Arizona Republic columnist Robert Robb has written an excellent analysis of the state’s budget debacle and Gov. Jan Brewer’s attempted tax hike “fix.”
Robb’s column is a must read for those who have grave doubts regarding her handling of the mess.
He writes: If Brewer gets her sales tax referral and voters approve it, that would only provide an additional $450 million or so for 2010. Brewer proposed to partially bring back the state property tax and Democrats want to bring it back entirely. That’s just another $250 million.
So, even with the additional revenues Brewer and others insist have to be part of the solution, there’s still a 2010 deficit of around $1.9 billion to be tackled.
Looking forward, remember that the federal funds are temporary. So, even if Brewer’s sales tax increase is passed and a year’s worth of proceeds collected, and the state property tax comes back in its entirety, the state has an ongoing structural deficit – the gap between the state’s same-year expenses and revenues – of $2.5 billion.
Unless Brewer plans to advocate a tax increase three times as large as she has so far, she needs to quit demonizing spending cuts.
Billions of dollars in federal aid — about $17 billion – in the first piece of the administration’s massive stimulus package, delivered directly to the local level to help revive the economy, have gone overwhelmingly to places that supported President Obama in last year’s presidential election.
What a surprise!
Counties that supported Obama last year have reaped twice as much money per person from the administration’s $787 billion economic stimulus package as those that voted for his Republican rival, Sen. John McCain, a USA TODAY analysis of government disclosure and accounting records shows. That money includes aid to repair military bases, improve public housing and help students pay for college.
The reports show the 872 counties that supported Obama received about $69 per person, on average. The 2,234 that supported McCain received about $34.
FOX 10’s Steve Krafft exposes tomorrow’s skinny dipping contest to be held at The Shangri La Nudist Ranch north of Phoenix. Owner Horst Kraus says he expects to host 300 to 500 people as they attempt to set a national world record.
According to the report, Kraus, who greeted the newscaster clothed, then removed his garments to show that he’s comfortable in his own skin. For those interested, the KSAZ report provides a pictorial link to the nudist resort.
If you can bear watching Kraus bare all, the video can be seen here.
Kraus, as CNN previously reported also hosts summer nudist camps for youngsters — making him a most unconventional Republican activist — and a high-dollar campaign donor to such notables as Sens. Jon Kyl, John McCain and Congressman John Shadegg.
According to Editor & Publisher, the publication covering the newspaper industry, Gannett Co., the parent company which publishes the Arizona Republic, USA Today and 85 other daily newspapers, is again handing out pink slips. In all, Gannett is eliminating approximately 1,400 positions across its newspaper division, or 3 percent of its work force. The Republic is laying off at least 20 staffers.
Gannett also owns local NBC affiliate KPNX-TV Channel 12.
The Phoenix Business Journal reports that designers, feature writers, copy editors, and business and community reporters were among the latest newsroom casualties. A staff meeting yesterday afternoon reportedly informed employees of the changes and addressed the paper’s future.
Freedom Communications, the parent company of the East Valley Tribune, has advised its employees of 5 percent across-the-board pay cuts, scheduled to go into effect Monday, as they struggle to stay afloat. The company owns 32 newspapers, seven broadcast stations and more than 70 weekly papers, magazines, specialty publications. Previously, the Trib implemented several drastic changes, going to a free circulation, four-day-a-week paper and eliminating its Saturday print edition as ABC 15 reported.
FOX News reporter William La Jeunesse reports that the Social Security Administration is holding a 3-day training conference, including such illuminating subjects as “team building,” “diversity training,” “stress in the workplace, and “mentoring” at the exclusive five star Biltmore Resort in Phoenix — with an estimated price tag of $750,000 — paid for by American taxpayers, of course.
700 managers from as far away as American Samoa and Guam, along with a Washington D.C. contingent and their entourages will be lounging poolside at our expense in these most financially difficult times.
Listen closely to the remarks from Pete Spencer, a social security administrator as La Jeunesse asks him about the costly soiree.
By their own calculations the Social Security administration wastes $4.6 billion in overpayments each year.
For a bit of local bragging rights, La Jeunesse previously worked as an investigative reporter for KTVK-TV 3 and at KTSP- TV 10 in Phoenix. Believe it or not, this FOX News reporter began his journalism career at the Arizona Republic, where he spent five years writing investigative pieces for the daily. How far he’s come!
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 20th. 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.
Italian luxury goods manufacturer VBH was thrilled to report that First Lady Michelle Obama was toting their $5,950 alligator manila clutch-style handbag earlier this week while tooling around Russia.
But the White House vehemently denied the nearly $6000 version, saying that the First Lady was only carrying the cheap $875 VBH patent leather clutch.
Whew! That sure beats paying an exorbitant price for a small handbag.
The New York Daily News reports that after sticking to their initial claim, the high-end leather manufacturer is now backing off. “If that’s what the White House is saying, then it’s a patent bag,” tactfully evaded the VBH rep — despite being certain earlier in the morning about the bag being the multi-thousand dollar version. “It’s definitely ours [manila bag],” she said at the time — although she now says that she made an assumption and misidentified the bag.
Ooo-kay.
But don’t forget the fashion conscious Obama served up porridge to the homeless at a D.C. shelter wearing a pair of $540 Lanvin sneakers. You know the ones. Gray suede, with grosgrain ribbon laces and metallic pink toe caps. You gals probably have a pair sitting right there in the closet at home.
Illegal immigration is once again front and center in today’s Arizona Republic‘s editorial. Nothing surprising there.
But before getting to the meat of this unpalatably re-heated meal, readers are served the appetizer litany of deaths of “migrants” succumbing to desert heat, kidnappings and drop-houses along with the gnawable bone for the ecology minded: “devastation to the borderland ecosystem.” These are today’s initial reasons put forth as key to the pressing need for ‘immigration reform.”
The real story in Linda Valdez’s editorial titled Arizonans Can Help Obama, is the role of the hometown crowd.
The editorial enthuses that Sens. John McCain and Jon Kyl will join forces with Democrats Rep. Gabrielle Giffords and former Arizona Gov. Janet Napolitano turned Homeland Security Chief, to “lead a bipartisan group assigned to advance reform.”
According to Valdez, McCain’s immigration credentials are “beyond reproach, since he recognizes that reform is necessary to facilitate an orderly future flow of migrant labor that is adequate to meet the need.”
Valdez’s assertion stands in direct contradiction to an above-the-fold, front page article in same issue of the newspaper detailing the growing number of churches and synagogues across the Valley forming support groups to assist with networking, career coaching and attempts to restore hope to desperate unemployed citizens. How does importing foreign competition, willing to work for lower wages, aid frantic American citizens who are jobless and losing their homes to foreclosure at record rates?
FOX News reports that liberal Democrat Chuck Schumer, steering an immigration overhaul through the Senate expects to have a bill ready by Labor Day. This time Arizona Republicans Kyl and McCain are deviously letting the Democrat take the flak for a bill on which they have previously been the architects and leading cheerleaders — along with their now ailing liberal cohort, Ted Kennedy. They are keenly aware their own Republican party has had its fill of their duplicity on this crucial issue.
illegal aliens selling pirated movies still in theaters
Maricopa County Sheriff’s deputies arrested Karina Romero-Figueroa, 24, and Judith Romero-Figueroa, 27, on two counts of pirating movies and music, a class-three felony.
One suspect who fled deputies, leaving two teenagers behind, is still at large. Those children are currently with Child Protective Services. The two suspects in custody have admitted to selling these pirated movies and music titles for the past year at a Mercado for five dollars apiece.
“We have received intelligence indicating that illegal aliens are believed to be heavily involved in this type of activity locally and I will be working closely with these companies to crack down on the problem” Sheriff Joe Arpaio said.
Sheriff’s officials were contacted with the information leading to the arrests by a local private investigation firm that is working for the Recording Industry of America. During the raid, deputies recovered 1,252 movies and over 1,800 music CD’s and MP3’s. Some of the movie titles included Transformers, Ice Age, and Up, all of which are currently in theaters.
The early morning raid comes just hours after a news conference where Sheriff Arpaio and his attorneys announced their disappointment in the way that the U.S. Department of Justice’s civil investigation is being conducted.
“I will say it again; I am not going to be deterred by the Justice Department’s attempt to intimidate me from doing my job” Arpaio says.
Since the civil investigation was launched by the Justice Department in March of this year, the Sheriff’s Office has arrested and booked over 4,000 illegal aliens.
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.
Posted by seeingredaz 
Posted by seeingredaz 
Posted by seeingredaz 
