Tonight's LD17 Meeting...

It was a fairly quiet meeting (we actually finished on time. Whooo hoooo!) tonight at the Escalante Center in Tempe.

Mark Manoil, chair of the Maricopa County Democratic Party, spoke to the assembled group for a few minutes.

He covered about how the 2008 coordinated campaign has already started, with the focus on registering voters, finding and training PCs, and recruiting candidates. He also noted that the state party (AZDP) is going to be very aggressive in its voter registration efforts, too.

He also discussed some of the goals of the county party as we enter the 2008 election cycle (yes, it *has* already started. {groan} :) ) One of the general goals is to raise the county party's visibility; since Maricopa County is the home of the state capital, and hence, also the headquarters of the state party, it can be very easy for MCDP's profile to be overshadowed by the state party's. The county party is also looking at the very successful regional organizing efforts of the GEMDEMS to try and export their success to other areas of the county.

He was well-received by the audience, and, in a move that is unusual for guest speakers at just about *any* meeting that I've ever been to, he stayed and listened through most of the meeting.

Next up, Joaquin Rios, president of the ASU Young Dems, gave a brief update on their activities. Their highlight is the fact that very soon (within a week or so) they'll be hiring a Executive Director.

A *paid* ED.

Yup, they're moving into the big-time.

Much of the his and the group's other activities revolve around organizing, especially at ASU's other campuses and the local community colleges.

In the legislative update portion of the agenda, Sen. Meg Burton-Cahill sent her regrets, but was unable to attend tonight's meeting due to her ankle surgery last week.

Rep. Ed Ableser talked about the eye-opening fact that came to his attention this week: If a bill at the legislature isn't heard in committee by the end of next week, it's dead for the session.

Between the two of them, Ed and Rep. David Shapira have had all of 1 bill heard so far.

[More on this subject in a later post.]

He talked about how his signing on as a sponsor of Rep. Kyrsten Sinema's HCR2011 bill outlawing civilian patrol groups (i.e. - The Minutemen) has brought him to the attention of the Aryan Nation and other white supremacist groups. He's even received some threatening emails, though not as many as Rep. Sinema.

He's also having a good week for ticking off other people - he annoyed Tempe Mayor Hugh Hallman by amending a bill that he (Hallman) supported. Apparently Hallman didn't like having a sunset clause added.

Hallman's a Republican. Let him be ticked off.

Rep. David Schapira talked about how his HB2206 (Teacher Shortage Student Loan Program) passed the Higher Ed committee and is now assigned to the Appropriations committee where committee chair Russell Pearce has said he will allow the bill to be heard.

David also talked about the great feeling that he had as a cancer survivor to be part of Cancer Awareness Day at the capitol. He also said it was wonderful to have 50 or 60 other cancer survivors walking the chambers of the lege supporting his HB2086, a bill that would require that cancer screenings be covered by medical insurance.

Other highlights from the meeting included announcements of a number of upcoming events in the area:

...The Arizona Advocacy Network is hosting a forum titled "Creating a Just Immigration Policy" on Thursday, February 15 at Grace Lutheran Church on 3rd St. in Phoenix.

...Charlie King and Karen Brandow are performing at the University Presbyterian Church on East Alameda in Tempe on Friday, February 16 at 7:30 p.m. The show is to benefit the Arizona Community Media Foundation. Tickets are $15 in advance ($18 at the door) and are available at Changing Hands Bookstore (Rural and McClintock in Tempe) or through the AZCMF.

...On Monday, February 19, the Nucleus Club is hosting a lunch buffet with speakers Dan Saban, former (and perhaps future?) candidate for Maricopa County Sheriff and former U.S. Senator and presidential candidate, Mike Gravel. The event is at the Phoenix Country Club, with the buffet starting at 11:30 and the program starting at noon. Contact the Nucleus Club at 480-460-3817 for more information.

...Next LD17 Dems meeting: Tuesday, March 6 at the Pyle Center in Tempe. Info exchange at 6:30 p.m, meeting at 7.

Later!