Legislative Alert, January 19, 2010
Welcome to the
weekly legislative update brought to you from the Arizona AFL-CIO. Your
participation strengthens the union movement at the state legislature and
beyond! Your participation is needed – all affiliated are invited to join
the weekly lobbyist meeting to collaborate efforts and plan strategies &
tactics. The weekly meeting is every Friday @ 2:00 at 5808 N. 7th
Street. The next first meeting will be Friday, January 22.
Governor Delivers a Budget
On Friday, Governor Jan Brewer presented the Arizona Legislature her
recommendations to balance the State's General Fund budgets for Fiscal Years
2010 and 2011.The Governor's budget significant spending reductions and service
eliminations across state government, a temporary revenue increase to bridge
the fiscal crisis.
Projections
estimate our state is facing a 1.5 billion dollar deficit this fiscal year and
a $3.4 billion next, even after the legislature convened five special sessions
to address the deficit over the past year. The outlook does not look
good.
Some of the
specific details of the proposed budget calls for the
elimination of the Department of Corrections, state funding for full day
kindergarten and the KidsCare program.
Senator Rebecca
Rios stated, "A primary concern with the governor's budget is that it
disproportionately cuts services to children, the mentally ill and working
families. Cutting 310,000 people from AHCCCS, 47,000 from KidsCare
and 17,000 from mental health services is a cost shift to the already broken
health care system which will in turn almost necessarily raise rates for
services.
We have said time
and again that we are willing to come to the table to help negotiate a budget
with the governor and share with her some of our ideas. Unfortunately, the
governor was not there with us long today for us to ask questions of her or
share those ideas."
The Governor's
complete and detailed budget proposal can be fully reviewed at her website: www.azgovernor.gov
Shadegg Tossing in the Towel
It seemed to come out of the blue when Representative
John Shadegg announced he would not seek re-election for his Congressional
seat. As soon as he announced his resignations the Republicans started
lining up. It is guaranteed that the Republican primary will be
interesting, so far who is in the list just keeps growing. As of today,
January 19th the list of who will run is:
- Vernon
Parker, Mayor of Paradise Valley
- State
Senators, Pamela Gorman
- State
Senator Jim Waring
- Rep.
Sam Crump
- Phoenix
businessman Jon Hulburd is the only announced
Democrat
There are many
other rumors as to who else might jump in.
With so many candidates running for higher office there will be rippling effect
on the offices they currently hold in addition to the offices they were
seeking.
When all Eyes are on Cuts,
the Needs Skyrocket
For example:
- State
healthcare, AHCCCS caseloads have risen 18%.
- Foods
stamps caseloads are up 36% and rising.
- Food
banks are experiencing over a 50% increase in demand.
- Community
agencies are under severe pressures serving new and growing populations.
Senator John Paton will Resign to Run for Congress
Saturday
Sen. Jonathan Paton said he will soon resign his seat in the Arizona
Legislature to challenge U.S. Rep. Gabrielle Giffords in this year's
congressional election.
Paton doesn't have
a date set for his resignation. He indicated he wanted to take care of a couple
of things at the Capitol before making the move.
Paton will
challenge one of the best Democratic fundraising candidates in the country.
Giffords raised $3.3 million in the 2007-2008 election cycle.
Currently, she has about $1.4 million cash on hand.
Clean Election Ruling
Delayed
We waited and watched but a on Friday a federal judge
delayed a final ruling on whether to void a key provision in the state's system
of public campaign financing.
U.S. District Court Judge Roslyn Silver said she's still inclined to believe it
is unconstitutional for the state to provide additional cash to publicly
financed candidates when their privately funded foes exceed the public
allocation.
However, Judge
Silver indicated she is not sure whether to ban the Citizens Clean Elections
Commission from providing matches in all cases or only when the money being
matched comes directly from the privately funded candidate.
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Union Nurses Join Relief
Effort in Haiti
More
than 1,500 registered nurses from across the U.S. have responded in less than
one day to the call by the nation's largest organization of registered nurses
for volunteers to provide assistance to the residents of earthquake devastated
Haiti. The efforts are being coordinated by the Registered Nurse Response
Network.
Donate Now
Support theses effort with Donations of funds to support travel costs and medical
supplies on their upcoming emergency mission to Haiti:
www.NationalNursesUnited.org or 1.800.578.8225
More about Registered Nurse
Response Network
The Registered Nurse Response Network is a project of the 150,000- member
National Nurses United (NNU), formed last month through the unification of the
California Nurses Association/National Nurses Organizing Committee, United
American Nurses and Massachusetts Nurses Association.
Watch Our Commercial
The Los Angeles County Federation of Labor began running commercials featuring
several healthcare workers, this commercial celebrates the legacy of Dr. King's
dream by highlighting the reopening of Martin Luther King Jr. Hospital -- a
major victory for Los Angeles County hospital workers, the communities directly
impacted by the loss of critical hospital services, and the working families of
Los Angeles.
Click below and
take a look. Watch
commercial
Watch State Legislature in Action
Just
a reminder, Cox Cable recently began broadcasting AZ CapitolTV
from the Arizona Legislature on Channel 123. This channel is a CSPAN
style channel featuring events of the Arizona Legislature and other state
programming of interest such as Statehood Day. Also, the Arizona
Legislature now has an online video archive. View and hear live and
archived hearings and meetings using the State of Arizona's live and video
archive at Watch legislature
