TUSD Board candidates’ forum at Drinking Liberally tonight, 6pm
September 26, 2012
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by David Safier I'll be moderating a forum with the candidates for TUSD Board tonight (Wednesday) at Drinking Liberally, starting at 6pm at the Shanty, 401 E. 9th St. (NE corner of E. 9th St. and 4th Avenue). It looks like the Democratic candidates will be there, which is the majority of people running. In … Read more
Gabriela Saucedo Mercer: ‘I heart SB1070’ (video)
September 26, 2012
by Pamela Powers Hannley
Sometimes you just don't know what you're going to find on the Internet. I was looking for something completely different, and Goggle gave me this…
After the jump, watch a 2010 video of Republican Congressional candidate and Mexican immigrant Gabriela Saucedo Mercer voicing her support for SB1070. (She also takes the opportunity to dump on Councilwoman Regina Romero and Congressman Raul Grijalva, her current opponent in the CD3 race.)
Hispanic Chamber opposes ‘Quality Education & Jobs’ Prop 204
September 26, 2012
by Pamela Powers Hannley I guess stingy Republicans come in all colors. Tucson's Hispanic Chamber of Commerce has voted to oppose the Quality Education and Jobs initiative (Prop 204) on the November ballot. In their opposition, they proudly join the Goldwater Institute, Governor Jan "Mother-of-SB1070" Brewer, former State Senate President Russell "Father-of-SB1070" Pearce, State Representative Debbie … Read more
Treasurer, LD-10 candidates on Buckmaster this week
September 25, 2012
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by David Safier Bill Buckmaster continues his series of what he calls "face-to-face conversations" Wednesday and Thursday, Sept 26 and 27, on KVOI AM 1030. Pima County Treasurer's race: Beth Ford (R) and Elaine Richardson (D): Wednesday, 12:30pm Arizona Senate District 10: Frank Antenori (R) and David Bradley (D): Thursday, 12:00pm
How progressive is Tucson?
September 25, 2012
by Pamela Powers Hannley Tucson has a reputation of being Arizona's hotbed of liberal thought, old hippie ideas, great music, and electic art, but how progressive is Tucson? Pretty darn progressive… – Recently 341 Pima County residents were elected as precinct committee people (PCs). These volunteers represent the Democratic Party's ground game. They show up to … Read more
The latest Carmona ad
September 25, 2012
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by David Safier
I really don't envy Jeff Flake. He's going head to head with one of the most difficult candidates to run against in the country. How can anyone top Carmona's story? And Flake, with all kinds of congressional votes to pick through and no private sector experience outside of his stint as a lobbyist, is easy pickings for the Carmona campaign. Carmona's latest ad, which you can see below the fold, is a perfect example of what Flake's up against.
And what does Flake have against Carmona? He has the claim that Bush's Surgeon General and one of the most independent-minded people you'll find anywhere is going to be carrying water for Obama. I just clicked through an anti-Carmona ad link on Talking Points Menu. The web page was created by Freedom Works. Not only does it look amateurish and have weak copy, but when you click on the video titled "Richard Carmona: Handpicked by Obama," it comes up with a black screen saying "The video has been removed by the user." Flakey, flakey, flakey.
Watch Carmona's new ad below the fold.
Arizona will never enact genuine tax reform so long as Prop. 108 (1992) remains law
September 25, 2012
Posted by AzBlueMeanie:
I have posted about Prop. 108 (1992), Arizona's "mini-Prop. 13" initiative, many times over the years. Prop. 108 amended the Arizona constitution to require a two-thirds vote by each chamber of the State Legislature when passing any legislation to increase state revenues through a change in tax allocation, such as an increase in taxation levels, or a reduction in tax credits and tax exemptions. Voters passed this proposition by a margin of 3-1 in 1992, the single most irresponsible and ignorant thing the voters of this state have ever done to themselves.
Since the passage of Prop. 108 in 1992, the Arizona legislature has not enacted a tax increase. The only tax increases enacted since 1992 have been the result of citizens initiatives to increase taxes on ourselves — over the objections of our state legislature — for education and health care initiatives.
The Arizona legislature has, however, enacted a series of income tax rate cuts, property tax rate cuts, and adopted a myriad of tax exemptions and tax credits since 1992 that have had the effect of reducing state revenues. When the state's population was growing rapidly and the economy was growing along with it, the Arizona legislature could use the resulting increase in tax revenue as an excuse for giving away annual tax cuts as a gimmick for their reelection.
[Note: The increased tax revenue was due to rapid population growth. It was not a validation of supply-siders' "tax cuts lead to greater tax revenue and pay for themselves." Rapid population growth masked the long-term effects of these tax cuts.]
The problem with Prop. 108 is that these tax cuts, tax exemptions and tax credits became "permanent," because the two-thirds super-majority rule empowers a minority of Grover Norquist worshipping anti-tax zealots who can engage in an undemocratic tyranny of the minority to block any reforms to tax laws (much the way the U.S. Senate abuses the cloture rule to filibuster bills).
Republicans for Carmona
September 25, 2012
Postedby AzBlueMeanie: Press release form the Dr. Richard Carmona for U.S. Senate campaign: Carmona campaign announces Republicans for CarmonaCampaign launches dedicated microsite RepublicansforCarmona.com Today Carmona for Arizona unveiled Republicans for Carmona, a group of Republicans tired of the direction Arizona is heading in and want an independent U.S. Senator who will work with both parties … Read more
