Mostly compilation, with just a little commentary...
...She's in Austin, TX at a meeting of the governors of border states in the U.S. and Mexico.
...Wednesday, she announced that she is opposed to Proposition 302, a proposal to raise legislative pay. In her announcement, the Governor indicated that "she would be more inclined to support a pay hike if it were coupled to a stricter limit on the length of the legislative session."
Naturally, the Republican leadership, in the persons of Senate President Ken Bennett and House Speaker Pro-Tem Bob Robson disagreed.
While I support raising legislative salaries (believe it or not!), the Republicans set themselves up for this with their incessant partisan cheap shots on the Governor. They really should have prioritized working *for* the state and their districts, not working *against* the Governor during the last legislative session.
In addition to possibly garnering her support for a pay increase, they would have left their eventual candidate for governor with a stronger base of support. As it is, most voters, including Independents and some Republicans, trust Governor Napolitano as the only check on an out-of-control Republican legislature.
...She also called for raising the state's dropout age to 18 and to require school systems to offer qualified students algebra classes in 8th grade.
I'm not sure that just raising the dropout age alone will reduce Arizona's HS dropout rate, but it should help if it's part of a comprehensive effort to encourage students that are at-risk for dropping out to complete high school.
As for 8th grade algebra? I attended one of the worst school systems in Massachusetts (more years ago than I would care to think about) and even *we* had 8th grade algebra. (Got a 'B' :) )
There's no excuse for it not to be in every Arizona school system already.
Expect a position paper from the "non-partisan" Goldwater Institute condemning the proposals and defending "the right of Arizonans to be mathematically illiterate" unless the classes are conducted by private tutors or something.
...She asked for federal disaster aid in response to major storm damage in Pima and Pinal counties...
Governor Napolitano has also been travelling to the far-flung outposts of the electorate in this state...
In Kingman, she presented a check of almost $32,000 "to the Kingman Chamber of Commerce and the Historic Route 66 Association. The money is from a fund that is targeted toward upgrading visitor and tourist centers around the state.
...Also in Kingman, she picnic-ed (sp?) with Mohave County Democrats, speaking about the accomplishments of her first term.
Gee - she can campaign and do her job at the same time. Why does Congress need to take a month off from work to stump in their districts?
2 comments:
I know this is not politically correct to say but she probably has more time to work because she doesn't have other commitments at home.
Please tell me you're kidding...
I know where you're going with that -
That's like saying she isn't qualified to address the dropout problem because she completed high school, college, and law school.
It's crap, and you know it.
Post a Comment