NO INITIATIVES ON CITY BALLOT

posted by Andrea Kelly

The only attempt to get an initiative on this fall's Tucson ballot has apparently failed.

City Clerk Roger Randolph said he turned away the group "Sensible Tucson" this morning when they attempted to file the signatures needed to get an initiative on the ballot. The group's initiative aimed to reduce penalties for marijuana possession and drug paraphernalia charges.

When representatives of the group showed up at the clerk's office with boxes of petitions, Randolph said he refused to accept them, because the initiative sought to change penalties defined in state law, instead of the city code. Only statewide initiatives can attempt to change state law. City initiatives must apply to city code. The penalties for marijuana possession in Tucson are the penalties set in state law, Randolph said.

When the group showed up to turn in the petitions, Randolph handed them a letter explaining why he turned them away.

"The measure set forth in the Petition seeks to amend the Arizona Revised Statutes, which cannot be accomplished through a municipal initiative petition," Randolph said in the letter. "I will not accept or take custody of City of Tucson Initiative Petition 2011-I003, because it does not address legislation that is subject to the local initiative process."

WHERE IDEAS GO TO DIE

posted by Michael Chihak

A group of once and future Arizona politicians is pushing for an open primary election system in the state, with a "top-two" runoff system similar to what's been adopted in other states.

Those behind the proposal say that with no party in firm control of the Arizona electorate -- divided roughly in thirds among Republicans, independents and Democrats -- the open primary system would provide fairness.

The flaw in the argument may well be that while no one party is firmly ikn control of voter registration numbers, one party -- the Republican -- is firmly in control of the state, with two-thirds majorities in both legislative chambers and every statewide office.

Another potential flaw is the idea that there would be a groundswell of support for such an idea that would overcome the stranglehold that the two-party system now has. Don't count on either of those parties to capitulate.

That includes Democrats, who although well in the minority of state officeholders, can be counted on to cling to the two-party arrangement the way they cling to kissing babies at a political rally.

For more on this, see this story from the Arizona Capitol TImes.

TUCSON COUNCIL: HOW TO USE LEFTOVER MONEY?

posted by Andrea Kelly

The question of what to do with leftover city council office money is causing yet another rift in the Tucson City Council.

Councilman Steve Kozachik wanted to use the $85,000 left over in his council office budget to fill potholes in the ward he represents, midtown Ward 6. It was on the consent agenda for this week's council meeting, but it was pulled and the council voted 5-2 to pool all their extra money and decide later how to use it.

Each office gets the same amount at the beginning of the budget year, July 1. In the past, the leftover money has been used in whatever way the councilmember from that ward chooses. If it's not used, it gets swept into the general fund for the next budget year.

Kozachik calls the move to pool the funds the "poster child of hyperpartisanship." He said pooling the money means less will be spent on what people his ward want.

Should the funds be used in the same ward as the savings? Or should all the wards/citizens benefit from any year-end savings? It's a debate we expect to hear more about.

FIESTA BOWL WANTS MONEY FROM LOCAL POLITICIANS

posted by Andrea Kelly

The Fiesta Bowl scandal and subsequent news just won't go away. The latest update: the Bowl is asking politicians to repay it for past trips, tickets and contributions.

This comes after a spring full of revelations that the Bowl was misspending money, including making illegal campaign contributions and extravagant spending. Several lawmakers rushed to revise their financial reports after the scandal broke, hoping to report gifts of tickets and trips from the bowl, even though they hadn't previously reported them.

Three local officials are on the list of those from whom the Fiesta Bowl seeks repayment, according to a list the Arizona Republic published, showing how much the Fiesta Bowl spent, and what officials have already repaid.

The bowl wants $16,846 State Sen. Linda Lopez, $3,755 from former State Rep. David Bradley, and $30 from State Sen. Paula Aboud. About is the lowest dollar amount on the list. Senate President Russell Pearce is at the top of the list, with a bill for $37,930.

U.S. SENATE WORKING ON A HOLIDAY? EGADS!

posted by Michael Chihak

Last December's lame duck session of Congress was hailed as the most productive period in many a year for our elected officials. It came despite much sniveling and whining, largely by Republicans, that the session was cutting into their holiday break.

Now comes word that it might happen again, this time for the sake of keeping the U.S. government afloat and avoiding a global fiscal meltdown.

The AP reported today that Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid plans to talk to members of the Democratic rank and file about possibly canceling a scheduled July 4 break so work can continue on negotiations for raising the debt ceiling and cutting federal spending.

Get ready for more sniveling and whining.

CONGRESS FIDDLES; NATION BURNS

posted by Michael Chihak

Your friendly neighborhood members of Congress are on recess for the Independence Day weekend. But wait; isn't Independence Day next weekend? Like four days from now?

Yes, but they needed an early start so they could meet and greet their constituents, none of whom should be too happy with what these public non-servants are doing at the moment.

It's one week since the big Republican walkout from the negotiations dealing with the federal budget deficit and the debt, which now has cleared the ceiling and is poking skyward through the shingles.

Our very own Sen. Jon Kyl, R-AZ, was the last to depart the talks on behalf of his party. Should make all Arizonans feel proud.

And then there was Rep. Raúl Grijalva's countenance on the local TV news Monday evening touting a new solar energy facility in Tucson as he stood in the shade on a 112-degree day. Repeat: He was in Tucson. Not in Washington where the work needs to be done.

Appropriately, during Grijalva's time on camera, a freight train blew its whistle and rumbled by in the background.

He and every other member of Congress need to take a reality pill. They think they're engineering the train, but in actuality, it's left the station without them.