by Daniel Stefanski | Feb 22, 2025 | News
By Daniel Stefanski |
Arizona Republican legislators continue to take action to prepare their state for another dangerous fire season.
This week, the Arizona House Republicans announced the formation of the Fire Preparedness Ad Hoc Committee “to bring the Legislature to the people and assess issues related to Arizona’s readiness for catastrophic fires and insurance policy coverage across rural and urban Arizona.”
The chairman of the new committee is State Representative David Marshall, who was selected by Arizona House Speaker Steve Montenegro.
In a statement accompanying the announcement from the Arizona House Republicans, Representative Marshall said, “I’m honored that Speaker Montenegro has entrusted me to chair this committee because this issue couldn’t be more urgent for Arizona. The devastation caused by wildfires is staggering – homes lost, businesses wiped out, communities shattered. We’ve seen the warning signs in our state and the catastrophic disasters unfolding in places like California. It’s our job to make sure we are as prepared as possible to prevent and respond to these fires before they destroy previous lives and priceless property.”
Speaker Montenegro stated, “House Republicans have made public safety one of our highest priorities – whether that’s tackling violent crime, securing the border, or preparing for the next wildfire season. The people of Arizona deserve leadership that takes action, not excuses, and that’s exactly what we intend to deliver.”
Marshall added, “Firefighters do some of the toughest, most selfless work out there. They put themselves in harm’s way to save lives, homes, and entire communities. Yet, they’re often underpaid, overworked, and asked to do more with less. This committee will take a hard look at what’s needed to ensure they have the tools and support to do their jobs safely and effectively.”
The press release revealed that State Representatives John Gillette, Gail Griffin, Walter Blackman, Myron Tsosie, and Stephanie Stahl Hamilton would be added to the ad hoc committee. This panel will finalize a report and recommendations by the end of the year.
According to the information provided by House Republicans, the committee will look to do the following through the hearings this upcoming year:
- “Research and uncover any weaknesses in our current fire prevention system. Make recommendations on ways to address these areas.
- “Develop strategies to reduce nonrenewal of homeowners insurance policies across the state with an emphasis on high-risk areas.
- “Evaluate current building codes to make sure they allow for maximum fire protection without increasing costs to new home buyers.
- “Review and make recommendations on water supply needed for fire suppression.
- “Evaluate and make recommendations on current forestry practices regarding wildland fires.”
Daniel Stefanski is a reporter for AZ Free News. You can send him news tips using this link.
by Staff Reporter | Feb 21, 2025 | News
By Staff Reporter |
Mesa voters are backing an effort to recall their council member, Julie Spilsbury, a self-identified Republican representing district two.
The recall effort focuses on several of Spilsbury’s past votes and her support for Democratic candidates last year.
JoAnne Robbins, a resident, filed the petition to recall Spilsbury. Robbins’ petition cited Spilsbury’s past votes approving a permit changing the use of a hotel into a homeless housing program, as well as increasing both city council salaries and citywide utility rates.
Other residents blame Spilsbury and the rest of council for the homelessness nuisance they endure. Earlier this month, failed Mesa mayoral candidate Scott Neely offered a first-person view of his average experience navigating the homeless while driving around the city.
“My neighborhood is a war zone in Mesa Arizona,” said Neely. “Thank you Julie Spilsbury and Mayor-Elect Mark Freeman for shoving this low income housing down our throats that our neighbors voted against.”
Spearheading the signature gathering effort is Turning Point Action (TPA). The activist arm of Turning Point USA launched a “super chase” initiative: door knocking efforts to gather enough signatures to oust Spilsbury. TPA has four different events scheduled over the coming week and some odd days.
The recall effort needs around 3,100 signatures by May 30 in order to launch a special election.
Spilsbury responded to the recall with a statement on social media pledging her continued commitment to nonpartisanship. She justified her past votes over which the recall participants took offense by citing the wide margin of her reelection victory. Spilsbury also cautioned against supporting a special election due to its costliness.
“You might not agree with every decision or action I’ve made on the City Council but I have put every part of my heart into this job,” posted Spilsbury on Facebook. “I care deeply for the City of Mesa and for this community that is not only where I grew up but where Jeremy and I decided to raise our 6 kids. I love to serve our community! I care deeply about EVERY person in our city, not just the ones who look like me or think like me. I have tried to vote and make decisions on what is best for our entire city and to be true to what I feel is right in my soul.”
Beyond her voting history, it was Spilsbury’s personal political beliefs that spurred the recall effort. Spilsbury endorsed failed Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris and successful Democratic Senate candidate Ruben Gallego last year, much to the chagrin of mainstream Republican voters. Spilsbury joined groups like “Republicans for Harris” and “Republicans and Independents for Gallego.” Spilsbury and her husband were featured several times in media reports documenting the Mormon split away from Donald Trump and the Republican Party last year.
One signature gatherer, Cynthia, reported most voters she met have expressed an overall disappointment in Spilsbury’s representation.
“They feel betrayed because there was a promise to protect their kids, a promise to protect their community, and a promise to protect their money, and all three of those things she’s turned her back on,” said Cynthia.
Spilsbury won reelection last summer outright in the primary after the general election was canceled.
Fellow council member Jennifer Duff also defended Spilsbury after early reports of the recall emerged.
“Julie Wold Spilsbury is an excellent council member, serving in a non partisan position,” posted Duff on Facebook. “Please don’t bring partisanship to city council. It’s actually where government works. I support Julie! Don’t sign a petition that is destructive to our city council.”
AZ Free News is your #1 source for Arizona news and politics. You can send us news tips using this link.
by Matthew Holloway | Feb 21, 2025 | News
By Matthew Holloway |
In a bipartisan effort between Republican Congressman Eli Crane (AZ) and Democrat Congressman Mike Levin (CA), the “Hire Veterans Act” was reintroduced to the U.S. House of Representatives. If enacted, the bill would employ U.S. military veterans in vacant, critical roles within the U.S. Forest Service, National Park Service, and Bureau of Land Management.
According to Crane, all three of the federal land management agencies have been suffering from serious staffing shortages that have negatively impacted their operational effectiveness. In particular, both Congressmen cited the U.S. Forest Service facing an ongoing struggle to recruit and train staff in multiple critical roles with what they referred to as “a noticeable gap in the experience and skill sets of candidates, affecting their capacity to address increasing wildfire threats.”
“As a 13-year veteran of the U.S. Navy, I’m all too familiar with the obstacles servicemen and women face when transitioning to civilian life. I’m also well-aware of the challenges our federal land management agencies currently face, particularly in filling vacancies for firefighters, park rangers, and foresters,” said Crane in a press release.
As reported by the New York Times, 3,400 employees from the U.S. Forest Service were terminated by the Trump Administration on Thursday, amounting to approximately 10% of the service’s workforce. Many of the newer employees would have been hired under the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion regimen of the Biden Administration.
“With this bill, Congress has the opportunity to both streamline the employment process for veterans AND better ensure that our natural resources are protected for future generations. I’m grateful to be able to introduce this legislation that serves our veterans while furthering the responsible stewardship of U.S. land,” Crane added.
“Our veterans sacrifice so much for our nation. We have an obligation to ensure that veterans returning to civilian life can get jobs and support their families,” said Rep. Levin. “I’m glad to be partnering with Rep. Crane on our bipartisan bill to expand opportunities for veterans and help connect them to jobs in federal land management agencies. I look forward to working with my colleagues to advance this important legislation.”
According to a press release from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), which manages the Forest Service, U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins issued a memorandum to rescind all Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility (DEIA) programs and celebrations. Instead, the USDA will reprioritize unity, equality, meritocracy, and color-blind policies.
Rollins said in her opening remarks at the USDA, “We will neither commemorate nor celebrate our immutable characteristics, neither among ourselves nor among Americans at large. We will instead celebrate the things that make us American: merit, faith, and liberty first among them. All Americans deserve equal dignity, and at this Department they will receive it. On this precipice of the 250th anniversary of our Revolution, we will rededicate ourselves to ‘the proposition that all men are created equal.’”
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 Matthew Holloway | Feb 21, 2025 | News
By Matthew Holloway |
An announcement on Tuesday from the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Arizona (USAO-AZ) revealed that U.S. Attorney Gary M. Restaino was terminated by order of President Donald Trump. U.S. Attorneys serve at the pleasure of the sitting President and are subject to removal at their discretion.
Restaino was appointed to the USAO-AZ by former President Joe Biden in 2021.
According to a press release from the USAO-AZ, Restaino was informed by the White House on Monday that he has completed his service to the Department of Justice effective immediately, thanking him for his service to the nation.
Restaino released a statement saying, “Getting the opportunity to lead an Office in which I have worked for many years has been energizing. I am grateful to President Biden for the appointment, to Senators Kelly and Sinema for their support of my nomination, and to Attorney General Garland for his stewardship of the Department of Justice. And most of all I am thankful for our people here in Arizona – the dedicated prosecutors, victim advocates and administrative professionals at the United States Attorney’s Office, as well as the agents, analysts, and accountants at our federal law enforcement agencies – who work collaboratively and collegially with state and local partners and leaders of underserved communities to make Arizona a better and safer place.”
The potential motives behind Restaino’s replacement have not been indicated by the White House or DOJ.
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 | Feb 20, 2025 | News
By Daniel Stefanski |
A citizen-safety bill has cleared its first chamber of the Arizona Legislature.
On Monday, the Arizona House of Representatives approved HB 2684, which “prohibits pedestrians from congregating or soliciting in dangerous areas such as painted or raised medians, highway entrance and exit ramps, and other locations without safe pedestrian access.”
In a statement that accompanied the announcement of the bill’s passage, State Representative Joseph Chaplik, the sponsor of the legislation, said, “Arizona ranks among the highest in the nation for pedestrian fatalities, and too often, people are standing or sitting in traffic medians, freeway ramps, and other places where no pedestrian should ever be. This law will prevent senseless tragedies by ensuring that pedestrians stay out of harm’s way, while also protecting drivers from the devastation of hitting someone in traffic. Public safety is not partisan – it’s common sense.”
According to the release from the Arizona House of Representatives, the bill stipulates that “law enforcement officers will issue a warning for a first violation, a civil traffic citation for a second offense, and a class 1 misdemeanor for repeat violations.”
Chaplik added, “With the passage of this bill, House Republicans continue delivering on our promise to make Arizona a safer place. The governor vetoed this bill last year, but we’ve addressed her concerns by adjusting penalties while keeping the focus where it belons – on safety. I hope she reconsiders and signs it into law this time.”
On the Arizona Legislature’s Request to Speak system, representatives from Rural Arizona Action, American Civil Liberties Union of Arizona, AZ National Organization for Women (NOW), AZ Attorneys for Criminal Justice, and Arizona Coalition for Working Families, signed in to oppose the proposal from the House Republican.
Earlier this month, HB 2684 was approved by the House Committee on Regulatory Oversight with a 3-2 vote. All three Republicans voted in favor of the bill, while both Democrats joined together in opposition.
HB 2684 will now head over to the Arizona Senate for consideration.
Daniel Stefanski is a reporter for AZ Free News. You can send him news tips using this link.
by Daniel Stefanski | Feb 20, 2025 | News
By Daniel Stefanski |
A Republican legislator is planning to hear from his constituents about a topic of interest in northern Arizona.
Late last week, State Senator Mark Finchem announced that he would be “hosting a forum in Yavapai County this month to discuss problems posed by vacation rentals in Arizona.” He called on “all concerned citizens to attend.”
In a statement for the press release, Finchem said, “This forum will offer a unique opportunity to hear about the problems associated with the explosion of vacation rentals that are replacing single-family homes at an alarming pace. The adverse economic impact on communities across Arizona is sobering. Mayors from Page to Oro Valley and from Sedona to Prescott are facing mounting pressure from constituents to do something about what is happening in their neighborhoods.”
Senator Finchem reported that there would be around ten mayors from municipalities across the state in attendance at this forum, and that there would be a question-and-answer time at this event.
The ‘Mayors Forum for the People’ will be held on Thursday, February 20, from 2-4pm, at Embry-Riddle University in Prescott. Reservations can be made here.
The Republican lawmaker is serving his first term in the northern Arizona district after capturing the Republican primary last summer and sailing to victory in November’s General Election. Finchem is the Chairman of the Senate Federal Relations Committee, and a member of both the Judiciary and the Natural Resources, Energy & Water Committees.
Daniel Stefanski is a reporter for AZ Free News. You can send him news tips using this link.
