by Daniel Stefanski | Jan 15, 2024 | News
By Daniel Stefanski |
Arizona’s State Treasurer is helping children to prioritize saving in the new year.
Earlier this week, Arizona State Treasurer, Kimberly Yee, released “seven practical tips to help parents and caregivers teach children how to save and realize goals for the future instead of focusing on what they think they need now.”
The seven tips were as follows:
1. Walk the Talk: Talk about what you are saving for and what sacrifices you make for retirement, vacations, their college, etc. and demonstrate that – take them with you to the bank when you make a deposit or show them how you do it on your phone or laptop for online banking.
2. Match It: Reward good savings habits by matching savings and further encouraging kids to delay gratification by saving for what they really want.
3. Make it Fun: Turn conversations about saving and college into games and crafts to keep it hands-on. Painting your own piggy bank would be the perfect time to talk about dream jobs and how to prepare and save to get there.
4. Jump Start College/Career Savings: Give children a boost with saving for their future education by setting-up a tax-deductible AZ529 Education Savings Plan. Contributions from parents, grandparents, relatives and family friends provide a jump-start for their littlest loved ones and inspires them to contribute as well.
5. Hands On Saving: Provide an allowance with rules attached for saving and spending, but make sure they earn the allowance – don’t just give them money for no reason.
6. Let them Fail: Allowing kids/teens to make a few minor financial failures when they are young can help them avoid major failures as they become adults. Missing a phone payment and losing their phone for a week would be something a teen won’t soon forget.
7. Celebrate Success: Track results and share progress with your child to help motivate them in their studies and savings and know your expectations for their future. Make a chart and when they reach a milestone, find a way to celebrate that doesn’t involve spending time together instead of money.
Yee serves as the Chairwoman of the AZ529 Plan Advisory Committee. According to its website, this committee “assists the Treasurer’s Office in promoting and raising awareness of the AZ529 Plan in accordance with A.R.S. § 41-179.” The Arizona 529 Plan “is a college savings plan named after Section 529 of the Internal Revenue Code sponsored by the State of Arizona,” and “is designed to provide a parent, grandparent, or anyone else an opportunity to save for a child’s educational dreams within a tax-deferred savings vehicle.”
Late last year, the “X” account for the Arizona Education Savings Plan announced that “under the leadership of Arizona Treasurer Kimberly Yee, 33,632 529 accounts have been opened in the last 37 months,” and that “assets are up 16.6% in that same time frame to $1.89 billion.”
In 2023, the Arizona Education Savings Plan was upgraded to a ‘silver’ rating by Morningstar, which “reflected a superior investment team and/or investment process that should benefit the participants.”
Treasurer Yee is currently serving her second year of her second term in this statewide office.
Daniel Stefanski is a reporter for AZ Free News. You can send him news tips using this link.
by Daniel Stefanski | Jan 15, 2024 | Education, News
By Daniel Stefanski |
Arizona’s Superintendent of Public Instruction is holding the state’s schools accountable for educating students about the Holocaust.
Last week, State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Horne announced that he requested “all Arizona district and charter schools report their compliance with state law that requires students to be taught about the Holocaust and other genocides.”
In a statement that accompanied his news release, Horne said, “During the past three months we have learned all-too-well how many people are ignorant about the realities of the Holocaust and other genocides of history. We have heard about pro-Hamas and anti-American propaganda being spread in a high school student club, students being intimidated because of their ethnicity, and we have seen pro-Hamas protests on college campuses.”
The Republican superintendent expressed his gratitude for the law granting his office the ability to hold schools accountable for the statutory teaching of this educational material. He added, “Expressions of hatred like this are unacceptable in an educational setting and a powerful way to combat this scourge is with learning. Students would not be vulnerable to antisemitic propaganda if they had received proper Holocaust instruction. I’m grateful state law exists to require instruction on the Holocaust and other genocides, and it is important to ensure that districts and charter schools are in compliance.”
The law that the state’s schools chief referenced was HB 2241, which was passed by the Arizona Legislature and signed into law by then-Governor Doug Ducey. The bill was sponsored by Alma Hernandez, a Democrat. It passed both chambers with almost unanimous support. Ducey, in his letter to then-Secretary of State Katie Hobbs, informed her that he was signing the legislation to “ensure that we continue to teach our students the history of past atrocities, which in return will instill greater compassion, critical thinking, societal awareness, and educational growth in our students.”
Horne’s deadline for Arizona schools to report to the state Department of Education is January 24. He informed schools that his department “provides resources, training, and support for educators in meeting House Bill 2241.”
Daniel Stefanski is a reporter for AZ Free News. You can send him news tips using this link.
by Corinne Murdock | Jan 15, 2024 | News
By Corinne Murdock |
The Pinal County Sheriff’s Office (PCSO) has gone viral for its videos depicting officers pulling over and ticketing left lane campers.
Their viral work has earned the sheriff’s office a certain level of appreciation from both Arizona and national viewers online and, in some cases, even from those who were pulled over for left lane camping.
In the latest viral video featuring Officer Frank Sloup, part of a series titled “Fridays With Frank,” one driver believed they were speeding, though they were, in fact, impeding the flow of traffic by driving too slow in the left lane.
“The left lane, per Arizona state law, is meant for passing,” said Sloup. “When cars are passing you on the right, you’re forcing them to make a dangerous move.”
That driver didn’t sound too unhappy to have been pulled over. He asked Sloup whether he was the viral officer on TikTok, and even asked for a picture. Sloup happily obliged.
“Are you the one that’s on TikTok? Can I have a picture?” asked the driver.
In the first vehicle pulled over, Sloup discovers that the driver was not only guilty of camping in the left lane, but of having a suspended license — despite having a passenger with a valid license capable of driving.
“That’s why you don’t know you can’t be in the left lane: it’s because you’re a terrible driver, and your license is suspended,” said Sloup.
Sheriff Mark Lamb won an Emmy Award for his office for his video compilation pulling over left lane campers. Despite the video’s popularity, Sloup criticized Lamb for only giving warnings on his traffic stops.
“He’s just nice and he talks to people and he’s all happy,” said Sloup.
Sloup also observed that the sound of traffic citation paper being written on and torn was hardly heard in Lamb’s vehicle.
“In Sheriff Lamb’s truck, you hear a lot about God, family, and freedom. You know what you don’t hear in Sheriff Lamb’s truck, is this sound,” said Sloup, as he tore a ticket.
Sloup’s latest viral video wasn’t his first. The PCSO has issued a number of videos, most recently last month with recognition from “Morning in America.” Sloup explained that the idea behind the video compilations emerged as a PSA following the passage of the hands-free driving law in 2021.
The popularity of PCSO’s videos could be explained by the similar appreciation for one of the longest-running shows, “Cops.”
Corinne Murdock is a reporter for AZ Free News. Follow her latest on Twitter, or email tips to corinne@azfreenews.com.
by Daniel Stefanski | Jan 14, 2024 | News
By Daniel Stefanski |
Arizona’s leading Republican lawmakers are again joining state attorneys general on another matter of national importance.
Last week, the Arizona State Senate Caucus revealed that President Warren Petersen and House Speaker Ben Toma had joined an amicus brief to urge “the U.S. Supreme Court to take up a dangerous ruling out of Colorado” that had barred “former President Donald Trump from the GOP primary ballot in the 2024 presidential election.” The filing was led by the States of Indiana and West Virginia and joined by 25 additional states, as well as the Arizona Legislature.
In a statement that accompanied the announcement, Petersen said, “If the high court does not immediately act, we anticipate election chaos will ensue over former President Trump’s eligibility as a candidate. This is clearly a case of judicial activism and a violation of the separation of powers. Leftist bias and prejudice are on full display from the Colorado Supreme Court. These justices are only playing partisan games by recklessly feeding a false media narrative that seeks to disenfranchise voters. I’m confident the U.S. Supreme Court will strike down this dangerous attack on our democracy.”
Petersen’s news release called the Colorado State Supreme Court’s decision to bar Trump from the ballot under the 14th Amendment of the U.S. Constitution “an egregious abuse of power,” asserting that America’s governing document “reserves the power to determine the political question of what constitutes an ‘insurrection’ to Congress – not rogue courts.”
Shortly after the brief was transmitted to the U.S. Supreme Court, the challenge was scheduled for arguments before the nation’s high court in early February.
The legislators’ sign-on to this brief marks the second time they have joined Republican attorneys general on their legal filings in 2024. At the start of the year, Senate Republicans shared that the Arizona Legislature had joined an amicus brief in federal court to help challenge California’s Assault Weapon Control Act. That brief was led by the attorneys general of Idaho, Iowa, and Montana, and co-signed by almost two dozen additional states.
In December, Petersen and Toma joined a public comment letter to the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) to address its newly proposed rule, Definition of “Engaged in the Business as a Dealer in Firearms.” That letter was led by the States of Kansas, Iowa, and Montana, and co-signed by 22 other attorneys general.
Over the past month, the two Republican legislative leaders have signaled a more aggressive shift in taking the reins from Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes to defend the law and Constitution. Attorneys general are not usually joined by outside parties on their amicus briefs, yet multiple coalitions of Republican state prosecutors have included Petersen and Toma on these major filings.
Both Majority Plans released by Senate and House Republicans preview their commitment to aggressively weigh in on state and federal litigation to defend the interests of Arizonans and uphold the rule of law. Senate Republicans wrote that they “firmly believe in the rule of law and will continue to defend state laws, especially when our Attorney General refuses to do so. We will also continue to seek appropriate relief through the courts to serve as a necessary check on abuses of executive authority at both the state and federal levels.” House Republicans added that “under the Biden administration, our constitutional rights and individual liberties are under daily threat…this complete disregard for the Constitution will not be tolerated. House Republicans will always protect rights guaranteed by the Constitution.”
Daniel Stefanski is a reporter for AZ Free News. You can send him news tips using this link.
by Elizabeth Troutman | Jan 14, 2024 | News
By Elizabeth Troutman |
Arizona is 2024’s second-most racially integrated state, according to WalletHub’s report on 2024’s States with the Most Racial Progress released Tuesday.
WalletHub, a personal-finance website, measured the gaps between black people and white people across 22 key indicators of equality in the 50 states and the District of Columbia. The data set includes median annual household income, standardized-test scores, and voter turnout.
Hawaii placed first for most racially integrated state, followed by Arizona, New Mexico, and Washington State. Other top ten states were Kentucky, Alaska, Delaware, Texas, Georgia, and Maryland.
“It’s encouraging to see that many of the states that were the most resistant to integration have made substantial progress toward racial equality in the past fifty years or so,” Wallethub analyst Cassandra Happe said in a news release. “In fact, four of the states that have made the most racial progress overall are actually now among the top 10 most integrated states, which shows that both people’s attitudes and government policies have changed dramatically.”
Arizona ranked highly in areas concerning equality in the labor force participation rate and health.
“It’s encouraging to see that many of the states that were the most resistant to integration have made substantial progress toward racial equality in the past fifty years or so,” Happe said. “In fact, four of the states that have made the most racial progress overall are actually now among the top 10 most integrated states, which shows that both people’s attitudes and government policies have changed dramatically.”
The Grand Canyon State’s total score from WalletHub was 73.86.
Elizabeth Troutman is a reporter for AZ Free News. You can send her news tips using this link.
by Daniel Stefanski | Jan 13, 2024 | News
By Daniel Stefanski |
Arizona legislative Republicans are warning against unilateral action from the state’s governor on water policy.
On Monday, Governor Katie Hobbs spent time in her second State of the State address to discuss the importance of water for Arizona and her past and future work on this front. Hobbs said, “Let us remember that water and drought do not care about party registration or job titles or whether you live in an urban or rural community. We can only protect our water supply by working together. I stand ready to work with you to pass legislation that makes the changes we need today – all to safeguard Arizona’s water for tomorrow. And those who have spent years refusing to act: if you don’t, I will.”
That last line earned the Democrat governor an ovation from her allies in the Arizona House chamber, yet a warning of legal repercussions from two powerful lawmakers who were listening to her words.
Senate President Pro Tempore T.J. Shope responded, “Yeah, I don’t think she has that type of authority to act alone but she seems willing to bend the State Constitution to her will pretty often so I’m sure she’ll try and I’m sure we’ll see her in court.”
Shope’s colleague, Senate President Warren Petersen, added onto the comment, writing, “Kind of like when she broke the law by appointing 13 fake directors?”
The future of Arizona’s water policy has always been a complex issue, but perhaps more so during the past year with a divided government and two parties with very distinct ideas about how to manage the vital resource. As the governor also mentioned in her State of the State address, she created a Water Policy Council during her first year in office “to analyze and recommend updates, revisions and additions to the 1980 Arizona Groundwater Management Act (GMA) and related water legislation, which shall include without limitation, analysis and recommendations for groundwater management outside current Active Management Areas.” Hobbs referred to this council as “bipartisan,” though one prominent Republican, Senator Sine Kerr, resigned from her post in October, alleging that the Council was “nothing more than a forum to rubberstamp the progressive environmental goals of special interest groups,” and that “this community (of Arizona citizens and stakeholders) is not being provided with fair representation at the table.”
Along with Kerr, the Arizona Farm Bureau also announced its withdrawal from the Council that month, opining, “…the outcome of the greater Council appears to be pre-determined as essentially a cross between the seriously flawed attempts of the past and an AMA (Active Management Areas).”
Hobbs created unfavorable headlines for the future of Arizona’s water during summer 2023, when she held a press conference to announce the publication of the Phoenix Active Management Area Groundwater Model. At the press conference, she stated that the study’s results “show we need to take action once again,” and that if the state does nothing at this juncture, “we could face a four percent shortfall in groundwater supplies over the next 100 years.” The governor announced a pause on “approvals of new assured water supply determinations that rely on pumping groundwater, ensuring that we don’t add to any future deficit.”
Republicans were quick to push back against Hobbs’ interpretation of the model. Kerr asserted that the results from the model “show the GMA of 1980 is working as it should,” and that “the remaining 4% of unmet demand over 100 years can be achieved through non-groundwater sources.” Representative Austin Smith told AZ Free News that “we can’t be beating the drum about a housing crisis, and then in the same beat, kneecap the housing industry.” Petersen also weighed in, writing, “There is no need to stop homebuilding. Homes use the least amount of water.”
Both the Arizona Senate and House Republican Majority Plans for 2024 addressed the issue of water. Senate Republicans promised that, “unlike the work product of the Governor’s Water Policy Council,” their solutions would “be grounded in the consent of the governed, the collaborative buy-in of all water users, and the common goal of preserving the health of groundwater basins for future generations.” House Republicans vowed to “protect, prioritize, and secure water resources for our state’s future.”
Daniel Stefanski is a reporter for AZ Free News. You can send him news tips using this link.
