by Daniel Stefanski | Nov 4, 2024 | Education, News
By Daniel Stefanski |
Arizona’s most recent Republican governor is cheering on his state’s latest ranking in a key education report.
This week, Governor Doug Ducey shared a new report from the Reason Foundation on the “K-12 open enrollment laws of all 50 states.” Ducey said, “Another new report shows that Arizona’s education system is one of the best in the nation. Arizona ranks number 3 among all 50 states for our expansive open enrollment policies that ensure every Arizona family has access to a good, high-quality education.”
Jude Schwalbach, a Senior Policy Analyst for Reason, said, “K-12 open enrollment lets students transfer to public schools other than their residentially assigned one so long as space is available. School parents widely support this policy. Public polling from October 2023 by yes. every kid. and YouGov showed that 84% of school parents supported it, while EdChoice’s July 2024 polling showed that 73% of school parents supported open enrollment.”
Schwalbach added, “Students participating in Arizona’s, Colorado’s, and Florida’s open enrollment programs tended to transfer to school districts that were ranked higher by the state, according to Reason Foundation research… On average, 10% of students in Arizona, Florida, and Wisconsin used open enrollment during the 2021-22 school year, totaling more than 450,000 students. Nearly 177,000 of these transferred to schools in other districts. In Wisconsin, open enrollment was the most popular form of school choice and the second most popular in Arizona and Florida during that time, according to data published by Education Next.”
State-specific analysis for Arizona revealed that “the Grand Canyon State also requires districts and schools to update their available capacity every 12 weeks by grade level on their website. The Arizona Department of Education must also provide an annual report to policymakers and the public that shows ‘the open enrollment participation rate by school district, school, and county, including the number of pupils, by student subgroup designation, in each school and school district that are open enrolled as resident pupils, resident transfer pupils, or nonresident pupils for each school district and the school districts and zip codes from which students are rejected.’”
The report gave three suggestions for Arizona to increase its standing with the open enrollment laws. Those ways were as follows:
- “Require the SEA to publish the number of rejected applicants and explain why they were denied in its annual report.
- “Clarify that school districts cannot reject transfer applicants based on their abilities.
- “Require school districts to inform parents of rejected transfer applicants in writing the reasons for rejection.”
In the 2022 report, which was the final one of Ducey’s administration, Reason wrote of the Arizona system and subsequent ranking, “Opponents to open enrollment often object to the policy because it could lower the value of homes inside the district or attendance zones, unfairly penalizing families that ‘bought into the system.’ However, the public school choice options available to families in Arizona should allay those fears. The state’s mandatory cross-district and within-district open enrollment program operates side by side with a robust charter school system. Despite the fact that nearly one in four students enrolled in affluent Scottsdale’s public schools is assigned to different school districts, home values have not decreased. In fact, Scottsdale home prices have steadily increased in recent years. This shows that open enrollment does not damage property values; instead a robust education marketplace can actually be an attractive component to home buyers.”
Daniel Stefanski is a reporter for AZ Free News. You can send him news tips using this link.
by Daniel Stefanski | Nov 4, 2024 | Economy, News
By Daniel Stefanski |
A longtime Arizona state legislator is highlighting the financial distress of many of his constituents.
Last week, State Senator J.D. Mesnard commented on the misery inflicted on Arizonans by inflation over the past four years of the Biden-Harris Administration. In the Senate Republicans’ weekly newsletter, Mesnard said, “I’ve heard from citizens across Arizona just how difficult it’s become to make ends meet over the past four years, and a new report reveals the financial pain families are enduring under the Harris-Biden Administration. According to the Common Sense Institute’s Arizona Inflation Misery Index, the average Arizonan must spend $9,996 more per year, while the average household must spend $24,972 more per year just to maintain the same quality of life enjoyed in 2019.”
Mesnard added, “I, along with my Republican colleagues at the Legislature, fundamentally believe government should not tax our citizens more than necessary to support core services. This notion is even more important during massive inflation, which is why I’m pleased Arizona Republicans banded together to implement the largest tax cut in state history for our citizens. Every income taxpayer is currently benefiting from a 2.5% flat tax, and I’m looking forward to doing more for our taxpayers next session.”
The Republican lawmaker is running for re-election to Arizona Legislative District 13, which covers Chandler, Gilbert, and Sun Lakes in the East Valley of the Phoenix-metro area. Mesnard first entered the state legislature in January 2011 in the Arizona House of Representatives, and he served eight years in that chamber, including two years as the Speaker of the House. In November 2018, after being termed out of the House, Mesnard won his election to the state Senate.
According to the Arizona Independent Redistricting Commission, Legislative District 13 is one of the most competitive in the state, with a 1.6% vote spread between Republicans and Democrats in the past nine statewide elections. In those contests, Republicans have won five times, compared to four for Democrats.
Mesnard is facing a tough challenge from Democrat nominee, Sharon Winters, in the upcoming election. On his website, Mesnard asks voters to give him another term in the state senate, writing, “Now we face historic economic challenges that require someone with the right experience and a track record of success to navigate. That’s why I need your vote. Let me continue using my diverse background, which includes husband (to a registered nurse), father, professor and small business owner, with master’s degrees in business and public administration, to keep delivering results for you.”
The winner of the state legislative contest could be vital to determining party control of the chamber in the next session. Arizona Republicans enjoy very narrow margins in both the state House and Senate.
Daniel Stefanski is a reporter for AZ Free News. You can send him news tips using this link.
by Daniel Stefanski | Nov 4, 2024 | News
By Daniel Stefanski |
A southern Arizona Member of Congress responded to an insult from a Democrat surrogate in the closing days of the 2024 General Election.
Last week, U.S. Congressman Juan Ciscomani issued a statement in reaction to comments made by Mark Cuban, who is supporting the Democrat candidate for President of the United States, Kamala Harris. Cuban, who was on The View, ignited national outrage when he said, “Donald Trump, you never see him around strong, intelligent women. Ever.”
Soon after those words from Cuban were uttered, Ciscomani posted a picture of a number of women around him, including his wife and daughter, writing, “Proud to have strong and intelligent women supporting our campaign and defending this seat. I was raised by a strong woman, am married to a strong woman, and honored to have the support of strong women!”
Ciscomani’s wife, Laura, also responded to Cuban, saying, “First woman in my family to obtain higher ed, graduated from Stanford with high honors, and I have master’s degree too. By the way, I can deadlift more than what Mark Cuban weighs.”
The freshman Republican legislator is locked in a heated battle for a reelection bid with Democrat Kirsten Engel – a rematch from the 2022 November General Election. That year, Ciscomani won by fewer than 6,000 votes.
Ciscomani has received a number of endorsements from local and national organizations for his reelection bid, including the Tucson Police Officers Association, National Border Patrol Council, AZCOPS, Arizona Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Americans for Prosperity, National Federation of Independent Business, Republican Jewish Coalition, and AIPAC. Individuals supporting Ciscomani include Greenlee County Sheriff PJ Allred, Town of Willcox Mayor Mike Laws, City of Benson Mayor Joe Konrad, and City of Casa Grande Mayor Craig McFarland.
The winner of this contest for Arizona’s Sixth Congressional District will be critical for control of the U.S. House of Representatives in the 119th Congress.
Daniel Stefanski is a reporter for AZ Free News. You can send him news tips using this link.
by Matthew Holloway | Nov 3, 2024 | News
By Matthew Holloway |
The Arizona Supreme Court handed a sound defeat to Arizona Secretary of State Adrian Fontes and a victory to the America First Legal Foundation and Strong Communities Foundation of Arizona, known as “EZAZ.org.” The court ruled on Thursday that Fontes’ office is ordered to immediately provide a full list of all individuals who registered to vote in the state of Arizona without providing the proof of citizenship required under the law, a total of approximately 218,000 people as previously reported by AZ Free News.
The ruling obliterated Fontes’ response to EZAZ.org’s demand for transparency, which claimed, “We fear, especially based on SCF’s filings, that its true desire here is not to keep watch on government actions — which our public records laws are designed to facilitate — but instead harass and intimidate voters in the midst of an election and whose rights Secretary Fontes has already vindicated before Arizona’s highest court.”
The court found that the testimony of Professor Robert Pape, a Professor of Political Science at the University of Chicago who suggested with Fontes that “producing the list of 218,000 voters to EZAZ.org would expose those individuals to the risk of harassment and violence,” was “focused on political violence trends nationally and contained no analysis of such trends in Arizona.” They found further that, “Pape admitted on cross-examination that he conducted no research specific to Arizona. Professor Pape offered little more than speculation that a release of the requested information would lead to violence or harassment and, again, only based this opinion on national statistics.”
Finally, the court laid the claims about potential political violence to rest writing:
“The credibility of Professor Pape’s testimony and report was further diminished by what appeared to be gratuitous political bias in his report and in his testimony. The Professor’s opinions regarding general political violence focused almost entirely on allegations of past and anticipated prospective violence from only one side of the political spectrum, and only related to former president Donald Trump.”
The ruling concludes, “They failed to identify any specific threats of violence or harassment from EZAZ.org, and Ms. Hamilton’s unrebutted testimony established that EZAZ.org does not condone violent or harassing behavior and carefully screens its members and volunteers to ensure that persons who do condone or participate in such behavior do not participate in the organization.”
In a statement, America First Legal described the ruling saying, “The court found that Secretary Fontes ‘provided inconsistent testimony on this point’ and that ‘[h]is testimony suggested that he lacked detailed familiarity with the AZSOS’s efforts with regard to the issue and with regard to the records in the possession of the AZSOS related to the 218,000 individuals.’ The court’s order requires Secretary Fontes to produce the list of 98,000 individuals that he has along with any other personally identifying information that he has about the 218,000 individuals.”
James Rogers, America First Legal Senior Counsel, celebrated the ruling saying, “A majority of Arizonans no longer trust the election system of our state. One of the reasons is the lack of transparency from our state’s elected officials. When Secretary Fontes discovered the glitch that allowed 218,000 individuals to register without providing proof of citizenship, he should have immediately shared the list of affected individuals with Arizona’s county recorders, who are in charge of verifying the citizenship of voters. Instead, he has jealously guarded the list, refusing to share it with anyone. This suit was about restoring transparency and ensuring that county recorders can do their jobs by verifying the citizenship of voters. It is unfortunate that Secretary Fontes so aggressively opposed our common-sense efforts to help restore trust in our state’s election system.”
“This was a case we never should have needed to file,” said Rogers.
EZAZ.org’s Merrissa Hamilton wrote in a post to X, “FONTES = 0; TRANSPARENCY = WINNING! Despite AZ Secretary Adrian Fontes’ best efforts to falsely paint @AZHouseGOP @AZSenateGOP as homicidal maniacs (totally unhinged argument not remotely grounded in reality), while he’s also actively preventing Recorders from having access to do their jobs …
The Honorable Judge Blaney ruled in our favor in requiring Fontes to release to EZAZ.org the 98k voters impacted by the MVD ‘glitch’ causing voters to not have proof of citizenship on record.
Our only intent has always been to ensure the Recorders and Legislative leadership can do their jobs! And legal voters are enfranchised with confidence that their government is following the law in the operation of the elections!
Now that will happen! And the reputation of our happy, hardworking volunteers at EZAZ.org is restored!”
Matthew Holloway is a senior reporter for AZ Free News. Follow him on X for his latest stories, or email tips to Matthew@azfreenews.com.
by Daniel Stefanski | Nov 3, 2024 | News
By Daniel Stefanski |
A Republican state legislator is advocating for increased benefits for families of law enforcement who have experienced loss of a spouse or parent in the line of duty.
In the Arizona Senate Republicans’ recent newsletter, State Senator David Gowan issued a statement in support of a ballot measure that would provide financial assistance to the families of first responders who are killed in the line of duty through a criminal action – Proposition 311.
Gowan said, “Four Arizona police officers were tragically killed in the line of duty in 2024 alone, while many more have been seriously injured protecting our communities. Our state’s law enforcement puts their lives on the line daily. Their jobs have only become more dangerous as a result of the Biden- Harris open border crisis and the climate they’ve perpetuated against our law enforcement and first responders.
The Republican lawmaker added, “We need to do more to protect these heroes’ lives as well as their families, which is why I sponsored Prop. 311 on the November ballot. If approved, $250,000 would go to the spouse or children of a first responder killed in the line of duty as the result of a criminal act. The measure would also increase penalties for criminals who assault our first responders, which will hopefully save lives by acting as a deterrent. I believe we can really make a difference by establishing this support and protection for our state’s heroes and their families.”
According to the Arizona Secretary of State’s Office, Prop 311 would “require the state to pay $250,000 to the surviving spouse or children of a first responder killed in the line of duty.” The measure would “creat[e] a State Supplemental Benefit Fund to pay the State Death Benefit; increas[e] criminal punishments for aggravated assaults against peace officers and other first responders; and require a $20 penalty fee be imposed on every criminal conviction to fund the State Supplemental Benefit Fund.”
Tom Hatten, the Chairman of Back the Blue, issued a statement in support of Prop 311, writing, “Back the Blue will strengthen penalties on criminals who assault our first responders and establish a $250,000 survivor benefit to be paid to families of first responders who are killed in the line of duty, paid for by a $20 surcharge on criminal convictions. Best of all, it sends a strong message that Arizona stands with our first responders. Back the Blue gives us all a chance to show our support for the men and women who keep us all safe. They have our backs – it’s time for us to have theirs.”
Former Phoenix City Councilman Sal DiCiccio also weighed in to support the measure. He said, “Please offer your strongest support for this Back the Blue measure. As an elected official, I saw the ranks of our police department drop to dangerously low levels because of the attacks on our heroes and their families. This measure says we support our men and women in blue, we support those protecting our families.”
Prop 311 was one of several measures referred to the November General Election ballot by Republicans in the Arizona Legislature.
Daniel Stefanski is a reporter for AZ Free News. You can send him news tips using this link.
by Daniel Stefanski | Nov 3, 2024 | News
By Daniel Stefanski |
Arizona’s Senate President is working to defend state laws and to elect President Donald J. Trump to the White House.
Last week, Senator Warren Petersen, the leader of his chamber, issued a statement after sitting in depositions for legal cases that he is a part of, involving two laws passed by the Arizona Legislature – a citizens-only voting law and the Save Women’s Sports Act.
In his statement, Petersen asserted that he intervened in the defense of both these laws because of the refusal of Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes to do so. He also said, “You might ask why I have to sit through a grueling deposition when I have legislative immunity. The answer is that the liberal 9th Circuit Court does not believe I enjoy that constitutional right. It is hard to believe they could get something so simple wrong but this is a perfect example of why they are the most overturned circuit in the nation.”
Petersen promised to appeal both of the cases to the Supreme Court of the United States, adding, “I am confident we will prevail. The 9th Circuit may not know what a woman is but most of the Supreme Court still does. The 9th Circuit may no longer believe that only citizens should vote but the majority of the Supreme court does. I am also confident the Supreme Court will rule that elected officials are not subject to such depositions.”
He finished by highlighting the necessity of electing former President Donald J. Trump to the White House, writing, “Just another reminder to me of why we need President Trump. He will appoint more judges that believe in the original intent of the Constitution.”
Petersen’s statement was greeted by praise for his efforts from many of his followers. State Senator Sylvia Allen said, “Thanks Senator for standing strong on behalf of the citizens of Arizona.” Another grassroots activist replied, “Warren Petersen for Attorney General 2026!!”
The Senate President’s prolific defense of state and federal laws over the past two years in the Arizona Legislature has launched him into a conversation for state Attorney General as politicos start to look at the fast-approaching 2026 cycle. Petersen has joined several briefs and lawsuits from Republican attorneys general around the country in lieu of Mayes’ involvement, giving him first-hand experience in the world of a state’s top prosecutor for select issues. If he would run for the post, it is unknown who – if anyone – might contend with him for the primary election nomination.
Mayes is expected to run for re-election as Attorney General, yet her public and private disagreements with Arizona Governor Katie Hobbs have led some to wonder if there could be a significant Democrat primary election brewing for the office of the state’s chief executive.
Daniel Stefanski is a reporter for AZ Free News. You can send him news tips using this link.
