Legislative Alert, February 16, 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! All are invited to join the weekly lobbyist meeting to
collaborate efforts and plan strategies & tactics. The weekly meeting is
every Friday @ 12:00 at 5808 N. 7th Street. The next legislative meeting will be
February 19th and it will start at 12:30pm due to a prior meeting.
Special Session Round 6
Ends!
Governor Brewer called her sixth special session to continue working on the
current fiscal year's budget deficit, which is $1.5 billion. The Governor's
asked the legislature to work on:
- Adjustments
to state agency budgets, including sale/leaseback of additional state
buildings;
- referring
to voters a three-year, one-percent increase in the state's sales tax;
- prorating
income tax deductions for out-of-state filers;
- bonding
against lottery revenues.
The Senate went to
work and quickly moved the budget bills. The House kept up with tradition and
took more time and included a few grandstanders. The bills that refer a
three-year one-cent sales tax extend the lottery, and collect more taxes from
out-of-state filers were approved. On Wednesday, things got interesting. The
sole outstanding measure, a $450 million rollover payment for K–12 and public
universities, was linked with passage of the Speaker's bill, HB
2250: Arizona's Job Recovery Act. The Senate apparently did not agree
with this maneuver, so adjourned the special session. The House followed suit
on Thursday. The $450 million rollover education payment can still be
considered in the current regular session or a future special session.
The current year budget is still short almost $700 million, so more work
goes on.
Bill to Watch - SB 1242—
Employer Protections; Labor Relations – NO!
This bill is
scheduled for the Senate Commerce, today, Tuesday, Feb. 16th at 1:30
The Arizona AFL-CIO
is strongly opposed to SB 1242. This bill is preempted by federal labor law,
which already provides adequate remedies in this area. Moreover, it has a
chilling effect on free speech with its vague definitions along with increased
fines for violations.
- SB
1242 is redundant and may be unenforceable. Federal law already places
restrictions on how picketing may occur and provides ample opportunities
for employers to have their concerns addressed. States cannot intervene in
this area because the National Labor Relations Act pre-empts other
regulations.
- This
bill has a chilling effect on free speech. SB 1242's provisions are
vague and overbroad. Because workers would be unable to know what they can
say or do legally, this bill would have a chilling effect on free
speech. Ultimately, this legislation would deter workers from
exercising their constitutionally-protected freedom of speech and may even
be unconstitutional.
- This
bill is pre-empted by federal law, and strikes at our constitutional right
to freedom of speech.
Bill to Watch HB2395 —
Schools; Payroll Deductions; Union Dues NO!
This bill has been
held but we will be keeping an eye on this one!
The Arizona AFL-CIO
strongly opposes HB2395. The paycheck deception bill would prohibit school
districts from automatically deducting dues for unions and other associations
from teachers' and administrators' paychecks. Thus, HB2395 unfairly singles out
teachers and their unions and tries to stifle their right to organize.
- This
bill tries to silence teachers. HB2395 specifically prohibits automatic
payroll deductions that go to teachers' unions and associations. This
bureaucratic obstacle will make it harder for teachers to make their
voices heard.
- Arizona
teachers have a right to pool their money for issues they care about. It's
wrong to place more obstacles between teachers and the organizations that
advocate on their behalf.
Bills to Watch - SCR1032 AND
HB2283— Schools; Classroom Instruction Expenditure NO!
These bills are
based on the already discredited "65 percent solution," and would
require that a percentage of each school's budget to be spent "in the
classroom." The similar bills SCR1032 and HB2283 worsen the already bleak
situation for Arizona's schools by stripping away vital support services for
students, including school security, quality lunches, and clean classrooms.
Moreover, teacher training and guidance counselors could be cut in order to
comply with this rigid mandate. The Arizona AFL-CIO is opposed to SCR1032 and
HB2283.
- This
proposal fails to address the central issue—adequate and equitable
funding. The "65% deception" is an attempt to draw
attention away from the fact that Arizona's public schools are near the
bottom nationally in per pupil funding. Raising the stipulated percentage
to 70% is not an improvement. 70% of inadequate is still inadequate.
- These
"solutions" will ultimately hurt children. As resources
are moved away from vital support services, our children's schools will be
less safe, not as clean, and instruction will suffer because of a lack of
continuing teacher training.
- Education
professionals agree this is a flawed concept. Standard & Poor's
evaluation of U.S. schools with "in classroom" spending both
above and below 65% showed no difference in scores between them.
Ed Bunch named to Replace
Senator Waring
As
we mentioned last week District 7 Precinct Committeemen (PC's) gave the names
of three people to replace Sen. Waring who resigned to run for Congressman John
Shadegg's seat. The names they put forward were: Rep. Ray Barnes, Nancy
Rep. Barto and Ed Bunch. The Maricopa County Board of Supervisors selected
Ed Bunch.
Bunch is a lifelong
Republican, is co-owner of B. Bunch Co., a printing equipment manufacturing
company and a Scottsdale resident. He has been a precinct committeeman in
Legislative District 7 since 2006.
Bunch was the only
one who indicated he would not run for the office in November. The other
nominees, Republican Reps. Nancy Barto and Ray Barnes, indicated they will run
for the seat.
Who is in and who is out of
the CD 3 Race
Paulina
Vazquez Morris resigned from her job as counsel and deputy director of DOA on
Friday to launch her campaign for CD3.
Paulina won a seat
on the Maricopa County Special Health District in 2004 and chose not to seek
re-election. Sean Noble, Congressman Shadegg's former Chief of Staff has
said he will not be running.
To make the list
even more exciting, Dan Quayle's son decided to jump into the race. Ben
Qualyle is a 33 year old attorney who is a complete unknown but hey his dad was
a Vice President so why not?
So far the
Republican list also includes, Sen. Jim Waring, Sen. Pamela Gorman, Rep. Sam
Crump, PV Mayor, Vernon Parker, and Ed Winkler.
There is also a
rumor that Mayor Phil Gordon will test the water and file an exploratory
committee. If he runs as a Democrat, Gordon will be running against John
Hulburd the only other Democrat in the race. Hulburd has already raised
$315,027 in the final three months of 2009. Rumor has it that Mayor
Phil Gordon is conducting a poll to see how he does as a Democrat as well as an
Independent.
And Who Says Politics is
Boring?
J.D.
Hayworth has jumped back into politics and he made a huge splash on Presidents
Day. J.D. decided he is missing the smell of that Washington power so he
officially launched his campaign to run against the four term incumbent and GOP
nominee for President the one and only Sen. John McCain.
At a time where
most campaigns focus on the future and a new direction we are certain we will
hear a lot from the past. J.D. will focus on McCain's past with the
Keating 5 and how he voted for a bloated budget. McCain is certain to
focus on J.D.'s ties to the corrupt Jack Abramoff.
To help make the
kick off exciting, J.D. secured a major endorsement of Chris Simcox, co-founder
of the Minuteman, who jumped out of
the race and will support J.D. Not to be outdone, McCain secured the
endorsement of 31 Arizona Mayors including Phoenix Mayor Phil Gordon. McCain
will be campaigning next month with Sarah Palin and newly elected Senator Scott
Brown.
Let the games
begin!
Hero & Villain of the
Week
The Hero of the
week is Attorney General Terry Goddard for his huge win with Western
Union. Goddard announced a 94 million dollar settlement with Western
Union. Goddard has battled Western Union in court for years over cash
transfers to Mexico. The deal calls for Western Union to pay out $94 million
for border crime efforts, including $21 million to cover costs that Arizona
incurred through its investigations of the company and its agents. The deal
provides cash for a multi-state initiative aimed at tackling money laundering
and drug and human smuggling. Goddard called the deal "a major step in our
ability to crack down on drug cartels and organized border crime."
The Villain of the
week is Rep. Frank Antenori for his House Bill 2770 - that says a person in
Arizona can't receive "assistance or cash assistance" if he or she
smokes, drinks or uses illegal drugs; possesses a cell phone that isn't his or
her only phone; owns a car worth more than $5,000 or a TV worth more than $300;
or if his or her cable-television contract offers more than basic
service. Can you imagine the paperwork and cost to enforce this
law? Come on Frank work on the budget and lay off those who are down and
out. $240 bucks a month for food stamps doesn't buy much.
Did you See Sunday
Square-Off?
In
case you missed it, the Arizona AFL-CIO Communications Director was on as a
former candidate for Phoenix City Council. You can watch it here Sunday Square-Off
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
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