Well, this should reduce the deaths by electrocutions, anyway

From GovExec.com -

One of the Defense Department's largest contractors has failed in its bid for a pair of lucrative task orders for logistical support work in Afghanistan that could be worth up to $15 billion.

The Army announced this week that DynCorp International LLC was awarded a contract for work in southern Afghanistan while Fluor Intercontinental Inc. will handle services for U.S. troops in the northern section of the country.

KBR Inc., the third firm on the massive LOGCAP IV contract, bid on the work but failed to secure a task order for Afghanistan.

A reminder for those who have short memories: KBR is the contractor that likes to build bathrooms, swimming pools and other structures in Iraq that electrocute the users of those structures.

Maybe it's just my cynicism showing, but does anyone really doubt that KBR would have been awarded the entire contract if Dick Cheney was still in office, no matter what their body count was up to?

Later...

The coming week...

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

...The U.S. House of Representatives will continue its job of cobbling together a federal budget this week. On its agenda: H.R. 3170, the Financial Services and General Government Appropriations Act, 2010 and H.R. [no number assigned yet], the Energy and Water Development and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2010.

That last will be sponsored by AZ's Ed Pastor (D-CD4).

...While those bills will be sure to generate a lot of debate, the highlight of the D.C. week will be over in the Senate.

At 10 a.m. (EDT) on Monday, the Senate Judiciary Committee will hold its hearing on the nomination of Sonia Sotomayor as an Associate Justice on the U.S. Supreme Court.

Look for one of AZ's own, Sen. Jon Kyl, to lead the Republican opposition to the first Hispanic woman nominated to the Court.



...In the Arizona legislature, no floor schedule has been posted yet. However, this week's session of the Special Session is expected to be pro forma. That means that the "plan" for both chambers is a prayer, recite the Pledge of Allegiance, utter a few comments, and get the hell out of Dodge the Phoenix heat.

The only sign of movement is in bill introductions - in the Senate, John Huppenthal has introduced 3 vehicle bills and 2 vehicle referendum proposals (aka - "technical correction" proposals); in the House, no new bills have been posted so far.

In other words, there *could* be some progress on dealing with the state's deficit this week, but it doesn't seem likely at this point.

Note: At 9:30 a.m. Monday on the Senate lawn, the AZ Senate Democrats and the Arizona Correctional Peace Officers will hold a press conference and rally to protest plans to privatize Arizona's prisons.



...The Arizona Board of Regents' Capital Committee will hold an executive session meeting on Tuesday at 2 p.m. The guts of that agenda -

It is anticipated that the Board may vote to convene in Executive Session, in accordance with A.R.S. §38-431.03(A)(3), (4), and (7) for the purposes of discussing and seeking legal advice regarding real property transactions: a) forAlpha Drive properties at the ASU Tempe Campus; b) The Towers on the ASU Tempe Campus; and c) Cholla Housing Facilities on the ASU Tempe Campus.

...The Maricopa County Board of Supervisors will hold a special/executive meeting on Wednesday at 10 a.m. No agenda posted yet, though some of the MCBOS' legal tribulations are sure to be on the docket for the executive session.


...The Governing Board of the Maricopa County Community College District will hold an RFP Advisory Committee meeting on Monday at 2 p.m.


The highlight (in fact, the only "light") of that agenda -

C. Presentations from the three finalists for RFP # 2906-1 Management Consulting Services for MCCCD to the RFP Committee.

1. Alvarez & Marsal Public Sector Services

2. Huron Consulting

3. MGT of America

...The Arizona Corporation Commission, Citizens Clean Elections Commission, Boards of Directors for the Central Arizona Project and the Maricopa Integrated Health System, and the Tempe and Scottsdale City Councils are not scheduled to meet this week.

Later...

Wonder if the prosecutor on this one will be able to keep a straight face in court?

From the Worcester (MA) Telegram and Gazette (emphasis mine) -

SOUTHBRIDGE — Two neighbors are facing charges after an altercation between them over the dumping of yard waste.

Prince M. Sirleaf, 40, of 17 Oak St., is being charged with assault and battery on a person 60 and older, while Louis A. Latour, 60, is being charged with assault and battery with a dangerous weapon (grass clump).

"ADW-Grass Clump"?!?

Good luck to the prosecutor who's going to have to stand up in front of a jury and try to convince 12 citizens that a clump of grass constitutes a "dangerous weapon".

The scary part is, I grew up in that town, and check in on doings there every so often.

Which is how I found the goofiest charge that I've ever heard of that stemmed from what could have been a very serious situation (which is why both parties are facing charges, but still - "ADW-Grass Clump"???)

Later...

"Yay, we have transparency"

That title is from an email from a friend and regular reader of this blog.

It regards the link, http://it.usaspending.gov/, to the federal government's website to "provides the public with an online window into the details of Federal information technology investments."

The site still needs work (it's a serious pain in the neck to navigate and to understand the info that you are seeing), but it's a good start.

Later...

Day of the long knives in the AZ Senate

Not sure if it will really change the dynamic of the Senate once the Republicans get over their pique at the Governor and return to attacking the people of Arizona instead of each other...

From AZCentral.com's Political Insider -

Senate President Bob Burns made a rare trip to his future caucus room, aka the Senate pressroom, to announce changes among Senate Republicans.

Thayer Verschoor is out as president pro tem, replaced by Sen. Steve Pierce, R-Prescott. Majority Whip Pamela Gorman is off the Rules Committee, replacement TBD.

"This is a team effort," Burns said of leading the Senate. "And I think I can improve that team effort."

Last week, the "team" tanked one in front of its QB/would-be puppeteer when they (Gorman, Verschoor, Chuck Gray) voted against the referral of a sales tax hike to the ballot in the Senate Rules Committee.

A referral that Burns had agreed to with the Governor as part of a budget deal. The vote killed that particular deal and was one of the main reasons that the lege needed a 31-hour day to finish up its business...well, "finish" it until the Governor vetoed the budget package that the lege *did* send to the Governor.

I doubt that it's a coincidence that Steve Pierce was the Senator elevated to "President Pro-Tem" - he was the member who called out a certain unnamed member (OK, it was Russell Pearce :) ) for taking a powder during some pivotal votes during this week's special session.

Gray and Gorman retain their positions as Majority Leader and Whip, respectively, as they were elected to those positions by the entire Republican caucus, not appointed by Burns.

At this point, I expect that after the budget is finally completed (progress has been made, but there is still a gaping maw of a deficit to address), Burns will have to finish cleaning house on Rules (Gray out) and using what rewards he has to offer in order to shore up his own position.

When his entire leadership group turned against him, it opened up the possibility that the Rep caucus will choose to go in a different direction with a different Senate president.

If that happens, the split in the Republican caucus could cause one of the factions to turn to the Democratic caucus for support.

Hmmmm... :))

Scottsdale City Council meeting today to look at firing City Attorney

Edit to update with the results of the meeting, at the end of the post...

From AZCentral.com -

The Scottsdale City Council will meet on Tuesday to discuss City Attorney Deborah Robberson's employment status.

The council is technically on a two-month summer break, but is scheduled to meet in executive session Tuesday before meeting in public to "discuss, consider and take possible action regarding the employment, assignment, appointment, promotion, demotion, dismissal, salaries, disciplining or resignation of the City Attorney."

Yup, the Scottsdale City Council is taking a break from its break to do something that I predicted would take place in the spring - get rid of the City Attorney.

Hey - at least I had the year right. :))

Robberson was/is viewed as former Mayor Mary Manross' City Attorney and she doesn't fit in with the Lane regime.

Look for the Council, led by Lane, to find a reason to terminate Robberson's employment and to install Tim Lasota (currently Lane's chief of staff and formerly a staffer and protege of County Attorney Andrew Thomas) in the job, at least on an "acting" or "interim" basis.

Much like John Little was installed as the "acting" City Manager after former City Manager Jan Dolan was forced out.

The Council agenda for today's meeting is here.

P.S. - It's *really* nice to be writing about something other than the AZ legislature. :))

Edit on 7/7 to update -

Well, after a 2-hour executive session, the Council came back into the City Hall Kiva and voted 6 - 1 (Ecton voting against) to end Robberson's employment with the City. The public session of the meeting lasted less than 3 minutes.

Robberson's last day is Friday; she'll get all of her contracted severance package.

Robberson was something of a lightning rod for criticism, but while she was fired (she'll be shown as having "retired" from the City, but have no doubt - this was a firing), it was less "for cause" and more "for Mayor Lane to hire someone he wants in the job."

Key evidence in that regard - The City's HR head was in the Kiva; if this was termination for cause, she'd have been in the exec session, making sure that the Mayor and Council crossed their 'Ts' and dotted their 'Is'.

AZCentral.com coverage here.

End edit...

Amazing non-lege fact of the day

From an email...

AT 5 MINUTES AND 6 SECONDS AFTER 4 A.M., ON THE 8TH OF JULY, THIS YEAR, THE TIME AND DATE WILL BE: 04:05:06 07-08-09

THIS WILL NOT HAPPEN AGAIN UNTIL THE YEAR 3009!!!

(I had a deep feeling that you just needed to know this)

Aren't you glad you are in my address book? of course you are.

A nice, light way to end the day, even if the fact isn't really that "amazing"...

I hate to crow, really...but I pretty much pegged the attendence levels today...

I speculated that 48 Representatives would answer the call in the House, and 24 Senators would answer in the Senate.

It looks like the final attendance was 47 and 24.

Absent in the House, based on voting records: Ableser, Crandall, Lopes, Montenegro, Meyer, Quelland, Cajero Bedford, Patterson, Biggs, Deschene, Jones, Lesko, Williams.

Absent in the Senate, based on observation: Burton Cahill, Cheuvront, Gould, Waring, Gorman, Miranda.

Later...

"Kicking the can down the road"

That phrase is from Tim Schmaltz, CEO of PAFCO and an astute observer of all things lege.

And with that brief phrase, he summarized today's activities at the Arizona legislature.

While there *was* some good work done today, very good work in fact, it didn't address the state's long term budget issues. There weren't any real cuts enacted today, and neither did the lege address the revenue issue.

And both spending cuts and revenue increases (or at least stabilization - i.e. - no more tax cuts for corporations and the wealthy during a budget deficit) are necessary to bring AZ out of the fiscal hole that it finds itself in.

Items listed on the "good" side of the ledger include funding of K-12 education at levels that protect eligibility for federal stimulus money and rules changes that keep AZ eligible for federal a federal Medicaid match. Schools will be able to open for the fall semester on schedule.

Items on the "bad" side of the ledger include increasing the deficit and putting off for a few more weeks that which should have been dealt with over the last six months.

While there is a *lot* to be happy with here (education is taken care of, and that's the largest part of the state's budget), the main problem still exists, and until that is addressed in a more permanent way, education and services will remain in jeopardy.

Some of the highlights of today's bills, taken from the "fact sheets" prepared by legislative staff for the legislators (HB2001/SB1013; HB2002/SB1016; HB2003/SB1014; HB2004/SB1015) -

[Education Appropriations]
Appropriates $3,677,068,200 from the state General Fund and $46,475,500 from the Permanent State School Fund to the Arizona Department of Education for basic state support of K-12 Education in FY 2009-10 as follows:
- Basic State Aid – $3,283,073,800
- Additional State Aid – $404,880,500
- Other State Aid to Districts – $983,900
- Arizona English Immersion Fund – 32,508,700
- Operating Lump Sum – $2,096,800

[K-12 BRB]
Increases the charter school Additional Assistance for FY 2009-10 as follows:
- For pupils in grades K-8, from $1,474.16 to $1,588.44.
- For pupils in grades 9-12, from $1,718.10 to $1,851.30.

- Prohibits Basic State Aid for the second year of kindergarten if a school district or charter school admits a child to kindergarten, after the effective date of this act, who has not reached the required age and readmits the child to kindergarten the following school year. Allows the school district or charter school to charge tuition for students who repeat.
- Specifies the Base Level (per-pupil funding) for FY 2009-10 at $3,267.72.
- Increases, by 2%, the Transportation Support Level per route mile formula for FY 2009-10
- Prohibits a school district, until October 1, 2009, from adjusting its Revenue Control Limit in FY 2009-10 for Actual Utility costs.
- Specifies that school districts do not have to submit an Excess Utilities Funding Plan for FY 2009-10.
- States that until October 1, 2009, for FY 2009-10, a school district that is eligible to budget for Career Ladder Programs shall not exceed the amount budgeted in FY 2008-09.
- Caps, until October 1, 2009, school district Desegregation budgets at the FY 2008-09 level.
- Reduces, until October 1, 2009, Basic State Aid Soft Capital budget capacity and budget limits for all school districts by $175,000,000 in FY 2009-10.
- For districts not eligible to receive Basic State Aid, the Soft Capital allocation is reduced by the amount that would be otherwise reduced if the districts were eligible.

[Health and welfare BRB]

Specifies the amounts counties shall contribute for the Arizona Long-term Care System (ALTCS) for FY 2009-10 totaling $190,467,500.
- States that if the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA) had not been passed, the amounts would have totaled $262,889,400.
- Modifies for FYs 2008-09 and 2009-10, the 50/50 split for reversions of excess appropriations in ALTCS to 62.2% counties and 37.8 state to comply with ARRA.
- Requires the Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System (AHCCCS) to transfer Acute Care county savings due to ARRA provisions in FY 2009-09 to counties by December 31, 2009.
- Allows AHCCCS to spend federal monies drawn down by local or tribal spending to the extent that it would not reduce enhanced matching funds available pursuant to ARRA.
- Mandates that AHCCCS to transfer savings from the Proposition 204 – DES Eligibility line item FYs 2008-09 and 2009-10 to counties to comply with ARRA.

[Per diem bill]

- States that during the Forty-ninth Legislature, Third Special Session, legislators shall only receive per-diem payments for days that both houses of the Legislature convene and record attendance.
- Allows members to continue to receive interim per-diem when the member acts on a legislative matter.

AZCentral.com coverage of today's happenings here.

Final? Senate floor session for the day...

6:20 - Actually, they're doing some procedural stuff relating to the recess, but the upshot is, they're done until next Monday.

6:18 - Senate recesses until next Monday.

6:17 - HB2004, per diems. Passes unanimously. Huppenthal calls this budget "an empty promise" and voted aye.

6:13 - HB2003 passes unanimously.

6:12 - Verschoor votes, but Pearce hasn't done so.

6:10 - Steve Pierce criticizes members who are present and not voting. He states that he is "putting his political career on the line" to do the right thing, and wonders why certain members aren't doing the same. Pearce shows up.

6:07 - HB2003, Health and welfare BRB, Verschoor not voting, Burns holding vote open.

6:06 - HB2002, K-12 BRB, passes unanimously.

6:03 - HB2001, Ed appropriations, passes unanimously. Looks like Russell Pearce has bugged out. Linda Lopez expresses concerns, but supports the bill.

5:59 - House bills substituted.

5:57 - Looks like the House bills are here. At least, the pages are passing out stuff.

5:54 - Burns announces that the House bills are on their way over...

5:46 - Waiting for House to vote Third Read; once that is complete, their bills will be sent over here and exchanged/substituted.

5:44 - SB1016 passes COW unamended. COW over.

5:43 - SB1015 passes COW unamended.

5:43 - SB1014 passes COW unamended.

5:42 - SB1013 passes COW unamended.

5:40 - Meeting into order. Going into COW. Leff as chair of COW.

5:39 - Well, the 10-minute bell sounded off like, oh, eight minutes ago. Senators starting to stroll in.

5:16 - Can't hear the conversation, but Harper is on the phone to the MIA Gould, who is presumed to be back home profiting from the heat in Lake Havasu (Gould owns an AC business there.)

The floor is still pretty quiet, though...

5:06 - There is a bit of a delay since the Senate Dems were still caucusing at the end of the Rep caucus, but this intermission should end within 10 - 15 minutes.

Posting pics to kill time...

I don't know what the formatting will look like, but here goes...


A pic of the least contentious Senate Approps meeting that I've ever seen. An occasion worthy of pictorial remembrance.

Sign outside of Russell Pearce's office; I wonder if he appreciates the irony of the use of the terms "members" and "staff" given the way the Rep caucus is screwing the state? OK, probably not.

The half-empty Senate parking lot, a mere 30 minutes before the start of the session...

Republican caucus

4:59 - Caucus over.

4:57 - SB1014, per diems.

4:55 - SB1015, Health and welfare BRB. Tibshraeny asks what happens if governor lets bill become law without the her sig. No difference.

4:52 - SB1016, K-12 Ed BRB. No new school districts can add "career ladders", but new teachers can enter existing programs. I think. I'm going to have to read the details later.

4:49 - Pearce calls ELL "totally inappropriate." Huppenthal reminds Pearce that the sort of ELL funded here, structured English immersion, was one of the reasons that they prevailed in the latest Supreme Court decision on the matter.

4:47 - Pearce, true to form, questions funding for ELL.

4:46 - Staff advises Tibshraeny and the caucus that voting for the bill will ensure that school districts get their scheduled payments on July 15.

4:40 - This bill is about maintaining the status quo. It gives them until October 1st to do a real fix. Approps was less contentious than this, and Approps is *always* contentious.

4:38 - Harper stresses that SB1013 includes a 2% inflationary increase to base level funding. They're jumping on this.

4:37 - The Rep caucus is gathering...Jack Harper is griping to Sylvia Allen about the Arizona Guardian doing "opposition research" for the Dems...meeting called to order....

Senate Rules

4:29 - It is. Bills found to be constitutional and proper. Meeting adjourned. Rep caucus next.

4:28 - in order. This should be a rubberstamp.

Live blogging Senate Approps

4:22 - Approps adjourns. Rules next.

4:19 - SB1015, legislative per diem. Limits per diem payment to days that the lege is in session. Passes unanimously. Aboud expresses that she is "happy" to be voting in Appropriations *with* all of her colleagues.

4:16 - SB1014, health and welfare. Protects state eligibility for fed match rate. Bill passes unanimously, though Harper's "aye" was very faint. :)

4:12 - SB1016, K-12 Education reconciliation. Protects fed stimulus money by maintaining base level funding at 2006 levels. Aboud says "it's not a perfect piece of legislation" but supports much of what it does. Bill passes unanimously.

4:09 - SB1013, feed bill for Education. Harper "regrets" that we are increasing our deficit, though he is careful to say this is still a good cause. Bill passes unanimously.

4:08 - called to order. Gorman and Gould out

4:07 - Not started yet...close though

Live blogging the Senate session

3:54 - Approps will meet in SHR109, Rules meeting upon adjournment of Approps. Caucuses after Rules.

3:51 - Bills first read and assigned to Approps. Rules suspended re: committee agendas so that bills can be considered today. Rules suspended to allow same day 2nd and 3rd reads (final passage.)

3:50 - Burns here, along with Hale, Nelson and Sylvia Allen. Into order.

3:48 - Mostly interns, pages, and staff on the floor right now, though Senators Carolyn Allen, Linda Gray, Harper, Garcia, and Chuck Gray are wandering around.

1 other person in the gallery...

3:47 - The five-minute bell sounded about 2 minutes ago. Meaning the senate should be in session in about, oh...10 minutes.