The Farley Report: 5-21-13

Posted by AzBlueMeanie:

Time once again for The Farley Report from Senator Steve Farley (D-LD 9):

t's five days later, and I still feel high from our unprecedented
demonstration of bipartisan moderation on the State Senate floor on
Thursday.  

As I shared with you on that magical evening, Republicans stood with
Democrats in the face of relentless ideological attacks over the course
of nearly twelve hours and stood strong through vote after vote and
reconsideration after reconsideration to approve the Governor's Medicaid
restoration plan and a humane budget that invests in K-12 and Higher
Education, Child Protective Services, State Parks and Arts Commission
grants, Economic Development policies, and Adult Education and Literacy,
all while not raising taxes and ensuring a budget surplus over the next
three years.  

This is exactly what Arizona voters have been
telling us we want, and much credit goes to Governor Brewer for
proposing in January that we do what is right for all Arizonans and
leverage more than $8 billion in federal funds over the next four years
to restore AHCCCS coverage to more than 300,000 people in poverty.  

Credit also goes to Majority Leader John McComish who had the guts to
withstand the slings and arrows of some in his caucus who called him a
traitor for standing up for his Governor's policy when he introduced and
led floor debate for the Medicaid restoration amendment. 

Credit goes to President Andy Biggs for deciding not to use his power
to stop the process when it was clear that his views were not
prevailing. No one will ever question his passion, especially on the
Medicaid issue, and — because he refrained from using tools at his
disposal to thwart the will of the majority — no one will question his
integrity either.  

Credit goes to the 13 Democrats and five Republicans who held
together to pass Medicaid and the budget for the greater good of all,
even though not one of us liked every single thing we voted for.  

But most of all, credit goes to the voters like you who decided to
elect people of integrity to the State Senate this last election —
Republicans and Democrats alike. Your thoughtful approach at the ballot
box made all the difference and could signal a sea change in how
politics work in Arizona.  

Now we must preserve these victories as the package of bills travels
to the House, where Speaker Andy Tobin has not yet indicated his next
moves. There are eight solid Republican House votes to preserve the
Senate budget as amended, which is enough to do many things along with
the 24 Democrats.  

I have hope that the Speaker will either be persuaded of the
importance of moving this budget to the Governor's desk unamended for
her signature, or be willing to demonstrate his leadership by respecting
the will of the House majority.  

First order of business is to get those bills heard and passed unamended in the House Appropriations Committee. If
you can, please contact the House Approps members and politely request
that they support the Governor, put partisanship aside, and hear and
pass those budget bills unamended. If you are a Republican, it is even
more important that you contact the Republican members. If you can
convince two Republicans, the people of Arizona win. Here are their
contacts: 

Your efforts could make all the difference right now. 

Thanks for your continuing faith in me as your Senator. 

Steve Farley