The coming week...

As usual, all info gathered from the websites of the relevant political bodies/agencies (except where noted) and subject to change without notice.


...The floor action in the U.S. House is going to be dominated by money issues, but there will be a few other issues of interest.

- H.R. 3590, Service Members Home Ownership Tax Act of 2009;

- H.R. 1016, Veterans Health Care Budget Reform and Transparency Act of 2009, CRS summary here (note: this one is cosponsored by CD5's Harry Mitchell and most of the Democratic members of the Arizona delegation);

- S. 1717, "A bill to authorize major medical facility leases for the Department of Veterans Affairs for fiscal year 2010, and for other purposes."

...all of the above bills will be heard under suspension of the rules, meaning that a 2/3 majority will be needed to pass the measures.

The following budget-related items will be heard "under a rule" -

- The conference report for H.R. 2997, Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2010;

- Possible consideration of the conference report on H.R. 2892, Department of Homeland Security Appropriations Act, 2010;

- Possible consideration of the conference report on H.R. 2647, National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2010.

- Also to be heard under a rule, H.R. 2442, Bay Area Regional Water Recycling Program Expansion Act of 2009.

...Over in the Senate, scheduled floor action includes consideration of H.R. 2847, Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2010. Committee schedule here.


...Back here in Arizona, the budget is still out-of-balance and the legislature is still out of session. However, there is still activity on West Washington this week.

- On Monday at 9 a.m. in HHR1, the Senate Education Accountability and Reform and House of Representatives Education Committee of Reference will meet regarding the school performance audits of Chandler Unified School District, Tolleson Union High School District, Somerton Elementary School District and Flagstaff Unified School District.

- On Thursday at 1:30 p.m., the Senate Government Institutions and House of Representatives Government Committee of Reference will meet in HHR4 regarding the sunset review of: Arizona Neighborhood Preservation and Investment Commission, Legislative Council; Ombudsman for Private Property Rights, Office of Ombudsman-Citizens Aide, Arizona State Library, Archives and Public Records; Board of Library Examiners, and State Board on Geographic and Historic Names.

- Also on Thursday in HHR4, but at 9:30 a.m., the Senate Commerce and Economic Development and House of Representatives Government Committee of Reference will meet regarding the sunset review for the Board of Athletic Training.


...On Thursday at 10 a.m., the Arizona Corporation Commission will hold an open meeting dealing mostly, but not exclusively, with securities matters. The ACC's hearing schedule is here.


...The Maricopa County Board of Supervisors has two meetings this week.

The highlight of Monday's informal meeting is item 3 -

Authorize legal action including filing and/or defending an appeal and taking other legal actions as may be appropriate regarding the Judgment in the matter of Andrew Thomas et al v. Maricopa County Board of Supervisors, CV-2008-033194 (C-06-10-114-M-00)



There will also be an executive session.



Wednesday's formal meeting agenda looks to be fairly non-controversial, though there are a number of items related to the offices of the county sheriff and county attorney.



There is a special/executive meeting scheduled to take place immediately after the formal meeting.





...The Tempe City Council is meeting on Thursday. The agenda is here. The Council's calendar of events is here.





...The Scottsdale City Council is meeting on Tuesday. The agenda includes an item for approving the employment agreement with the interim City Treasurer, David Smith.



The Council has an executive session scheduled immediately prior to the regular meeting.



- The City's Charter Review Task Force is scheduled to meet Monday evening at 5 in the City Hall Kiva. The agenda includes consideration of language that would allow the Council and Mayor to directly appoint City Staff, apparently to bypass the City Manager's influence over the hiring of professional employees.



Yippee - when the Task Force isn't pushing language to protect the profit margins of favored corporations, they're helping Jim Lane gather power to himself and his professional staff.



I wonder if everyone, even *anyone*, involved realizes that they are supposed to be working to help Scottsdale, not just themselves or their friends.



Scottsdale's community meetings schedule is here.



Not scheduled to meet this week: Arizona Board of Regents, Citizens Clean Elections Commission, the Boards of Directors of both the Maricopa Integrated Health System and Central Arizona Project, Governing Board of the Maricopa County Community College District.