TWO DISTINCT WAYS OF LOOKING AT LEADERSHIP

posted by Michael Chihak

Republican leaders in the Arizona Senate may unveil their state budget proposal today, and early indications are it would have more drastic cuts in it than Gov. Jan Brewer has called for.

The Arizona Republic reported that on Sunday, saying there could be $600 million more in cuts than the $1 billion or so that Brewer has called for. Cuts would come in health services, the Department of Economic Security and all levels of public education. One lawmaker said the Department of Corrections would be off limits to cuts.

We will watch the developments closely. Look for more reports here and for development of the state budget as the topic for this week's program.

The other possibility as of now is the Flinn-Brown Civic Leadership Academy, which opens its first class on Friday in Phoenix. A partnership of the Flinn Foundation of Phoenix and the Thomas R. Brown Foundations of Tucson, the academy will begin educating 25 Arizonans on the state's most important issues.

The Academy's Website describes its mission thusly: "The Arizona Center for Civic Leadership’s Flinn-Brown Civic Leadership Academy is intended to help expand the cadre of future state leaders with the skills to address Arizona’s long-term issues. The Civic Leadership Academy complements existing local and regional leadership-training programs in Arizona, but is differentiated by its focus on state-level issues and leadership and emphasis on mentoring, plans, and follow-up support."

We plan to take a look at this innovative program, either this week or next, and we hope to talk with some of those who have been selected to take part.