KELLY FILES SIGNATURES FOR CD8

posted by Andrea Kelly

Republican Jesse Kelly was the first candidate to file nominating petitions to run for Congress in district 8.

He filed about 60 more signatures than the minimum number needed to qualify for the special election primary ballot, but said in a news release he'll continue to file more signatures.

Five other candidates are running, and will also have to turn in signatures; they are Republicans Frank Antenori, John Lervold, Martha McSally and Dave Sitton, plus Democrat Ron Barber.

The deadline for signatures is Feb. 27. All candidates who want to be on the ballot will have to file signatures from registered voters by that day. The number of signatures required depends on the candidate's party registration.

GOVERNOR'S EMPLOYMENT PLAN GOES TO LEGISLATURE

posted by Andrea Kelly

Governor Jan Brewer has been backing legislative changes to state employment policies, and she recently asked the legislature to consider her plans to revise the employee merit system.

The employment protection system spells out how employees may be hired, fired and disciplined.

A bill (HB 2571) to make make it faster to hire, easier to hire, and easier to fire, is scheduled for a hearing in the House Employment and Regulatory Affairs committee Thursday morning.

“We need to have tools at our disposal more like what the private sector has, to reward those employees that are performing and to discipline those employees who are not," said Matt Benson, a governor's office spokesman.

The proposed changes could make it easier to retain employees who might otherwise leave for jobs at private companies, he said.

Unions representing state employees have said the Governor’s plan takes away protections for good employees, but Benson says it gives the state a greater ability to reward those good employees.

If the Arizona House and Senate pass the bill, and Brewer signs it into law, it would go into effect starting September 29. Most of the 29,000 state employees already covered could stay in the merit system, but Benson says some, such as supervisors, IT employees or attorneys would automatically lose coverage in the merit system.

IT'S A CONFUSING POLITICAL SEASON

posted by Andrea Kelly

With five elections in the next nine months (that's right, count 'em: presidential preference Feb. 28, CD8 special primary April 17, CD8 special general June 17, regular fall primary Aug. 28, regular general Nov. 6) the number and names of candidates is already starting to get confusing.

We're attempting to make this easier to figure out, with a list of candidates for each of the congressional races in Southern Arizona. Check the list for the latest information on the races, we'll update it as candidates enter, drop out, and officially qualify for the ballot in their respective races.