Month: August 2014
Who’s running for TUSD Governing Bd. in 2014
Today was the filing deadline for those interested in serving on the Tucson Unified School District Governing Board. Nine people filed by the 5 p.m. deadline, so here’s the cast of candidates to choose from in the November 4th general election. This is a nonpartisan race for 2 school board members (unpaid volunteers). The two incumbents are Adelita Grijalva and Michael Hicks, both running for re-election. In alphabetical order from last name:
Rene Bernal , applied software engineer at Honeywell, political newcomer, www.tusdsbernal.com
Debe Campos-Fleenor, owner of financial/ insurance agency, ran before in 2012. www.debefortusd.com
Don Cotton, self-employed businessman, ran before in 2012, father of 2 TuSD students, www.cottontusd.com
Miguel Cuevas, former TUSD board member, elected in 2008, lost in 2012 (came in 4th for 3 seats, out of a pool of 12 candidates), project coach at AFNI, www.votemiguelcuevas.com, https://www.facebook.com/Miguelcuevasfortusd
Jenifer Darland, policical newcomer, community activist, mother of 2 TUSD children, www. darlandfortusd.com, https://www.facebook.com/DarlandforTUSD
Adelita Grijalva, current board member and President, has served since 2004, http://www.adelitafortusd.com/, https://www.facebook.com/pages/Adelita-Grijalva-for-TUSD-School-Board/130007817047419, daughter of CD 3 Congressman Raul Grijalva, mother of 2 TUSD students
Michael Hicks, current board member, elected in 2010, https://www.facebook.com/pages/Michael-Hicks-for-2014-TUSD-School-Board-Member/112861325429566, father of 2 TUSD students
Betts Putnam-Hidalgo, community activist & part time teacher, ran before in 2012, mother of son at TUSD school, https://www.facebook.com/pages/Stand-with-betts-for-TUSD/204287006336384
Francis Saitta, Pima Community College adjunct math/ science teacher, ran unsuccessfully for PCC Governing Bd. in 2012 (District 5)
Know your anti-choice Democratic candidates in AZ. Part 4.
This installment will conclude my series on the anti-choice Dems running in legislative primaries. This last one, Sen. Catherine Miranda (LD27), might prove the most difficult to remove due to her incumbency and the strength of her family name. Luckily, her challenger is the hugely impressive and indefatigable campaigner Aaron Marquez. (I’m pretty sure Aaron has gotten more money out of me than any legislative candidate ever has because he’s that good at raising it.) And while it sucks to want a female Democrat to be defeated, Miranda has got to go, we’ll be getting a staunch ally in the Senate with Aaron Marquez:
On your campaign website, you mention that as part of your service with the United States Army Reserve, you helped to build women’s centers in Afghanistan. Can you tell us more about this: What services did they provide, and what impact have they had?
League of Women Voters and LULAC: Arizona failing to offer required voter registration
Arizona Secretary of State Ken “Birther” Bennett is denying low income Arizona residents the opportunity to register to vote using the National Voter Registration Act (NVRA) federal form in his ongoing pissing match with the federal government over Prop. 200 proof-of-citizenship requirements for voter registration. Project Vote reports, Arizona Once Again Failing to Offer Required Voter Registration
Secretary of State Bennett and State Agencieson Notice for Violations of Federal Law
PHOENIX, AZ — Citing clear evidence that numerous low-income Arizona residents have been denied the opportunity to register to vote, the League of Women Voters of Arizona and the League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC) sent official notice today to Secretary of State Ken Bennett, as well to the heads of three Arizona public assistance agencies (the Department of Economic Security, the Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System, and the Department of Health Services), that the State is violating the National Voter Registration Act (NVRA).
The notification letter calls on Secretary Bennett, as Arizona’s chief election official, and the other officials to take the necessary corrective action to ensure Arizona’s public assistance offices comply with the NVRA. The letter notes that although the State entered into an agreement with the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) in 2008, which has since expired, the State continues to violate key provisions of the NVRA. The voting rights groups also offer in the letter to work cooperatively with Secretary Bennett and state officials to help Arizona avoid litigation and come into compliance with the NVRA.
Legal representation is being provided to the two organizations by voting rights attorneys from Project Vote, Demos, the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law, and the ACLU of Arizona.
Same-sex marriage appeals arrive at SCOTUS (‘Windsor Sequels’)
The nation’s longest-running federal court challenge to a state ban on same-sex marriage — now in its tenth year — reached the Supreme Court on Wednesday. Lyle Denniston reports at SCOTUSblog.com, Oklahoma clerk appeals on same-sex marriage:
A county clerk in Oklahoma filed a petition seeking to defend that state’s ban, one day after a similar appeal was filed by Utah officials. The Oklahoma case (Smith v. Bishop) has been docketed as 14-136. Other cases are due at the Court soon.
And in Same-sex marriage issue reaches the Court early:
Virginia officials will be submitting their own petition to the Supreme Court on Friday, Attorney General Mark R. Herring said in a filing in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit.