In a day where the news in Peoria centers around a monster truck ralley and the news in Glendale focuses on the t-shirt vending machine at Arrowhead Mall, we look towards the state as a whole to provide us with something of substance. Voila! It looks as though we may have a state budget that the GOP can agree with.
After months of fighting, back-biting, lawsuits and general childish-ness, republican legislative leaders are trying to hurry through a plan by Wednesday that would resolve the state's $3.4 billion budget deficit.
The Senate Appropriations Committee is hoping to meet later today to consider 12 budget-related bills, although no language describing the bills has been released yet.
Democrats are protesting the hurry-up approach, saying it leaves no time to review what's in the bills, much less any time for the public to get involved.
I would hope that this all comes to a neat and tidy end, although I'm not holding my breath. Arizona, as I have said before, is in a crisis. No surprise there. We need to be calm and rational but we also need to be firm and aggressive in our resolution. I welcome the opportunity to see a budget that has been approved by both sides of this awful mess.
Tuesday, July 28, 2009
Thursday, July 23, 2009
Glendale Taking a Gamble?
The Tohono O'odham Nation wants to build a 600-room resort and casino near 95th Avenue and Northern in Glendale. Great! Finally Glendale, a way to attract people to come out to your side of town and spend some money.
As one commenter on AZ Central said, "I am totally down with gambling on the RES then heading over to Westgate for a few cold ones at the Shout House or Hells Half Acre.....see this deal is going to be great for Glendale." I agree! Good for you.
Oh crap. Wait a minute. Glendale doesn't want a resort and casino in their neighborhood? Well I'm sorry, Glendale but you know what? After you screwed up the deal with the Coyotes and since you've been in near financial ruin lately, I don't think you get the luxury of picking and choosing how you earn money anymore. I would think by this point you would do anything you possibly could to bring folks out to you.
The problem comes from 46 out of 146 acres that the tribe purchased in a county island near 95th and Northern avenues, bordering the city's sports and entertainment district. Glendale claims the swath through the middle of the site was incorrectly labeled as unincorporated and actually is part of the city.
Glendale spokesman Gary Husk said, "fundamental problems will arise when a tribe creates a reservation in the middle of an urban area."
Tribal representatives called the city's action "a desperate attempt" to delay the project. They note that for eight years, the city treated the land as unincorporated, including not collecting property tax there.
A court decision on the matter of if the land in question is or is not unincorporated should come sometime this summer.
As one commenter on AZ Central said, "I am totally down with gambling on the RES then heading over to Westgate for a few cold ones at the Shout House or Hells Half Acre.....see this deal is going to be great for Glendale." I agree! Good for you.
Oh crap. Wait a minute. Glendale doesn't want a resort and casino in their neighborhood? Well I'm sorry, Glendale but you know what? After you screwed up the deal with the Coyotes and since you've been in near financial ruin lately, I don't think you get the luxury of picking and choosing how you earn money anymore. I would think by this point you would do anything you possibly could to bring folks out to you.
The problem comes from 46 out of 146 acres that the tribe purchased in a county island near 95th and Northern avenues, bordering the city's sports and entertainment district. Glendale claims the swath through the middle of the site was incorrectly labeled as unincorporated and actually is part of the city.
Glendale spokesman Gary Husk said, "fundamental problems will arise when a tribe creates a reservation in the middle of an urban area."
Tribal representatives called the city's action "a desperate attempt" to delay the project. They note that for eight years, the city treated the land as unincorporated, including not collecting property tax there.
A court decision on the matter of if the land in question is or is not unincorporated should come sometime this summer.
Tuesday, July 21, 2009
Unexpected Month Off
Well, either it's been a slow news month, or I've been on vacation.
Actually, both are true. I have been away, and what do you know? Not much has changed in my absence. Pitty.
The Coyotes are still in limbo and the great state of Arizona still can't agree on a budget, just to name a couple of big ones I've been waiting on. Sigh.
But, hey, I'm back so at least there will be more to read about nothing out there, right? Think of it as the "Seinfeld" of news blogs.
Hopefully tomorrow there will be more out there than just "It's hot outside" and "Buckeye is having a car-seat class".
Actually, both are true. I have been away, and what do you know? Not much has changed in my absence. Pitty.
The Coyotes are still in limbo and the great state of Arizona still can't agree on a budget, just to name a couple of big ones I've been waiting on. Sigh.
But, hey, I'm back so at least there will be more to read about nothing out there, right? Think of it as the "Seinfeld" of news blogs.
Hopefully tomorrow there will be more out there than just "It's hot outside" and "Buckeye is having a car-seat class".
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