Arizona Republican legislators have finally had enough of Democrat Attorney General Kris Mayes’ continuing assault on the state’s historic Empowerment Scholarship Accounts (ESA) program.
On Thursday, a bicameral group of Republican lawmakers, led by Senate President Warren Petersen and House Speaker Ben Toma, transmitted a letter to Mayes, demanding that she “publicly retract (her) patently false statements attacking ESAs and impugning the motives of thousands of parents that use ESAs to provide the best education for their children.”
🚨BREAKING🚨 Legislative Leaders Demand AG Mayes Retract False Statements Regarding ESAs & to Use State Resources to Serve Interests of Arizonans, Not Politics!
“Parents have spoken and the Legislature has enacted ESAs into law. Your job, as an executive branch official, is to… pic.twitter.com/QgLvDcvsGY
— Arizona House Republicans (@AZHouseGOP) May 25, 2023
The accusations and demands in the letter stem from a recent television interview Mayes gave where she “claimed that ‘there are no controls’ on the ESA program, ‘no accountability,’ that ‘they’ (presumably parents) are ‘spending hundreds of millions of dollars of taxpayer money,’ that this ‘needs to be looked at,’ and that it’s (her) ‘responsibility to do that’ as Arizona’s ‘top law enforcement officer.’”
The coalition of eight legislators (Senators T.J. Shope, Sonny Borrelli, and Sine Kerr, and Representatives Travis Grantham, Leo Biasiucci, and Teresa Martinez – along with Petersen and Toma) share their alarm “that the state’s chief legal officer would make such outlandish claims that are refuted by Arizona law.” They write that “Numerous statutory provisions in the ESA laws expressly require accountability, oversight, and investigations when appropriate. See, e.g., A.R.S. § 15-2403 (requiring, among other things, the Arizona Department of Education to conduct or contract for ‘random, quarterly and annual audits’ of ESAs ‘as needed to ensure compliance’, authorizing the Department to remove parents or qualified students if they fail to comply with the contract or applicable laws, rules or orders, and enabling the State Board of Education to refer cases ‘of substantial misuse of monies’ and suspected cases of fraud to the Attorney General).”
Republican Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Horne’s administration has been amenable to referring such cases of fraud or misuse of monies to the Attorney General as directed under law. In a tweet on March 1, the Arizona Department of Education responded to an account alleging misuse and / or fraud of ESA funds (in a post that has since been deleted), saying, “Please provide your relatives name, and we would like to refer her to Attorney General Kris Mayes. ESA dollars should only be spent on education.”
Please provide your relatives name, and we would like to refer her to Attorney General @KrisMayes. ESA dollars should only be spent on education. https://t.co/K88q32oTqN
— Arizona Department of Education (@azedschools) March 2, 2023
The Republicans warn Mayes that her rhetoric and threats are way beyond the statutory scope of her office, writing, “You have not cited a shred of evidence to suggest that either the Arizona Department of Education or the State Board of Education—both of whom you represent—have failed to comply with their statutory obligations, and there is no basis to believe that these agencies will disregard or refuse to follow the law in the future. And while you have a statutory responsibility to investigate matters that are referred to you, the Legislature did not authorize and does not condone the selective targeting or roving investigations of ESA parents.”
They also raise the issue of “ethics” that will be sure to catch the attention of the intended audience at Central Avenue and just north of McDowell. Over the past few years, then-Secretary of State Katie Hobbs weaponized the Arizona State Bar and ethics rules against then-Attorney General Mark Brnovich, her political rival at the time, giving a very low standard of precedent for a reprisal against the state’s newest prosecutor. Hobbs didn’t just file bar complaints against Brnovich; she leveled the charges at several attorneys in his office over political disagreements between the two. In their letter to Mayes, the legislators write: “Of course, Arizona’s Ethical Rules do not tolerate the initiation of criminal proceedings absent probable cause to believe that any parent has committed a crime. See Arizona Ethical Rule 3.8 (listing the special ethical responsibilities of a prosecutor). Further, it would raise ethical questions if a government attorney were to publicly insinuate that a current client is engaging in misconduct with no factual basis. See, e.g., Arizona Ethical Rule 1.7 (imposing a duty of loyalty to a current client).”
The lawmakers end their letter with an appeal for Mayes to conform with the expectations and values of their shared constituents across the state, stating, “Arizonans expect the state’s chief legal officer to refrain from engaging in politically-motivated pursuits, threats, or lawsuits, and to make public statements that align with Arizona law and the duties of your office.”
Daniel Stefanski is a reporter for AZ Free News. You can send him news tips using this link.
Arizona Republican Legislators are laser focused on the issues that matter most to their state.
Earlier this week, the Joint Legislative Committee on Water Security met for its first meeting since being formed in April by Arizona Senate President Warren Petersen and House Speaker Ben Toma. The purpose of this committee was “to convene and solicit information from water users, stakeholders, and the public regarding state solutions to address water security in Arizona.”
According to a press release sent by the House Majority Communications on Wednesday, members of the committee met “to outline (the committee’s) goals for the ensuing months and to hear preliminary testimony on the most pressing issues facing Arizona’s water supply.”
✅FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE✅
Joint Legislative Committee on Water Security Meets to Highlight Arizona’s Water Achievements & Find Potential Water Solutions.
— Arizona House Republicans (@AZHouseGOP) May 17, 2023
For this first meeting, the press release announced that the “committee heard presentations from the Salt River Project and the Water Infrastructure Finance Authority (WIFA) to get a better understanding of the current water outlook for the state, as well as the level of investments that Arizona has made and will be making in new water infrastructure over the next several years.”
WIFA’s Assistant Director, Chelsea McGuire, presented detailed information to the Committee “on the funds and options available to residents and communities to help improve water supplies and strengthen the water resources that Arizona communities and economies depend on.” The Water Conservation Grant Fund will provide up to $200 million to Arizona cities, towns, counties, irrigation districts, natural resource conservation district, and domestic improvement districts. There will also be up to $190 million in additional funds to “rural cities, towns, and counties located outside of the Phoenix, Pinal, and Tucson active management areas to develop projects that promote the replenishment, recovery, reclamation, and recharge of stormwater and groundwater in rural parts of the state.”
Both of the Committee’s Co-Chairs, Senator Sine Kerr and Representative Gail Griffin, issued statements after the meeting’s conclusion. Senator Kerr said, “Upon the Governor’s signature of a bill I’m working on this session, even more entities will be able to take advantage of the WIFA conservation dollars. We need an all-of-the-above solution for this critical issue that impacts all Arizonans. These investments in conservation programs and new water supply development projects will be pivotal as we continue to meet as a committee to address our state’s most pressing water challenges.”
Representative Griffin added, “We’re doing great things to help the State of Arizona and rural communities with water solutions. WIFA is making historic investments that will help us to save water and put more water back into the ground, especially in rural parts of the state. Local communities that want to take more control over their future water supplies should encourage eligible entities to take advantage of these tools.”
The Committee revealed its “next steps,” which include “scheduling future meetings to hear from experts on issues such as groundwater modeling, management best practices for urban and rural areas across the state and finding additional sources of water for Arizona communities.”
Daniel Stefanski is a reporter for AZ Free News. You can send him news tips using this link.
Another election integrity bill has cleared the Arizona Legislature and is awaiting final action from Democrat Governor Katie Hobbs.
On Monday, HB 2560, sponsored by Speaker Ben Toma, passed out of the Arizona House of Representatives with a party-line 31-27 vote (with one Democrat not voting and one vacant seat). The proposal “directs the County Recorder to transmit to the Secretary of State to post on a secure website: a list of all registered voters before an election, a list of all persons who voted in the election, the unaltered images of ballots used to tabulate election results and the cast vote record in a sortable format.” The Senate then substituted SB 1324 with the House version Monday, giving the legislation the green light, 19-9 (with two Democrats not voting).
Earlier in the session, the bill had been approved by the House Municipal Oversight and Elections Committee along partisan lines (6-4).
The bill had previously garnered the support of Democrat Secretary of State Adrian Fontes and Republican Maricopa County Recorder Stephen Richer. On April 7, as he was about to mark his 100th day in office, Fontes’ office released a statement on the legislative proposal, writing: “Additionally, Secretary Fontes has been a strong proponent of SB 1324, a bipartisan piece of legislation concerning ballot imaging sponsored by former Secretary of State and current State Senator, Ken Bennett. An identical bill was introduced in the House as HB 2560. The bill, which is similar to legislation passed in other states such as Colorado, would allow people to compare ballot images to a cast vote record and would help restore confidence for some voters in our elections.”
Richer had issued a statement earlier in the year on February 13, saying, “Elections work when there is openness and transparency. SB 1324 does that by creating a system where each county recorder can inform voters before and after every election about who is eligible to vote while protecting voter confidentiality. All three – the list of eligible voters, the list of who voted, and the cast vote record – will be available to anyone who wants them. SB 1324 and Speaker Ben Toma’s legislation, HB 2560, contain similar language and will further strengthen our elections by enshrining the kind of transparency that can build public trust in our elections.”
After the bill received the go-ahead from the Senate on Monday, Senator Wendy Rogers tweeted, “Great effort to restore accountability in our elections.”
Arizonans who were under the impression that a Democrat governor in office would tip the scale in favor of more progressive policies are readjusting their expectations after the new state budget was signed into law.
On Friday, Governor Katie Hobbs signed the budget sent to her earlier in the week by the Republican-led Arizona Legislature. The $17.8 billion budget was approved in both the House and Senate with broad bipartisan support, though several Democrats refused to back the compromise.
Many observers thought that with Arizona’s divided government and with the political animosity between state Republicans and Democrats, this budget wouldn’t become a reality until June or later. Veteran communicator Barrett Marson tweeted, “A lot of people said it couldn’t be done. A lot of pundits (me included) said there’d be no budget deal until June/July. We were wrong. Governor Hobbs, President Petersen and Speaker Toma came together to craft a budget with broad bipartisan support. There’s a lot to like. Let’s celebrate.”
A lot of people said it couldn't be done. A lot of pundits (me included) said there'd be no budget deal until June/July. We were wrong. @GovernorHobbs@votewarren@RepBenToma came together to craft a budget with broad bipartisan support. There's a lot to like. Let's celebrate!
Though both sides received concessions in the budget, it appears that Republicans were the significant winners in the deal thanks to the shrewd negotiations employed by Petersen, Toma, and members of their staff. Both chiefs of staff, Josh Kredit (Senate) and Michael Hunter (House), have dealt with the state budget for a number of years and gave their bosses an extreme advantage when coming to terms with Arizona’s chief executive.
Petersen took a victory lap after the governor’s signature ended the budget saga for this fiscal year, stating, “We’re able to do this for our citizens, while also reducing government spending by $300 million. In fact, this is the first budget since 2017 where we have not added any new ongoing spending above formula increases. Additionally, Senate Republicans prevented the Governor and Democrat Legislators from advancing their extremist agenda. State-funded abortions and tuition-free college education for undocumented immigrants will not happen in Arizona. We are not getting rid of state-funded border security resources to keep our communities safe, especially as the Biden Administration foolishly lifts Title 42. We’re also not capping, cutting or eliminating the historic universal school choice program that now has more than 50,000 participants. Needless to say, your Republican Majority at the Legislature will continue to fight to protect Arizona from turning into California at the hands of the radical left.”
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Senate Republicans Reduce Spending, Provide Historic Tax Rebates to Families, Protect School Choice and Stop Democrats' Extremist Agenda with 2023-2024 Budget pic.twitter.com/1nJvW6hehc
After the House cleared the budget on Wednesday, Speaker Toma also championed this major achievement for his chamber and caucus: “From day one, our Majority has been focused on getting the job done for our constituents: putting Arizona families first, protecting the vulnerable, and growing opportunity and freedom. We’re conservatives. We believe you should keep more of your money and the government should spend less. That’s why we believe this is Arizona’s Budget — a budget that reflects our needs, gives back, spends smart, and addresses real issues. We needed a budget that the Governor would sign that accomplishes our goal of putting Arizona families first. This budget accomplishes both.”
🚨BREAKING NEWS FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE🚨
‘Arizona’s Budget’ Approved by House of Representatives Puts Families First, Gives Back, Spends Smart, and Addresses Real Issues
House Republican Leaders hailed the budget’s passage as a huge win for Arizona families and the state:
— Arizona House Republicans (@AZHouseGOP) May 10, 2023
Cathi Herrod, President of the Center for Arizona Policy, also praised Republican leaders for protecting the future of family values in the budget. She wrote, “I credit Senate President Warren Petersen and House Speaker Ben Toma for standing strong against any pro-abortion funding or other measures. The popular universal Empowerment Scholarship Account (ESA) program did not get a cap or any restrictions, which is great news for all Arizona families who want to choose the best educational environment for their children.”
The Senate Republicans shared additional highlights from the Fiscal Year 2023 budget:
Education: $680 million in new education investments, including a $300 million infusion into K-12, an $88 million ongoing increase to per pupil funding, and $183 million for school capital funding
Public Safety: $256 million, including operational investments for the Departments of Corrections, Public Safety, and Emergency and Military Affairs, as well as $36 million in local sheriff and police department support
Transportation: $610 million in state and local transportation projects, including $89 million to expand lanes on the I-10, $76 million to expand lanes on the I-17, as well as $54 million in pavement rehabilitation for roads affected by winter weather
Tax Cuts: $260 million for the Arizona Families Tax Rebate, which will provide up to $750 to taxpayers with children and adult dependents
Health and Welfare: $342 million, including $150 million for the Housing Trust Fund to develop more affordable housing, $60 million for emergency homeless services and temporary shelters, as well as $14 million specifically allocated for veteran housing and employment services
Natural Resources: $174 million in natural resource investments, including $143 million in reallocated funding for targeted water-related projects
Daniel Stefanski is a reporter for AZ Free News. You can send him news tips using this link.
Water has always been an issue for the desert, but drought conditions have put even more of a premium on this precious resource; and Arizona Republicans are stepping up to provide solutions for their constituents.
This week, Arizona Senate President Warren Petersen and House Speaker Ben Toma formed the Joint Legislative Study Committee on Water Security. The purpose of this committee is “to convene and solicit information from water users, stakeholders, and the public regarding state solutions to address water security in Arizona.”
That information, which includes evidence and testimony, includes (1) the state’s existing and future water supplies; (2) methodologies and modeling used to quantify supplies; (3) opportunities and challenges associated with improving water storage and infrastructure; (4) the state’s regulatory and funding framework for augmentation, conservation, efficiency, recharge and reuse efforts; (5) public-private solutions to improve security; (6) the impact of water uncertainty across Arizona’s water users, industry sectors and property owners; and (7) and any other issue the Study Committee deems relevant to its investigation.”
Both Petersen and Toma issued statements with the announcement of this committee’s formation. Petersen said, “Water policy is dictated by statute. From the 1980s Groundwater Management Act to last year’s historic investment in WIFA, the Legislature has led and will continue to lead the water policy solutions that require legislative action to implement.”
And Toma stated, “The availability of water for the success of all industries in our state is critical to our economy. Strengthening our existing water resources while we secure our future water supply is a top priority as we work to achieve common-sense solutions for our state. We need to study all issues related to water carefully and work to identify any remaining issues that need to be resolved.”
🚨FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE🚨
House & Senate Leaders Announce Joint Legislative Water Committee to Strengthen Existing Water Supplies & Secure Our Water Future. 💧
— Arizona House Republicans (@AZHouseGOP) April 11, 2023
Six members will be appointed by legislative leadership to serve on this committee: three out of the House of Representatives by the Speaker and three out of the Senate by the President. Senator Sine Kerr was first selected by Petersen, and Representative Gail Griffin by Toma. Both were named co-chairs of the committee.
Senator Kerr released the following statement after the news of her appointment to the committee: “Unlike other ‘top-down’ efforts, this Ad Hoc Committee on Water Security will enlist the participation of actual water users to find collaborative water management solutions. The Legislature will continue to be proactive and deliberative in balancing the realities of our water supply with the state’s economic objectives.”
Representative Griffin also provided a quote to accompany her appointment, saying, “Arizona must take an ‘all of the above’ approach to water and find a balance that protects private property rights while promoting the interests and economy of the state. This includes urban and rural, augmentation and conservation, and surface and groundwater, not to mention residential, commercial, industrial, and agricultural users and property rights across all land types. I appreciate Speaker Toma for affording the opportunity to explore this issue and for making water a top priority in this legislative session.”
The Director of Communications for the Arizona Senate Republicans told AZ Free News that the Legislature would have the remaining appointments and the agenda for the first meeting by next week.
Daniel Stefanski is a reporter for AZ Free News. You can send him news tips using this link.
