Category Archives: Commentary

David Gowan proposes legislation to stop AZ cities from defunding the police

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From TucsonSentinel.com

March 18, 2024 by Leah Britton: Four years after activists led calls to “defund the police” during nationwide protests of systemic racism and brutality, Arizona lawmakers are working to make sure that won’t ever happen in Arizona. A bill now being considered by the state Senate would prohibit cities and towns from decreasing the annual operating budget for law enforcement from the prior year’s budget. If a city does reduce police funding, the state treasurer would be required to withhold that same amount in state dollars from the city until the law enforcement cuts are restored.

Commentary by Bob Karp
This is another exercise in performative legislation that meets no actual need that improves the lives of people in Arizona. There is no serious "defund the police" movement in Arizona, unlike what the national Republican party is doing with the FBI, ATF and DOJ.
The idea that a city can't reduce a police budget from year to year based on circumstances because if would defund the police is ridiculous. Let's say you have huge budget windfall one year, federal funds come in to support local policing. Next year things return to normal so you adjust the budget.
No! Not in David Gowan's proposal. The state legislature needs to stop meddling in local government.  Local governments react to the needs of their constituents.  If voters don't like the policy on public safety they will vote the people out.  
Read the article at Tucson Sentinel

Bill to include political jurisdictions on real estate listings

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Silly season in the Arizona state legislature

Commentary by Bob Karp:  Why do members of the Arizona state legislature believe that it is a good idea to inject political information into the largest marketplace in the state, the residential real estate market?  Yes, it would be nice for people to know what congressional, supervisor, city council, state legislative district they reside in.  However, forcing residential property owners to provide the information is ridiculous.

We have something to find this sort of information:  Google!  Stop trying to take responsibility away from people to get the information that you want them to have.

Arizona Free Enterprise Club files lawsuit to stop use of drop boxes

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From Kjzz news By Ignacio Ventura  Nov. 27, 2023:  "A lawsuit has been filed against Arizona Secretary of State Adrian Fontes over the use of drop boxes for voting. The Arizona Free Enterprise Club, which advocates for additional restrictions on voting, and a voter filed the suit.
In their lawsuit, the plaintiffs said using the drop boxes “is an illegal method of voting under Arizona law.”
On PBS’s “Arizona Horizon,” Secretary Fontes said this is an effort to restrict voting rights."
Read more here.

Commentary by Bob Karp

I agree with Fontes' take on this, clearly voter suppression. It never stops from Republican-aligned groups. What are they afraid of? Losing an election because more people vote!  Everywhere we turn some organized group, often business interests in the state, are trying to keep people from voting.