What's good for the goose is good for the gander

Next week, the House Transportation Committee will hear a bill, SB1495 by Senator Pamela Gorman of Anthem, to audit light rail if it is not completed by January 1, 2009 (it is currently scheduled to open December 27, 2008). My question is, why is light rail being singled out for auditing when there are delays or cost over runs in construction? If it is such a good idea, why don't we audit the construction of our freeways that have taken far more money and far more time to complete than we taxpayers were originally promised? Is this an effort for good government, or simply a shot at public transportation? As a Central Phoenix resident and taxpayer with a 4 mile commute, I am footing the bill for freeway improvements so that Ms. Gorman won't have to wait in as much traffic on her daily commute from Anthem to downtown Phoenix, a commute made by many of her neighbors as well. Of course, I think it is a giant mistake to build giant master planned bedroom communities far from the city when the builder conveniently forgets to master plan any jobs in the area or any decent transportation to the nearest job center (yes, I'm referring to Anthem here). If we aren't auditing Ms. Gorman's freeway, we shouldn't audit light rail.

Something non-political: last chance to play Magic Carpet Golf in Tucson

If you are from or have lived in Tucson, you are probably familiar with Magic Carpet Golf, the mini-golf place on Speedway west of Wilmot. The giant, unusual figures are being saved, even though the place is being closed. I bet a few children have even been conceived on that golf course. I know it was always a great place to take dates and climb to the top of the giant tiki head and see the city lights while waiting to play through. So here is the info on the fundraiser to save all the figures from Magic Carpet Golf, courtesy of State Representative Steve Farley of Tucson (to add to the bipartisan-ness of the event, Representative Jonathon Paton is also a big fan of Magic Carpet Golf):

The big news this week is you can now purchase your tickets online for One Last Round at Magic Carpet Golf, the big fundraiser to save those great statues and also preserve the Valley of the Moon.
The event will be on Saturday, April 26, and you can reserve your tee-time for a group of 6 (groups of less will be joined together), teeing off every ten minutes. Since this is a fundraiser for the nonprofit Valley of the Moon, each round is $20 per person and you will need to pay via PayPal on the website to confirm your reservations. Reserve soon -- the slots will disappear quickly.
You can point your browser to http://www.valleymoon.info and click on the words in red on the upper right that say "Magic Carpet Reservations". You can pay with any credit card, and donations are tax deductible to the full extent of the law.
Aficionados will be coming in from all across the country for this huge event, and there will be live bands on stage all day and night along with memorabilia, food, silent auctions, and theater performances. The course is at 6125 E. Speedway, just west of Wilmot. This is one party you don't want to miss--let's celebrate some of what makes Tucson special, and ensure that future Tucsonans can still treasure these unique creations. I will see you there!

Eating healthy while dining out may get easier in Arizona

State Senator Amanda Aguirre of Yuma, fresh off a legislative victory with her bill the Governor just signed requiring health insurers to cover autism, has reached a compromise with the Arizona Restaurant and Hospitality Association to get healthier choices identified on restaurant menus across Arizona. Aguirre had originally sought broad food labeling, which was opposed by the industry. But now restaurants may voluntarily agree to have healthy choices on their menu certified by the state, getting them publicity on the Department of Health Services website, and allowing them to put a label on the front door letting patrons know there are state approved healthy choices at that restaurant. Kudos to Aguirre, a nutritionist, for her efforts for a healthier and safer Arizona. Her victories are rare for a legislature beset by gridlock, and especially as a member of the minority party (Democrat), which usually has little power.

Inflation hitting poor hardest: cost for basic necessities up 9.2% since '06, faster than inflation for non-necessities

The Washington post reported last Friday that the cost of basic necessities, including groceries, energy, and health care, are up 9.2% since 2006, while items which are easier to cut back on during times of economic duress (alcohol, eating out, new cars) are rising at a slower rate. Meanwhile, the average non-managerial worker has seen his or her pay rise just 5% in the same period.

McCain confuses Sunni and Shiites, al Qaeda and Iran

Was McCain really this woefully ignorant, or was it just an age related (and repeated) slip of the tongue? From the daily Progress Report of the Center for American Progress:

IRAQ -- MCCAIN REPEATEDLY CONFLATES IRAN AND AL QAEDA: Despite Sen. John McCain's (R-AZ) frequent assertions that he could "best address a national security crisis" and that he has "the most experience...when it comes to foreign policy," yesterday he severely undermined this claim when he conflated Shiite Iran with Sunni al Qaeda. Speaking to reporters in Jordan, McCain said he was concerned about Iranian operatives "training" al Qaeda in Iran "and sending them back" to Iraq -- a claim he made at least twice during that press conference. Only after Sen. Joe Lieberman (I-CT) whispered a correction in his ear did McCain correct himself to say he meant "extremists," not al Qaeda. He made the same assertion on Hugh Hewitt's right-wing radio show as well. Despite the fact that McCain repeated this fundamental error at least three times and only corrected himself at Lieberman's urging, McCain's campaign insisted McCain "misspoke and immediately corrected himself."

A big step forward for workers and cleaner air in Southern California

From the daily Progress Report of the Center for American Progress:

The Greening Of America's Busiest Port
Today, the commissioners of the busiest shipping port in the United States will vote on the Clean Trucks Program, a plan devised by a unique coalition of national and local environmental, labor, and community organizations. Despite fierce opposition by big-box retailers and the trucking industry, the commissioners of the Port of Los Angeles are expected to approve this plan to reform the Port's trucking policy. The Clean Trucks Program mandates that the Port only deal with trucking companies who employ, rather than contract, their drivers (a major labor and national security reform) and maintain high-efficiency trucks running high-grade diesel fuel (a major environmental reform). If approved, this plan will mark a significant milestone in the ongoing fight for "green growth" of the port and provide a model for the progressive movement.

Yuma the next Silicon Valley?

Forbes just released its list of the top 10 up-and-coming tech cities in the United States. Not surprisingly, the Phoenix metropolitan area was not on the list. In my still young lifetime, I have seen Walmart replace Motorola as our state's largest private sector employer. The good, and surprising, news is that Yuma ranked 10 on the list of the 10 up-and-coming cities for tech. Why? Mostly the presence of the Yuma Proving Grounds, a long time military presence in the community. For those who think the private sector does it all and government does not bring new ideas to the market or create good jobs, well, those people shouldn't be reading this, since the internet was an invention of the U.S. government that eventually was expanded for other uses. Although I am about to embark upon graduate school through Northern Arizona University's distance learning program, perhaps our state should recognize that it may well be time to invest in a real university in Yuma. While Western Arizona College teams with NAU to offer university degrees to Yumans, the offering is limited, and the research that takes place through the program is nil. Ultimately, it comes down to politics. After all, most of the opposition to the 1958 ballot initiative changing Arizona State College's name to Arizona State University came from Tucson.

Commuter rail for Arizona?

Last month, a study was released by the Maricopa Association of Governments (MAG, like the wheels) on bringing commuter rail to the Valley of the Sun, with possible high speed (up to 110 mph) rail service to Tucson. Among the opportunities of commuter rail are cleaner air from fewer auto emissions (and less greenhouse gas emissions) and quicker commute times than freeways. Commuter rail is different than light rail as it would bring people from far flung suburbs into the city with few stops at higher speeds along existing rail corridors. There will still be critics of the money it will cost, but as our city grows and land prices go up, building freeways won't be any cheaper.

New survey shows big public support for fuel efficiency, renewable energy research

Congress did pass the first increase in fuel efficiency standards for our automobiles in over 30 years in 2007, but the fight continues over whether or not to fund more research into renewable energy. A survey by Pew found strong support for both, as well as for funding mass transit. Since I am a nerd for these kinds of issues, I feel compelled to point out that there is a horsepower race going on in cars sold in our country that rivals even the muscle car era of the 1960's, in spite of the all-time record high fuel prices. Most 4 cylinder engines today have the horsepower that most V6 engines had just 10-15 years ago. Today's 4 cylinder engines also have the power that V8 engines had 30 years ago. Yet so many consumers continue to opt for V6 engines, because they think power is all about the number of cylinders. And who is going to tell them otherwise? The dealers and auto industry that has higher profit margins on V6 upgrades than on standard 4 cylinder cars? Most of the world has long been paying far more than the $3 a gallon we are now paying for gasoline, so there is no reason for us to complain about it. Also, it is sometimes easier to express our opinion for change in a public opinion poll than to, say, actually make some minor changes in our own lives that could tremendously benefit our environment and our nation's energy independence.

New blog from Good Jobs First

Good Jobs First, an organization that believes government subsidies for economic development should actually benefit workers and not just corporate bottom lines, has started a new blog called Claw Back, which is also in my blog links at left (toward the bottom...keep scrolling). They not only want to hold businesses accountable for the government subsidies they receive by making sure they create jobs that have benefits and pay a living wage, but they also fight to ensure that subsidies do not go to projects that contribute to urban sprawl.

Arizona may not be a blue state, but we're more Starbucks than Walmart

Arizona ranks in the top of the country for Starbucks per capita, yet toward the middle of the pack for Walmarts per capita. Starbucks is far more generous with employee health benefits than Walmart (did you think your $4 really just paid for coffee and milk?). So this alone does not explain our state being 36th in the country in percent of employers offering health benefits, or worse, 47th in the percent of non-elderly who are uninsured.

Democrats to have one less in Arizona Senate next year?

Democratic state Senator Charlene Pesquiera of Tucson announced today she would not seek re-election. The Republican primary for her seat is already hotly contested, and this is one of the few truly competitive races in the Arizona legislature. Stay tuned.

Iraq turning into Saudi Arabia when it comes to women?

NPR reports that before the invasion in 2003, there was a higher ratio of female drivers in Iraq than any other Arab country. Now, due to roadside bombs and radical insurgents, women are driving less in Iraq, and lament the loss of mobility.

Karl Rove: is he really expecting to be indicted this year?

Karl Rove, speaking to a hostile crowd of college students in Iowa, states that he expects to be indicted by the end of the year. Whether or not it was in jest was unclear.

Cities won't be cut in state's budget

I know it's pretty useless to repost things that were already printed in the Arizona Republic, but amidst all the budget cuts being thrown around as possibilities, cutting revenues the state shares with cities will not be one of the cuts. This is thanks to Tucson Democratic Representative Steve Farley. Voters in 1992 in AZ passed a constitutional amendment requiring a 2/3rd majority in the legislature to raise revenues (i.e. taxes). Farley asked the Legislative Council that writes bills for the legislature and gives them legal advice whether cutting tax revenue that is shared with cities so that the state can keep more of it amounts to a revenue increase that requires a 2/3rd majority vote. They said it would indeed require 2/3rd, far more votes than the legislature can muster.

Massachusetts health reform reduces unpaid hospital visits

According to today's Boston Globe, the health care reform in Massachusetts that Mitt Romney signed into law before leaving office as Governor (of which he talked very little in his campaign) has led to a 16% drop in "free" visits to hospitals as 200,000 more residents of the Bay State now have health insurance. This is saving the taxpayers of Massachusetts $240 million a year in reimbursements to hospitals that treat the uninsured. However, the savings is not enough to cover the $869 million the state now pays in subsidies to help low income people purchase health insurance, also a key part of the health care reform enacted in Massachusetts.

I'm back...with a survey!

I know, I know, it is the ever-important time of year when the Arizona legislature is in session and I should be telling you about the all the proposed new laws: the good, the bad, and the downright whacky! I suppose having the flu and then being out of town is part of my lame excuse, but frankly I just haven't been concentrating on the blog much lately.

But I do have something I would love for anyone reading this, who also resides in Arizona, to do. Please take my short survey on an issue of importance to Arizona! It should take 2-5 minutes.