Instead of “Ditat Deus” (God Enriches), Arizona’s motto should be “Tax Cuts R Us.” Today in the Ways and Means Committee, we heard three tax giveaway bills: HB229 (corporate welfare for utility companies); HB2355 and HB2356 (increases to the 25% charitable tax credit passed in 2019); and HB2358 (increases to the dependent tax credit). HB2293 … Read more
“How can Arizona increase education funding?” has been an ongoing question since the Tea Party started hollowing out public education and doling out tax breaks ten years ago. This week the Legislature is hearing a few education funding bills. The Senate Education Committee is hearing two bills related to education funding on Tuesday, January 28: … Read more
Thursday, January 23, marked our first floor debate of the 2020 session of the Arizona House. We had Committee of the Whole (COW) for HCR2023, a bill to raise the Constitutional funding cap that was imposed upon schools districts in 1980. We have to pass this bill in order to allow school districts to spend … Read more
We have seen over the past several years that many on the right believe that too much democracy is a bad thing. We see it in the voter suppression laws passed all over the country in the wake of the Supreme Court’s gutting of the Voting Rights Act in 2013, including attempts here in Arizona … Read more
My husband Albrecht Classen, University Distinguished professor at UA in German Studies, just published an article in the online Elephant Journal about ethics and education, as well as impeachment of President Donald Trump. He draws parallels between ethics & the teaching profession after 33 years at the college level, and ethics in government. Here’s part … Read more