Gov. Jan Brewer deserves thanks for vetoing several bills this week, including the loony birther bill and legislation that would have allowed guns on campus.

It goes to show that Brewer is taking the public's opinion into account on some of the stuff that coming out of the Legislature—and so we're suggesting you call her up and ask her to veto SB 1322, which would force the cities of Tucson and Phoenix to take bids so that private companies can take over running nearly everything the city does, from the transportation department to the parks to Tucson Water.

The fact is: The city already farms out all kinds of business when appropriate: Private companies bid on road projects and Tucson Water takes bids from pipeline companies. But the overall transportation and water system should be managed by city employees, not private companies. This is privatization ad absurdum—and instead of some fantasy where private entrepreneurs take over our parks and turn them into paradise, it's more likely to create big expenses, miles of red tape and disastrous results. This will basically destroy the city as we now know it, which is the aim Sen. Frank Antenori, who sponsored it. (And that's not just us talking; Republican City Councilman Steve Kozachik has said the same thing.)

So call Gov. Brewer at 1-(800) 253-0883. (It's toll-free!) Or visit her Web page to leave a comment. Let her know you think it's a bad idea and you'd be grateful if she'd reject it.

The Sierra Club's Sandy Bahr rounds up the last of the environmental legislation that moved through the statehouse this year:

Hello all! Well, at least it is finally over and even though it was a relatively short session, it seemed extremely long. It is tempting to say, “It could have been worse,” but then that lets the legislature off the hook for a variety of god-awful actions, many of which will be resurrected for next year. We have this magnificent state filled with amazing natural wonders and they would mortgage our natural capital to advantage one business or one industry or to serve some personal perceived slight. It is our health, the state’s biological diversity, and the future of Arizona’s children that are most at risk.

This is the last update for the year (unless they do a special session), but in the coming weeks, we will issue our report card on the Arizona Legislature and the Governor, so watch for that. Thank you all for hanging in there and making the calls, sending the emails, and for caring enough to take action. While it can be discouraging and frustrating, your actions can and did make a difference. Here is the first case in point.

SB1517 S/E transmission lines; environmental compatibility certificates, the bill to limit public involvement in transmission line siting in Arizona, failed in the House Committee of the Whole 14-40-6. It is unusual for bills to die in Committee of the Whole, especially by such a large margin. Kudos go to the Cascabel Working Group and the many people who worked to defeat this bill. Towards the end, agricultural interests weighed in to oppose it as well. All of this resulted in rejection of a truly bad public policy. Please take the time to call and thank House members who voted against the bill. Just click on SB1517 Vote Detail to see who voted no and

Maybe this isn't a big deal, but as a parent, I'm not entirely thrilled that the police can record my children without my consent, as long as it's part of an investigation of some sort, thanks to SB 1244 which ran through the Legislature without much trouble and was signed by Jan Brewer yesterday. At very least, I'll be sure to tell my nine year old that he should ask to be able to call his parents before the police get out the video camera. SB 1453, which was also signed yesterday, allows parents to pull their kid out of any classroom activity they find objectionable, but apparently, I don't get that same right when it comes to the police anymore.

From the Senate's fact sheet:

The Parents’ Bill of Rights was established by Laws 2010, Chapter 307 and states that the liberty of parents to direct the upbringing, education, health care and mental health of their children is a fundamental right (A.R.S. § 1-601).

A.R.S. § 1-602 specifies that a parent has a right to consent in writing under the following circumstances: a) before a biometric scan of a minor child is made by a school; b) before any record of the minor child’s blood or DNA is created, stored or shared, except as part of the newborn screening program; and c) before any genetic testing is conducted, with certain exceptions.

A parents’ right to consent in writing is also applicable before the State or any of its political subdivisions makes a video or voice recording of the minor child, unless the recording is made during, or as part of, a court proceeding or a forensic interview in a criminal or child protective services investigation. The right to consent in writing doesn’t apply if the video or voice recording is used solely for the following: a) safety demonstrations; b) purposes related to legitimate academic or extracurricular activities or to regular classroom instruction; c) security or surveillance of buildings or grounds; and d) a photo identification card (A.R.S. § 1-602).

There is no anticipated fiscal impact to the state General Fund.

Provisions

1. Specifies that a law enforcement officer may make a video or voice recording of a minor child, without prior written parental consent under the Parents’ Bill of Rights, if the recording is made during, or as part of, a law enforcement investigation.

2. Makes technical changes.

3. Becomes effective on signature of the Governor, if the emergency clause is enacted.

Back in the day before Sen. Al Melvin blacklisted me for asking too many pesky questions about the impacts of his votes, he used to talk about how, if Arizona were just more like Texas, we wouldn't have budget problems because our economy would be booming and tax revenues would soar.

It appears that the Texas miracle isn't working out so well. Not that reality is likely to change Melvin's mind, since he's ideologically locked into his belief system, but it's worth noting that the Texas government facing the same type of problems as Arizona, according to The New York Times:

The public pressure to reduce taxes makes it difficult to do something about what many budget experts say is a chronic shortage of revenue in Texas. The experts said the economic downturn caused only a third of the revenue shortfall here, as sales tax receipts fell off. Most of it, they said, stemmed from the state’s decision to overhaul its business tax structure and to reduce local property taxes in 2006. Various tax exemptions have also weakened revenues over the years.

“The tax system is out of whack,” Senator Ogden said. “There are more and more exemptions, and the taxes we do have are not performing as expected.” At the same time, Texas continues to grow by about 1,500 people a day, and costs are rising inexorably. “It’s unstable,” he said. “The curves will not cross.”

Given the political climate, however, few in the Capitol expect the Legislature to perform major surgery on the tax code. The Democrats were sidelined in the Republican landslide last fall, and moderate Republicans are worried about their re-election prospects after seeing so many incumbents fall to Tea Party challengers in the last election. If the final budget resembles the House version, however, some politicians fear that there could be a price to pay at the polls next year — a backlash to the backlash.

The House plan would give schools almost $8 billion less than current state law requires over the next two years. Medicaid would be about $4 billion short of what officials say is needed to meet the growth in caseloads. One group of budget analysts predicted that 97,000 teachers and school employees would be laid off. Other analysts said that the cuts to Medicaid would force hundreds of nursing homes out of business and would have a devastating effect on rural hospitals and doctors.

Those sorts of austere budget cuts have not been seen in Texas since Truman was president, not even during the oil bust in the late 1980s and the recession in 2003, several lawmakers said.

“There is nothing comparable to this since World War II,” said State Senator John Whitmire, a veteran Houston Democrat who is the vice chairman of the Finance Committee. “I think we are in a hell of a mess, and I am not sure of the path out of it.”

[New York Times]

The Associated Press reports that another Arizonan died after state lawmakers cut off transplant funding last year:

A leukemia patient's death probably could have been avoided if Arizona hadn't suspended Medicaid coverage for some transplants for six months, a transplant doctor says.

Dr. Jeffrey Schriber said 31-year-old James Johnson of Phoenix likely could have obtained a bone-marrow transplant within weeks late last fall were it not for the coverage cutoff that began Oct. 1 under a state budget cut approved earlier last year.

The state Medicaid program retroactively restored coverage retroactively to April 1 on Thursday, a day after Gov. Jan Brewer signed a new state budget Wednesday evening.

[AZ Republic]

From the House's Third Read calendar for today, as reported by Random Musings:

SB1326, barring HOAs from restricting the display of the "Gadsden" flag (the one that says "Don't tread on me") that has been commandeered by tea party types.

Question for legal types: what about flags that incorporate part of allowed flags, but also have other graphics? I'm thinking specifically of these, from online retailer Flagsimporter.com:

State Sen. Russell Pearce reacts to the news that the Ninth Circuit has upheld federal Judge Susan Bolton's decision to block enforcement of most of SB 1070, the immigration law passed last year by the Arizona Legislature:

No one who follows the judiciary should be surprised by today’s ruling of a federal appeals court to refuse to lift a stay blocking parts of SB 1070 from taking effect. When Judge Bolton issued her injunction last July, I cautioned people that the 9th Circuit may do just this. The liberal makeup of the panel makes decisions like this utterly predictable.

In addition, the court is the most overturned in the nation.

The basis for today’s split decision is flawed. If Congress wanted to pre-empt the states from enforcing laws, it would have used its plenary powers. There has never been a pre-emption of states’ authority to enforce immigration laws.

SB 1070 is constitutionally sound, and that will be proven when the U.S. Supreme Court takes up this case and makes the proper ruling. With Judge Bolton’s ruling last week to allow the Legislature to intervene, I will now have a seat at the table to help make that case

This battle is a battle of epic proportions. It is about a state’s right to enforce the laws of this land and protect its citizens from those who break our laws.

Pima County Democratic Party chairman Jeff Rogers has a different spin:

The Pima County Democratic Party applauds the Federal Appeals Court ruling that Arizona's reckless immigration law, SB 1070, is unconstitutional. It's the federal government's job to enforce federal immigration law, just as the Border Patrol is prohibited from enforcing state law. What's worse, it’s a cynical law written specifically to harass the law-abiding Latino community. We urge Congress and the president to finally tackle federal immigration reform in a way that fixes the problem, rather than simply fixing blame. It’s up to Washington D.C., to secure the border, punish businesses for hiring illegal immigrants and provide a path to legal status for those here now, contributing to our society.

Patrick McNamara of Inside Tucson Business looks in at relations between Republican lawmakers and Republican Councilman Steve Kozachik, who is sticking up for Tucson residents in the face of proposed state laws that would cripple the cities:

The councilman said he has asked Pima County GOP chairman Brian Miller to facilitate a meeting between local elected leaders from across the region and state legislators. To date, a meeting has not been called.

He said his efforts at direct diplomacy have fallen on deaf ears.

"In essence, they say ‘drink your milk and eat you cookies.' It's very condescending," Kozachik said.

State Sen. Frank Antenori, R-Tucson, said he hasn't heard anything from Kozachik other than what he has read in opinion pieces.

"He hasn't reached out to anybody," Antenori said, adding that he was unconcerned with Kozachik's comments. "He doesn't represent the people I represent. The majority of the people I represent pay taxes, probably the majority of people he represents don't - or receive some government subsidy."

Antenori said he thinks Kozachik is trying to curry favor with Democrats, liberals and other people outside the Republican Party. By doing so, Antenori said Kozachik risks alienating the GOP base that helped put him in office.

"I think it's a flawed strategy, but he's probably not aware of it because he's a political novice," Antenori said.

The senator also questioned Kozachik's comments regarding the Legislature's decision to exclude Pima County from Gang and Immigration Intelligence Team Enforcement Mission (GIITEM) funding. State lawmakers were angered at Pima County Sheriff Clarence Dupnik's comments last year about SB 1070. The sheriff implied he wouldn't enforce the law, which now is subject to a federal lawsuit.

"They (Pima County) should have a sheriff that doesn't run his mouth and enforces the law," Antenori said. "I'm surprised that Steve would be sticking up for him."

Despite the apparent rift, Antenori said he wouldn't engage in a public argument with Kozachik.

"The media would love that," the senator said. "All the lefties love it when a Republican picks on another Republican."

Kozachik said his comments and writing have been aimed at protecting the interests of Tucson and the people of his ward. He said he welcomes the chance to sit down and have a real conversation with the Southern Arizona legislative delegation.

"This is about good public policy," Kozachik said, "not about (political) party."

[Inside Tucson Business]

Mike Chihak invited me to talk about education on Friday's Arizona Week. The episode is an instructive look at how the latest budget cuts are going to result in larger class sizes, fewer books and less staff support. I learned something new myself: This new idea of "blended" education that somehow involves spending a few days a week in the classroom and other days learning on the Internet. (David Safier, can you help out, please?)

I'm absolutely sure that schools need to retool for the 21st century, but it's tough to innovate when you're struggling to just keep the doors open.

[Arizona Week]

Since I was down at the studio for Arizona Week anyway, Christoper Conover was kind enough to invite me to join him for a quick talk about the Legislature on Friday's Arizona Illustrated.

[Arizona Public Media]