Is Gov. Napolitano lying about radio ads promoting herself?

"This traffic report brought to you by Governor Napolitano (and your tax dollars paid for that statement with my name, thanks, be sure to remember to vote for me when I run for U.S. Senate.)."

The blog Red State Arizona criticized Napolitano earlier this week for running radio ads immediately after traffic reports, which said "This traffic report brought to you by Governor Napolitano." Napolitano has made no secret that she plans to run for McCain's Senate seat and getting her name out pleasantly in public for free without running into campaign finance laws has been something she's fond of taking advantage of.

The governor's spokesperson Jeanine L'Ecuyer denied that the radio ads mentioned Napolitano, telling the Yellow Sheet yesterday, "Neither of them says the governor's office sponsors this traffic report." She denied it again today to the Yellow Sheet, saying that the guys reading the ads must have strayed from the script and ad libbed the governor's name in there.

However, L'Ecuyer said they canceled the ads immediately after the blog post complained about them! If there was nothing to hide, why did they cancel the rest of the ads?

This isn't a very smooth coverup. What are the odds that two radio guys are going to both ad lib and throw the Governor's name into an ad? I don't know about you, but if I was reading an ad from the Governor, I sure wouldn't deviate from the script. And do you really believe that a right wing guy working at KFYI would choose to go out of his way to give the governor any extra specific mention to help promote her? Heck no. According to the Yellow Sheet article today, a "political veteran" contacted them and verified that he'd heard the ad, and the governor's office verified that the ad had been played on at least 3 radio stations.

If the Governor's office is lying about the ads - and it wouldn't be too difficult to get a copy of the actual script from the radio stations - not only will she have wasted tax dollars on promoting herself, but will have lied and gotten caught. With the state budget in the tank, her excessive spending on promoting herself could seriously hurt a future Senate bid. The blog Arizona Political Heat has started investigating her frequent out-of-state trips, and espressopundit and Sonoran Alliance have done plenty of posts documenting her excesses. Of course, as we saw when Napolitano scapegoated and fired former Veteran's Home head Patrick Chorpenning when problems were found with the State Veteran's Home, Napolitano will react to getting caught lying about these ads by firing L'Ecuyer. Who needs enemies when you have friends like Janet Napolitano?

Goldwater Institute named "Best Capitol Watchdog" by AZ Capitol Times

Arizona Capitol Times editors and readers honor Institute's work

Last night the Arizona Capitol Times announced the Goldwater Institute won its annual "Best Capitol Watchdog" award.

Darcy Olsen, president of the Goldwater Institute said, "There are a lot of watchdog organizations doing powerful work in Arizona, and we are thrilled to be counted among the most effective."

Readers and the editorial board of the Capitol Times make the selection annually, along with some 50 other awards. In winning the award, the Goldwater Institute edged out the Sierra Club and the Arizona Tax Research Association.

The Goldwater Institute was established in 1988 as an independent, non-partisan public policy research organization, and has grown to one of the largest state policy organizations in the country.

Last year, the Goldwater Institute created the nation's first litigation center to be fully housed within a think tank. With the addition of the litigation center, Clint Bolick, the Institute's litigation director, said in a recent interview, "We've become a watchdog that bites."

To learn more about the Goldwater Institute's policy and litigation work, please visit our award winning website, www.goldwaterinstitute.org. The Institute's work is made possible by the generosity of its supporters. Please click here to make a tax-deductible contribution.

Contact:
Starlee Rhoades
Vice President of Communications
srhoades@goldwaterinstitute.org
(602) 462-5000 x 226

CAP: Debate on immortality March 6, human embryos destroyed in Phoenix

In this issue:
	(1) Do You Want to Live Forever? (2) ReignDown USA (3) Human Embryos Destroyed in Phoenix (4) HPV Vaccine Update (5) CAP coming to Tucson! Forward this email to a friend!

(1) Do You Want to Live Forever?

As part of the upcoming Extending Life conference, The Center for Bioethics and Human Dignity is presenting a free debate on Thursday, March 6, 2008, at 7:30 p.m. S. Jay Olshansky, PhD, and Aubrey de Grey, PhD, will debate the issues surrounding immortality. You can reserve your free seat online for the debate at the IMAX Theatre at the Arizona Science Center in Phoenix. To learn more about the debate's key question, watch this video online, "Do You Want to Live Forever?"

(2) ReignDown USA

Recently, I wrote about the April 26th ReignDown USA Day of Repentance for our nation. The ReignDown headquarters needs volunteers to help a few hours each week in their Glendale office. Please prayerfully consider what the Lord may be calling you to do to participate in these events nationally and locally. To volunteer, call ReignDown at (623) 561-0450.

(3) Human Embryos Destroyed in Phoenix

A recent Phoenix news story interviewed doctors at a local fertility clinic about "leftover" frozen embryos whose parents no longer want them as their own children nor want to place them for adoption. What a tragedy that our society condones tossing these tiny human beings into the trash with the rest of the lab's garbage! One doctor could not even acknowledge what was really happening: "It is hard to do. Very difficult to discard them. It's almost like you have to take yourself out of the equation." You can watch this story on Fox 10's website. To learn more about human embryo adoption, visit www.snowflakes.org.

(4) HPV Vaccine Update

Making headlines again the last few days has been the HPV vaccine. On Sunday, the New York Times carried a story addressing whether or not teenage boys should get the vaccine as an "altruistic" move to help inoculate their female partners. A second story told of a young girl who suffered paralysis after she received the HPV vaccine. This vaccine is given to protect against the sexually-transmitted disease that is associated with cervical cancer. At CAP, we're not taking a stand on whether parents should have their children get the HPV vaccine. But we do caution parents to do the research and get the latest information before making a decision to have your children vaccinated. Parents are the ones to ultimately decide whether their children should receive a vaccination. This story gives parents more valuable information to consider with regard to this vaccine. Last year, CAP was successful in our efforts to pass a law making Arizona the only state so far where the HPV vaccine cannot be mandatory for children to attend school.

(5) CAP coming to Tucson!

Please join me for lunch in Tucson on either March 7 or March 8 for a special CAP Briefing and Legislative Update. I will bring you the latest news from the State Capitol and share CAP's plans for 2008. Plus - I'll introduce you to Lynne St. Angelo, our new Southern Arizona Coordinator! Get all the details and register on our website.

AZ Latino Republican meeting

Everyone is welcome.

Please join us for our next ALRA gathering/meeting:

Wednesday, March 26, 2008 @ 5:30 PM

Copper State Consulting Group

3033 N. Central Suite 900

(southeast corner of Central/Earll)

RSVP to Alicelara@hotmail.com or 602-796-1038

Please remember to bring your conservative friends and colleagues.

Nos Vemos,

Jose Esparza

ALRA Chairman

Blanca Esparza

ALRA Vice-Chair

Alice Lara

Communications

Nice tribute to William F. Buckley, Jr. by Richard Viguerie

Richard Viguerie: William Buckley gave birth to the conservative movement

and changed the course of history

“Every conservative, and every person who loves freedom, should thank God for William Buckley… and thank God for not giving the Left a William Buckley”

(Manassas, Virginia) – Richard A. Viguerie, publisher of ConservativeHQ.com, issued the following statement on the life and death of William F. Buckley Jr.:

“Today my hero and role model died. Across the world, many, many others are thinking the same – not just among members of the conservative movement.

“William F. Buckley Jr. was the man who gave birth to the conservative movement, who nurtured and guided it as it grew into a major political force. Now, he has gone to his reward, and he belongs to the ages.

“All those who cherish freedom are forever in Bill Buckley’s debt. Barry Goldwater and Ronald Reagan were the political fathers of today’s conservative movement, but Buckley was the movement’s intellectual father.

“Without Buckley’s pioneering work, including his first book, God and Man at Yale (1951), and his launching of the National Review in 1955, there very well may never have been a successful conservative movement. Today, we often take conservative alternative media for granted, but for many years Buckley’s program, “Firing Line,” was almost the only conservative show on TV.

“During a flight from Washington DC’s Reagan National Airport to LaGuardia Airport in May 2006, I told Bill Buckley that I wanted him to hear this: that I and every conservative would go to our graves not even beginning to understand the debt we owe him.

“It was Bill Buckley, flying under the radar, who watched over the young conservative movement, providing encouragement to generations of young activists, writers, and politicians. It was Buckley who provided the intellectual foundation for, and drew a bright light onto, the conservative cause.

“And, whenever an extremist would claim falsely to be a conservative, it was Buckley who took the lead in differentiating true conservatives from opportunists and kooks.

Buckley guided our movement in ways that will never be known to the public, or even to most conservatives. Often, his was an invisible hand behind conservative success.

“Every conservative – every person who loves freedom – should thank God for William Buckley… and thank God for not giving the Left a William Buckley.

“I am reminded of 2 Samuel 3:38: ‘Do you not know that a prince and a great man has fallen this day ?’”

BIOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION ON RICHARD VIGUERIE

Viguerie’s role in the development of grassroots organizing methods such as direct mail is well known. Thanks to Viguerie, it is possible for campaigns and causes to rely on millions of small contributors rather than a few fat cats. That’s why John F. Kennedy Jr.’s political magazine, George, called the founding of Viguerie’s organization one of the “defining political moments of the 20^th Century.”

Viguerie used these techniques to help organize the conservative movement, from the 1960s forward, and to change the course of U.S. political history. Barry Goldwater’s 1964 communications director, Lee Edwards, wrote in The Washington Times that Viguerie was one of 13 “conservatives of the [20^th] century.” During this year’s coverage of the Iowa caucuses, MSNBC’s Keith Olbermann called Viguerie “one of either the greats or the demons, depending on your point of view of the conservative movement.” Alexander Cockburn of The Nation recently called him “one of the creators of the modern conservative movement.” Last week, the Copley News Service called him an “icon of the Republican right.”

He is the author of several books, including Conservatives Betrayed: How George W. Bush and Other Big Government Republicans Hijacked the Conservative Cause.

Sen. Harper rewards American ingenuity; wins "Clean Air Champion" award

State Sen. Jack Harper’s legislation expanding the types of hybrid vehicles that can use carpool lanes moved through a Senate committee today.

“It is time that we encourage energy independence, while rewarding citizens who do not want to put an American out of a job,” Harper, R-Surprise, said.

Senate Bill 1041 allows hybrid vehicles with at least 45 percent fuel efficiency in combined fuel mileage to use High Occupancy Vehicle lanes with single occupancy. It also removes the requirement that ADOT receive approval from the federal government to allow hybrid vehicles the use of HOV lanes.

In a 2006 executive order, Gov. Janet Napolitano allowed eligibility for a limited number of foreign-made hybrid cars in the HOV lane, with single occupancy during the hours with heavy traffic.

Harper’s legislation allows American-made vehicles use of the HOV lane any time, regardless of occupancy level, without penalty.

In the past year, American manufacturers (particularly General Motors) have leaped ahead of Toyota and Honda in hybrid technology.

Also today, the Valley of the Sun Clean Cities Coalition, Inc. recognized Harper with the “Clean Air Champion” award for his involvement at stakeholder meetings and for giving the Legislature a perspective on government involvement in clean fuels.

State Rep. Tom Boone also received the award for his lifetime advocacy of clean fuel use.

AZ Fed. of Taxpayers: Anti-Corporate-Welfare Bill Passes Senate Committee

Yesterday, an important anti-boondoggle bill, SCR 1028, was approved by the Arizona Senate's Financial Institutions, Insurance, and Retirement Committee. If passed by the Legislature during the current session, SCR 1028 would allow voters in November to strengthen constitutional provisions prohibiting public funds (taxpayer money) from being given as gifts or loans to private businesses.

The Arizona chapter of Americans for Prosperity encourages its grassroots taxpayer activists to thank the three members of the FIIR Committee who voted in favor of the reform bill:

Sen. Pamela Gorman (R-6, North Phoenix, Anthem), pgorman@azleg.gov

Sen. John Huppenthal (R-20, Ahwatukee, Chandler), jhuppenthal@azleg.gov

Sen. Thayer Verschoor (R-22, Gilbert), tverschoor@azleg.gov

AFP Arizona also thanks the Pima Association of Taxpayers for getting out the word on this important bill, and John Kromko of Tucson for coming to the Legislature yesterday to testify in favor of the bill.

The Committee members who voted against the reform bill were:

Sen. Debbie McCune Davis (D-14, West-Central Phoenix), dmccunedavis@azleg.gov

Sen. Rebecca Rios (D-23, Pinal County), rrios@azleg.gov

The Arizona Constitution's existing anti-boondoggle provisions should be very clear, but in recent decades, the Arizona Supreme Court has allowed large loopholes for gifts and loans that are supposedly for “public” purposes. Among the gifts to private businesses allowed by the Court's loose interpretation are subsidies for sporting-goods stores (such as the Cabela's in Glendale), automobile dealerships (such as Scottsdale's Motor Mile), shopping centers (Riverview in Mesa, City North in Phoenix, Prasada in Surprise, to name a very few), and various stadiums and sports facilities from Tempe to Tucson.

AFP Arizona also asks its members to send notes of thanks to the following Legislators for introducing the bill:

Sen. Karen Johnson (R-18, Mesa), kjohnson@azleg.gov

Sen. Ken Cheuvront (D-15, Central Phoenix), kcheuvront@azleg.gov

Sen. Robert Blendu (R-12, Litchfield Park), rblendu@azleg.gov

Sen. Ron Gould (R-3, Lake Havasu City, Mohave County), rgould@azleg.gov

To read the (very short) bill language, click here.

For more about abuses that have been justified under the prevailing judicial interpretation of the Arizona Constitution's gift ban clause, use this URL to find Benjamin Barr's report from the Goldwater Institute.

Contact: Tom Jenney, Arizona state director, Americans for Prosperity tjenney@afphq.org (602) 478-0146.

Goldwater Institute: Here's hoping the Presidential Candidates will take on issues of substance

The Audacity to Hope

By Tom Patterson

The campaign this year is the first in four decades without a presidential or vice-presidential incumbent. It is a perfect opportunity for reflection on our national progress and for resetting our course as needed to assure future generations attain liberty and opportunity.

But the candidates have resolutely ignored any big-picture ideas, especially those which might involve hard choices or sacrifices. To listen to the debates, you would never guess that our country is on a financially unsustainable course that worsens every passing year.

Yet the sobering fact is that we have created promises of government aid to elderly and low-income persons that we have made no provisions to pay for. We have conveniently ignored the laws of demographics and economics so much that we have dug a $56 trillion hole of debt and obligations. To pay it off now would require the entire combined net worth of all U.S. households.

We got in this dilemma by electing politicians of both parties who promised us stuff we wanted with vague assurances that "someone else," like the rich, would pay for it. But it's our children and grandchildren who are left holding the bag. However they deal with this mountain of debt - much higher taxes, benefit cuts, soaring inflation, default - will profoundly affect the American way of life.

A momentous general election is approaching. Hopefully, we will snap out of our obsession with the trivial and force candidates to discuss how (or if) they plan to handle issues that matter.

Tom Patterson is chairman of the Goldwater Institute, a former state legislator and emergency room physician. A longer version of this article originally appeared in the East Valley Tribune.

Goldwater Institute: Sunrise review laws protect entrepreneurs

Sunny Delight

By Jennifer Perkins

As Ronald Reagan famously noted, "Entrepreneurs and their small enterprises are responsible for almost all the economic growth in the United States." Why is it, then, that every year we see more proposed government regulations that make it harder for small businesses to open and operate?

Senate Bill 1502 could help address this regulatory creep: It would require the legislature to conduct a "sunrise review" process before erecting new regulatory barriers to entrepreneurship. Sunrise reviews require proponents of a regulation to demonstrate an actual need for it before the legislature may adopt it.

Sunrise requirements in other states have effectively caused lawmakers to scrutinize proposed regulations and reject government overreaching. For example, every state with a sunrise process that has considered regulating interior designers has ended up deciding against it because those seeking the regulations fail to provide evidence that regulation would benefit the public. On the other hand, in states without sunrise requirements, interior design regulations have been adopted with limited legislative scrutiny.

Sunrise review requirements can effectively protect entrepreneurs if they meet two crucial requirements. First, they must be either binding against the legislature or enforceable through private action. Second, they must require evidence demonstrating an actual need for regulation, not merely a desire to protect an interest group from competition.

Sunrise review requirements go a long way toward creating the environment of economic liberty that Reagan dreamed of and that the Institute for Justice fights to make a reality.

Jennifer Perkins is a staff attorney with the Arizona Chapter of the Institute for Justice.

Goldwater Institute: Pretending there isn't a budget problem won't make it go away

Denial and Delay

By Byron Schlomach, Ph.D.

Several states are facing some tough fiscal times. California's overspending problem amounts to more than $14 billion for the 2009 fiscal year. New Jersey's spending versus revenue gap could be $3.5 billion. Virginia and Massachusetts each face $1.2 billion gaps. Arizona's gap for 2009 is estimated at $1.7 billion.

Compared to California's fiscal problem, Arizona's looks like chump change. But here's "the rest of the story." As a percentage of general revenue spending, Arizona's 2009 spending/revenue gap is the biggest of all the states'. California's gap is 14 percent of its budget. New Jersey's is 11 percent. Arizona's spending/revenue gap for 2009 is 16 percent of the state's general fund spending.

Despite being a cool billion short on the current year's budget, Governor Napolitano and some members of the legislature have proposed budget "cuts" that amount to leaving unspent funds unspent and vacant jobs vacant. Meanwhile, the governor's budget office is predicting future revenue growth almost equal to that of past boom times, even as experts say the state's economic recovery will be slow. As they say in the South, "denial ain't just a river in Egypt."

Indiana's governor, Mitch Daniels (R), recently called on state agencies to cut spending by five percent in response to a $231 million spending/revenue gap. Wisconsin's governor, Jim Doyle (D), ordered agencies to cut spending by $111 million.

Here we are, facing a billion dollar hole after double-digit percentage budget growth in four of the last five years and some of our policymakers can't bring themselves to cut spending by more than one-half of one percent ($100 million over two years). Delaying the inevitable will only make it that much more painful.

Dr. Byron Schlomach is the director of the Center for Economic Prosperity at the Goldwater Institute.

Slowing Down Arizona’s Budget Rollercoaster

As Graph #1 shows, Arizona’s recent budget history looks a lot like a rollercoaster.

(Link to Graph #1: http://download.yousendit.com/B1C1CF3C05F36A48)

During years with strong economic growth, state politicians allow spending to shoot up to unsustainably high levels. Then, during economic slowdowns, when revenues fall off, state spending goes crashing downward.

On a themepark rollercoaster, the screaming during the big drop means that people are having fun and enjoying the ride. But with the state budget, the screaming is not an indication that the people of Arizona are having fun.

Some of the screams come from government employees who face layoffs. Other screams come from spending lobbies and from center-left editorial boards. And still other screams come from inside the aching heads of agency heads and city managers, who must struggle to balance their budgets.

Even fiscal conservatives find themselves screaming, when they realize that large deficits create political pressure to increase taxes and pile on debt (future taxes) in order to sustain high levels of spending. Some of the Big Spenders in the Arizona Legislature are already using the deficit as an excuse to justify increasing property taxes next year.

Sadly, many of Arizona’s politicians have consciously chosen to send the state on this scary fiscal rollercoaster ride.

Since 2002, the Arizona Federation of Taxpayers (now a state chapter of Americans for Prosperity) and the Goldwater Institute have urged the state government to adopt an expenditure limitation based on population plus inflation. Instead, Gov. Janet Napolitano and majorities of the Arizona Legislature have chosen to grow state budgets at rates that were not only faster than population plus inflation, but also significantly faster than the rate of growth of the state economy, as measured by personal income.

As Graph #2 shows, Arizona’s budget problems really got out of control in FY 2006 and FY 2007, when the size of state government as a portion of the state economy exceeded 6.5 percent—levels of spending not seen since the early 1990s. Spending as a portion of the economy is down a little this year, but the trend is strongly upward.

(Link to Graph #2: http://download.yousendit.com/2D18090D69A29384)

Without voter-imposed restraints, the Governor and the Big Spenders in the Legislature will soon push spending even higher.

The good news is that Arizona already has a constitutional spending limit. The bad news is that the limit—7.41 percent of state personal income—is far too high to provide meaningful restraints on state spending.

This session, some legislators have introduced HCR 2038, a referendum bill that would allow Arizona voters in November to reduce the spending limit from 7.41 percent of personal income to 6.4 percent.

The 6.4 percent bill is a fiscally moderate proposal: It allows state government to grow, but only as fast as the state economy. If a Legislator believes that government should get larger as a portion of the economy, he or she is a Big Spender, not a fiscal moderate.

Every budget from FY1998 to FY2005 would have qualified at the 6.4 percent level. HCR 2038 also allows the Legislature to lift the cap in emergency situations with a two-thirds vote.

From the point of view of fiscal conservatives, it would be far better to adopt a spending limit based on population plus inflation. However, given the proven inability of the Governor and legislative majorities to restrain spending, the achievement of fiscal moderation via the 6.4 percent bill would be a major step forward.

The 6.4 percent bill would not stop the budget rollercoaster, but it would at least slow it down.

--Tom Jenney is state director of the Arizona chapter of Americans for Prosperity, www.aztaxpayers.org.  

Dodie Londen political and business networking reception - March 5

HorizonWatch: more unfair and unbalanced journalism

Last night on Horizon, the chorus of left-wing journalists discussed various election races. There was also a discussion on the passing of former Governor Evan Mecham. Carl Kunasek was interviewed about Mecham, and it was refreshing to see he had a picture of Jesus behind him on the mantle - there's someone who hasn't caved into political correctness.

The left wingers discussed the CD-1 race up north, and whether Renzi will resign now, which would require an immediate special election to replace him. If so, the two Republican candidates in the race would be talk show host Sidney Hay and Corporation Commissioner Kris Mayes. Mary Jo Pitzl said that such an election would favor Mayes, because she has more name recognition. That's doubtful. Mayes is part of the Republicans for Janet crowd, even worked for Napolitano in her cabinet. Mayes is pro-choice and considered one of the biggest RINOs in the state, and her record on the Corp. Comm. has been pretty disappointing. Republicans know this about her, and won't vote for her.

Mark Brodie from KJZZ (Horizon still identifies NPR reporters as "KJZZ" reporters instead of NPR, hiding their liberal association) said that Renzi is radioactive which is hurting Republicans. This is a bit of a stretch, because what Renzi allegedly did has nothing to do with Republicans generally, it was his own business dealings.

Next the journalists discussed Shadegg changing his mind on running for re-election, noting that he must be getting something out of it. Shadegg had ran for leadership and Whip and lost both. Brodie commented that Steve May is going to stay in the race regardless, and would provide a tough challenge having $1 million of his own to spend and planning on raising another million. The left wing journalists failed to point out that incumbent Congressmen have something over a 90% rate of re-election, and that Steve May is primarily known for his criticism of the Don't Ask Don't Tell military policy, coming out of the closet while a state legislator to protest it. Considering Shadegg has a 98% lifetime rating from the American Conservative Union, and was begged by his fellow Congressman to stay in Congress, it's pretty clear CD-3 is a very conservative district and that's why they prefer Shadegg. Someone like May who is known primarily for his promotion of a gay issue won't stand a chance against Shadegg.

Paul Giblin claimed that this year people are dumping ultraconservatives, using McCain's rise as an example. Problem with this analysis is that Shadegg's 98% ACU rating puts him in the ultraconservative camp, and he is doing quite well - otherwise his fellow Congressmen would not have begged him to stay. Also, McCain is getting the GOP presidential nomination by default. The conservative vote ended up being split between Romney and Huckabee, leaving the moderate vote - less than 40% of Republicans - for McCain. The majority of Republicans would have preferred a more conservative candidate. McCain was an accident.

There was some discussion of whether the New York Times hit piece on McCain helps or hurts him. Right now it probably helps him, because it was obviously sleazy journalism based on anonymous innuendos. However, if the NYT can ever come up with hard evidence that McCain did have an affair, he could be in hot water having gone on television and denied it.

Note to Arizona Political Heat - Capitol Times reporter Jim Small presented an impressively fair discussion of illegal immigration bills at the legislature last week on Horizon. Maybe Small should be a regular guest on Horizon's Journalists' Roundtable, he certainly sounded more balanced than the leftists usually on there.

Ellman Companies looking for new PR director

Director of Public Relations - The Ellman Companies

Job Description:

Media Relations

• Primary interface with media on issues related to the Company's Westgate City Center project in Glendale, Arizona and other Company real estate development projects. Typical context: governmental entitlements, retail tenants, property performance, promotions and community events. Will require external and internal attendance at key meetings and an understanding of the development and operating aspects of the Company's business.
• Ability to write press releases and secure favorable news coverage, through strategic communication savvy. Articulate desired image for the Company and its properties. Ensure appropriate response to media requests.
• Maintain communication and relationships with broad range of media outlets, including national, local, financial, real estate, sports and entertainment publications and broadcasters.
• Frequently serve as company spokesperson

Corporate Communications

• Develop and maintain a wide range of corporate information materials, including annual reports, presentations, brochures and, the like. Will require writing and basic graphic design ability.
• Principal corporate webmaster, with responsible for oversight of various corporate websites, including coordinating technical team and various Company stakeholders.
• Liaison to a number of Company divisions on communications matters, including Retail Leasing, Residential Sales/Marketing, Development and, Property Management.
• Special assignments, as required by the Chairman/CEO.

Research, Other

• Execute various research projects for Company needs, related to market trends, demographics, competition and the like.
• Manage and maintain the Company's marketing and promotional archives, including publications, photography, video, news clips, collateral and the like.
• Write and design PowerPoint presentations for CEO and other key company executives

Key Considerations:

• Collaborative personality, with exceptional communication skills. Strategic thinking and creativity. Professional attitude. Relevant experience.

Salary Target: $65,000-$90,000

Benefits: Compelling Ellman Company benefits package. (Details available.)

Reports To: Executive Vice President of the Company, with a myriad of direct assignments for the Chairman/CEO.

Office: Located at 2850 Camelback in Phoenix, with weekly responsibilities at Westgate City Center in Glendale.

Please send all resumes to:

Julia Diament at Rose & Allyn Public Relations.
jdiament@roseandallynpr.com 480.423.1414

Julia Diament

Rose & Allyn Public Relations

---

email: jdiament@roseandallynpr.com

phone: 480-423-1414

web: http://www.roseandallynpr.com

Update from Ogsbury for Congress campaign

Although this blog prefers David Schweikert for Congress in CD-5, in the interests of fairness, we're including this information from the Ogsbury campaign.

Scottsdale Fundraiser Tomorrow Night

Tomorrow night, Friday, February 22, the Campaign will be holding a fundraiser in Scottsdale. Please send an email to info@ogsburyforcongress.com for more information.

Congress Goes on Vacation - Leaves Country More Vulnerable

Last week, Mr. Mitchell and the Congressional Democrats left for their Presidents Day recess without addressing legislation that is vital to our intelligence gathering capabilities. When Congress adjourned for a week-long vacation last Friday, it allowed the terrorist surveillance program to expire.

The Senate acted prior to the recess to extend wiretapping powers for intelligence agencies, but Mr. Mitchell and the House Democrats never even took a vote on the bi-partisan Senate bill before leaving last Friday.

The Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) officially expired last Saturday, February 16, and the House doesn't convene again until Monday, February 25.

Mr. Mitchell has voted with Nancy Pelosi almost 90% of the time since taking office, and last week's actions constituted one of the most egregious acts, or instances of inaction, since the Democrats took control of Congress last year.

When elected, Jim will work day and night to protect this country against the threats that face us. Jim recognizes the need to win the War on Terror and provide our troops and intelligence gathering agencies all of the tools necessary to win. Unlike Mr. Mitchell, Jim will not put politics over national security.

Candidate Forum

Last Saturday, February 16, Jim participated in a candidate forum along with all other announced Republican candidates from Arizona's Fifth Congressional District. The forum, hosted by the Arizona Federation of Republican Women, clearly demonstrated that Jim's experience, vision and knowledge set him apart from the opposition and qualify him to serve as the district's next Representative in Congress. We will keep you posted on future candidate forums as they are scheduled.

In-home events

The campaign is planning to schedule more in-home events throughout the district. If you are interested in hosting an event to introduce Jim to your friends, family and neighbors, please let us know. These are easy events to set up and a great way to get Jim's name out throughout the district. Please send an email to matt@ogsburyforcongress.com if you are interested in hosting one of these events.

As always, thank you for your support.

On to Victory!

Ogsbury for Congress

Goldwater Institute: Florida's low-income Hispanic students outscore the average Arizona student.

I'll Have What Florida's Having

By Matthew Ladner, Ph.D.

I've received quite a bit of reader mail from this previous article showing that Florida's Hispanic students outscore Arizona's statewide average on fourth grade reading exams. Some writers wanted to know if this could be attributed to the fact that Florida's Hispanic population is predominantly Cuban. The short answer is no, because the Hispanic population was also predominantly Cuban in the 1990s when scores were much lower.

Other inquiries involved questions about student poverty. Statewide averages for low-income students for Arizona and Florida are broadly similar, but I decided to investigate using the NAEP data. What I found was extraordinary.

Using the data analysis features on the NAEP website, you can get fourth grade reading scores broken down by both race and income. It is not only the case that Florida's Hispanic students outscore the statewide average in Arizona, Florida's low-income Hispanic students outscore the average Arizona student. Florida's low-income African-American students are closing in fast.

I appeared on a conference panel recently, and a fellow panelist noted the difference between a problem and a condition. A problem, she said, was something you tried to fix. A condition was something you had given up on and just grown to accept.

Low academic achievement in Arizona is a PROBLEM not a condition. Florida's parental choice programs were three times larger than Arizona's in 2006; Florida approved 80 percent more charter schools last year than Arizona; they have avoided dummying down their state accountability test as we have done in Arizona; and they have created sensible alternate paths to teacher certification.

I don't know what else they've been doing but I intend to find out. This is an enormously hopeful finding. To paraphrase that famous line from When Harry Met Sally: I'll have what Florida is having.

Dr. Matthew Ladner is the vice president of research at the Goldwater Institute.

Tucson pro-life event

Tucson, AZ-------

Good Friday, March 21 Tucson, AZ Face the Truth, AZ., Inc. demonstration with graphic signs/posters 7:00 AM - 10:00 AM Call or email for details. 520-908-9765 or azrtlsunnyt@aol.com

Please join us on the day we show our repentance, sadness, honor, praise, and thanksgiving for the sacrifice of Jesus Christ for His passion and death as payment in full for our sins. Our prayerful demonstration may educate and change the hearts of those about to commit the horrendous sin of abortion!!! If you are unable to join us in body, please join us in prayer; LIVES MAY DEPEND ON YOU!!!!!

Being a voice for those who cannot speak for themselves, the Innocents,
Sunny Turner
AZ RTL Tucson Central/SW Chapter

Statement from County Attorney Thomas on employer sanctions ruling

"Our office is pleased that Federal Judge Neil Wake has ruled that Arizona’s county attorneys may go forward with enforcing the Legal Arizona Workers Act. Judge Wake specifically found persuasive the affidavits of Dr. George Borjas of Harvard University. The Borjas report, which turned out to be decisive, was commissioned by the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office. Dr. Borjas, an economist, is a nationally recognized expert on the relationship between illegal immigration and wages in the United States. Conversely, Judge Wake said the plaintiff’s experts were not persuasive. Our office stands ready not only to enforce this much-needed law, but to defend it in court as opponents seek new ways to challenge it.”

Worth noting for those fighting over Shadegg's seat

Rep. John Shadegg has an outstanding record with the American Conservative Union. His last two ratings for 2005 and 2006 were 100%, and his lifetime score is 98.1%. That's even higher than Sen. Jon Kyl. CD-3 (North Phoenix generally) is a conservative district, and any Democrat with zero name recognition other than similarity to a porn star's name is going to have a tough time, as will any liberal Republican. So far, the race seems to be attracting mostly solid Republicans.

CAP: Progress of bills in legislature, bioethics conference

In this issue:
	(1) Legislative Action (2) Looking for Truth? (3) Bioethics Conference Early Bird Registration Extended! (4) Mark Your Calendars! Forward this email to a friend!

(1) Legislative Action

In an action-packed week at the State Capitol, four of CAP's legislative priorities moved forward. The marriage referendum cleared its first hurdle as the House Judiciary Committee passed HCR 2065 by a 6-3 vote. The same committee also unanimously passed HB 2129, making it illegal to misrepresent your age on the Internet for the purposes of committing any sexual offense involving a minor. The House gave tentative approval to the parental consent abortion bill. Senate and House committees passed a state ban on partial-birth abortion. On the abortion bills, opponents sign in against the bills and send out emails opposing the bills, but they aren't willing to appear before legislative committees and state why they oppose the most reasonable of abortion regulations. The emails stretch the truth considerably about the abortion bills. Those legislators supporting Planned Parenthood's agenda dutifully vote "no," also without making a comment. No surprise, but I long for the day when Planned Parenthood and their supporters are willing to tell the truth about the legislative proposals and to consider reasonable and much-needed regulation of abortion. After all, the lives of women are at stake, as well as the lives of viable, preborn children!

(2) Looking for Truth?

Over 20 Truth Project groups are available on CAP's web site. Whether you are in Camp Verde, Florence, Flagstaff, Lake Havasu City, Mesa, Payson, Phoenix, Sedona, Scottsdale, Tempe, or Tucson, there's a group for you! On our web site, you can join a group or list a group for others to join.

(3) Bioethics Conference Early Bird Registration Extended!

The Center for Bioethics and Human Dignity conference, Extending Life: Setting the Agenda for the Ethics of Aging, Death, and Immortality, is only three weeks away. If you register and mention CAP, you still will qualify for the early bird registration rate. Help us out by letting others in your circle of influence know about this top-notch national conference coming to our community - doctors, scientists, lawyers, pastors, and lay people all would benefit immensely from the education being offered. For complete details and to register, visit the conference web site.

(4) Mark Your Calendars!

Plan now to participate in the ReignDownUSA movement, a unique corporate repentance opportunity happening across the United States on Saturday, April 26. ReignDown's mission is to "humbly seek God's presence and ask for His forgiveness so that He will reign down and restore our relationship with Him and with one another." Beginning with a simultaneous worship broadcast to locations throughout the United States from the nation's capitol, every location will pray for our nation, leaders, and future. ReignDownUSA is led by Glendale's Community Church of Joy senior pastor Walt Kallestad and his daughter Shawn-Marie Cole. If you can help with local activities, please contact them. For more details, visit www.reigndown usa.com.