Posted by AzBlueMeanie: Time once again for the Farley Report from Rep. Steve Farley (D-LD 28): Advertisement This year's budget drama is taking shape as I write this, and the picture is not a pretty one. You'll recall the Governor's disastrous budget proposal from January with these features: –> Elimination of healthcare and housing for … Read more

By Craig McDermott, cross-posted from Random Musings As he threatened/promised, Senate President Russell Pearce has put out a budget proposal and he plans to railroad it through tomorrow.  A special meeting of the Senate Appropriations Committee is scheduled for 9:30 a.m., with a Rules Committee session to follow immediately after. I don't have time for a … Read more

by David Safier Get ready for the Russell Pearce budget bill from the Senate. They want to cut $400 million more than Brewer proposed. (It's amazing how far to the right you have to move to make Brewer look like a moderate). The cuts: "$172 million from K-12 schools, $65 million from universities and $67 … Read more

Posted by AzBlueMeanie: What are the disenfranchised voters of Arizona to do about a radical Tea-Publican Arizona Legislature that only listens to its radical fringe base? Use the tools that Arizona's Progressive Founding Fathers gave us in the Arizona Constitution: initiative, referendum and recall. (When Arizona became a state its constitution was a model constitution … Read more

by David Safier Remember that $500 million-plus corporate tax break the Republicans rushed into law? Remember how it was first the "jobs bill," then the "competitiveness bill," and it was going to cause a stampede of new businesses crazy to set up shop here? And remember how it's backloaded to start around 2015 so it … Read more

By Craig McDermott, cross-posted from Random Musings An agenda for a meeting of the Senate Rules Committee for Tuesday has been posted, with the committee scheduled to meet upon adjournment of the Senate floor session. There are two items on it: 1.  Permission for the late introduction of 13 budget-related bills.  Given yesterday's news that Senate … Read more

Posted by AzBlueMeanie: Before you get upset and spit out your coffee over the mere thought of the idea of adding more elected representatives to the Arizona Legislature, hear me out. I have always believed that there should be a per capita formula for the number of residents served by state legislators. As the population … Read more