sylvia allen

Another Arizona Republican comes out of the Racist Closet

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First, there was (now former) Republican Legislative District One Representative David Stringers racist comments on not enough White Kids to go around in schools and African Americans not “blending in.” Then, there is Congressional District Four Representative Republican Paul Gosar who has demonstrated a fondness for subscribing to known racist sites on Twitter. Last week, … Read more

Arizona’s Children, Poor, and Middle Class should be prioritized first in this years Budget Negotiations

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The State Budget being considered by Arizona State Legislators should benefit all and not just a few; the poor and middle class along with the wealthy; our most vulnerable along with our most successful. Unfortunately, some Republicans, despite current events, still have not fully learned the lessons of the 2018 elections and want to support … Read more

Allen Sales Tax Plan to help fund Education is deemed “regressive” by many Democrats.

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Superintendent of Public Instruction Kathy Hoffman said work needs to be done to “find sustainable and dedicated revenue streams to fund our schools.”

Education funding after last years Red for Ed Movement will continue to dominate discussions in Arizona Political and Economic Circles this year and next.

While the 20 percent raises for instructors and staff over two years and other increases in education funding  (like extending Proposition 301) passed by the legislature are certainly helpful, it still does not fully address the funding shortfall of public schools in Arizona in 2019. For that matter, it does not rectify the funding shortfall at 2008 levels.

What is to be done to bring public school funding up to 2019 levels?

Governors Ducey’s 2019 budget, according to Superintendent of Public Instruction Kathy Hoffman is a step in the right direction but work must be done to “find sustainable and dedicated revenue streams to fund our schools.”

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Update: Senate Passes Bill to Hide Dark Money in Local Elections

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Dark Money Vote 3-29-18Update: Arizona lawmakers (again) sided with dark-money special interests instead of voters. The Senate passed HB 2153 by a 17-13 (party–line) vote. The bill now goes to the desk of Governor Doug Ducey to sign or veto.

HB 2153, sponsored by ALEC member Rep. Vince Leach (R-11), blocks local governments from enforcing their own dark money disclosure requirements.

Now’s the time to call his office at 602.542.4331 and tell him to stand with voters, instead of dark-money special interest groups and VETO HB 2153.

One of the worst pieces of legislation ever produced by the Republicans in the state legislature is nearing a vote that would lock away the source of dark money in local Arizona politics.

HB2153, introduced by right-wing Rep. Vince Leach of Saddlebrooke, bans any city or county from requiring nonprofit political groups to identify campaign contributors.

The bill is a direct response to a city charter amendment in Tempe to require such disclosures. 91 percent of Tempe voters said “yes” to the political campaign transparency measure.

Leach’s HB2153 would throw a greater cloud of darkness over dark money political campaign contributions now made in secret by out-of-state contributors and notorious right-winger donors like the billionaire Koch brothers.

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