Michael Bryan Come join Drinking Liberally as we watch the historic returns of the Feb. 5th primaries in 21 states for the Democrats, 22 for the GOP, including our own Arizona. We will be gathering at the Nimbus Brewery and Taphouse starting at 6pm. Nimbus is on 44th Street off of Palo Verde. It’s very easily to … Read more
Rs and Ds at all levels, but especially among those competing to be the next Commander in Chief, constantly fight over which party is the champion of our armed forces. The Rs claim that title by dint of massive and reckless appropriations and a belligerant, wooden-headed foreign policy that gives the armed forces plenty of … Read more
The AZ GOP caucus has made a quarter-billion dollar property tax cut the
non-negotiable centerpiece of this years budget process as we face as much as a
$1 billion budget shortfall and even bigger budget deficits projected for 2009
and even 2010.
Why does the GOP want to cut taxes in the middle of a looming national
recession and huge (~10%) state budget deficit?
There are very good reasons, none of which has anything to do with fiscal
prudence, and everything to do with politics and ideological commitments:
First, and most obviously, they get to have their cake and eat it too by eliminating this property tax. The reinstatement of the state equalization property tax levy
will take effect next year, and
thus repealing it is budget neutral this year,
yet the GOP gets to claim a quarter-billion dollar tax cut going into a tough
campaign season in which the Democrats could quite conceivably take away their
majority. They get to lock in a tax cut, and transfer the cost of that $250
million dollar cut to the General Fund next year.
Learn the next two reasons after the click…
David Safier will begin blogging on the topic of education on February 1st. Dave is a retired educator with a background in urban studies and graduate studies in education. Dave is deeply concerned with the status of public education in Arizona and keenly interested in bringing greater awareness and understanding of those issues to the … Read more
Link: In New Orleans, Edwards calls it quits. In a surprise move following a sub-15% performance in Florida, a primary with no delegates, John Edwards called it quits before Tsunami Tuesday. I’m curious how people who were supporting Edwards, like myself, are now leaning. I voted early, so I’m kind of screwed; I don’t get … Read more