Senate Rejects GOP Bid to Block Arizona Lawsuit

From the Arizona Republic

Our colleage Raju Chebium of the Gannett Washington Bureau contributed the following item.

WASHINGTON – A Republican bid to stop the federal government's lawsuit against Arizona’s
immigration law failed Wednesday.

The vote was 43-55 along mostly partisan lines.

Republican Sens. Jim DeMint of South Carolina and David Vitter of Louisiana sought to prohibit the White House from using federal funds to finance the lawsuit, which the U.S. Department of Justice filed earlier this month. The senators wanted to attach their measure to legislation extending unemployment benefits.

Before the vote, DeMint accused President Barack Obama's White House of trying to “intimidate” Arizona for seeking to enforce federal immigration law.

The federal government failed in its duty to secure the border and Arizona is merely trying to protect its citizens, DeMint said on the Senate floor, adding that the law doesn’t advocate racial profiling but expressly forbids it.

“This is something we know the American people – if they could vote here today – would vote in favor of,” DeMint said. “The question is will the majority vote to support the people of Arizona or to support this political move that we’re now seeing from the White House?”

The Justice Department argues that Arizona is violating the Constitution by trying to usurp the federal government's sole authority to regulate immigration. The lawsuit seeks an injunction to block the law from taking effect on July 29.

South Carolina has joined eight other states – Michigan, Alabama, Florida, Nebraska, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, Texas and Virginia – and the Northern Mariana Islands in filing a legal brief supporting the Arizona law.

The Senate also rejected, by a vote of 39-59, a separate DeMint measure to permanently repeal a real estate tax that critics call the “death tax.”

Sens. John McCain and Jon Kyl, both Arizona Republicans, voted for both DeMint proposals.

Erin Kelly of The Arizona Republic's Washington Bureau contributed to this report.

Democrat Governors Concerned About Obama vs Arizona Lawsuit.

From The New York Times.

July 11, 2010

Governors Voice Grave Concerns on Immigration

By ABBY GOODNOUGH

BOSTON — In a private meeting with White House officials this weekend, Democratic governors voiced deep anxiety about the Obama administration’s suit against Arizona’s new immigration law, worrying that it could cost a vulnerable Democratic Party in the fall elections.

While the weak economy dominated the official agenda at the summer meeting here of the National Governors Association, concern over immigration policy pervaded the closed-door session between Democratic governors and White House officials and simmered throughout the three-day event.

At the Democrats’ meeting on Saturday, some governors bemoaned the timing of the Justice Department lawsuit, according to two governors who spoke anonymously because the discussion was private.

“Universally the governors are saying, ‘We’ve got to talk about jobs,’ ” Gov. Phil Bredesen of Tennessee, a Democrat, said in an interview. “And all of a sudden we have immigration going on.”

He added, “It is such a toxic subject, such an important time for Democrats.”

The administration seemed to be taking a carrot-and-stick approach on Sunday. Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano, in town to give the governors a classified national security briefing, met one-on-one with Jan Brewer, the Republican who succeeded her as governor of Arizona and ardently supports the immigration law.

About the same time as that meeting, Attorney General Eric H. Holder Jr. said on a taped Sunday talk show that the Justice Department could bring yet another lawsuit against Arizona if there is evidence that the immigration law leads to racial profiling.

Ms. Brewer said she and Ms. Napolitano did not discuss the current lawsuit. Instead, in a conversation she described as cordial, they discussed Arizona’s request for more National Guard troops along the border with Mexico, as well as other resources.

The Democrats’ meeting provided a window on tensions between the White House and states over the suit, which the Justice Department filed last week in federal court in Phoenix. Nineteen Democratic governors are either leaving office or seeking re-election this year, and Republicans see those seats as crucial to swaying the 2012 presidential race.

The Arizona law — which Ms. Brewer signed in April and which, barring an injunction, takes effect July 29 — makes it a state crime to be an illegal immigrant there. It also requires police officers to determine the immigration status of people they stop for other offenses if there is a “reasonable suspicion” that they might be illegal immigrants.

The lawsuit contends that controlling immigration is a federal responsibility, but polls suggest that a majority of Americans support the Arizona law, or at least the concept of a state having a strong role in immigration enforcement.

Republican governors at the Boston meeting were also critical of the lawsuit, saying it infringed on states’ rights and rallying around Ms. Brewer, whose presence spurred a raucous protest around the downtown hotel where the governors gathered.

“I’d be willing to bet a lot of money that almost every state in America next January is going to see a bill similar to Arizona’s,” said Gov. Dave Heineman of Nebraska, a Republican seeking re-election.

But the unease of Democratic governors, seven of whom are seeking re-election this year, was more striking.

“I might have chosen both a different tack and a different time,” said Gov. Bill Ritter Jr. of Colorado, a Democrat who was facing a tough fight for re-election and pulled out of the race earlier this year. “This is an issue that divides us politically, and I’m hopeful that their strategy doesn’t do that in a way that makes it more difficult for candidates to get elected, particularly in the West.”

The White House would not directly respond to reports of complaints from some Democratic governors.

But David Axelrod, the president’s senior adviser, said on Sunday on CNN’s “State of the Union” that the president remained committed to passing an immigration overhaul, and that addressing the issue did not mean he was ignoring the economy.

“That doesn’t mean we can’t have a good, healthy debate about the economy and other issues,” Mr. Axelrod said.

Mr. Obama addressed the economy last week during stops in Kansas City and Las Vegas, and has been calling on Congress to offer additional tax relief to small businesses.

And the heads of Mr. Obama’s national debt commission — Alan K. Simpson and Erskine B. Bowles — were on hand here on Sunday to press the economic issue.

The nation’s total federal debt next year is expected to exceed $14 trillion, and Mr. Simpson, a former Republican senator from Wyoming, and Mr. Bowles, a Democrat and the White House chief of staff under President Bill Clinton, offered a gloomy assessment if spending is not brought under control even more.

“This debt is like a cancer,” Mr. Bowles said. “It is truly going to destroy the country from within.”

Still, the issue of immigration commanded as much attention as anything here this weekend.
Ms. Brewer, who was trailed by television cameras all weekend, called the lawsuit “outrageous” and said the state was receiving donations from around the country to help fight it.
“I think Arizona will win,” she said, “and we will take a position for all of America.”

Immigration was not the only topic at the Saturday meeting between Democratic governors and two White House officials — Patrick Gaspard, Mr. Obama’s political director, and Cecilia Munoz, director of intergovernmental affairs. But several governors, including Christine Gregoire of Washington, said it was a particularly heated issue.

Ms. Gregoire, who does not face an election this year, said the White House was doing a poor job of showing the American public that it was working on the problem of illegal immigration.
“They described for me a list of things that they are doing to try and help on that border,” Ms. Gregoire said of the White House officials at the closed-door meeting. “And I said, ‘The public doesn’t know that.’ ”
She added, “We’ve got a message void, and the only thing we’re hearing is that they’re filing a lawsuit.”

Some Democrats also joined Republicans in calling for Congress to pass an immigration policy overhaul this year.
“There are 535 members of Congress,” said Gov. Brian Schweitzer of Montana, a Democrat. “Certainly somebody back there can chew gum and hold the basketball at the same time. This is not an either-or.”

Gov. Bill Richardson of New Mexico praised the Justice Department’s lawsuit, saying his fellow Democrats’ concerns were “misguided.”
“Policy-wise it makes sense,” said Mr. Richardson, who is Hispanic and who leaves office this year on term limits, “and Obama is popular with Hispanic voters and this is going to be a popular move with them nationally.”

Gov. Martin O’Malley of Maryland — a Democrat who voiced apprehension about the lawsuit in the private meeting, according to the two governors who requested anonymity — said in an interview that he supported it.

“The president doesn’t have control over some of the timing of things that happen,” Mr. O’Malley said. “When those things arise, you can’t be too precious about what’s in it for your own personal political timing or even your party’s timing. When matters like this arise, I think the president has to take a principled stand.”

But Mr. Bredesen said that in Tennessee, where the governor’s race will be tight this year, Democratic candidates were already on the defensive about the federal health care overhaul, and the suit against Arizona further weakened them. In Tennessee, he said, Democratic candidates are already “disavowing” the immigration lawsuit.

“Maybe you do that when you’re strong,” he said of the suit, “and not when there’s an election looming out there.”

Mr. Ritter of Colorado said he wished the Justice Department had waited to sue Arizona until after the law went into effect, to give the public a chance to see how difficult it would be to enforce.

“It’s just an easier case to make,” he said. “I just think that law enforcement officers are going to have a terribly difficult time applying this law in a constitutional way.”

Sheryl Gay Stolberg contributed reporting from Washington, and Katie Zezima from Boston.

The People Say, "Enforce the Law."

Some interesting poll numbers just in on illegal immigration.

With boycotts against Arizona for passage of SB 1070 and daily protests for its repeal, 76 percent of Americans want the number of illegal aliens degreased according to a CNN/Opinion Research Poll conducted May 21-23, this is an increase from the 67 percent who felt the same way in June 2006.

Arizona Governor Jan Brewer seems to have re-ignited the illegal immigration debate when she signed SB 1070 into law, pointing out that the federal government has failed to secure the border between Arizona and Mexico.

President Obama promised his supporters during his 2008 campaign for president that immigration reform would be a priority during his first year in the White House, which included a plan to make illegal aliens legal, instead of using the dreaded A word, amnesty. That would be the same as reducing the number of speeders on the highway by increasing the speed limit. If Obama makes illegal aliens legal aliens we wouldn't have as many illegal aliens.

Most Americans are not buying the Obama plan however, 60 percent want the government to put the emphasis on stopping illegal from entering and deporting those already here. Only 38 percent want them to become legal residents.

Senator John McCain of Arizona, must also have been reading the poll numbers. In 2006, McCain was the poster boy for a plan that would provide a path to citizenship for illegal aliens. Now that he is in a tough primary for the GOP nomination for the senate, he has changed his tune and is broadcasting campaign commercials portraying him as tough on border security.

The CNN poll shows that 88 percent of Americans favor putting more Border Patrol and federal law enforcement on the border, which is up from 74 percent in 2006.

54 percent favor building a 700 mile long fence at the border with Mexico, up from 45 percent in 2006 and 2007.

A whopping majority of Americans are for doing what the federal government won't do, turn off the jobs magnet that is causing people to risk their lives in the deadly Arizona desert to provide cheap labor for greedy employers. 71 percent are in favor of imposing fines of tens of thousands of dollars on employers who knowingly hire illegal aliens, this number is up from 58 percent in 2006 and 47 percent would send those employers to jail for hiring undocumented workers, up from 40 percent in 2006. 70 percent are in favor of creating an ID card issued by the federal government that American citizens and legal residents could use to get jobs.

NBC News and Telemundo, the Spanish language network, also conducted a poll from May 20 to 23 that found that 40 percent of all registered voters would back a Republican candidate who supported Arizona's illegal immigration law which, included 19 percent of Latinos, and 26 percent would back a Democratic candidate who opposed the Arizona law, which included 53 percent of Latinos. 32 percent of all registered voters polled said that the issue would not affect how they voted, 25 percent of Latinos said the same.

The questions I have are, "if we are a federal republic of laws, why are our immigration laws not being enforced?"

"If we are a government by the consent of the governed and the clear majority of the governed want the border secured and employer sanctions against hiring illegal aliens, why, after all these years, has it not happened?"

Bob Haran,
American, Conservative, Republican.

Another DEM Bits the Dust: Sen. Bayh not seeking re-election

From the Associated Press;
INDIANAPOLIS - Media reports say that Democratic Sen. Evan Bayh of Indiana has decided to not seek re-election.

The Indianapolis Star reports that Bayh is attributing his decision to excessive partisanship that makes progress on public policy difficult to achieve as the motivation for his decision.
Bayh scheduled a Monday afternoon news conference in Indianapolis. The Associated Press left messages seeking comment at his Senate office and for state Democratic chairman Dan Parker, whois Bayh's campaign manager.

UPDATE, Race for Shadegg Seat & other North Valley News.

Gordon considering run for Shadegg’s U.S. House seat
From the Phoenix Business Journal - by Mike Sunnucks

Phoenix Mayor Phil Gordon could be eyeing a run for U.S. Rep. John Shadegg’s congressional seat.

Shadegg said Thursday he would not seek another term in the district that includes north Phoenix, Anthem and Paradise Valley.

That has sparked speculation on who might seek the job.

Gordon has been mentioned as a possible Democratic candidate in the Republican-oriented district.

The Phoenix mayor said Friday he would be looking at the lay of the land in the race.
“There’s no doubt that Phoenix needs another strong advocate in Washington who can make sure we get our fair share of federal resources while creating an environment where the private sector can thrive, and I've received dozens of calls encouraging me to look at the race. Nevertheless, my focus remains creating jobs and economic opportunity in the city of Phoenix, so it makes sense to let the political dust to settle for a few days before spending any time looking at this,” said Gordon.

Democrats would have an uphill climb in winning Shadegg’s seat. Shadegg defeated Democratic attorney Bob Lord in the most recent election, and first won in 1994.
A number of Republicans are also looking at running for the seat. State Sen. Pam Gorman, R-Phoenix, told the Phoenix Business Journal Thursday night she’s considering a run.
Other potential GOP candidates include State Sens. Jim Waring and Barbara Leff as well as State Reps. Sam Crump and Jim Weiers.

Shadegg announced his retirement the day after State Treasurer Dean Martin announced he was running for governor. Martin had been eyeing Shadegg’s seat.
Paradise Valley Mayor Vernon Parker also lives in the district but is also making a bid for governor this year.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Update and Comment from American Conservative Republican.
By Bob Haran

According to both Sam Crump and Jim Waring, they will be candidates for the GOP CD 3 Congressional nomination, this is confirmed by me after speaking with both directly. Two indirect sources have told me that Pam Gorman has also entered the field but this has not yet been confirmed. Barbara Leff and Thayer Verschoor are both running for Arizona Treasurer to replace Dean Martin, who's campaign for the GOP governor's nomination is in full swing. I have no information regarding Jim Weiers throwing his hat into the ring in CD 3. I never did ask Vernon Parker if he had any interest in running for congress, however, he also seems to be fully engaged in seeking the GOP nomination for governor.

Based on conversations I had both before the Maricopa County Republican Committee meeting Saturday in Tempe and during it, both Crump and Waring seem to be the favorites in the Republican political community, with Crump slightly ahead of Waring, but both very acceptable to almost everyone I spoke with. Actually I don't recall any negative comments regarding any of the names mentioned as possible candidates.

Contrary to predictions by some political commentators, minus a major event, John Shadegg's congressional seat looks to be safely Republican in 2010, even if Phoenix Mayor Phil Gordon were to obtain the Democrat nomination.

In the best interest of my country, I have no plans to run for congress but I have been asked to run for Sam Crump's Arizona House seat from LD 6. More on my plans and LD 6 on a later post. I'm truly overwhelmed by the positive response to a possible Haran candidacy however. Steve Kaiser, an Army reserve captain and Afgan veteran has resumed his campaign for the Arizona House from LD 6 and so far, he seems acceptable to me and because he is younger and prettier then me and also vetted by the U.S. Army, I would probable not obstruct his gaining the nomination by running myself, that is not final however at this time. Hopefully my plans will be announced early next week.

It's Official, Brewer is Running

November 5, 2009,
Phoenix, AZ
By Bob Haran

Early today Arizona Governor Jan Brewer submitted the initial paperwork with the Secretary of State to run for election in her own right as Governor.

Brewer inherited the Governor's office in January when former Governor Janet Napolitano, a Democrat, resigned in order to become U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security in the Obama administration.

The duties and responsibilities of the office of Governor were not the only things Brewer inherited from Napolitano. Brewer said that she inherited a budget deficit created from years of overspending and living beyond our means.

To reduce spending and manage the budget Brewer and the Republican controlled Legislature made the largest spending cuts in Arizona history, around $1 billion.

Brewer admitted that some of those cuts were not easy to make but also said that, "tough times call for a tough leader."

In August Governor Brewer and the Republican leadership of the Arizona Legislature reached an agreement which was praised by the Wall Street Journal (WSJ) as an alternative to tax, spend, and tax again. Designed to entice more employers and high-income taxpayers to Arizona and to stimulate the economy by putting more money in the hands of consumers, instead of trying to tax their way out of a huge budget deficit, Arizona would grow its way out by repealing the hated business property tax, reducing the state corporate income tax rate from 6.97% to 4.86%, and in addition, cutting all personal income tax rates by 6.6%. In exchange for the tax cuts the legislature would allow the voters to decide if they were willing to temporarily pay an extra one cent on the dollar in sales tax for two years and a half cent for a third year.

The WSJ article pointed out that economic studies have shown that states have more jobs and higher income growth when they tax consumption rather than savings, investment and business profits.

The tax and spend Democrats called the agreement a tax giveaway to big business and voted as a block against it. The package past however in the Republican controlled House but ran into trouble in the Republican controlled Senate when two extremist, anti-government senators, Pam Gorman of LD 6 and Ron Gould of LD 3, broke ranks with the Republican party and voted with the Democrats against the sales tax referral to the voters, defeating it by one vote, thereby killing the agreement and forcing the governor to veto the tax cuts. Later Gorman resigned as Senate Majority Whip, citing philosophical differences with the Republican Caucus and went on a mid-west vacation.

Jan Brewer is a conservative Republican from Glendale who was first elected to the Arizona House in 1982 and to the Arizona Senate in 1986 were she also served as Majority Whip for two terms. In 1996 she was elected to the Maricopa County Board of Supervisors and went on to become Chairman of the Board.

First elected to statewide office in 2002 as Arizona Secretary of State and re-elected in 2006. Brewer has been a Republican Precinct Committeemen since 1970 and has always been a stalwart, hard working Republican who has never lost an election.

After taking office as governor, Brewer told the Arizona Daily Star; "First I was worried, then I was concerned, and now I'm just angry to see what has happened and the irresponsible management that has led us to the brink of bankruptcy."

It seems that Napolitano knew when to abandon a ship in trouble, thankfully Brewer is made of sterner stuff and will not abandon ship because Brewer has the Right Stuff.

Bob Haran,
American Conservative Republican

AZ FACING MORE CUTS

Arizona Governor Jan Brewer, a conservative Republican, inherited, as a result of the housing slump and a spending spree by Democrat former Governor, Janet Napolitano, a state government spending more then it was taking in. Hard, responsible, decisions had to be made and Brewer made them. She made the greatest cuts in state spending in Arizona history.

Brewer accepted reality however, budget cuts alone would not solve the budget crisis and let the Republican controlled legislature know that nothing was off the table, including the need for increased revenue to provide government services.

The governor sponsored a plan that was hailed by the Wall Street Journal as a budget breakthrough for state government and an alternative to the California tax and spend model. The plan would have repealed the hated tax on business property, would have provided one of the largest state corporate income tax cuts in the nation, from 6.97% down to 4.86% and cut all individual income tax rates by 6.6%. In exchange, the legislature would allow a one cent temporary sales tax increase to be referred to the voters. The temporary sales tax referral would have given the people of Arizona a say in how much they wanted to spend on government and would have only taken effect if they approved it.

Former U.S. Treasury economist Robert Carroll of the Tax Foundation claims that states with lower corporate tax rates have higher wages and more productivity. Small business also would have benefited from the lower rates, which would have allowed them to reinvest in their business.

Governor Brewer's plan was a, win-win, for Arizona and an agreement was reached with the Republican Caucus of both the House and the Senate to repeal the business property tax and cut the corporate and individual income tax rate in exchange for a referral to the voters of a temporary sales tax increase of one cent.

The Arizona House approved the agreement but two extremist in the Republican controlled Senate, Pamela Gorman and Ron Gould, who both claim to be Republican, broke ranks and voted with the Democrats against the sales tax referral and therefore killed the agreement.

Arizona now faces a $1,5 billion deficit for the FY 2010 and possibly a $3 billion deficit next year unless draconian cuts are made in state spending.

The governor's office has asked state agency directors to submit plans for a possible additional 15% cut in their budgets.

Some state agencies have reported what they would have to cut if budget cuts of 15% were required of their agencies because extremist in the legislature insist on cuts to close the state budget deficit.

According to a report in today's Arizona Republic.

The Arizona Department of Corrections would be forced to reduce its budget by $153 million. which would require;

* Early release of 13,000 prisoners.

* Reducing mandatory time served by 50 percent for most serious felonies,

* Closing the Arizona State Prison Complex at Douglas and the prisons at Globe, Fort Grant, and St. Johns,

* Laying off 1,500 employees.

In his letter to Brewer's budget director, Eileen Klein, DOC Director Charles Ryan explained, "Rewriting the criminal code and releasing thousands of prisoners is neither realistic nor in the best interest of public safety," and that , "Releasing thousands of prisoners because of the budget deficit will place the public at risk and is akin to turning our back on the law-abiding citizens of Arizona."

Arizona Department of Environmental Quality warned of increased noncompliance at landfills and bio-hazardous medical waste treatment facilities and reduced monitoring of pesticides entering the water systems in Arizona.

Arizona's universities, ASU, UofA and NAU, have already cut $231 million, or 21% of their state funding this year and estimate that a 15 % cut would equal an additional $135 million is cuts.

Regents President Ernest Calderon reported that, "We'd have to look at everything." Calderon explained that 15% was the equivalent of $1,300 in additional annual tuition charges per student or the elimination of 2,200 jobs.

The Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System, (AHCCCS), would be forced to reduce its budget by $44 million and would have to eliminate its Kids Care program, which currently covers 46,957 children, who would lose their health insurance coverage.

The Department of Public Safety, (DPS), Director, Roger Vanderpool, during a radio interview today said he would have fever officers, resulting in longer response time to emergencies. He estimated 570 to 600 employee cuts.

We may have to suffer further cuts that may turn Arizona into a third world state and seriously hurt the Republican party in future elections for the legislature and the governor's office, but Senator Pamela Gorman, who is eyeing a Congressional seat and Senator Ron Gould, can always say they never voted for a tax increase or referral and are therefore champions of the taxpayer, of course what is good for Gorman and Gould comes first before; country, state, community or party, at least according to Gorman and Gould.


Bob Haran,
American Conservative Republican

PULLEN WRITES ON LATINO AND GOP VALUES.

The following was published in the September issue of "Latino Perspective" magazine.
my perspective on: Latinos and the Arizona Republican Party
A sharing of values
By Randy Pullen

Imagine a political organization that is truly built from the ground up. An organization that learns from its mistakes and gets better. A group of people who believe in self reliance and encourage an independent spirit. An organization that implements new and innovative strategies in public policy. An organization which believes that individual rights and responsibilities are the foundation of a free society. That political organization exists. And it is the Arizona Republican Party.

Last year’s Democrat tsunami taught Republicans around the country a valuable lesson. Americans will hold you accountable if you get off track. While other Republican states were unable to withstand a political tsunami of Democrat support, I am proud to say that Republicans in Arizona did remarkably well. In fact, we picked up seats in the state Legislature and scored wins at nearly every level of elective office. While we are proud of those achievements, we will not rest on our laurels.

Since being reelected as chairman of the AZGOP last January, the party has undergone a thoughtful and thorough review of our operations. We have identified areas of concern and have taken steps toward improving our political organization.

One of the areas in which we have rededicated ourselves is our outreach efforts into the Latino community. The Republican Party shares much in common with Latinos. We maintain strong bonds with family and we are strongly patriotic. We have great appreciation for our military troops and those who have fought for our freedom. Our commitment to protecting life and our religious traditions endure. We take pride in our ability to be productive citizens. As Ronald Reagan once said, a person who agrees with you 80 percent of the time is a friend not a foe. The Republican Party understands that we need to do a better job communicating the values we share, instead of letting others mistakenly define that relationship for us.

The AZGOP has added a new Coalitions Department to our organization to improve this effort. We are creating new materials promoting our intent and have incorporated new technologies to enhance our ability to communicate the Republican message of lower taxes and smaller government. With Facebook, YouTube, Twitter, blogs and a new Web site, we will expand our effort to encourage participation and an ongoing dialog.

Improving our relationship with Latino voters is a top priority for the Arizona Republican Party. For too long, the Democratic party has taken the Latino vote for granted and pushed liberal, anti-family policies assuming that Latinos will vote Democrat regardless of how little they represent the Latino values. I think it might be time for that to change. For those frustrated with the leadership of the Democrat Party, I would suggest that they take a look at the Republican Party platform and discover how much we have in common.

Much has been made of declining voter enrollments for the Republican and Democrat parties. Across the nation, the Republican Party lost ground to the Democrats in voter registration throughout the 2008 election cycle.

Although Republicans still maintain the advantage in registration totals, there is still plenty of work to be done in order to prepare for the 2010 election cycle. We must work harder than ever to register voters, successfully communicate our message and recruit strong candidates that can win on Election Day.

The Latino community is a vital part of the Arizona Republican Party as we share a wide range of common interests. Working together, we can make a difference in Arizona’s future. A future which reflects our principles and values. A future that respects the right to self-determination and a level playing field on which to achieve it.

Randy Pullen is the Arizona Republican Party Chairman and Republican National Committee Treasurer.






This article appears in the September 2009 issue of Latino Perspectives Magazine.

How Reagan Closed Budget Gap

Many people who calls themselves Reagan Conservatives forget that before Ronald Reagan was elected as President of the United States in 1980, he was governor of California from 1967-75.

Reagan's election as governor in 1966 was his first public office. During the 1964 presidential campaign he served as cochairman of California Republicans for Goldwater.

After defeating incumbent Democrat Governor Pat Brown with 58 percent of the vote, Governor Reagan went on to establish a conservative record in restricting the size and cost of state government.

Just as Republican Arizona Governor Jan Brewer inherited a huge budget deficit from Democrat Governor Janet Napolitano, Republican California Governor Ronald Reagan inherited a huge budget deficit from Democrat California Governor Pat Brown.

What did Reagan do, how did he handle the budget disaster he inherited from his Democrat predecessor. Reagan immediately ordered a hiring freeze of new state employees and then cut the state budget across the board by 10 percent.

The father of Reaganomics did something else that may come as a shock to the blind followers of Grover Norquist and Americans for Tax Reform. Working with a cooperative state legislature, Reagan was able to obtain an increase of the state income tax together with welfare reform legislation that striped the less needy from the rolls and increased benefits for those that met higher eligibility requirements. By cutting expenses and increasing revenue, Reagan was able to close the budget deficit he inherited from his Democrat predecessor.

Fast forward 40 years and doesn't that sound familiar? Isn't that the same as what Conservative Republican Governor Jan Brewer is trying to do to solve Arizona's budget problem, cut expenses and increase revenue? It seems that the only difference between what Reagan did and what Brewer is advocating is instead of raising the income tax, Arizona will cut the income tax to stimulate spending and temporarily increase the sales tax by one penny to increase revenue to help close the gap. .

There is one important difference between Reagan and Brewer however, Reagan didn't have uncooperative state senators like Pamela Gorman and Ron Gould obstructing solving his budget crisis, Brewer and Arizona does.

Bob Haran,
American Conservative Republican

Pullen Says Obama Presidency; Broken Promises, Rampant Spending, Chicago-style Politics

From Matt Roberts,
Arizona Republican Party

Broken promises, rampant government spending, and Chicago-style politics have marred the first 200 days of the Obama Presidency according to Arizona Republican Party Chairman Randy Pullen. After examining the achievements of President Obama’s first six months in office, Chairman Pullen has concluded that the soaring rhetoric didn't produce the results Americans so sorely need during this time of economic turmoil.

As unemployment continues to rise and the President’s approval ratings decline, many are taking inventory of the progress made by the Obama Administration and have been disappointed with results. Nationwide polling from respected organizations like the Wall Street Journal, Gallup and CNN have shown President Obama’s polling numbers deteriorate the more Americans learn about him and his political agenda.

“President Obama campaigned on a platform of hope for a better tomorrow,” said Chairman Pullen. “If government spending was the answer to the problems Americans are experiencing right now he certainly has made his best effort to solve the crisis. But we know that burdening future generations with debt is as wrong as it is ineffective in dealing with the today’s economy. But the President seems to think otherwise.”

“During the Democrat President’s first 200 days, he has seemingly made it his mission to spend us into oblivion and Americans are beginning to see the President for what he is. Another big-government, big-spending liberal who thinks that all of our problems can be solved with government intervention,” the Chairman said.

“The President and his administration even found time to bully the state of Arizona and try to intimidate our Senators Kyl and McCain by threatening to withhold stimulus dollars,” the Chairman continued. “That type politics may work for Chicago community organizers, but it is offensive from the President of the United States.”

“I do have to say that President Obama was successful in one thing, motivating our grassroots and improving Republican fundraising,” said Pullen. “People are rightfully concerned with the spending spree that our Democrat President is leading us on. Many feel that under the President’s leadership our country is gotten seriously off track and they need to do something about it. Whether that be taking part in grassroots activism or contributing to our efforts to fight a plan to institute a government-run healthcare system.”

“So far Democrats have shown that they are part of the problem not the solution. The Republican Party will capitalize on that reality and show that the Party of ideas is alive and well in Arizona, and around the country,” the Chairman concluded.

Democrat Fund Raiser for Obama - Clinton Convicted of Fraud

NEW YORK (CNN) – A former Democratic fund-raiser who contributed to the presidential campaigns of Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama has been convicted in federal court on four counts of campaign fraud — one for each year from 2004 to 2007.



Norman Hsu, 57, was indicted in 2007 after an investigation into his two investment companies. He was accused of running a massive fraud scheme.



Earlier this month, Hsu was found guilty on 10 counts of mail and wire fraud surrounding his investment practices. In convicting Hsu of campaign fraud, the same court court found that he was involved in illegal "conduit" campaign contributions from 2005 to 2007 that exceeded $25,000 — a finding that will be used to determine the length of Hsu's sentencing, which is scheduled for August 19.



Lev Dassin, the U.S. attorney for the Southern District of New York, said that Hsu not only swindled investors out of at least $20 million but, according to the indictment, also told some investors to make campaign contributions to the candidates he supported, and suggested that their investments could be jeopardized if they didn't do as he asked.



He "also asked victims to contribute to specific candidates for federal office, and then directly reimbursed the victims for their contributions from his fraud proceeds, in violation of federal campaign finance laws," the indictment said.




When Hsu's activities came to light, the campaigns of Obama and Clinton — as well as others — either returned his donations or gave them to charity.



Hsu could receive a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison for each count of mail and wire fraud, and a maximum of five years for each federal campaign finance violation. In addition to the prison time, Hsu also faces potential fines for his fraud and campaign finance crimes.



Hsu will likely also have to forfeit various bottles of wine and champagne from his New York City apartment, along with a saxophone autographed by former President Bill Clinton.



In September of 2007, Hsu was en route from California to Denver, Colorado, when he became ill on an Amtrak train and was taken to a hospital.



Later that day, FBI agents arrested him on charges of unlawful flight to avoid prosecution and he has been in jail since.



Those charges stemmed from an 18-year-old grand theft conviction in California. Hsu had posted a $2 million bond after he turned himself in to authorities in California on that conviction. But a bench warrant was issued for his arrest after he failed to show up for a bail reduction hearing the next week.

Maine Allows Gay Marriage

So goes Maine so goes the nation, oh I hope not.

The Associated Press has reported that Maine Governor John Baldacci has signed a bill approving gay marriage, making it the fifth sate in the nation to approve the marriage of homosexuals.

The New Hampshire legislature is also poised to send a gay marriage bill to their governor. John Lynch, a Democrat. If New Hampshire approves homosexual marriage, Rhode Island will be the only state in New England opposing gay marriage.
The Maine Senate voted 21-13, with one absent, for a bill that authorizes marriage between any two people rather than between one man and one woman, as state law currently allows. The House had passed the bill yesterday.

Democratic Gov. John Baldacci, who hadn't previously indicated how he would handle the bill, signed it shortly afterward. In the past, he said he opposed gay marriage but supported civil unions, which provide many of the benefits of marriage.

Debate in the Maine Senate was brief. Senate President Elizabeth Mitchell, a Democrat, turned the gavel over to an openly gay legislator, Sen. Lawrence Bliss, also a Democrat, to preside over the final vote.

Sen. Debra Plowman, a Republican, argued that the bill was being passed "at the expense of the people of faith."

"You are making a decision that is not well-founded," warned Plowman.

Senate Majority Leader Philip Bartlett II, a Democrat, said the bill does not compel religious institutions to recognize gay marriage.

"We respect religious liberties. ... This is long overdue," said Bartlett.

Maine is now the fourth state in New England, to allow same-sex marriages. Connecticut enacted a bill after being ordered to allow gay marriages by the courts, and Vermont passed a bill over the governor's veto.

Massachusetts' high court ordered the state to recognize gay marriages. In Rhode Island, a bill to legalize same-sex marriage has been introduced but is not expected to pass.

Outside New England, Iowa is recognizing gay marriages by court order. The practice was briefly legal in California before voters banned it.

Marriage between men and women has existed since the beginning of civilization and has always been viewed as the union of male and female.



Shame on Gov. John Baldacci and the Democratic Party.

The American Conservative Republican is strongly opposed to this reckless experiment of redefining marriage and the family. Homosexuality is a life style choice and a perversion. The Democrats that support gay marriages are merely pandering for votes and campaign contributions from the gay community at the expense of the foundation of American society, which is the traditional family.

Former Legislator Indicted

The Associated Press has reported that former Arizona legislator John Kromko, D- Pima County, has been indicted earlier this month on nine counts of identity theft, nine counts of forgery, and one count of fraudulent schemes in connection with his nominating petitions when he ran for the Arizona House last year.

Kromko, 68, has been active in Arizona politics for over 40 years and served in the legislature 1976-90.

The Pima County Attorney's Office said Kromko forged the signatures and used the address and other identifying information of more then 20 people on his nominating petitions. They also claim that he forged the signatures of petition gatherers.

Kromko ran unsuccessfully in 2008 against incumbent Democrats Phil Lopes and Olivia Cajero Bedford for the Arizona House of Representatives in LD 27.

Democrats Learned a Lesson From '94 Gun Ban

From the Houston Chronicle - Chron.com/national

Obama heeding lesson from ‘94 gun ban

By STEWART M. POWELL and JENNIFER A. DLOUHY WASHINGTON BUREAU
April 20, 2009, 9:29PM


WASHINGTON — The last time a Democratic president and a Democratic Congress banned civilian sales of military-style assault weapons, it took American voters just seven weeks to rebel.

They handed Republicans control of the House and the Senate for the first time in 40 years.
One of the casualties in the backlash was Rep. Jack Brooks, D-Beaumont, who sponsored the ban and then promptly lost his seat in Congress in 1994 after 42 years of service.

The lesson wasn’t lost on President Obama when Mexican President Felipe Calderon suggested reviving the defunct weapons’ ban to help combat drug cartel violence along the U.S.-Mexico border.

Obama insisted he had “not backed off” his campaign promise to make the expired ban permanent.

But he bowed to political reality, nonetheless.

“None of us are under any illusion that reinstating that ban would be easy,” Obama said. “And so, what we’ve focused on is how we can improve our enforcement of existing laws.”

Any hint that the ban might be resurrected alarmed some Texas Republicans, largely elected by voters who ardently support the Second Amendment of the U.S. Constitution and a Texas constitutional right “to bear arms in defense of himself and the Republic” that dates back to 1836

Few Willing To Take Risk

Fresh restrictions on weapons are “not the solution to the problems occurring in Mexico,” declared Sen. John Cornyn, R-San Antonio.

In fact, some assert the White House would be capitalizing on border violence simply to push a gun control agenda.

“It is not our responsibility to keep guns out of Mexico — and reviving the ban will not affect the way Mexico protects its border,” said Rep. Ted Poe, R-Humble, a former criminal court judge.
Said Rep. Kevin Brady, R-The Woodlands: The issue remains ending bloodshed by lawless drug cartels and “not a divisive return to policies that infringe upon the American people’s Second Amendment rights.”

The truth is, few believe Obama could win a battle to resurrect the ban anyway, even among Democrats.

“We’ve reached a point where there aren’t many people who will stick their political necks out to vote for sensible gun control,” says Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., the second ranking Democrat in the Senate leadership.

The Democratic-led Senate already dealt a body blow to the gun control movement when 22 Senate Democrats, led by Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., joined 40 Republicans to shelve firearms restrictions in the nation’s capital.

Merely hinting at renewal provoked 65 House Democrats, many from swing districts, to warn the administration that they would “actively oppose” it.

The latest nationwide polls show “little evidence that gun control is at the moment a high priority for Americans,” says the Gallup Poll’s “Pulse of Democracy.”

Barely 49 percent surveyed wanted tighter laws on firearms sales, the lowest percentage since 1990. Americans remain evenly divided on whether to make it illegal to manufacture, sell or possess assault rifles.

“There’s a realization on Capitol Hill that the 1994 law was ineffective,” says Andrew Arulanandam, a spokesman for the National Rifle Association. “The logical question is why should we resurrect a law that was proven to be ineffective?”

Obama Still Backs Ban

Obama backed the ban during his presidential campaign. His transition team listed “making the expired federal assault weapons ban permanent” a goal.

The White House says he still supports it.

“The president is also, though, focused on taking actions to stem the flow of guns moving south that go across the border (and) making progress on something that we are likely to see progress on,” White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs told reporters.

The narrow ban that was adopted in 1994 and expired in 2004 prohibited the sale of 19 military-style assault weapons, “copy-cat” models and ammunition magazines that were capable of containing more than 10 rounds.

Voter Registration Down for DEMS and GOP

The latest statewide voter registration figures show an increase of 17,342 voters to give Arizona a total 3,087,996.

The two major political parties, Democrats and Republicans, however, have experienced a decline in voter registration. There are now 1,137,262 registered Republicans in Arizona, a decrease of 3,347 since January. Democrats now number 1,046,140, a decrease of 986 voters since January.

The largest increase has been in the category of no party preference, which now numbers 880,128 voters, an increase of 20,033 since January.

Libertarians saw an increase of 1,630 registered voters for a total of 20,256 and the Green Party added 12 voters, for a total of 4,210.

Arizona Secretary of State Ken Bennett said, "Regardless of party affiliation, I am proud to see Arizonans continuing to voice their opinion by taking the first step in registering to vote. Even in this non-election year, consistent voter outreach and educational efforts will remain a key component of my administration."

Bennett also said, "All of this would not be possible without the hard work and dedication of the county recorders."

SHADEGG DECLARES WAR ON ARIZONA GOP

It seems that there will be an opening for a new Member of Congress from Arizona's Third Congressional District, currently represented by John Shadegg.

Based on recent remarks by Shadegg against the Arizona Republican Party and the Maricopa County Republican Committee and their respective chairmen, rumors of his retirement must be true.

According to a report in the GOPUSA NEWS, which has been confirmed, John Shadegg, first elected to Congress as a Republican in 1994, has declared war on the Arizona Republican Party and the choice Republican State Committeemen made to elect Randy Pullen as their state chairman and the Maricopa County Republican Committee because they elected Rob Haney as their chairman.

On Monday, April 13, Shadegg was the quest speaker at a meeting of the Arizona Chapter of the Republican Jewish Coalition in Scottsdale, AZ.

According to GOPUSA NEWS, Shadegg talked about a wide range of issues that included encouraging other members of Congress not to interact with CAIR (the Council on American Islamic Relations) about which he distributed literature, the lack of commitment by many Republicans in Congress to freedom and free market principles, and the Republican Party in general.

Shadegg said that once Republicans took control of Congress in 1995, many were corrupted by their power as the majority. This led to excess government spending, increased use of earmarks, and more corruption. Shadegg further said that the real election calling for change was in 2006, when the Democrats were elected to the majority.

After distancing himself from the Republicans in Congress, Shadegg took questions from the audience.

The GOPUSA News article said that in response to a question about getting involved in political organizations, Rep. Shadegg encouraged conservatives to get involved in grassroots organizations such as the Republican Jewish Coalition, contact their elected officials, and talk to people about issues in order to present a conservative view.

Shadegg then said, again, according to GOPUSA, that getting involved in the Arizona Republican Party or the Maricopa County Republican Committee was a bad idea because they were being poorly led and were at the lowest level since Evan Mecham was governor. He also said the leaders of the Arizona state party and the Maricopa Committee used the illegal immigration issue to create conflicts in the Republican Party.

Obviously Shadegg does not consider attacking his fellow Republicans in Congress and the Arizona Republican Party and the state and county Republican Chairman as a cause of conflict within the Republican Party.

After saying that the Republican Party leaders should focus on having a big tent, he said he is definitely not supportive of people like Russell Pearce who wants to arrest and deport illegal immigrants on a huge scale.

In response to another question Shadegg back-peddled from his recommendation, not to get involved with the Arizona Republican Party and apologized for saying that and then said, people should get involved in the GOP to remove the elected state and county chairman.

It would appear that after 15 years in Washington, Shadegg no longer believes that the grassroots of the Republican party are competent enough to elect their own state and county chairman or to take a position on illegal immigration. Perhaps he wants us to just drink the Shadegg brand of Kool Aid and let McCain and the other Republican members of the Arizona Congressional Delegation appoint our officers and tell us what position to take on the issues. It seems that Shadegg believes a political party should be run like a corporation, with control coming from the top down instead of from the grassroots up.

If Congressmen John Shadegg dislikes the selection of Randy Pullen by the grassroots of the Arizona Republican Party as their state chairman and, the election of Rob Haney has their county chairman, perhaps Shadegg should do the honorable thing and leave the party he no longer supports.

Unfortunately for Shadegg, there are only two major political parties in America, the Democratic and Republican parties, and both are governed from the bottom up. Two parties controlled from the top down were the Fascist and the Communist, and both were failures, therefore, Shadegg can do and say what he wants, but we the Republican precinct and state committeemen, who represent the Republican voters, are the Republican Party and not the Republicans, INC.

Therefore, the Republicans of CD 3, will need a good conservative Republican candidate who has enough respect for the grassroots of the GOP to allow them to select their own leaders and to make their own decisions on the issues to represent them as the Republican candidate for Congress, to be selected by the people of CD 3 in 2010.

Bob Haran,
American Conservative Republican

NARAL Push Congress to De-Fund Abstinence Ed

Washington, DC (LifeNews.com) -- The prominent pro-abortion group NARAL has asked members of Congress to eliminate funding for abstinence education programs in the FY 2010 Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education appropriations bill. NARAL president Nancy Keenan sent a letter to pro-abortion Rep. Paul Hodes, a New Hampshire Democrat, last week urging him and his colleagues to press for eliminating or cutting the funding further beyond the cuts the pro-abortion Congress made to abstinence previously. “I thank Rep. Hodes for taking the lead and answering the public's call to move away from the failed Bush-backed 'abstinence-only' policies that have put our teens at risk," Keenan claimed. "For eight long years, President Bush and his anti-choice allies in Congress pushed hundreds of millions of taxpayer dollars into [abstinence education programs].” Meanwhile, Hodes sent his own letter to members of Congress asking them to eliminate funding for the Community-Based Abstinence Education program. CBAE is one of three separate programs that provides abstinence education funds for programs that have been proven to help teenagers make healthy choices. Reps. Lois Capps (D-CA), Louise Slaughter (D-NY), Jane Harman (D-CA), and Diana DeGette (D-CO) were among the pro-abortion lawmakers signing on to the letter. The new omnibus spending bill that Congress recently approved and President Barack Obama signed, cut total funding for abstinence education by $14.2 million compared with the previous year. It also cuts abstinence education funding by $42 million compared to what President Bush had asked for in his last months of office. The cuts are seen as the first step by abortion advocates in Congress to zero out all abstinence education funds through the Community-Based Abstinence Education (CBAE) program, the Adolescent Family Life Act, and through Title V. Democrats cut the CBAE budget by 13%, leaving only $95 million to fund national programs to help teenagers make healthy choices for a positive lifestyle.

Town Hall set for April 16

The Maricopa County Republican Committee (MCRC) will be conducting a Town-hall to discuss the state budget at 5:45 PM, April 16 in the Scottsdale Civic Center Library Auditorium, 3839 N. Drinkwater Blvd, Scottsdale.

Confirmed speakers for the event are: Sen. Russell Pearce, Chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee; Rep. John Kavanaugh, Chairman of the House Appropriations Committee; President Pro Tempore of the Senate, Senator Thayer Verschoor; and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Gray.

Topics to be discussed include; the impact of illegal immigration, alternative solutions to raising taxes and, why the Democratic party plan will hurt taxpayers.

MCRC Executive Director Tom Husband said, "It is very important that we conduct town-halls throughout the county to better inform voters and taxpayers as to the status of the state budget. We need to talk directly with our legislators. We are facing difficult economic times, as well as increasing alarm at what is transpiring in Washington."

Husband continued by saying that, "Republicans need to come to these town-halls and express their opinions to elected officials. Legislators are subjected to the pleas of special interest groups and paid lobbyist on a constant basis, but the taxpayers, who carry the burden of financing government, must also be heard. Come out and remind elected officials that they were elected to work for us and we intent to hold them accountable."

At a recent meeting of concerned citizens in Peoria, it was standing room only. "People are very concerned - not only about their personal budget but with what elected officials are doing with city, county, state, and national funds," Husband said.

Sandy Doty, is a Member-at-Large of the MCRC and is the person in-charge of organizing the event. She echoed Husbands thoughts, "People must get involved. We have scheduled some of our best legislators in a facility to seat a large group. If you really want to know what is going on down at the capitol you need to talk directly to your legislators. Unfortunately, the media is not giving us the whole story. We are hoping to get the other side of some of the budget problems out to the public," Doty said.

A $5 donation will be taken at the door and the Town Hall is open to the public. For information please contact Sandy Doty at 480-883-1097.

PULLEN, AZ DEMS WANT TO SPEND, SPEND, SPEND

AZGOP NEWS

Wednesday, April 01, 2009
PULLEN: DEMOCRATS PROPOSAL RIDICULOUSLY SHORTSIGHTED

Phoenix, AZ – Faced with Arizona’s staggering state budget shortfall, the Arizona House Democrats’ plan is to spend more. “Apparently, Rep. Kirsten Sinema and Chad Campbell agree with President Obama’s plan to spend us out of our economic crisis,” said AZGOP Chairman Randy Pullen. “We have tried this before and it does not work.” Their plan calls for spending most of the stimulus money this year and next and raising taxes $700 million in order to pay for more state spending, while recklessly shifting responsibility for future budget deficits down the road.


“It seems that House Democrats would rather stick their head in the sand when it comes to dealing with our state’s financial crisis,” said Chairman Pullen. “The Democrats proposal is ridiculously shortsighted and would raise taxes on certain Arizonans, thereby creating a sense of class warfare. Governor Brewer is proposing a budget that reduces the size of government, reforms the budget process and reinvents the way we will move forward from the spending problems that have plagued us under our former Governor, Janet Napolitano.”

The House Democrat proposes $700 million in new or higher taxes, while failing to eliminate waste in our educational system and inefficient social programs.

“On its face, it appears that House Democrats are saying ‘Why fix today, what we can put off until tomorrow?’ Arizona Democrats believe that they can embrace President Obama’s plans to spend, spend, spend and have us all pay for it after they leave office,” Chairman Pullen said. “Fortunately for us, our state’s treasury cannot print money like the federal government to pay for their wasteful spending. We need real solutions and real results, and this plan fails on both counts,” Chairman Pullen said.

“With the Governor and Republican Leadership in the House and Senate working together to make responsible choices that meets the needs of Arizonans, I’m confident that we will continue to move forward to a stable economic climate. It is a shame that Democrats in the Arizona House don’t seem to get it.” Chairman Pullen concluded.

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GOP Poll Finds Support for Tax

From the Arizona Republican Party.

Tuesday, March 31, 2009
Statewide Survey Shows Support for Balanced Budget Approach


Results show support for statewide sales tax as part of comprehensive plan
including cuts and use of stimulus funds.

PHOENIX – The Arizona Republican Party released results from a recent survey today showing strong public support for a temporary 1% statewide sales tax as part of a balanced budget approach.


The statewide survey conducted in partnership with Margaret C. Kenski, Ph.D. of Arizona Opinion and HighGround, Inc. was conducted over March 6 - 12, 2009, interviewing 607 high-efficacy, likely voters. When it came to taxes, here was the comprehensive question that was asked:


“I’d like to ask you how acceptable or unacceptable you find the following measures which would be considered in addition to spending cuts in order to preserve critical education and public health funding while the economy begins to recover. These taxes would be in the form of a constitutionally limited tax that would last for no more than three years and would automatically be eliminated without another public vote.


Let’s assume for the purposes of these questions that the Legislature and the Governor have already cut nearly $1 billion dollars in State spending by 2010, used all of the federal stimulus funds to balance the budget and still have a billion dollar per year budget deficit. All of the funds raised from these taxes would be dedicated towards maintaining 2010 spending levels for K-12 education, universities, community colleges, and health care for the poor. Each of the following measures would raise approximately a billion dollars per year.”


The results showed that 66.6% of the electorate supported a temporary 1% increase in the statewide sales tax to help bridge the gap to economic recovery, with nearly 40% considering it a very acceptable option.


39.7 % Very Acceptable

26.9% Somewhat Acceptable

9.1% Neutral

5.9% Somewhat Unacceptable

18.0% Very Unacceptable

.5% Unsure


The question gathered widespread support spanning party lines - Republicans found the sales tax 62.5% acceptable, Democrats 71.6% acceptable and Independents 64.6% acceptable.


“We were surprised by the level of support expressed by the electorate. It appears that Arizona voters would support a balanced approach in solving the budget crisis,” said Randy Pullen, Chairman of AZGOP. “Former Governor Napolitano and the Democrats in the legislature left us with a financial crisis on our hands. We all recognize Arizona government must learn to live within its means by reducing spending and reforming government. This Governor and Republican legislature have already made larger budget reductions and reforms than any previous governor and legislature. However, with continuing bad news on all fronts about declining tax revenues and the state having to borrow money next month to make payroll, the sooner the budget is balanced the better it will be for all Arizonans.


“We encourage the Governor and the Legislature to pursue any and all means necessary to right our current budget crisis and restore fiscal sanity to the state of Arizona,” concluded Pullen.


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