With ALEC on his mind

Senate Republicans shuttered their caucus yesterday — 15 minutes into a meeting originally called to discuss the state budget. The tempers of a couple of senators rose to match the outdoor temperatures as they vainly attempted to find consensus.

When the dust cleared, Senate President Bob Burns (R-Dist 9) was nowhere to be seen.  He had skedaddled, most likely in preparation for his excursion to the Summer ALEC convention (American Legislative Exchange Council). Burns is Arizona’s state chairman to the national legislative group.

With this lineup of speakers, who could blame him? It’s got to beat listening to his colleagues try to solve the economic woes of the state of Arizona.

Tony Bouie carpetbags into District 4

An interesting Primary is shaping up in Legislative District 4, giving voters an unusually clear choice. Tony Bouie, the lifelong Democrat who opportunistically registered as a Republican just five days prior to opening his 2008 campaign for a Dist. 6 House seat, is back in campaign mode. 

Bouie made headlines with his unmatched pattern of habitual fabrications and double-dealing during the race that resulted in him being soundly defeated by Reps. Sam Crump and Carl Seel.  Although the voters of the district were not deceived, he did win the support of the open borders crowd, who directly benefit from a steady stream of low-wage workers, and happily fed his campaign coffers.

Bouie has reportedly said that he is targeting Rep. Judy Burges — the # 1 PAChyderm rated member of the Arizona House.

Term-limited LD 4 Sen. Jack Harper is running to join Rep. Burges in the House. Adding to the kafuffle Rep. Tom Boone has now filed an exploratory committee against announced candidate Scott Bundgaard, who is running for the senate in the district.

Anyone need a scorecard? The line forms on the right.

Facts behind Sen. Gorman’s removal from Rules Committee

 What was originally perceived as a punishment for State Sen. Pamela Gorman (R-Dist.6), has now been clarified as a clever ruse to protect her position as Majority Whip. 

 The word swirling around the Capitol is that over the past week, Sen. Steve Pierce (R-Dist.1) led a campaign with Republican caucus members to replace Gorman as Whip.

This action was unacceptable to both Senate President Bob Burns (R-Dist.9) and Gorman, since she provided the key votes to ensure Burns’ election to the top leadership position.

Removing Gorman from Rules — an assignment she disliked — gave Burns the cover to remove Sen. Thayer Verschoor (R-Dist.22) as President Pro Tempore of the Senate.  With the promise of being appointed to that position, Pierce agreed to stop his campaign calling for Gorman’s ouster as Whip.

Sacrificing Sen. Verschoor, a proven conservative leader, to this unholy alliance is a disservice to the voters who have every right to expect much more.

Shadegg rumored to be eyeing retirement — again

This interesting entry from HumanEvents.com states there is considerable speculation that Arizona Congressman John Shadegg (R-CD3) will retire in 2010.

Shadegg surprised many on February 11, 2008, with his abrupt retirement announcement. Within days, he reversed himself and “unretired,” amid calls by his congressional colleagues for him to reconsider. This time the rumors are widespread and persistent.

If he does step down, there are several folks who have shown an interest in running for the vacant seat, not the least of whom is State Rep. Sam Crump  (R-Dist 6).  Other names being mentioned are State Sens. Pamela Gorman (R-Dist.6) and Jim Waring (R-Dist.7) a one-time McCain staffer.

Crump has filed an exploratory committee for Attorney General. But would he choose to run for Congress if Shadegg announces his retirement? 

Stay tuned.

Recreation over responsibility?

We’ve just been advised that Senate President Bob Burns (R-Dist 9) and dozens of other legislators are going on a junket to attend a convention in Atlanta instead of working on the worst fiscal crisis in the history of our state.

Burns actually told the rarely-at-a-loss-for-words reporters that he would return from the Summer ALEC convention (American Legislative Exchange Council) on July 20^th. Most appeared surprised by the news.

It’s easy to see why a convention junket might be more appealing  than burning the midnight oil, but longing for a break doesn’t mean one should actually become a higher priority during this time of budgetary upheaval.  All of our legislators should be down on Washington Street working until this current crisis is resolved.  It’s not quite the Hyatt Regency in Atlanta, but it’s where they are obliged to be. There’s always the Policy Summit in Washington, D.C. in early December to look forward to.  By then, perhaps the budget issues will be settled.

Previous legislative leaders have had DPS officers bring members in to do their job, the parking lots padlocked by the Sergeant-at-Arms, and required round-the-clock sessions for problems less serious than the state is currently facing.

Burns on fire — again

Sacks Sen. President Pro Tempore Verschoor, Majority Whip Sen. Gorman

In recent negotiations with Gov. Jan Brewer, Senate President Bob Burns (R-Dist.9) was reportedly angry enough to raise his voice, issue a few well chosen words and storm out of the meeting. At the time, Brewer cooly responded by calling Burns’ comments “regrettable and terribly unproductive. I choose not to take President Burns’ comments personally, because I recognize he is very angry right now,” she said.

Today, his now-famous temper made a reappearance. For the defiant act of protecting the taxpayers, high ranking legislators have been removed from their leadership positions.

A case in point is Sen. Thayer Verschoor (R-Dist.22). This afternoon, Verschoor was summarily removed from his position as President Pro Tempore and member of the Rules Committee. And Majority Whip Sen. Pamela Gorman (R-Dist.6) was also removed from Rules. Burns would likely have removed her as Majority Whip if it was within his purview to do so.  She was elected to that post by her colleagues.

Freshman Sen. Steve Pierce (R-Dist.1), who has served only 6 months in the senate, is reputed to have been named Verschoor’s replacement.

President Burns is building a not-so-impressive track record of bellowing, walking out of negotiations, and now removing other Republican senators from their posts — as punishment for straying from the fine line they are allowed to walk. In the case of Sen. Verschoor, President Burns has removed one of the most consistent and level-headed conservative leaders in the senate.  And in one rash moment has removed 2 of the 4 Republican members of the Rules Committee — because they dared to oppose a sales tax increase.

It appears to be past time for the members of the Senate to reevaluate their decision to select Bob Burns as President.

In these most trying times, the legislature needs thoughtful leaders who are able to build a consensus to protect the future of the state.

Barto lays down her hand — and gets trumped

In the back and forth emails making the rounds after six defectors left the Capitol building to avoid going on record as opposing HB 2280 –  a bill which would have ended sanctuary city policies –  Rep. Nancy Barto (R-Dist.7) attempts to defend her actions.  

She writes: “Rank and file officers are not calling for this bill — they want and need true discretion to perform their duties.”

How, then, does she explain this?

The bill authored by Sen. Russell Pearce (R-Dist.18) was endorsed by Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio, Maricopa County Attorney Andrew Thomas, Pinal County Sheriff Paul Babeu, AZ Fraternal Order of Police, Phoenix Law Enforcement Association (PLEA), Maricopa County Deputies Association, Border Patrol Officers Association, Arizona State Republican Party, Maricopa County Republican Party, Arizona Highway Patrol Association. It also gained the support of  the Arizona African American Republican Committee, Arizona Republican Assembly, The Pachyderm Coalition, NumbersUSA, and F.A.I.R.

Seeing Red AZ covered the spineless misadventures of these legislators in this post: Keep these folks in mind when elections roll around.  Maricopa County Republican Chairman Rob Haney voiced his concerns in this letter sent to GOP political activists.

Haney wrote: Last week nine of our Republican state representatives opposed a SOVEREIGNTY bill which would have attempted to end sanctuary city policies. Six of the nine did not even have the courage to vote their convictions. They chose to attempt to protect their political future by not voting. This lack of courage, as well as the failure to understand that the well-being, if not survival, of our citizens and our country is so intricately tied to this invasion is unconscionable. The billed failed by five votes. It was within the power of these nine Republican representatives to protect you and enforce Constitutional mandates. They failed you.

Point well taken, Chairman Haney.

Scott Bundgaard: A blast from the past

Former state legislator Scott Bundgaard has filed his intent to run for the Arizona state senate in District 4.  Sen. Jack Harper currently holds the seat, but is unable to run again due to term limits.

Many remember Bundgaard as Chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, where he was part of the team that crafted a $7 billion budget, which included income tax cuts for individuals and Arizona businesses, and the elimination of the marriage tax penalty. Republican Bundgaard was named a “Friend of the Taxpayer” every year he served.

He was elected to the House of Representatives in 1995, serving one term, before his Senate stint of six years —  which ran from 1997 to 2003. At the time of his election, Bundgaard was the youngest person to serve in the Arizona Senate. He lost a U. S. Congressional race to Trent Franks in 2002.

We welcome Scott back to the political fray.

Alert! $1.3 billion problem looming at Capitol

State Rep. Sam Crump’s (R-Dist.6) blog describes a potentially dangerous development at the Capitol. He writes it is rumored that the Commerce Department is about to issue a $25 million check to Science Foundation Arizona.

Gov. Brewer’s veto of over $1.3 billion in budget reconciliation bills (BRBs) could technically restore funding for those items, making those funds available to be spent now rather than pending further negotiation.

Crump is looking into the matter. Read his comments here.

Seeing Red AZ previously covered the not-so-veiled threats from the chair of the Science Foundation against conscientious lawmakers who stood firm for Arizona’s taxpayers during a time of necessary budget cuts.

Budget agreement reached by skeleton crew legislature

The special session got under way this afternoon with only 23 members of the 30 Senators present. The House of Representatives was in even more fragile condition with only 38 members out of 60 bothering to show up to vote on the divisive budget that is fraying nerves and causing Gov. Jan Brewer to lose much of her Republican support.

A quick fix was necessitated by the governor’s decision last week to reject the bulk of a legislative budget proposal for fiscal 2010. Hoping to force lawmakers to return to the Capitol and quickly negotiate a tax increase, Brewer vetoed the portion of the budget that included state funding for K-12 education. Schools need the funding to be restored before July 15, when the next state payment is due, according to a report in the daily. State officials say that the K-12 cut imperils $1 billion in federal stimulus funding.

“I can only come to two conclusions,” House Speaker Kirk Adams was quoted as saying of the governor’s vetoes, which have unleashed stinging rebukes from Republicans. “Either you didn’t know or you were acting recklessly.”

Adams called the vetoes “budget vandalism,” and said lawmakers need to move as quickly as possible to fix the situation.

We are still awaiting word on the Governor’s tax increase which she has been poised to place on the ballot although meeting with strong resistance from party regulars.