Monday, November 23, 2009

Live blogging the Senate's special session

1:48 - Senate recessed.

1:47 - Passes with 16 votes. Over to the House.

1:46 - Sylvia Allen says that a tax hike was imposed because the state equalization tax was permanently repealed.

1:45 - Cheuvront argues against the "cuts-only" mentality of the Rs in the lege.

1:44 - Gould voting no because agencies can raise fees.

1:42 - States that AZ lost over 13000 jobs from Motorola because of taxes. As a former Motorolan, I can state that is utter BS. For over 15 years, Motorola has been run by people who would rather buy or rent other people's tech R&D and license out the manufacture of their products. Actual development and manufacturing is too "old school" for the MBA types who have supplanted the engineers at the top of MOT.

Which is a big reason why MOT nothing more than a marketing company these days.

Taxes in AZ had nothing to do with it.

Not that I'm still a little ticked off by it all. :)

1:40 - Gray still talking. Criticizing an ASU research project, as well as a U of A project, both funded with stimulus funds.

1:30 - SB1002. Linda Gray explaining her vote. Using time to criticize the federal stimulus.

1:37 - Voting on SB1001. Verschoor explaining his "concerns" over agency fee hikes, but will support the bill. Passes with 16 votes.

1:35 - Gould complaining about ADOT buying cones to block off rest areas. That money would buy a lot of toilet paper.

Verschoor apologizes for not being present Thursday, and more importantly, not letting his colleagues know why.

1:33 - Attendance. 27 present, 1 absent, 2 excused.

1:32 - Session starting. Prayer and pledge time.

1:30 - The mic is open. Burns says they are waiting for Sylvia Allen. Oops.

1:28 - Senate President Bob Burns makes an appearance.

1:27 - There's some activity on the floor of the Senate, activity that even includes actual senators milling around. The meeting should start shortly.

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