And so it begins. After six years since the last substantive debates over immigration reform, the Senate Judiciary Committee recently approved the Border Security, Economic Opportunity and Immigration Modernization Act, the title of the legislation borne out of the months-long work of the bipartisan Gang of Eight, which includes Arizona Senators John McCain and Jeff Flake.

Local school districts, including Kyrene, will now be able to pay for capital needs as bond legislation was passed in conjunction with the state’s budget early on Friday.

State lawmakers were moving toward finally adjourning their 151-day session late Thursday -- but not before setting the stage for constituents to have to start paying taxes on what they buy from catalogs and on the World Wide Web.

Not waiting for formal gubernatorial approval, foes of her Medicaid expansion already are moving to undo at the ballot box and in court what they could not block at the Legislature.

Tired of waiting for action, Gov. Jan Brewer forced lawmakers back to the Capitol late Tuesday to approve her budget and Medicaid expansion.

It’s only been a week since the 1-cent sales tax went off the books, but area economists and businesses do not expect to see much if any increase in retail sales in the foreseeable future due in part to consumers having little idea the increase ended.

Abortion foes are making a late-session push to allow health inspectors to inspect clinics without a warrant.

Some GOP lawmakers are threatening to torpedo the budget being pushed by their own leaders if $400 million in planned spending is not cut across the board.

The state's more than 38,000 medical marijuana users are in no danger of losing their medication, at least not at the ballot box.

State senators voted Wednesday to ensure that if you like to hang your clothes out on the line you have a choice of new homes to buy.

Our immigration system is broken, and that’s bad for our country and our economy. As the Senate debates the bipartisan comprehensive immigration reform recently introduced, I hope that Senators John McCain and Jeff Flake will continue to support this important legislation.


State lawmakers voted last week to give businesses a chance to escape from class-action lawsuits before the legal bills -- and potential verdict against them -- gets too large.

The state's high court is going to give Arizona lawmakers another chance to argue that they don't have to obey a voter mandate to annually increase basic state aid to schools.

The Court of Appeals won't stop the state from continuing to fund a controversial voucher program, at least not now.

Conceding he lacks the votes, House Speaker Andy Tobin gave up Tuesday in his bid to block the Medicaid expansion plan by Gov. Jan Brewer with his own alternative.

In case you forgot, Gov. Jan Brewer has other priorities this year besides getting the Legislature to approve Medicaid expansion.

Gov. Jan Brewer said Friday that Arizona no longer needs its 1-cent sales tax surcharge even though state spending, while below 2009 levels, still exceeds ongoing revenues.

Kyrene School District officials on Tuesday presented a capital plan for the upcoming 2013-14 school year to its governing board, hoping to modify its current “run to failure” effort to fund capital needs.
With its biggest challenge of funding capital items like leaky roofs, air conditioning towers and rusted water pipes, the district is modifying its “run to failure” plan to only pay for high-priority projects and maintenance projects with excessive or recurring costs.
Kyrene Superintendent Dr. David Schauer said on Tuesday that the plan is “not something we are happy about, but something we believe we can do.”
Still waiting on whether bond legislation from the state will come out in favor of school districts this summer, district chief financial officer Jeremy Calles said select schools with the high-priority capital needs will be addressed first.
“The pile is only growing bigger and bigger each year,” Calles said.


The state Court of Appeals on Tuesday rejected a bid by prisoner rights advocates, including a convicted murderer, to void a new fee being charged to visitors.

Calling the measure racist, a coalition of rights groups filed suit Wednesday to overturn a two-year-old law banning abortion for race or gender selection.

After the high-profile shooting of Border Patrol Agent Brian Terry in 2010, Scott Rollefstad felt he had to do something to help keep other agents safe.

Two former Republican state senators are maneuvering to give voters the last word on whether Arizona expands its Medicaid program.

Refusing to blink, Gov. Jan Brewer late Thursday vetoed five bills sent to her this week by Senate President Andy Biggs despite her threat she would do just that.

Rock-star Ted Nugent has extravagant praise for National Rifle Association (NRA) Executive Vice President Wayne LaPierre’s alleged patriotism. “LaPierre,” says Nugent, “resembles our forefathers who stood on Concord bridge and risked all to give birth to a truly free, independent America.”

As part of the recently passed state budget which included an expanded Medicaid plan expected to reach some 350,000 Arizonans, local school districts are expected to receive inflation funding next fiscal year.