Author Archive: Web Steward
Government needs to avoid another shutdown
The latest government shutdown should teach us all a lesson. We need our federal government and the essential services that it provides. Shutting the government down is a threat to national security. As just one example, we were days away from a collapse of the air transportation system until a stopgap spending bill was passed. […]
Continue readingLooking at Arizona’s Democratic leadership
A lot has been published about the new leadership in the Arizona Republican Party, emphasizing the controversy over the election of ultra-right Kelli Ward as State Chair. Meanwhile, there was nothing reported about the Arizona Democratic Party elections the same weekend, including the election of three Coconino County leaders. Pat Carr was elected Chair of […]
Continue readingLegislative Alert!
USE Request to Speak or Contact Your Legislators by Email or Phone: SB1320 – Senate Finance Committee – Moves responsibility for Audits of ESA’s (Educations Scholarship Accounts) to the State Treasurer from the Department Of Education. Would significantly reduce the effectiveness of any audits done. OPPOSE SB1395 – Senate Finance Committee – Requires […]
Continue readingCoconino Voices: Driscoll again under fire for ICE detainers
For the second time in a year, Sheriff Jim Driscoll is being sued over his policy of holding inmates suspected of being undocumented for an additional 48 hours after they have paid bail or served their sentences so that ICE agents have time to drive up from Phoenix and place them in immigration detention. And […]
Continue readingAZ Legislature: Voting Rights Update
A Republican-backed voter suppression measure appears to be dead after key GOP legislators came out against it in the state Senate, where the GOP holds just a 17-13 majority. This bill would have bannedvoters who receive a mail ballot from turning in that ballot in person, forcing them to return it via mail or wait in line to […]
Continue readingVoting Rights Call to Action
Urgent Call to Action (h/t Indivisible) Two bad bills are headed to the Senate Floor today: SB1046: prohibits early voters from turning their mail-in ballots any other way than by mail. SB1072: Extends Voter ID to in-person early voters. What You Can Do Make Calls to Your State Senators TODAY, Feb. 6 Call 602-536-4264. It will […]
Continue readingHow do we protect citizens from citizens
“Build the wall, crime will fall.” We are to believe a $5.7 billion wall will protect citizens of the United States from murder at the hands of an illegal immigrant. Las Vegas, 59 dead; Borderline Bar, 13 dead; Pittsburgh Synagogue, 11 dead; Sutherland Springs, 27 dead; Parkland, 17 dead; Santa Fe High School, 10 dead; […]
Continue readingKeep the Arizona minimum wage the same for all
Young people ages 18-22 years old deserve the same minimum salary as the workers 23 and older. Whether they are students at NAU or working in other parts of our state, they should receive at least the minimum wage. Recent legislation introduced by Travis Graham from the 12th district is unacceptable (Student wages to be […]
Continue readingEnvironmental News and Action Alerts
by Christa Sadler, 2d Vice Chair of ADP Environmental Caucus Drought Contingency Plan Arizona finally got realistic and signed the Drought Contingency Plan (DCP) on the very last day they could do so, January 31. Doing so avoided the need to have the feds step in and decide for us how our water issues would […]
Continue readingStudent debt can’t be solved by cutting wages
A quite crisis has crept across our nation, almost obsequies by its nature.The mounting debt of student loans is as serious as the 2007 housing crisis; except that, instead of losing a home, our college students are losing an opportunity to begin a family and career without being burdened by a lifetime of debt. While […]
Continue reading