may be lack of public information and education, motivation to address climate change, government mandated regulations/support, business or industry support, and public-private coordination; cost of implementation; and difficulty in changing individual behaviors.
The following were proposed incentives for public and alternative modes of transportation: increasing the options, routes, and frequencies of public busing and light rail; increasing infrastructure and safety measures for pedestrian and bicycle transportation; increasing electric vehicle infrastructure; and establishing subsidies for installing electric vehicle chargers in homes and businesses.
Potential policies for aiding in heat relief were also presented: improving access to affordable electricity to reduce electricity costs related to cooling systems; increasing shade by planting more trees and installing shade structures; incorporating heat reducing materials into construction of new or remodeled buildings; using cooling materials and techniques in street surfaces, parking lots, and roofing; and subsidizing the replacement of old cooling systems for energy efficiency.
The survey offered policy proposals for drinking water supply: offering residential and commercial tiered water rate structure plans and rebates for those who adopt water conservation and climate adaptation practices; increasing access to rainwater harvesting, water storage, and wastewater conversion infrastructure; incentivizing and subsidizing residential replacement of lawns to xeriscape or artificial grass or turf; and implementing an education initiative for residential and business/commercial/industrial water conservation.
The survey also requested some insight into residents’ current conservation practices.
Residents were asked to divulge information about their cooling and heating systems and their satisfaction with their function and cost. The survey also sought to learn residents’ financial stability, the impact of their utility bills on their finances, and energy assistance program participation.
Residents were also asked about their food acquisition and consumption practices. In relation to these questions, the survey asked residents to reflect on potential food-related policies: transportation support such as free shuttle services, transit passes, fruit and veggie home delivery; a map of community food access points such as gardens, farmers markets, food box sites; vouchers or assistance for food; neighborhood-based food outlets at corner stores, transit stops, schools, and community spaces; physical spaces to grow food in neighborhoods such as community gardens; and education programs with supplies and hands-on training for gardening.
Residents were also asked to prioritize policies to reduce the environmental impact of food reduction; encourage sustainable farming practices; reduce food insecurity and hunger; increase access to local food; prevent and reduce food waste; educate the community about healthy eating; develop opportunities for new local food businesses; and protect or add new space for farmland or greenspace.
The survey also asks respondents to share where they obtain their information on climate change, the word that comes to mind when they hear the term “climate change,” how often they think about climate change, and their feelings about climate change (whether they are worried, anxious, fearful, overwhelmed, or motivated to take action).
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by Staff Reporter | May 20, 2025 | Education, News
By Staff Reporter |
Mesa Public Schools (MPS) won’t allow military stoles to be worn by graduating students this year.
According to information provided by board membership, MPS defended the rule as a means of honoring their desire to maintain uniformity during graduation ceremonies. MPS policy does not explicitly bar military stoles from being worn, but it does not make an allowance for them, either.
However, MPS policy does allow students eligible to belong to or belonging to a federally recognized Native American tribe to wear traditional tribe regalia or “objects of cultural significance” at their graduation ceremony. The policy noted regalia could include eagle feathers or eagle plumes.
Additionally, students may wear pins or other “small symbol[s]” denoting their accolades related to scholastic or academic honors. These little accolades were allowed to be from “a city, county, state, or tribal government or its representative,” so long as they wouldn’t “detract from the unity achieved by graduates” uniformed in a common cap and gown. The district also drew the line at decorating caps and tassels, unless given permission by their school’s principal.
Governing Board member Rachel Walden opposed the policy and pledged to request Board President Courtney Davis to agendize graduation policy for amending.
“Military students at Mesa Public Schools must be allowed to wear their Military stole at graduation! Yet, students are forbidden to wear this symbol of commitment and achievement for their high school graduation. The community went through this last year and was able to get the ban lifted, yet here we are again,” said Walden. “I’m disappointed that this even needs to be said. To quote our enlisted National Guard student, not wearing the stole ‘disregards the values of honor and achievement that our school purports to uphold.’ There is also a link to his petition in the comments.”
As of this report, the petition to allow military stoles at Mesa graduations has reached 250 signatures. The student who launched the petition, Daniela Rascon-Rivas, is a student at Mesa High School and a National Guard member. Rascon-Rivas is also petitioning for the allowance of her to wear cords denoting her accomplishments through the East Valley Institute of Technology (EVIT), a trade school in the area.
According to Walden, last year Red Mountain High School attempted to bar military stoles from their list of allowable graduation attire. Walden advised the board was able to overturn that policy.
The district’s policy on the display of military-related accolades caught the attention of state leaders.
Congressional candidate and former Arizona House Speaker Travis Grantham said allowing graduates to wear their military stoles was a “no brainer.” Grantham is a lieutenant colonel and commander within the Arizona Air National Guard.
“Hopefully the district does the right thing and changes their policy ASAP!” said Grantham.
State Representative and House Judiciary Chair Quang Nguyen, whose daughter serves in the Navy, seconded Walden’s take on the situation.
AZ Free News is your #1 source for Arizona news and politics. You can send us news tips using this link.
by Staff Reporter | May 20, 2025 | News
By Staff Reporter |
The Maricopa County Superior Court ruled that Attorney General Kris Mayes must redo her entire case against the 2020 Trump electors.
In a ruling issued on Monday in Arizona v. Bowyer, Maricopa County Superior Court Judge Sam Myers sided with the electors’ argument that Mayes failed to instruct the grand jury as to the applicable provisions of the Electoral Count Act of 1887, or “ECA.” Myers remanded the case back to the grand jury — meaning Mayes must start over if she still hopes to prosecute Trump’s allies in Arizona.
Myers didn’t buy Mayes’ justification for not providing the full ECA to jurors; the attorney general argued the provision of “relevant portions” of the ECA via several Kenneth Chesebro memorandums and an interview, a letter from State Sen. Jake Hoffman’s counsel, and a CNN article were sufficient.
Myers ruled Mayes had failed to provide due process to the electors by not providing “the actual text and provisions” of the ECA.
“A prosecutor has a duty to instruct the grand jury on all the law applicable to the facts of the case,” stated Myers. “Due process compels the prosecutor to make a fair and impartial presentation to the grand jury. … Because the State failed to provide the ECA to the grand jury, the Court finds that the defendants were denied a substantial procedural right as guaranteed by Arizona law.”
Mayes indicted 11 electors for President Donald Trump’s unsuccessful 2020 run: Tyler Bowyer, COO of Turning Point USA (TPUSA) arm Turning Point Action; Nancy Cottle, former electors chair and Arizona Federation of Republican Women leader; Sen. Jake Hoffman; former State Sen. Anthony Kern; Jim Lamon, 2022 Senate candidate; Robert Montgomery, former Cochise County GOP Committee chair; Samuel Moorhead, former Gila County GOP leader; Loraine Pellegrino, former electors secretary and president of Ahwatukee Republican Women; Greg Safsten, former Arizona GOP executive director; and Kelli Ward, former Arizona GOP chair, and her husband, Michael Ward.
The electors faced felony charges of conspiracy, fraud, and forgery.
These defendants argued the ECA protected their role as electors for Trump in 2020, saying the law allowed for competing electors in disputed elections.
Hoffman called the case against him and fellow electors “a witch hunt” and “a cheap political campaign promise” by Mayes.
“As I’ve said from day one, the truth is on my side, justice will prevail, and I will be vindicated,” said Hoffman. “In the meantime, Kristin will keep showing the public what a total joke she is.”
TPUSA founder and CEO, Charlie Kirk, called the ruling a “major embarrassment” for Mayes.
“It has been political from the very start and never should have happened, and we need to make sure all similar such charges are dropped against all Trump supporters, in all swing states,” said Kirk.
Mayes spokesman Richie Taylor said their office would file an appeal.
“We vehemently disagree with the court and we will file a special action to appeal the ruling,” said Taylor.
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