TRYING TO CHANGE LEGISLATIVE MINDS

posted to AZ Week Notebook by Michael Chihak

Arizona's public education community is taking a new look at how it approaches the state Legislature for school budgeting.

The Arizona Capitol Times this week reported that the Arizona Education Association plans to tie job creation and the economy to education funding.

The tie won't be tenuous. The two go hand in hand and have for a long time. The Arizona Board of Regents, among others, have pushed that approach consistently over the years.

But for the education association, it's a new message, one with pragmatism. ut will it resonate?

Capitol Times reporter Caitlin Coakley Beckner quotes association President Andrew Morrill as saying, "We're trying to send the message, which is true, that a properly funded school system can be and has been shown to be an economic driver for the state."

Beckner will appear on the journalists' panel of Friday's Arizona Week to discuss the story and the legislative issues with educational funding.

ARIZONA LIKES PRESIDENT OBAMA

posted to Political Buzz by Christopher Conover

The poll conducted by the Phoenix-based Behavior Research Center shows a dead heat for the Republican Presidential nomination in Arizona between Mitt Romney and Herman Cain. Each garnered the support of 20% of those questioned. Congressman Ron Paul received 9% of the support, Texas Governor Rick Perry collected 7%, and Congresswoman Michelle Bachman was backed by 6% of respondents.

In questions pitting Republican front-runners Romney and Cain head to head against President Obama, Arizona voters are leaning towards the current Chief Executive. According to the poll, Obama is favored by 45% compared to Romney’s 40% and Cain’s 38%.

The poll was conducted over 11 days earlier this month and has a 4.1% margin of error.

AZ SCHOOLS SEEK SPENDING CAP EXTENSIONS

posted to AZ Week Notebook by Michael Chihak

Arizona public schools have faced hundreds of millions in budgets cuts in the last three years, including $170 million for the school year that's been under way for two months.

To bolster their spending, many districts have for years exceeded their state-imposed spending caps by getting voter approval. These budget overrides, along with the higher property taxes to support the spending, have become common in some districts.

Now many of those overrides are expiring, and more than two dozen districts in the Phoenix and Tucson metropolitan areas are asking voters to extend them.

Without extensions, school officials say, they will have to make more cuts to a wide range of programs and increase class sizes.

In the Tucson area, Sunnyside, Marana, Vail, Continental, Flowing Wells and Tanque Verde districts are seeking overrides to be effective starting in the 2012-13 school year.

In the Phoenix area, 20 school districts, including Glendale Union, Kyrene, Agua Fria, Tolleson, Paradise Valley and Phoenix Union districts are seeking the overrides.

On Friday's Arizona Week, we plan a look at the issues associated with these overrides and at prospects for passage.

CUTBACKS? NO "I VOTED" STICKER WITH BALLOT

posted to Political Buzz by Andrea Kelly

Arguing whether a sticker that says 'I voted," or, "I voted early" is a preferable use of money is for another time and place. But take note that city residents did not receive said sticker with their mail-in-ballots this year.

In past county or state elections, ballots have arrived with stickers in the same package that included the ballot and instructions for how to properly vote by mail. Tucson mailboxes are, however, receiving campaign-related materials urging voters to select, or avoid, certain city candidates. TV ads have started appearing for Tucson candidates, too.

Voters have about two weeks to make choices for city council and mayor, and some school board elections or budget override questions. Ballots must be returned by 7 p.m. Nov. 8 to count in these local elections.

NPR'S GUTLESS IDIOCY, CHAPTER 37

posted to Cue Sheet by James Reel

"NPR journalists may not participate in marches and rallies" involving issues NPR covers, according to NPR's code of conduct. Well, fine. But Lisa Simeone, host of World of Opera (which we do not happen to carry), is not a journalist, she's the host of an entertainment program, and she doesn't even work for NPR--she's paid by a station that produces the series, and NPR merely distributes it. Yet NPR is now refusing to distribute the program because Simeone was helping organize a political protest. There is absolutely no justification for this, aside from the justification that the sniveling cowards in charge of NPR want to avoid attacks from right-wing extremists. Shouldn't America expect more backbone from NPR?

WHAT ARE RAMIFICATIONS OF PEARCE RECALL?

posted to AZ Week Notebook by Michael Chihak

Some have called Russell Pearce the most powerful person in Arizona state government.

Hearing that statement, Pearce likely would demur, pointing to fellow Republican Gov. Jan Brewer who in fact vetoed a number of bills that Pearce and other Republicans backed in the last legislative session.

All right, then, make that the most powerful man in state government.

What happens if that most powerful man is knocked out of his seat in the recall election scheduled in two weeks? First, there clearly are others in the Republican Senate leadership ready to step in, with the No. 1 candidate likely t be Majority Leader Andy Biggs.

Second, his removal won't deter him from seeking the seat again in the 2012 election, he has said.

The issues around the Pearce recall, Pearce's approach to immigration and other issues he is involved in as Senate president will be the focus of Friday's Arizona Week broadcast, with this caveat: that we get an interview with Pearce.