Play the video above to see these stories on AZ Illustrated Politics for Friday, Jan. 24 with guests Ann-Eve Pedersen, president of the Arizona Education Network, Frank Antenori, former state lawmaker, and Mark Evans, editor of Inside Tucson Business:
GOV. BREWER’S PLAN FOR CPS: Pedersen said that if the state is going to split Child Protective Services away from the Department of Economic Security, it should also include programs to assist families in the new agency because those programs help keep families stable and avoid cases of neglect. Antenori said that Brewer’s move to split the agency away via executive order may not have been legal, but he agreed that with the state on firmer financial footing, more funding should go to CPS. Evans said improving the economy would avoid some problems with abuse and neglect.
TRANSPORTATION FUNDING: Gov. Brewer’s budget proposal continues to divert $120 million in Highway User Revenue Funds from local communities. Evans said that a wide array of lobbying groups, including businesses and government, are pushing to see that funding restored to counties, cities and towns for work on decaying roads. Antenori said the diversion was a relatively small percentage and local governments should cut their staffs and spend more on asphalt. Pedersen said having bad roads hurt economic development efforts and that it may be time to find new funding sources for roads.
ATTORNEY GENERAL TOM HORNE’S LEGAL PROBLEMS: Attorney General Tom Horne is facing a hearing regarding whether he violated campaign-finance laws by illegally colluding with an independent campaign committee in 2010. Antenori said that Horne should get out of the AG’s race this year and let his GOP opponent, Mark Brnovich, take on Democrat Felecia Rotellini. Pedersen said that Horne had significant political liabilities, including allegations that he was having an affair with a subordinate in his office, but she thought he would remain in the race.
COUNTY FEUD: Pima County Supervisor Ally Miller has been complaining that fellow GOP Supervisor Ray Carroll did not support her on a rezoning issue. Evans said that there are big tensions between the supervisors and Antenori offered to bring them together in a beer summit. Pedersen said that Miller needed to improve her professional demeanor in office.
AZ Illustrated Politics is produced by Jim Nintzel. Contact him at jnintzel@azpm.org.
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