State Politics Media Project

Making crime 'go away' no solution

2006-04-28T16:13:00.001-04:00

Erin Falls--Texas

By O.K. Carter
Star-Telegram Staff Writer

The owners of a few small hotels on Texas 360 are extremely upset about a police decision to post an electronic "High crime location" sign virtually on the front door of their businesses.It could be a remarkable coincidence, but clearly the difficulties involving drug sales -- crack is evidently the mind-bender of choice -- and street prostitution in the area seemed to be growing in direct proportion to demolition in the Peach Street area for the Dallas Cowboys sports complex.Records show that police are not only alert of the dillemma but also working hard on it. One of the hotels in the area, for instance, reports that it has been issued citations adding up to about $50,000. This problem should not persist much longer.

Making crime 'go away' no solution

2006-04-28T16:13:00.000-04:00

Repeat Drunken Drivers Targeted

2006-04-28T12:19:00.000-04:00

Laura Fried
New York

Michael Gormley, Staff Writer
Albany Times Union

New York Senators introduced several bills that crack down on drunk drivers. They get rid of second chance laws that allow judges to reduce first time offenders DWIs to driving while impaired. It would also increase jail time for multiple offenders and would lead to up to 25 years in prison should the drunk driver kill someone.

Official Sources:
Senator John DeFrancisco (R)
Senator Majority Leader Joseph Bruno (R)
Unofficial Sources:
Maria Leaf

I think that the laws would be a good thing for the state. The laws on drunk driving were too lenient in the state before and hopefully these bills will pass. I wish the reporter would have asked for more people’s opinions for the article. I think some Democratic senators and some more citizens’ opinions would have been nice for the article.

Senators, agriculture chief decry budget cuts

2006-04-27T14:37:00.000-04:00

Kevin Chandler - Kentucky
Staff Wire report in the Lexington Herald-Leader

State officials were up in arms after learning governor Ernie Fletcher has vetoed $370 million from the state budet turned into him by the legislature. Furthermore, $79 million of those cuts were in coal-severance fund projects, which are determined by the legislature. Dissenters say Fletcher has essentially hijacked state funds and is displaying a lack of confidence in the legislature's ability to responsibly doll out money. The state's agriculture commissioner has also spoken up against the vetoes, saying that with certain cuts made by fletcher, the Department of Agriculture will have a hard time providing essential and expected services to Kentucky residents.

Sources:
Official: Sen. Daniel Mongiardo (D); Richie Farmer - State Agriculture Commissioner; Sen. Jerry Rhoads (D); Sen. Johnny Ray Turner (D).

While the budget cuts certainly come as a hardship to those expecting certain state funds, the cuts must be expected in a state that has as much economic issues as Kentucky. The big controversy comes in that $50 million of the cuts were taken from big coal counties, where voters did not support Fletcher in the last election. The senators will have to wait another year or so for their wished for projects to come about, but the agriculture commissioner is really in a hard place by having to decide which services he will and will not be able to offer this year. Altogether this has to be expected when the proposed budget was running a $2.38 billion deficit.

Metro area lures fewer residents

2006-04-27T05:54:00.000-04:00

Kyle Chorpening
Michigan

By Brad Heath, The Detroit News

http://www.detnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060420/METRO/604200386&SearchID=7324284880514

This article is about how people are moving out of the metropolitan area of Michigan while not as many people are moving back into the area. This steady stream of departing citizens is most likely due to the economic funk that the state has been in for the last five years and doesn't help the problem. The people who are leaving the state are most likely young, college-age people who are important to changing the regions image and attracting new businesses to the area.

Sources:
Internal Revenue Service Records
Patrick Anderson, principal of the Anderson Economic Group
U.S. Census Bureau report
Byron Mueller, resident
Bob Platte, real estate agent
William Frey, demographer at the Brookings Institution
Karen Gagnon, coordinator of Cool Cities program

This article gives a gloomy perspective of the future of metropolitan Michigan. It is a good example of using records and statistics to to show trends in an area outside of the regular numbers. It also gives a good balance of statistical informationa and analysis with perspective from the average person who is living in the area. This is an important issue because Detroit is the business capitol of the state and if people are leaving the area, it hurts the businesses in the area and consequently the entire state.

Suits back, blast funds

2006-04-26T07:54:00.000-04:00

Kevin Chandler - Kentucky
Article written by Jack Brammer - staff writer for the Franklin Bureau of the Lexington Herald-Leader

Lawsuits have been filed that question the constitutionality of using state dollars to fund a private university in the state of Kentucky. The state legislature has earmarked $11 million dollars in the coming year's budget for the University of the Cumberlands to start a pharmacy school. Two lawsuits have been filed - one by Gov. Ernie Fletcher who wants to determine the constitutionality and another by the Kentucky Fairness Alliance, a gay rights group, which is protesting the funding from another angle. The university recently expelled a student who revealed that he was gay. The group questions the propriety of promoting bigotry within the state by dolling out such huge sums of money to a sectarian religious institution that discriminates.

Sources:
Official: Gov. Ernie Fletcher (R)
Unofficial: Christina Gilgor, executive director of the Kentucky Fairness Alliance

It seems that Gov. Fletcher is obviously interested in determining the constitutionality of such a move, but his motives easily come into question since he does have a history of supporting measures that limit homosexual rights. Both lawsuits have different defendants. Fletcher's lawsuit lists Brad Cowgill and the Finance Administration Cabinet as defendants, while the Kentucky Fairness Alliance's lists Fletcher. It will be interesting to see the two cases develop along side one another and the different arguments used in each along with the two results.

GOP asks IRS to probe Granholm fund

2006-04-26T00:29:00.000-04:00

Kyle Chorpening
Michigan

http://www.lsj.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060415/NEWS04/604150332/1005/news04

By Dawson Bell, Special to the State Journal

The Michigan Republican Party asked for an IRS investigation of a tax-exempt expense account that belongs to Gov. Granholm because of missed deadlines and ineligible purchases. The GOP claims that $141,232 in fines should be assessed to Granholm and the account should be revoked. The key purchases that are cited by the GOP are flights to the Men's and Women's NCAA Tournaments to watch the Michigan State University teams compete. Granholm created the account under Internal Revenue Code to provide for expenditures as governor.

Sources:
Jeff Timmer, GOP Executive Director
Liz Boyd, Granholm spokeswoman
Internal Revenue Code

This is a good article about the financial activity of Gov. Granholm. It gives equal weight to both sides of the argument and details both sides justification for their opinion. It even frames the issue in historical context by adding how the former governor's account was recently used to put up a portrait in the state Capitol.

Michigan set to limit funeral protests

2006-04-26T00:02:00.000-04:00

Kyle Chorpening
Michigan

http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060419/NEWS06/604190475/1008

By Chris Christoff, Free Press Lansing Bureau Chief

A bill was passed in the Michigan state House by a vote of 102-1 in favor of banning protests within 500 feet of a funeral. This legislation was inspired by protests against the war at soldiers' funerals organized by Rev. Fred Phelps of Topeka, Kansas, who calls deaths in the war punishment from God for the acceptance of homosexuality, promiscuity, and adultury in the US. The vote will likely pass through the state Senate and Gov. Granholm has said she plans on passing the bill once she receives. Michigan is one of 30 states to enact laws prohibiting protests at funerals. The only dissenting vote in the House, Leon Drolet, said he doesn't support the protests, but doesn't support the bill because it will not hold up against a constitutional challenge.

Sources:
Mike Kilpela, Father of a slain Marine
National Conference of State Legislatures
Rep. Leon Drolet, R-Clinton Township
USA Today
Rep. Judy Emmons, R-Sheridan

his article seems weighted in favor of the bill, but still gives both sides of the issue. The least discussed issue is why the first amendment protects protests at funerals, especially at military funerals. The article does show that the reporter tried to contact Phelps, so he can't be slighted for only getting in touch with people on one side of the issue. The quotes used in the story use very harsh words to describe Phelps and his actions, so those parts and to the articles slant. Still, the article gives a good perception of the issue in Michigan, as well as on a national scale and on a highly localized scale by talking to a soldier's father.

Buyout offers attract 2,795 workers at Ford and Visteon

2006-04-25T23:45:00.000-04:00

Kyle Chorpening
Michigan

By Sarah A. Webster, Free Press Business Writer

http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060425/NEWS11/60425008

Almost 3,000 workers from Ford Motor Co. and one of its former subsidiaries have accepted early buyout packages. Three different packages were offered based on how long the employees had been with the company. One provided retirement benefits and up to two years of reduced pay to employees with at least 28 years of experience with the country. Another gave employees a lump sum of $100,000 if they forego all benefits that hadn't already been accrued. The third offered $15,000 of tuition assistance for up to four years to employees who had been with the company for at least a year. These buyouts are in correlation with Ford's Way Forward effort which calls for the closure of 14 plants and the laying off of 30,000 workers.

Sources:
Ford officials
Marcey Evans, Ford spokeswoman

The article is a good breaking news piece about the event of the buyouts being accepted, but it gives no context as to what the effects of the buyouts could be and why this plan specifically was offered to the employees. It would also be good to show what the effects of the different buyou plans on the employees would be based on which plan they chose. It would also be good to know whether the subsidiray mentioned in the article is the only former subsidiary to be offered these buyout options.

Fletcher aide: Feedback runs against funding Cumberlands' pharmacy school

2006-04-24T15:40:00.000-04:00

Kevin Chandler - Kentucky
Article By Jack Brammer, Staff writer for the Franklin Bureau of the Lexington Herald-Leader

A spokesman for Kentucky Gov. Ernie Fletcher said that the governor is receiving phone calls urging him to veto a controversial $11 million dollar grant to a private university at a rate of about 4 times that of those urging him to support the proposal. The grant, which worked its way into the budget approved by the legislature, would fund the creation of a pharmacy school at the University of the Cumberlands. Dissenters within the legislature question the constitutionality of providing such a large sum of money to a private school, especially when a pharmacy school is in the works at the University of Kentucky, the state's flagship public university. Outside the legislature, however, many are disputing the grant on other reasons. The University of the Cumberlands recently drew ire from civil liberties and gay rights groups when it expelled a student after he said online that he was gay.

Sources:
Official- Sen. Daniel Mongiardo (D)
Unofficial-Brett Hall, director of communications for Gov. Fletcher

The bill seems so controversial both within and outside government circles, that it would not be wise for Gov. Fletcher to approve the measure. Even Sen. Mongiardo, a practicing phsician himself, remained opposed to the grant. Kentucky is a poor state, and if the proposed budget goes through, the state will be running a $2.38 billion deficit. Kentucky has no room for wasted money. Furthermore, what kind of message would the state of Kentucky send by openly financially supporting a private university that only very recently attracted its own attention by being outwardly bigoted against homosexuals? For Kentucky to succeed economically and ideologically, they must be progressive and not regressive.

Budget battle hits road plan; Local projects may get less

2006-04-24T15:01:00.000-04:00

Matthew Bowles, Virginia

Article by Kelly Hannon, The Free Lance-Star staff writer
The Free Lance-Star – April 21, 2006

State transportation officials and local leaders from Fredericksburg examined how the budget stalemate in the General Assembly might affect road projects in the area. The Commonwealth Transportation Board estimates that, without new funding, the draft budget would provide $870 million less for road construction than the previous proposal. The stalemate between the Senate and the House ensues as they spare over financing measures; the Senate has proposed new taxes, which House leaders have vowed to oppose. Republican leaders continue to criticize Kaine and his leadership on the transportation issue. Virginia faces challenges as it moves into the future, with the increasingly substantial problem of road maintenance and the rising price of construction materials.

Official Sources: Secretary of Transportation Pierce Homer; Mary Lee Carter, a former Spotsylvania supervisor who represents Fredericksburg on the Commonwealth Transportation Board; Gov. Tim Kaine (D); House Speaker Bill Howell (R-Stafford)
Unofficial Sources: none

Politics is still driving the current transportation proposal in Virginia. There are policy confrontations between the House and the Senate, as well as the governor, and among the two political parties. Localities grow more and more impatient with the deadlock as they await the much needed funding for their road projects. This article is a good capstone to the months-long coverage of the progress of Kaine’s transportation proposal, providing an analysis of where the commonwealth stands now that the year’s first session of the General Assembly has come to a close.

Anti-gay actions could hurt state's business prospects

2006-04-23T22:22:00.000-04:00

Kevin Chandler - Kentucky
Article by John Stamper, staff writer for the Lexington Herald-Leader

Alleged "anti-gay" actions by Kentucky Governor Ernie Fletcher have drawn the ire of state business leaders, economic developers and executives in the state. On April 11, Gov. Fletcher made the move to strip discrimination protections from homosexual employees, and the general assembly has approved the allocation of $11 million towards the creation of a pharmacy school at the University of the Cumberlands, a private university that recently drew attention when it expelled a gay student. While a spokesman for Fletcher contends that the admnistration has no intention f discriminating against gays, detractors say otherwise and note that anti-homosexual discrimination is bad for business. Opponents of Fletcher's decision provide extensive research that communities that are open and tolerant by and far are more successful in recruiting creative employees and generating lucrative business.

http://www.kentucky.com/mld/kentucky/14408572.htm (for some reason the Hyper-Link button is not working)

Sources:
Unofficial- Alan Hawse of Lexington, vice president of information technology for Cypress Semiconductor; Brett Hall, spokesman for Gov. Fletcher; Gary Gates, senior research fellow for the Williams Institute; Tim FitzPatrick, spokesman for Lexmark; Christina Gilgor, executive director of the Kentucky Fairness Alliance

Critics of Governor Fletcher on this issue do have a strong point, and it is one that goes along well with an information box in our Poli042 textbook. The book section reviewed some of the factors that make cities attractive for young, creative workers. One of the important factors was how open a city was to different ideals, values and sexual orientations. These young workers not only stimulate business, but they also liven up a city by patronizing the arts, entertainment, restaurants and nightlife. By shutting out this demographic, Gov. Fletcher is making it hard for Kentucky, already far behind most of the country economically, to get ahead and stimulate development and capital.

State gets a budget, on time

2006-04-23T22:16:00.000-04:00

Kevin Chandler - Kentucky
Article by Patrick Crowley of The Cincinnati Enquirer

For the first time in six years the Kentucky legislature has turned in a budget on time. The legislature is required to construct a budget every two years, and many legislators are touting this year's session as the most productive in the past several. Lawmakers cited increased bi-partisan cooperation as the driving force behind the successful session, in which several important measures were passed, namely one that will increase penalties for sex offenders.

http://news.enquirer.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060423/NEWS0103/604230408/1077

Sources:
Official - Rep. Jon Draud (R);Rep. Paul Marcotte (R);Lt. Gov. Steve Pence (R); Rep. Addia Wuchner (R); Gov. Ernie Fletcher (R)

Unofficial - Aaron Morris - fiscal policy analyst for the Bluegrass Institute

The article obviously serves as evidence of what can be accomplished when lawmakers throw out intense party debates. Legislators interviewed said that although there were frequent disagreements, they were able to use those conflicts in a constructive manner rather than letting them halt progress. Although the message of the article was largely cheery, it is important to note that several sources, including the governor, have aknowledged that the budget turned in by the legislature will most likely not be the same one enacted in the coming fiscal year.

State gets a budget, on time

2006-04-23T21:58:00.001-04:00

Kevin Chandler - Kentucky
Article by Patrick Crowley of The Cincinnati Enquirer

For the first time in six years, the Kentucky legislature has turned in a budget on time. The legislature is required to construct a budget every two years, and many legislators are touting this year's session as the most productive in the past several. Lawmakers cited increased bi-partisan cooperation as the driving force behind the successful session, in which several important measures were passed, namely one that will increase penalties for sex offenders.

http://news.enquirer.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060423/NEWS0103/604230408/1077

Sources:
Official - Rep. Jon Draud (R);Rep. Paul Marcotte (R);Lt. Gov. Steve Pence (R); Rep. Addia Wuchner (R); Gov. Ernie Fletcher (R)

Unofficial - Aaron Morris - fiscal policy analyst for the Bluegrass Institute

The article obviously serves as evidence of what can be accomplished when lawmakers throw out intense party debates. Legislators interviewed said that although there were frequent disagreements, they were able to use those conflicts in a constructive manner rather than letting them halt progress. Although the message of the article was largely cheery, it is important to note that several sources, including the governor, have aknowledged that the budget turned in by the legislature will most likely not be the same one enacted in the coming fiscal year.

State gets a budget, on time

2006-04-23T21:58:00.000-04:00

NYPD to use electric eyes

2006-04-22T23:49:00.000-04:00

Laura Fried
New York
Times Union-Albany

In Brooklyn, New York, three wireless video recorders (each with two zoom lenses), were installed 30 feet above the ground as a part of the NYPD’s plan to fight street crime and terrorism. The cameras are just the beginning of the $9 million program to install 500 cameras throughout the city. The city hopes to receive $81.5 million in federal grants to add more cameras. The system is modeled after London’s system. Some people believe that this is a good plan to fight crime, while others view it as a breach of privacy.

Official Sources:
None
Unofficial Sources:
Police Commissioner Raymond Kelly
Executive Director of the New York Civil Liberties Union

I think that the cameras are a good idea for the city. New York City has become an amazingly safe city in the past decade and I think that the cameras will only reinforce all the work they have done so far. Not only will it make people feel safer to know that crime will be witnessed and caught on tape, but it will also deter criminals from committing crimes because their act will definitely be seen. I can see how some people might feel that their privacy is being breached, but the cameras are in public places, not your home or office. I see it as if you have nothing to hide than you shouldn’t feel threatened by the use of the cameras. It would make me feel safer. It is an expensive program, but it would make police officers’ jobs a lot easier and help them more effectively fight crime and find the people who commit crimes. I would hope that no police officers would lose their jobs over this program because cameras can be helpful, but are not a replacement for real men and women on the job out on the streets making their presence known.

Coercion sees "failure" in reforms for child welfare

2006-04-22T22:53:00.000-04:00

Corzine sees "failure" in reforms for child welfare
Christian Rhodes
New Jersey

The Star Ledger
Susan Livio-Staff Writer

Summary: In some of his hardest terms since his election to the governorship, Gov. Jon Corzine said the child's welfare system in New Jersey was a "failure" and would need a few years to get things straight and running smoothly. These comments came on a radio show, a day before he was to present a budget proposal to the Assembly Budget Committee to the new Department of Children and Families. The Budget Committee ask Commissioner Kevin Ryan to explain why the millions of dollars in recent years has not improved the child welfare system in the state, expanded the network of foster and adoptive homes, and hired and trained workers, as promised. In a response to the unproductive child welfare system, Gov. Corzine created a separate Cabinet-level department for children so the troubled agencies that serves abused and emotionally troubled children, will get more attention. The Governor's criticism of the child welfare system was prompted from an irate adoptive parent who questioned why untrained foster parents and workers were taking care of these challenged children.

Sources: Govenor Jon Corzine-(D)

This article reflects the role of the Governor and his ability to use outside markets to get his ideas and opinions across, while pressing his agenda effectively. It is interesting that his criticism comes directly before he presents a new budget for a Cabinet-level position that he created after he was elected governor. This strategy shows the level of detail and precise nature of the Governor's appearance and comments. While there are some statistic that back of the claims of the Governor's claims of failure, the article could have done a better job in covering both sides of the issue.

Bredesen orders Department of Safety changes

2006-04-21T20:30:00.000-04:00

Tera Haskin
Tennessee

By: Nashville Business Journal

Summary: Governor Phil Bredesen has restructured part of the state department by transferring some of the Department of Safety’s responsibilities to other state departments. The Division of Title and Registration are now going to be part of the State Revenue Department. Gov. Bredesen also ordered for jurisdiction of the Jerry F. Agee Tennessee Law Enforcement Training Academy over to the Department of Commerce and Insurance. Both of these transfers are meant to improve the efficiency of the important functions of the state and the transfers are scheduled to become effective July 1st.

Official Sources: Gov. Phil Bredesen (D)

Unofficial Sources: none

Critique: The Department of Safety in Tennessee has been having some difficulties with efficiency its responsibilities. State citizens have been complaining about the long lines for car registration and titles. Bredesen discussed improving these issues on his year agenda and with the corruption found in the THP the Department of Safety issues have been delayed. Now however it seems the governor has put one of his formal powers into action to improve this state department. The governor has the power to reorganize the executive branch, assigning responsibilities to other departments in order to make them more efficient.

article

$2.5 million case settlement reached in Howard case

2006-04-21T16:30:00.000-04:00

Antonio Velarde,
Ohio

By Alan Johnson, staff reporter for The Columbus Dispatch
http://www.dispatch.com/news-story.php?story=181026

SUMMARY: In this article, Columbus Dispatch reporter Alan Johnson writes that a $2.5 million settlement was reached recently in a Columbus wrongful incarceration case. The settlement awards Columbus resident Timothy Howard, 52, about $96,000 a year for each of the 26 years he served in prison for a 1976 bank robbery and murder he did not commit. On March 15, a Franklin County Common Pleas jury found Howard``actually innocent'' of the crime, after which arrangements were made for the recent monetary settlement. Howard had been originally released from prison in 2003 based on new evidence that was not available or hidden at his original 1977 trial.

OFFICIAL SOURCES: Franklin County Prosecutor Ron O'Brien

UNOFFICIAL SOURCES: Unnamed sources confirming the $2.5 million settlement reached.

CRITIQUE: This article touches on our discussion a few class periods ago concerning wrongful incarcerations that led to a moratorium on the death penalty in Maryland. This particular story illustrates the financial costs of wrongful imprisonment, with the state losing hundreds of thousands of dollars a year because of it. The one flaw of the article is that it does not give much background on the case or Howard, robbing itself of emotional impact it could have had.

Governor signs bill making peach Alabama's official tree fruit

2006-04-21T13:30:00.000-04:00

Associated Press
http://www.ledger-enquirer.com/mld/ledgerenquirer/news/local/14372741.htm
by Genna Suggs

Gov. Bob Riley (R) signed a bill on Tuesday making the peach Alabama's official tree fruit. He signed the bill in a Chilton Country peach orchard. Rep. Jimmy Martin (D- Clanton) and Sen. Hank Erwin (R- Montevallo) accompanied the governor at the signing of the bill.

The bill comes across as quite a controversy, as Georgia is obviously known for their abundant and signature peaches. Despite comments made by Georgia officials (such as their peaches are superior to Alabama's), Riley stated that, "we don't want to have an argument. We just think our peaches taste better." Riley also said Georgia Gov. Sonny Perdue was "more than welcome" to attend the signing.

The bill passed the Legislature Monday night, believed to be one of the final nights of the session.

Official Sources: Gov. Bob Riley (R), Rep. Jimmy Martin (D- Clanton), Sen. Hank Erwin (R- montevallo), Gov. Sonny Perdue (R)

Critique: I find this bill signing interesting because the legislative session is about to end, and this is one of the final bills to be passed by the House and Senate. It comes around the same time Riley approved the bill that considered the murder of a pregnant woman a double murder. It strikes me that such grave issues may arise alongside bills such as the choice of tree fruit.

OIL, GAS REVENUES HELP FUEL SURPLUS

2006-04-21T13:11:00.000-04:00

Erin Falls—Texas
By ROY MAYNARD, And MEGAN MIDDLETON, Staff Writers
On Monday, Carole Keeton Strayhorn announced an $8.2 billion surplus. "We have the money to address our needs, but we must have the will to make the smart choices," she said. "In a Strayhorn administration, we are not going to study the problem of school finance. We are going to fix the problem with long-term solutions. The Perry tax plan does not work. It will leave a mess for the future. Moreover, it is narrow in scope and does not address the state's fundamental priorities,” she said. The main idea of this article is that Perry and Strayhorn will be going against each other in the next election and they have contradicting views and plans for what to do with this surplus.

Governor Rick Perry-Republican
Comptroller Carole Keeton Strayhorn

I found this article interesting because Perry and Strayhorn will more than likely be running against each other in the next election. This issue could have a strong influence over voters’ decisions depending on whose side they are on. If people agree more so with Stayhorn, this could really influence the votes.

Council Members slow to take sides on concealed-carry ban

2006-04-21T13:04:00.000-04:00

Nebraska
by, Deena Winter
councilmen Dan Marvin, Jon Camp
journalstar.com

On Thursday April 20, four Lincoln council members were quite hesitant to take a stance on the issue of concealed weapons, for they felt there was more time needed to actually study the legislation; only councilman Dan Marvin felt he could support this ban. Marvin felt that it made more sense to make gun carriers "reveal, rather conceal their guns." Councilman Jon Camp said that since state law had already banned guns from so many areas, that he is not sure that people would now even register for weapons. He believes it perhaps is another example of the mayor proposing a "feel good" legislation.

In the state of Nebraska, it is true in some places that citizens do carry guns openly--even if it is just for their own self defense. Open fire indeed frightens people more than concealed carry; concealment reduces people to theft because it hides the weapon. Indeed if a gun is present, it frightens people if in is indeed in sight. All in all, concealed carry probably would not increase the crime rate in Lincoln. It seems a little bit worthless for Marvin to try to put a ban on concealed carry; he seems to be the only one at the moment to think the opposite.

Census report shows more residents leaving state

2006-04-20T21:03:00.000-04:00

Census report shows more residents leaving state
Elizabeth Ryan, Hawaii
By: Christie Wilson
Advertiser Neighbor Island Editor
Honolulu Advertiser

Data released today shows more people are leaving the state than entering from other states. An average of 2,053 residents has left Hawaii in the years 2000 to 2004. When the state experienced an economic slump in the 1990s, an average of over 11,000 residents left the state, a drastic improvement in the 2000s occurred. Most of the residents leaving came from O’ahu, with the neighbor islands experiencing an increase in population, especially the Big Island where land is cheaper. The report does not count foreign migration, only migration between the states. Although Hawaii is losing more people to the Mainland then gaining, the state is still experiencing an increase in population due to the increase in the birth rate. Between 2000 and 2004, the state had a natural in crease of 9,200 people per year. Florida, Arizona and Nevada were the states attracting the most people, while New York, California and Illinois lost the most, according to the Census Bureau.

Sources: None

Critique: I think the article is interesting in relating to the migration of citizens between the states. We learned in class that many people are attracted to the Sunbelt, and this article mentions Florida being one of the states attracting the most migration. It is interesting to see that Hawaii is a state not attracting people, but yet is a major vacation spot. I think the migration of people out of the state will have a political effect with respect to citizens from Hawaii moving to other states, influencing those states’ political arena. The article also points out reasons for migration, especially price. With land being expensive, people leave Hawaii, which makes one wonder if land is cheaper in Florida, Arizona and Nevada. Obviously many factors contribute to domestic migration.

Rally promotes Metro funding

2006-04-20T18:36:00.000-04:00

Matthew Bowles, Virginia

Article by Kafia Hosh, Manassas Journal Messenger staff writer
Manassas Journal Messenger – April 12, 2006

Business leaders, environmental groups, and elected officials held a rally near the Franconia-Springfield Metro station to boost public support for more state and local funding of the Metro. The Northern Virginia Transportation Commission is seeking a 0.25 percent sales tax increase for the Northern Virginia jurisdictions, which proponents estimate would generate $55 million a year to help fund the mass transit system. The proposal, which requires approval by the General Assembly, was rejected last month in the House after a few Republican delegates from the northern counties cast the key votes.

Official Sources: Kala Quintana, spokeswoman for the Northern Virginia Transportation Commission; Fairfax County Board of Supervisors Chairman Gerald E. Connolly; David F. Snyder, the commission's vice chairman and a Falls Church City Council member; Prince William County Supervisor John D. Jenkins, D-Neabsco
Unofficial Sources: Michael G. Anzilotti, president of the Virginia Commerce Bancorp Inc.; John Shanks, resident of Prince William County

This article deals with the relations between state and local governments. The coalition of local private and public groups—business and environmentalists along with elected officials—are advocating for a measure to raise more revenue for a mass transit system. They regard the regional Metro as an effective means for alleviating the ills of urban sprawl in Northern Virginia. Although it is supported by local officials and a large number of constituents, the delegates who represent those same localities at the state level have rejected the proposal because they oppose tax increases. Another issue touched upon by this article deals with economic development. Business leaders and local officials are promoting this revenue package as part of their strategic planning for the region. As the region grows in population, alternative transportation methods, especially the use of mass transit, will become even more vital to the essential elements of everyday economic activity. Thus they hope to prepare for future situations as soon as they can.

Cabela's is considering four sites in KY

2006-04-20T13:50:00.000-04:00

Kevin Chandler
Kentucky

Article Printed in the Franklin Favorite

The outdoor outfitter Cabela's is considering plans to locate one of its mega-stores in Kentucky sometime in 2006-07. The stores routinely attract millions of visitors and tourists a year and provide for hundreds of jobs. To sweeten the pot for Cabela's, the state legislature had made plans to amend the Kentucky Tourism Development Act of 1996 and define Cabelas as a tourism institution, which would provide tax incentives for the retailer via a sales tax refund that would last 10 years. However, the bill was withdrawn last-minute when it was determined that there would not be enough time in the regular session to decide the issue, but legislators have expressed interest in calling a special session that would decide the tourism amendment, among other things.

Sources:
Official - Rep. Rob Wilkey (D)

This issue is a great example of the issue of economic development discussed recently in class. Cabela's will more than likely open a store in Kentucky since the state contains a large population of outdoorsmen and the retailer plans to open a dozen stores in the coming year or so. However, Cabela's is still milking the state by holding out for tax rebate incentives that would make the location more attractive, and just like in the textbook, different regions within the state are in competition for the store. The economically lagging state needs the sales tax, tourism revenue and jobs that a 200,000 square foot Cabela's store would provide, but the real question is how far the legislature is willing to go for it?

Wood BOE OKs preliminary budget

2006-04-19T22:33:00.000-04:00

Li'Vahn Hamden, WV

Michael Erb, Staff Writer

This article details a preliminary budget that was unanimously approved by the Wood County Board of Education. The budget included a $150 raise for employees, $295,270 in workers compensation, and $100,000 in employee dental insurance among various other items. Still, a representative of the Wood County Education Association said she was disappointed by the size of the raise, and hopes the board will reconsider and add to the amount. The superintendent of the district says that the increase sets the district far beyond its plan to boost wages by $600 over a four year period. The budget will now enter a public comment phase, and will be further debated at a special board meeting on the 25th of April.

Official Sources;
Superintendent Bill Niday
Co-president of the Wood County Education Association, Dolores Townsend
Assistant superintendent of finance, Tom Little
(no party affiliations given)

I thought that this article was an interesting example of the duties and operations of school districts. I found it interesting that the Wood County Education Association (ostensibly an organization primarily for teachers, from a perfunctory look at their website) was not satisfied with the raise allotted by this budget. It would have been helpful in weighing the concerns of both the WCBE and the WCEA if the author had disclosed this year’s operating budget for the district; still, given the nature of the subject and the level of detail and history relayed in the article, I would consider this article a decent representation of investigative journalism.

U.S. Rep. Ford calls for resignation of Rumsfeld

2006-04-14T17:16:00.000-04:00

Tera Haskin

Tennessee

By: Chantal Escoto, Staff Writer for the (Clarksville) Leaf Chronicle

Summary: In a campaign stop Thursday, U.S. Representative for Tennessee, Harold Ford suggested the resignation of U.S. Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld. He suggested that he should be replaced with former secretary of state Gen. Colin Powell. Rep. Ford is the leading Democratic contender for the U.S. Senate elections. Though Ford was never in the military, he announced his support of the military and said he will not cut funding for veterans and he has promised to work for a better plan to get soldiers out of Iraq. He also discussed other issues for his campaign including reducing the dependence on foreign oil, budget balancing, health-care reforms and the education of all Americans. Former U.S. Sen. Max Cleland is joining Ford with his campaign to protect military veterans and promote better health-care solutions.

Official Sources: U.S. Rep. Harold Ford (D), U.S. Sen. Bill Frist (R), Tenn. Sen. Rosalind Kurita (D), former U.S. Sen. Max Cleland (D)

U.S. Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld (R), former secretary of state Gen. Colin Powell (R)

Critique: Rep. Ford is in the campaign process currently, so it’s no surprise that he made a statement about U.S. Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld needing to resign. Ford was looking for media attention to cover his campaign issues and though he may truly feel Rumsfeld should retire this statement was a political ploy to get him more coverage. As we discussed in class a lot of techniques are used in political campaigns. Candidates want as much press as possible to get their ideas out to the public. Another great political ploy Ford used was bringing former U.S. Sen. Max Cleland on his campaign with him. Since Ford is fighting for the military and specifically veterans then who better to bring on board than a political veteran who people respect. Good techniques I must say!

article

Candidates spar over economic issues

2006-04-14T16:26:00.000-04:00

Li'Vahn Hamden, WV

Article by Phil Kabler, staff writer

This article relates the latest debate over economic issues between current WV congressional Delegates and their hopeful challengers. Jon Cain, a democratic candidate, sparked off the debate when he recently charged that the Tri-State Racetrack and Gaming Center is the only burgeoning industry in the 32nd District, yet all three of his Republican opponents have fought against it. That brought harsh responses from the three incumbents who feel that “gambling has a net negative impact on the economy,” and that the state budget is too dependent on gambling returns as it is. One of the Republican candidates mentioned his concern that poor schools have depressed growth; families are reluctant to move to these areas as a result. The article also notes that Democrats are hoping to ride the coattails of the Democratic National Party as it exploits the faltering Republican National Party, yet Republicans remain confident that this will not affect the local elections.

Official Sources;

Lue Chandler (D)
Jon Cain (D)
Jim Francis (D)
Delegate Carrie Webster (D)
Delegate Patrick Lane (R)
Delegate Tim Armstead (R)
Delegate Ron Walters (R)
Charles Minimah (R)

This article was informative, yet it relied far too heavily on the talking points of the Democrats and Republicans whom the author interviewed for the piece. The author did not refute or endorse any of the claims made by the politicians with research or objective facts, but instead simply relayed the other candidates’ responses. It would have been quite helpful if, for instance, the author had investigated whether or not gambling has, in fact, proven to detrimentally affect the economy. Due to the generally lackadaisical approach of the author, merely regurgitating talking points, this article does not meet my criteria for good investigative journalism.

Welfare applications rife with mistakes, Audit: some noncitizens got improper benefits

2006-04-14T15:35:00.000-04:00

Whitney Isenhower
Minnesota

Jeremy Olson and Patrick Sweeney (Sweeney contributed to the article), Staff Writers, The Pioneer Press, 04/13/2006

A legislative audit found that counties in Minnesota had substantial errors in many of their health care and welfare applications. The audit looked at 137 cases in six counties throughout Minnesota, and mistakes were found in every seven out of 10 cases for those reviewed. Problems with the applications include some noncitizens obtaining benefits, when other legal residents were denied the aid they were eligible to and should have received. Most of the mistakes found in cases made little to no difference, but 18 percent of them could have resulted in inaccurate decisions. The article estimates that of the 173,000 noncitizens who lived in the state in 2005, about 44 percent of them received some sort of "public assistance."

Official sources: Rep. Fran Bradley, R-Rochester,
Unofficial sources: Judy Randall, leader of the study done by the Office of the Legislative Auditor
Linda Melnick, attorney for Southern Minnesota Regional Legal Services.

This article goes with one I reviewed about two weeks ago when Rep. Bradley proposed the bill that would require county employees to report illegal immigrants to officials if these immigrants tried to apply for assistance. The article even mentions this bill. It's also interesting because Olson, the article's main author, had a story published in the Pioneer Press the day before this article ran that sort of analyzed what would happen to illegal immigrants if they could not access benefits, and what this would mean for the state. The other fact about this article that makes it interesting is why the author(s) chose to go with the immigration angle, especially since a part of it mentions that of the 137 reviewed cases, only four involved illegal immigrants. I think this article would have been better and could have covered many of the problems in health care and welfare that need to be reformed, instead of focusing solely on the issue of immigrants. Perhaps the author(s) chose to do it this way because the immigrant debate is more current and newsworthy, but I think any issue pertaining to welfare and how that affects taxpayers would be of interest to the paper's readership.

School budget plan finds little support

2006-04-14T12:15:00.000-04:00

Texas; Erin Falls

By Kelly Melhart; Staff Writer

In the Star Telegram, Melhart writes her opinion on the proposal Texas Education Commissioner Shirley J. Neeley released Thursday. She described it as, "a waste of time and creates needless interference in local school districts.require public school districts to spend at least 65 percent of their budgets on instruction." Governor Rick Perry issued an order requiring that all public school districts meet the 65 percent spending requirement in Auguist. He talked badly of the state Legislature at the time for not creating and acting on a rule by themselves. After it is posted on April 21, the public will have 30 days to comment on the proposed rule.

Governor Rick Perry Rep.
Commissioner Shirley J. Neely Rep.

This article goes along with several others I have read in regards to education. Texas really seems to have a tough time in this area of policy and it's interesting to see how different writers view the actions of Perry and other officials like Neely. Many view their actions to be just that, actions; they do not think that Perry and his officers are doing all that they can to make sure the education system of Texas improves. It will be interesting to see the public's commentary on the proposal and if the 65 percent requirement stands true.

Doubts Grow About Benefits of Casino (NY)

2006-04-14T12:07:00.000-04:00

Laura Fried, New York

In article in the Times Union in Albany covers the concern about the Seneca Indian Nation bringing a casino to the Buffalo area (Erie County). Officials fear that it will hurt local economy, which is already hurting, because they feel the casino will mostly target those in Buffalo and the surrounding areas more so than out of town tourists. The Seneca Indian Nation says that the casino will bring 1,000 new jobs to the area and will help keep money in New York, as opposed to Canada. They say that their two other casinos in New York have 3,000 jobs and bring in millions of dollars.

Official Sources:
Mayor of Buffalo Byron Brown (Democrat)
County Executive Joel Giambra
Seneca President Barry Synder
Unofficial Sources:
None

I think that the casino would be good for Buffalo’s economy. I can understand the concern that it could potentially hurt the local economy if the casino is not marketed in the right way. They need to be sure to market the casino to locals in terms of the jobs it will make available and how helpful the revenue from tourists could be. The casino needs to be marketed to other areas and states in terms of the fun possibilities to draw in tourists. I think that the casino needs to be brought in with caution, but they should embrace the chance to bring in tourists and give jobs to locals.

Riley in Mobile to sign crimes against "unborn child" bill

2006-04-14T11:08:00.000-04:00

by Genna Suggs
story from channel WTVM's website:
http://www.wtvm.com/Global/story.asp?S=4770346&nav=8fap

Gov. Bob Riley (R) of Alabama is traveling to Mobile today to sign a law that would recognize the death of a pregnant woman as a double murder, a topic previously reported on by myself through this blog. The bill is sponsored by REp. Spencer Collier of Bayou Le Batre (R), and he will join Riley at the Mobile Conventio Center around 10AM to sign the bill. Mobile residents are also expected to attend the signing. The bill take effect July 1 after it has been signed. The law comes after 23-year-old Brandy Parker was shot and killed while pregnant with her unborn son, Brody on Jul 27, 2005. The bill cannot retroactively account for Brandy Parker's case, but it may be named in honor of the woman and her unborn son. Alabama is currently one of only 18 states without a law that recognizes 2 victims of a murder when a single woman is pregnant.

Sources: Gov. Bob Riley (R), Rep. Spender Collier (R)

Critique: I thought this article was interesting because it is a follow up to a previous blog I wrote. It is important for Bob Riley to follow through with the signing of this bill because he is up for reelection, and he needs to follow through with his decisions to boost his reputation and gain some votes. I also find the states' differences in recognition of life very interesting. As the article states, "Alabama is one of 18 states without a law recognizing two victims instead of one when a pregnant woman is assaulted or killed. Twenty states have laws that start conception, and 12 states have laws that start later in pregnancy."

Week in Review

2006-04-13T17:17:00.000-04:00

Karen Kolman
Week in Review

Tallies-
Topics:
Election/Campaign (5)
Welfare/Housing (2)
Legislative Proposals/Legislature (3)
Education (8)
Taxes (3)
Health Care (2)
Abortion (1)
Governor Action (1)
Budget/Government Spending (6)
Disaster Relief (2)
Agriculture (1)
Citizen Action (1)
Immigration (3)
Voting (2)
Mandates (2)

Official Sources: 75
Unofficial Source: 67

Democratic Sources: 21
Republican Sources: 26

Reporters:
Staff (26)
Statehouse (1)
AP (7)
Other (8)

One of the most important institutions in our society is the educational system. The future of the country rests in the hands of the training that children and young adults receive in their schools. The recent trend suggests that education is in trouble, with issues from funding to adequate teachers. Eight blogs referred to the subject of education in the last week because this is one of the most prevalent topics in current events. Bowman and Kearney suggest that many problems associated with education stems from demographics, including poverty, single-parent families, and poor health and nutrition. These are areas which a school cannot improve; however, if funding and effective teachers can be introduced to more schools, than perhaps they can outweigh some demographics. Often issues involving elections and money find their way into the life of education, polluting it and the success of the students.

Originally, in the United States, local government controlled the decisions concerning education. However, the states have become more involved over years often taking control of the educational system. This does leave the question of whether or not each community is receiving the best condition depending on what they need most. Also, recently with President Bush’s No Child Left Behind Act, the federal government has become more involved in education policies. On the surface, NCLB looks promising; no child shall be left in the dust, they shall all succeed. But in order to accomplish this feat, more standardized testing will be issued. These tests are very expensive and now money that perhaps should be used for more valuable tools such as technology or teacher’s salaries will go towards testing students’ knowledge.

In Ohio, a new charter school will be opened in the Columbus School District which will be staffed by Union teachers. However, only 20% of them will be paid as much as regular union teachers and the rest of the staff will only be required to have a bachelor’s degree and not a state teaching certification. What is this telling the community? Teachers will be paid less and not be required to attain as much certification. This is a prime example of how funding and politics are hurting the educational system. Another funding problem appeared in Kansas last week. Senators were trying to establish a school funding plan, but often ran into problems when Senators realized that funding would be going to urban areas and not their districts. Re-elections are coming up soon in Kansas, so naturally officials are worried about their own districts. But education as a whole for the state should be the main priority, not whether or not one is re-elected. In Virginia, due to a funding issue, officials are playing with the idea of eliminating recess. Many parents and administrators understand that recess is a vital part of the education process for young children. They need to go outside and run around in order to de-stress their minds and concentrate again. However, others see the money put into playground equipment as a waste and it should go towards books and technology. Both are important sides and difficult to choose one or the other. Also, the issue of banishing recess occurs more in poorer areas. Demographics are coming into play in the decision making process for education.

No matter how much officials and administrators attempt to make pure education the main priority and the success of the students as most important, societal factors creep into the mix and often control results. Funding, demographics, and qualified teachers are huge problems in the education system, which are going to take a lot of work in order to solve. States really need to look at their schools and see if what is best for the students is really occurring because if not, the future of the country is looking unclear.

State aid helps move jobs out of Columbus

2006-04-13T00:01:00.000-04:00

Antonio Velarde,Ohio

By: Jim Siegel, staff reporter for The Columbus Dispatch http://www.dispatch.com/business/business.php?story=dispatch/2006/04/12/20060412-A1-04.html

Summary: In this article, Columbus Dispatch reporter Jim Siegel writes that a recent state decision to give aid to a company moving from the city of Columbus to nearby Licking County has sparked concern over how state business incentives can benefit one part of Ohio at the expense of another. Siegel writes that Samuel Strapping Systems is moving from Columbus, in Franklin County, to Heath, in Licking County, with intent of expanding to provide 100 new jobs. In an effort to keep local jobs from moving out of state, the Ohio Department of Development this week provided $2.4 million in state aid to help the company with the move, including $500,000 for the company to build a road to its future facility. The move is not without its critics. Columbus officials said the state aid package was granted without giving Columbus a chance to offer an incentives package of its own. Officials also said they felt there should be parameters with regard to the extent of state benefit packages.

Official Sources: Mike Suver, chief of staff for Bruce E. Johnson, lieutenant governor and director of the Ohio Department of Development; James Schimmer, economic development administrator for the city of Columbus; Sen. Steve Stivers, R-Columbus; Rick Platt, executive director of the Licking County Port Authority; John Groff, chief of the Heath Division of Building and Zoning.

Unofficial Sources: none.

Critique: This article is an excellent example of the kinds of business development policy we discussed in lecture today, with the Samuel Strapping Systems benefitting from both infrastructure and business retention and expansion policies put forth in Ohio. In addition, this article illustrates some of the critiques of state business development policy. Columbus officials claim the policy violated their right to provide an incentives package of their own, and that it deliberately weakens their part of the state in favor of another one.

State Politics Media Project

2006-04-12T23:52:00.000-04:00

Antonio Velarde,
Ohio

By: Jim Siegel, staff reporter for The Columbus Dispatch
http://www.dispatch.com/business/business.php?story=dispatch/2006/04/12/20060412-A1-04.html

Summary: In this article, Columbus Dispatch reporter Jim Siegel writes that a recent state decision to give aid to a company moving from the city of Columbus to nearby Licking County has sparked concern over how state business incentives can benefit one part of Ohio at the expense of another. Siegel writes that Samuel Strapping Systems is moving from Columbus, in Franklin County, to Heath, in Licking County, with intent of expanding to provide 100 new jobs. In an effort to keep local jobs from moving out of state, the Ohio Department of Development this week provided $2.4 million in state aid to help the company with the move, including $500,000 for the company to build a road to its future facility. The move is not without its critics. Columbus officials said the state aid package was granted without giving Columbus a chance to offer an incentives package of its own. Officials also said they felt there should be parameters with regard to the extent of state benefit packages.

Official Sources: Mike Suver, chief of staff for Bruce E. Johnson, lieutenant governor and director of the Ohio Department of Development; James Schimmer, economic development administrator for the city of Columbus; Sen. Steve Stivers, R-Columbus; Rick Platt, executive director of the Licking County Port Authority; John Groff, chief of the Heath Division of Building and Zoning.

Unofficial Sources: none.

Critique: This article is an excellent example of the kinds of business development policy we discussed in lecture today, with the Samuel Strapping Systems benefitting from both infrastructure and business retention and expansion policies put forth in Ohio. In addition, this article illustrates some of the critiques of state business development policy. Columbus officials claim the policy violated their right to provide an incentives package of their own, and that it deliberately weakens their part of the state in favor of another one.

State Politics Media Project

2006-04-12T23:51:00.000-04:00

Antonio Velarde,
Ohio

By: Jim Siegel, staff reporter for The Columbus Dispatch
http://www.dispatch.com/business/business.php?story=dispatch/2006/04/12/20060412-A1-04.html

Summary: In this article, Columbus Dispatch reporter Jim Siegel writes that a recent state decision to give aid to a company moving from the city of Columbus to nearby Licking County has sparked concern over how state business incentives can benefit one part of Ohio at the expense of another. Siegel writes that Samuel Strapping Systems is moving from Columbus, in Franklin County, to Heath, in Licking County, with intent of expanding to provide 100 new jobs. In an effort to keep local jobs from moving out of state, the Ohio Department of Development this week provided $2.4 million in state aid to help the company with the move, including $500,000 for the company to build a road to its future facility. The move is not without its critics. Columbus officials said the state aid package was granted without giving Columbus a chance to offer an incentives package of its own. Officials also said they felt there should be parameters with regard to the extent of state benefit packages.

Official Sources: Mike Suver, chief of staff for Bruce E. Johnson, lieutenant governor and director of the Ohio Department of Development; James Schimmer, economic development administrator for the city of Columbus; Sen. Steve Stivers, R-Columbus; Rick Platt, executive director of the Licking County Port Authority; John Groff, chief of the Heath Division of Building and Zoning.

Unofficial Sources: none.

Critique: This article is an excellent example of the kinds of business development policy we discussed in lecture today, with the Samuel Strapping Systems benefitting from both infrastructure and business retention and expansion policies put forth in Ohio. In addition, this article illustrates some of the critiques of state business development policy. Columbus officials claim the policy violated their right to provide an incentives package of their own, and that it deliberately weakens their part of the state in favor of another one.

House, Senate prepare bill swap

2006-04-12T15:10:00.000-04:00

House, Senate prepare bill swap
Elizabeth Ryan, Hawaii
By: Treena Shapiro

Honolulu Advertiser, Advertiser Government Writer

Three weeks remain in the session and state lawmakers are still pushing for agenda items set at the beginning of the term. Tomorrow the chambers exchange bills again, amounting to 400 bills “staying alive” through tomorrow. In the recent weeks, many bills have died in circuit. Important issues on the docket for lawmakers include improving schools, increasing affordable housing and reducing dependency of fossil fuels. Hawaii has issued a gasoline price cap, one of the more controversial issues, and the issue is set to be debated. Although both the House and Senate would suspend the bill, the Senate would only do so if fair prices would ensue. Two smoking bills recently passed through the House, one dealing with secondhand smoke and the other raising tax per cigarette. In the Senate, the most controversial issue remains abortion. A bill is in the Senate now that would allow abortions to take place in clinics and doctors’ offices by eliminating the residency requirement on the current state law. The bill passed 18-7, despite some concerns.

Official Sources: Sen. Ron Menor; Cindy Evans (R); Dennis Arakaki (R); Bev Harbin (R)

Critique: I think the article is interesting because I’ve never read anything about what remains and what is important in the state government when the session is about to end and the actual turning over of cases. The article brings up valid points on the issue of the docket and how much is actually addressed from the docket in a session. It reminds me of how many cases the Supreme Court gets, how many are actually granted by the Court and how many cases are actually decided in a session, very few. So a good question is what could be done about the number of state concerns addressed, should a session be extended? But the article ties in nicely to everything we’ve discussed about bills passing both the House and Senate, or a bill dying.

Sarasota Looks at Imposing Strict Laws to Increase Affordable Housing

2006-04-09T16:41:00.000-04:00

Brandon Mayes, Florida
Dale White, Sarasota Herald-Tribune

This article in the Sarasota Herald Tribune discusses the issue of local government's control over development, specifically the amount of affordable housing available to the public and the integration of this housing within local developments. The city of Sarasota is looking at passing a bill that would require new developments to include 10 percent of homes in the affordable housing income range. The bill would require that developers that do not meet this standard will be penalized $75,000 per unbuilt unit. These restrictions are very stringent in comparison to those in Key West and other cities in Florida. Developers are trying to sue saying that such a measure is an unfair tax by the city. They feel inclusionary zoning should be voluntary not mandatory.
Official Sources:
Wendy Thomas, county community housing manager
John Thaxton, county commissioner

This article presented both sides of the argument fairly well. However, the writer could have used more in depth input from the developers who are suing. There were no quotes or sentiments from this side of the debate. However, the presentation was objective and merely sought to explain the process of how the county was exercising its powers and the response it produced from the developers.

Union teachers to work at charters, but at reduced pay

2006-04-09T00:33:00.000-04:00

Antonio Velarde,
Ohio

By: Bill Bush, staff writer for The Columbus Dispatch
http://www.dispatch.com/news-story.php?story=177331

Summary: In this Columbus Dispatch article, staff writer Bill Bush reports that Columbus Public Schools and the local teacher's union decided Tuesday that a new charter school created by the district will be staffed with union teachers. But while all the school's teachers will be unionized, only 20 percent of them will be paid the same as regular union teachers. The larger group of teachers, in return, will only be required to have a bachelor's degree, and not a state teacher certification. The decision comes weeks after Superintendent Gene Harris, after saying that the school could employ non-union teachers, changed that stance when the union launched a no-confidence vote of her and the Board of Education. The following compromise resulted shortly after.

Official Sources: Columbus Education Association President Rhonda Johnson.

Unofficial Sources: None

Critique: This article illustrates a theme brought up in Chapter 15 of our textbook, namely how the education establishment has fractured due to political and finaicial strain. As the article shows, the Columbus Public Schools Board of Education has a weak control over municipal education policy, since the local teacher's union was able to force its hand regarding the union issue via the vote of "no confidence." This opens up the possibility for the school board to be forced into all sorts of political dealings because of the union's influence. In addition, I feel this article highlights some of the questions regarding charter schools and school choice. Namely, if the majority of teachers at this charter school are not required to be state certified, what does this say about the quality of education at the school? And if the school is not required to follow union rules regarding class size, teacher work days and student discipline, it becomes difficult to gauge progress and quality of education there as well.

Proposal to annex farmland in doubt

2006-04-08T19:50:00.000-04:00

Antonio Velarde,
Ohio

By: Jim Woods, staff writer for The Columbus Dispatch
http://www.dispatch.com/news-story.php?story=dispatch/2006/04/08/20060408-C4-02.html

Summary: In this article, Columbus Dispatch staff writer Jim Woods reports of disagreements between city leaders in Columbus and Reynoldsburg, a suburb of the city, concerning the suburb's interest in annexing hundreds of acres of nearby Licking County farmland for development. Reynoldsburg city council members in the past have said they disliked how Columbus was trying to control their development, principally through the city's controlling of water and sewers services to Reynoldsburg. In 2005, Columbus told Reynoldsburg city council members it would allow water and sewer lines to serve the annexed areas, but expressed concern about Reynoldsburg officials' desire for a bigger water line, saying it would steal businesses from Columbus and contribute to urban sprawl. The article reports that talks have recently been rekindled between Columbus and Reynoldsburg officials, and that plans are forming for developers to build as many as 1,000 houses on the property.

Official Sources: Columbus Councilwoman Patsy Thomas, chairwoman of the council’s Public Utilities Committee; Reynoldsburg Mayor Bob McPherson.

Unofficial Sources: James Bates, a real estate broker; Richard Brahm, attorney for Land Network.

Critique: This article is an excellent example of the issue of urban expansion and regional governance as covered in Chapter 12 in B&K. Columbus city council members worry of the effect the expansion of a suburb/edge city like Reynoldsburg would have on Columbus' financial base downtown and on the town's sprawl in general. Another thing I think is interesting is how the article documents the influence of business on municipal governments, as covered in Chapter 1. In particular, the article states that Land Network, a development company that was a major campaign contributor, has in its best interest that the council does not allow Reynoldsburg to develop the area, since it wishes to buy a portion of the land for its own use. One wonders of the extent of this company's influence on the council's decisions...

Bryson announces run for governor

2006-04-08T01:37:00.000-04:00

Tera Haskin

Tennessee

By: John Rodgers, Staff Writer for the Nashville City Paper

Summary: Republican Senator Jim Bryson of Franklin, Tenn. Announced that he will be running for governor against the incumbent Phil Bredesen in the election this November provided that he wins the Republican primary in August. Due to the fact that Bryson can’t campaign for money until after he finishes his term as senator, he’s lagging behind Gov. Bredesen who already has $4.4 million in campaign contributions. Bryson is considered the underdog in this race but feels very confident in his abilities and is very optimistic about the race. Bryson started his own business, 20/20 Research Inc., at the age of 25 and entered the political arena in 2002 with his race for senator.

Official Sources: Sen. Jim Bryson (R), Gov. Phil Bredesen (D), former Gov. Winfield Dunn (R), U.S. Sen. Candidate Van Hilleary (R), former Gov. Lamar Alexander (R)

Unofficial Sources: Bob Tuke (D), Clint Callicott (R)

Critique: As we have learned in class a primary election is the electoral mechanism for selecting party nominees to compete in the general election. The primary election is what will take place in August and will precede the general election which will take place in November of this year. Bryson is the republican candidate expected to win the Tennessee primary for governor this year. This article highlights the importance of financial support in political campaigns. Not only is it important to get monetary contributions in support of your campaign, but as a candidate you must have sufficient funds to start out the campaign.

Vilsack: federal cuts would hammer poor Iowans

2006-04-07T21:11:00.000-04:00

Robert Farrell representing Iowa to the max!!
Sorry for the lateness

Jane Norman and Bert Dalmer
Register Staff Writers

According to the Des Moines Register, Iowa is facing a serious crisis, the Federal government is proposing to cut 300,000 low-income Iowans from services such as community action agencies and some anit-crime agencies. This will almost break the back of the already overburdened support system for the needy. Vilsack started a letter writing campaign to bring awareness for this issue to the U.S. House. However Robert Zirkelbach said that there were grants being inacted that would give money to Iowa crime prevention along with funding for Iowa's "special priorities" unfortunately Vilsack says this is not enough and that Bush's proposed tax cuts would have devestating effects across the state. Many drug prevention programs would be lost, three-quarters of the work now done by 23 anti-drug task forces across the state would disappear if Congress approves the budget cuts. Republicans are also against this tax cut as it will hurt the state of Iowa in the long term.

Sources:
Official:
Gov. Vilsack (D)
Robert Zirkelbach (R) press secretary to House Budget Committee Chairman
Dale Woolery, associate director of the Governor's Office of Drug Control Policy
Rep. Jim Leach (R) Iowa City
Unofficial:
Fred Gee -Retired Minister
Lana Ross, executive director of the Iowa Community Action Association
Larry Hulse, Des Moines' community development director

Tax cuts are nice and I'm not ashamed to say that I am one more in the solid Middle Class that wouldn't mind seeing a tax cut here or there but this issue is a serious one to be sure. The amount of money that is being removed from the state of Iowa affects primarily the lower income families and the police that try to enforce the law. With this money removed crime would increase as the police and drug enforcement units would be unable to keep up with the level of crime. Some may wonder if this is even an issue or if Vilsack is only making it one to promote himself in a possible bid for presidency but when the issue is the poor and one finds that both Democrats and Republicans are against a tax cut then one knows for sure that the issue has merit.

Two fatal accidents push W.Va. mine death toll to 18

2006-04-07T19:11:00.000-04:00

Li'Vahn Hamden, WV

Associated Press (Author not given)

This article reports that two more mining accidents occurred today (April 7th), bringing the total number of mine related deaths to 18. One miner was apparently killed when he was pulled into a conveyor system, the other death was the result of the collapse of roof support material and rock which fell on a locomotive operator. No other details were available regarding the accidents.

Sources;

Caryn Gresham, spokeswoman for the state Office of Miners' Health Safety and Training

Amy Louviere, spokeswoman for the federal Mine Safety and Health Administration

The author of this article did very little in the way of investigative journalism for this article. After relating the few available facts regarding these most recent tragic accidents, the author went on to describe the previous accidents which transpired this year. The author then concluded with a mention of the legislation which Governor Manchin pushed through and the safety measures and penalties stipulated therein. Given the limited information available on these current disasters, it would have been beneficial for the author to investigate the current situation regarding the implementation of the safety requirements of the legislation - when, for instance, they will be affected. Perhaps, given the nature of these recent accidents, the author might also have interviewed some government officials to see if they might be seeking further mining regulation.

editorial; Immigration minus politics

2006-04-07T17:10:00.000-04:00

Erin Falls--Texas

This article in the Waco-Tribune Herald is an editorial about Bush and the immigration reform. When he first took office, President Bush made immigration reform a top priority for the US. Bush understood the nation’s immigration problems better than many people due to his work on cross-border relations when he was Texas’ governor. The writer said this reform is a top interest of all US citizens and should not be a partisan issue. Bush is encouraging Congress to pass immigration reform legislation. There is a growing Democrat-Republican split on the issue and even additional splits among members of individual political parties which is causing problems. The writer says, "Politics should take a back seat to the passage of a comprehensive, compassionate and effective immigration reform bill."

President George Bush, Republican
Senator Hillary Clinton, Democrat (NY)

I found this article interesting because Bush has been in more than one political position. The article supports him saying that he is more knowledgeable about Texas border relations and immigration because he was the governor of Texas prior to his position as US President. The writer of this article repeats several times that partisan politics should not take place in this issue.

Panel split on tax relief proposal

2006-04-07T16:50:00.000-04:00

Joe George, Maine

By Tom Bell, Portland Press Herald writer
Portland Press Herald

Democrats and Republicans in the Maine legislature are currently arguing over a proposal to eliminate taxes on new business equipment. All six Republicans and the one Independent on the Legislature's Taxation Committee have voted to endorse the bill. The six Democrats on the committee voted to reject the bill. The proposal was introduced to the legislature at the beginning of the current session and was supported by Gov. John Baldacci and numerous Maine business leaders. Citizens of Maine mill towns do not support the bill as they fear it will shift taxes from businesses to homeowners. For example, the taxes on business equipment in some towns can account for 75 percent of the town's tax revenue. Republicans and business owners believe the proposal will bolster the economy and create more jobs.

Official Sources: Rep. Thomas Watson, D-Bath; Sen. Johnathan Courtney, R-Sanford; Sen. Ethan Strimling, D-Portland

Unofficial Sources: David Brenerman, lobbyist for UnumProvident

It seems that there are many battles in the Maine legislature between Democrats and Republicans. In some of the other articles I have reviewed, Democrats have argued on the behalf of the rights of citizens and workers. On the otherhand, Republicans have been on the side of promoting business and building the economy - even if it means it will pass a burden onto Maine citizens. This article is yet another example of the conflict in the Maine legislature.

State gives law firm $500,000 contract

2006-04-07T16:33:00.000-04:00

Megan DeLuca
Illinois
Tuesday April 4th

Adriana Colindres
Peoria Journal-Star

In 2002 Governor Blagojevich ordered construction on two new prisons to stop due to budget cuts. The construction companies have been claiming since that the state government owes them between $20 and 22 million. They are now preparing to go forward with a lawsuit. The state hired a law firm to handle the situation and awarded them a $500,000 no bid contract. The integrity of this decision is being questioned due to the fact that the same firm made substantial contributions to both the Democratic Party and the Governor’s campaign fund.

Official sources:
Rebecca Rausch, spokesperson for Gov. Blagojevich
David Leitch, republican state representative
George Shadid, democratic state senator
Aaron Schock, republican state representative

Unofficial sources:
Dennis Murphy, project manager for Williams Brothers Construction Company

Governor Blagojevich seems to be relatively ineffective and in the media is overwhelmingly reflected in a negative light. This article is a very good example of that. However, he has maintained enough popular support to receive the recent party nomination to run for another term as governor by a vote of 70% to 30%.

Bay St. Louis mayor makes statement with shorts

2006-04-07T16:11:00.000-04:00

Mississippi—Chevonne Wallace

By Peter Tattersal—The Sun Herald

Mayor Eddie Favre made the statement that he had lost everything but the shirt on his back and his shorts. In a symbolic move, the mayor of Bay St. Louis, vowed that he would only wear shorts (no pants at all) until his constituents and his town were well on its way to recovery. Since that September statement, Favre has worn shorts every day including his meetings with the governor, his girlfriend’s son’s wedding, and on several visits with President Bush.

Official Sources
George Bush—President of the United States of America
Eddie Favre—Mayor of Bay St. Louis, Mississippi

Unofficial sources
Unnamed Washington D.C. radio reporter
Julie Mason—Houston Chronicle writer

This is an example of politicians using their unofficial powers to try and improve their district. This is an example of very inexpensive, probably free, means in which to convey the problems occurring in his city and correct them. It is an innovative approach to both inspire his citizens and bring state and national attention to his platform.

Brown could get St. Bernard job

2006-04-07T15:42:00.000-04:00

Kerry Cannity, Louisiana

By Advocate Business staff report

Article from the Baton Rouge Advocate

Michael Brown, the former head of FEMA,is negotiating for a consulting job with a Louisiana parish (their form of counties). Brown was targerted for the job, community leaders said, because they believe he will be able to get them much-needed funding for rebuilding the area. They also said he will be able to move past red tape. Voting on Brown’s approval and drawing up contracts should happen next week.

Official sources: Henry “Junior” Rodriguez, president of St. Bernard Parish

The article was short, but it still leaves a lot to be desired. There is no explanation as to why the parish has undergone such a huge shift from hating everything involving FEMA to hiring the former director as a consultant. There is also no statement from Brown, which seems really important. However, it does show a little bit about how the process of rebuilding might work, hiring outside consultants with little applicable knowledge and even less of a good reputation.

School violence hot line planned

2006-04-07T15:18:00.000-04:00

Laura Fried
New York

An article in the Times Union-Albany described the Education Department of New York’s plan to institute a hot line on which students could report violent incidents including rapes, stabbings, thefts, and other assaults that occur in their schools. The hot line is hoped to be running by September. Some officials are praising the hot line saying that it will increase the awareness of incidents that usually go by unreported and will force schools to pay attention to the incidents because the calls received will go into a report each year determining how safe the school is. (If the school is deemed persistently dangerous students at the school would have the right to transfer to a safer school.) However, some officials don’t like the hot line because they think it will increase false reports and don’t think the system will be any more effective than the system currently in place.

Official Sources:
none
Unofficial sources:
James Kadamus (former deputy commissioner)
Jonathan Parks (principal of Saranac High School)
Alan Lubin (executive vice president of New York State United Teachers)
David Ernst (spokesman for the state School Boards Association)
Jonathan Burman (spokesman for the Education Department)

I think that the hot line is a good idea. It would give kids who are ashamed of what happened to them, who are usually the shyer and quieter kids anyway, or those who are fearful of the incident happening again if the kid who hurt them found out that they told on them, a good outlet to tell an adult that they were harmed. However, I don’t fully understand who would be manning the hot line, how the hot line would be funded, how the state would determine whether or not the phone call was a prank or real, etc. The hot line is a good idea, but there are still many unanswered questions that need to be worked out before it can be effectively instated.

Rescuing recess? Local schools say daily break is in no danger

2006-04-07T14:57:00.000-04:00

Matthew Bowles, Virginia

Article by Ruth Finch and Melissa Nix, The Free Lance-Star staff writers
The Free Lance-Star – April 7, 2006

While a nationwide campaign to limit school-day recess for elementary school students is underway, Virginia teachers continue to use recess as an important part of education. A PTA poll found that 40 percent of school districts across the nation have eliminated or were considering eliminating recess from the school day. However, Virginia state law mandates that recess be a part of the school day, although it does not specify how much play time is required. Reasons for cutting recess include an increased emphasis on academic achievement for young students and state budget shortfalls limiting money spent on playground equipment and recess resources. Parents in Virginia actively support keeping recess, because they, like many teachers, realize that adequate free time is essential for social development and for maintaining the necessary concentration demanded by academics.

Official Sources:
Unofficial Sources: Principal Marjorie Tankersley of Hugh Mercer Elementary; Virginia PTA spokesman Denise Bowman-Scott; Principal Catherine Thomas of Berkeley Elementary; physical education coordinator Carol Lysher in Stafford; Cari Del Fratte, Stafford's elementary education coordinator

This article examines some issues regarding education policy in the states. Is recess an important part of educating young children? Should state resources be preserved for financing recess activities? As this story makes it seem, the government of Virginia maintains that free (play) time is a necessary element of its education policy, and thus mandated by law. Parents’ involvement in education policy making at the local level has reiterated this position. It should be noted that most of the schools referenced in the article were located in Fredericksburg, a fairly affluent city in Northern Virginia. The opinions of the parents and educators who were interviewed, therefore, may not be entirely indicative of the views of parents and teachers statewide (especially those in the urban, lower-income school districts). Education policy, as illustrated in this case, involves much more than just books, buildings, and tests. States and localities take into consideration a number of factors when crafting policy that will influence students’ educations and development.

Bismarck schools official hired as state technology director

2006-04-07T14:27:00.000-04:00

Markia Jeter- North Dakota
Author- Dale Wetzel (AP)

This article, published in the Grand Forks Herald, discussed Governor John Hoevens announcement of the new technology director of Bismarck public schools. Lisa Feldner will oversee computer and telephone networks for most state agencies. Mrs. Feldner is well qualified for the position as she has “been involved in education technology for 20 years.” She is also “chairwoman of the North Dakota Education Technology Council, which supervises technology initiatives for North Dakota’s elementary and high schools.”

Sources: Unofficial: Lisa Feldner (Partisanship unknown)
Official: Governor John Hoeven (Republican)

I think that this article is important because it highlights the many changes that the North Dakota school system is undergoing. The Summary of Grades by State chart in our textbook (p.421) tells us that North Dakota schools rank less than average on Standards and Accountability, and barely average on Adequacy of Resources and Equity of Resources; therefore, the school system in the state is in need of technological improvements. These grades show us that the school system in this state is lagging behind. These grades also support the lawsuit that North Dakota is currently facing due to inequity in the school system. With the new placement of Lisa Feldner as technology director of Bismarck public school, I think that the system will change. Improving the technology district-wide will provide for a more equitable school system and hopefully better performance.

Kansas Senate votes down education funding

2006-04-07T14:21:00.000-04:00

Bliss Pierce representing Kansas
By an Unknown Author for the Leavenworth Times

Summary
The Kansas legislative session is over and the Senate has yet to approve any financial plan aimed at school funding. The closest they got to approving any of the three options presented was a tie vote on the Barrett plan that proposed $495 million over four years. The positive about the Barrett plan was that it was pulling money from an expected growth in state revenue while the other two plans required a new source of revenue. Representative Crow stated that the some of the senators from smaller districts don’t like the idea that the money from this court ordered increase in school funding would go to schools in urban areas. The governor is upset at the delay the Senate is causing; she says is very adamant about making sure every child receives a quality education.

http://www.leavenworthtimes.com/articles/2006/04/03/news/news08.txt

Official Sources
Rep. Marti Crow (D)
Gov. Kathleen Sebelius (D)

Unofficial Sources
(none)

Critique
The Senators in Kansas would appear to be very greedy to an outsider. Everyone is looking after the interest of their district (which is what they are supposed to do), but without any additional funding no school can benefit. Also, the only plan they came close to accepting was the plan that would gross the least money over the most time. I don’t think they should have ended the legislative session without at least having more proposals ready to vote on when the session opened up again. I think the issue is mainly with the upcoming elections. Kansas is holding re-elections in August so no one wants to look like they are not supporting the interest of their district, but without a plan all the children suffer.

Richardson rips standstill on immigration bill

2006-04-07T13:36:00.000-04:00

Kimberly McAuley, New Mexico
The New Mexican
By Barbara Ferry

Governor Richardson supports a plan that will allow the undocumented immigrants in the U.S. to file for permanent residency. The immigrants will have to pay back taxes and fines and study English. Richardson is urging the senate to pass the bill. The bill did not get enough votes to bring the measure to a vote, so the senators are trying to reach a compromise. Richardson also plans to crack down on illegal immigrants in New Mexico by providing agents to patrol the border.

Official Sources
Governor Bill Richardson (D)

Unofficial Sources
Columbus Rancher James Johnson

I like the idea that immigrants will be able to file for permanent residency, but how does the government plan on making them pay back taxes when they don't know how long the immigrants have been here. Maybe there is a more detailed plan that the article didn't address that will deal with this problem. Also why make them study English, our culture has already adapted to accomodate them thus far, why change now. But generally, I don't see anything wrong with passing the bill.

Some moral wins for religious right

2006-04-07T11:56:00.000-04:00

Adam Rhew
Georgia

Now that the 2006 legislative session is over, the slew of wrap-up stories has begun, including this one from Atlanta Journal-Constitution legislature beat writer Soni Jacobs. It talks about the influence of Georgia's Christian conservatives on this year's legislature. They were able to push through a bill that allows the death penalty for anyone who causes the death of an unborn child, as well as a bill that allows the display of the Ten Commandments in government buildings. But the social conservatives weren't able to win enough votes on a bill requiring anyone getting an abortion to have an ultrasound. There were, of course, other victories and failures for the group of conservatives that helped put the Republicans in power in the Georgia General Assembly.

Official Sources: Sen. David Shafer (R-Duluth), Rep. Stephanie Stuckey Benfield (D-Atlanta) Unofficial sources: Sadie Fields, chairman of the Christian Coalition of Georgia; Leola Reis, spokeswoman for Planned Parenthood of Georgia; Kevin Harris, lobbyist for Georgia Right to Life

Critique: What I really wanted to point out with this article is the effect of religious groups on policy. The textbook doesn't give credit to such groups in the chapter on lobbying. Yet it's easy to see from this article that groups like the Christian Coalition DO in fact play a role in state politics. Granted, this wouldn't happen in some states such as Massachusetts, but the influence of such groups cannot be underestimated.

Some moral wins for religious right

2006-04-07T11:33:00.000-04:00

Adam Rhew
Georgia

Now that the 2006 legislative session is over, the slew of wrap-up stories has begun, including this one from Atlanta Journal-Constitution legislature beat writer Soni Jacobs. It talks about the influence of Georgia's Christian conservatives on this year's legislature. They were able to push through a bill that allows the death penalty for anyone who causes the death of an unborn child, as well as a bill that allows the display of the Ten Commandments in government buildings. But the social conservatives weren't able to win enough votes on a bill requiring anyone getting an abortion to have an ultrasound. There were, of course, other victories and failures for the group of conservatives that helped put the Republicans in power in the Georgia General Assembly.

Official Sources: Sen. David Shafer (R-Duluth), Rep. Stephanie Stuckey Benfield (D-Atlanta)
Unofficial sources: Sadie Fields, chairman of the Christian Coalition of Georgia; Leola Reis, spokeswoman for Planned Parenthood of Georgia; Kevin Harris, lobbyist for Georgia Right to Life

Critique: What I really wanted to point out with this article is the effect of religious groups on policy. The textbook doesn't give credit to such groups in the chapter on lobbying. Yet it's easy to see from this article that groups like the Christian Coalition DO in fact play a role in state politics. Granted, this wouldn't happen in some states such as Massachusetts, but the influence of such groups cannot be underestimated.

Illegal immigrants represent 10 percent of work force in Nevada, says national report

2006-04-07T10:40:00.000-04:00

Mary-Katherine Walston
Nevada

Pahrump Valley Times
April 5, 2006

This article is about a national survey regarding immigrants and unauthorized workers that showed Nevada has an extremely high amount of unauthorized workers in the labor force (10%). It was estimated in the survey that Nevada had double the national average of illegal immigrants in the workforce. The article said immigrants are drawn to the area primarily for growth reasons and work mostly in service departments. The article also said the documents required for employment are often not given or fraudulent. The survey described in the article noted, “…Americans are increasingly concerned about immigration and have negative views about immigrants, believing they are a burden to the country, take jobs and strain the health care system.” The article concludes by saying the Senate is working on drastic immigration changes.

Official Sources: none
Unofficial Sources: Pew Hispanic Center demographer, Jeff Passel; Executive vice president of the Las Vegas chapter of Associated General Contractors, Steve Holloway

The article raises a number of questions. With such a high percentage of the work force being illegal, yet not being able to determine each individual’s legality (due to fraudulent paperwork, identification, etc) it is possible and likely the state of Nevada is providing services (financial, healthcare, education, etc) to those not legally entitled. In addition, Nevada is rapidly growing even without the inclusion of immigrants, and unauthorized workers could be taking opportunities away from others moving to the state looking for employment. The concern over these issues is obvious, seeing that the Senate is looking to take drastic measures, however even with more stringent immigration laws, it doesn’t seem likely that employers hiring these under-the-table, low-wage workers will be willing to disclose their illegality unless forced. The cheap labor is beneficial to employers across the state, yet the benefits reaped by the workers are unfair to the legal citizens of Nevada. Quite the predicament.

http://www.pahrumpvalleytimes.com/2006/04/05/news/workers.html

Struggling Students Want Vocational Education, Poll Shows

2006-04-07T09:30:00.000-04:00

By Mitchell Landsberg, Times Staff Writer
Tyson Grinstead, California

Though much of California politics has been focused on the June Democratic primary for Governor, the most relevant and arguably more important story this week is about none other than education. The James Irvine Foundation surveyed 619 9th and 10th grade Californians, gauging there opinions on the effectiveness of California schools. The results showed an interesting perspective about our basic public school system. The Peter D. Hart Research Associates polling group found that over 60% of students do not enjoy going to school and do not feel that their teachers do an adequate job of motivating them. Of those pupils, nearly 90% felt that this would be corrected if public schools offered career-based education to compliment college entrance requirements. This has Gary Hoechlander, president of ConnectEd and Jim Canales, president and chief executive officer of the Irvine Foundation building technical centers and advocating on behalf of vocational education. However, Chris Walker, a California lobbyist was quick to point out that colleges would not embrace a plan to offer more technical educations, stating, “More and more, the college pathway is edging career tech out."

Official Sources: None

Unofficial Sources: Gary Hoechlander, president of ConnectEd, Jim Canales, president and chief executive officer of the Irvine Foundation, Chris Walker, a California lobbyist.

My initial response to this article is to question the Irvine Foundation on the basis that their poll could have been slanted in a way to produce the results they wanted. This is simply because of the recent construction of vocational schools by ConnectEd and others. However, after looking at the issue more closely, I feel that adding this type of education to a school system where students are not engaging with material could be beneficial (if for no other reason than producing what the students view as “relevant education,” there by reducing the drop out rate). I also feel that the Irvine Foundation and those involved should be complimented for exploring options to better education.

State offers drug savings

2006-04-07T08:34:00.000-04:00

Joey Collevecchio
Washington

FROM the News-Tribune (Tacoma)
BY Alexander Otto

http://web.lexis-nexis.com.libproxy.lib.unc.edu/universe/document?_m=e1a59119af994d399b2fae5292b14b31&_docnum=6&wchp=dGLzVlz-zSkVb&_md5=11b6f6e986cb11c842fb751fcaee7eb4

SUMMARY
This article focuses on the successful efforts of the state to extend state-employee-like prescription drug benefits to all Washington residents. They will now be issued a card that can get them between a 10 and 25 percent discount on prescription drugs that are not covered by their health insurance. The cards, which cannot be used in conjunction with health insurance, cost $10 a year for Washington residents. The deal to allow the cards was worked out with Washington pharmacies, not drug companies - pharmacies there have agreed to take a smaller reimbursement for drugs they sell to cardholders. The cards are available to all Washignton residents, but the health care authorities only expect a few thousand to be sold.

SOURCES
official: Duane Thurman, director of Washington's prescription drug program (unknown)
Dave Wasser, spokesperson for Washington prescription drug plan (unknown)

unofficial: Arne Walker, manager of Cost Plus pharmacy. (What a great name for a pharmacy...)

ANALYSIS
The prescription drug card is obviously a reaction against rising drug costs and the unaffordable expense buying prescription drugs not covered by insurance is for some people. The program was not given enough money to advertise, so this article represents the most publicity it's had. Not very many people will sign up. And for Washingtonians, it might be easier just to cross the border into Canada to get their drugs there illegally. Washington should be commended for its efforts in combating rising drug costs though.

Rendell Leads Pa. Governor's Race in Poll

2006-04-07T08:01:00.000-04:00

by Peter Jackson (AP writer)
Pennsylvania, Kristen Trautman

Wednesday, a poll was released showing that Governor Rendell holds a substantial lead over Republican Lynn Swann in Pennsylvania's gubernatorial race. Additionally, Rendell commands 74% of the black vote while Swann only holds 12%. If Swann were to be elected, he would be the first black governor of the state. Most poll respondents felt that a black governor could win enough of the white vote to be elected. However they also felt that they did not know enough about Swann to vote for him.

Unofficial sources: Clay F. Richards--assistant director of Quinnipiac University's polling institute.
Dan Fee--Rendell campaign spokesman.

The article offered interesting insight into the way people vote. The text notes that a well know, well liked incumbent is more likely to win a race. And that is proving true in this case. Race is apparently not too much of an issue for voters during this election. It seems that Swann will have to make himself more recognizable and be able to appeal to a broad range of people if he hopes to win this race.

Senate bid drawing big money into state

2006-04-07T01:43:00.000-04:00

Brittany Spencer

Rhode Island

The Providence Journal

Senate bid drawing big money into state

BY SCOTT MAYEROWITZ
Journal State House Bureau

Democrat Matt Brown is running in a primary against former Attorney General Sheldon Whitehouse for U.S. Sen. Lincoln Chafee’s (R) seat. The article is about how there is a whole heck of a lot of money coming into this election. Chaffee’s seat is seen as one of the few seats that the republicans could potentially lose to the democrats. Chaffee must also win in a primary

The biggest problem with this story is that it does a lot of quoting facts and numbers from reports that have been available for a couple of months and does not attach enough quotes from real people. Also, I feel like this story would be better if it waiting until information for the past three months had been released. The story seems not current enough.

Sources:

Official:

former Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle of South Dakota

Brown spokesman Matt Burgess

Chafee's campaign manager, Ian Lang

unofficial:

Jennifer Duffy, a former Rhode Islander who analyzes Senate races for The Cook Political Report, a Washington newsletter.

Anthony J. Corrado, a political science professor at Colby College

Senate committee backs mandatory minimum sentences for sex crimes

2006-04-06T23:54:00.000-04:00

Elizabeth Curlee
Vermont

Burlington Free Press
By: Terri Hallenbeck, Free Press Staff Writer
Article

Summary: A Vermont Senate committee proposal dealing with mandatory minimum sentences for sex crimes recieved backing from the Vice Chairman of the committee, John Campbell. The proposal, which was originally initiated by committee Chairman, Richard Sears, had not recieved much support until Tuesday, when Campbell announced his support. The bill mandates a 10-year sentence for sex crimes, especially those cases involving children. The proposal argues that it would not increase the burden on prosecutors, enabling them to plead a case down to a lesser punishment if they know it will not stand.
In exchange for his support, Campbell requested that more names be added to the sex offender registry, and Sears complied. The bill will go to the Senate for discussion, and will later move to a conference committee for further consideration before voting will occur.

Sources: Official- John Campbell (D-Windsor)

Critique: This article offers an interesting look into the workings of state legislatures and the bargaining that occurs within. Recently in the news, a new piece of literature has been released that details the "pork-barreling" going on in Washington, D.C. (see here). "The Pig Book," it is so cleverly named, notes the numerous funding allocations that have been more detrimental than helpful. Actions by lobbyists such as Jack Abramoff have pushed legislators to support spending they otherwise may not have, resulting in wasteful budgetary spending.
Influences within the legislature, as proved by this article, are helpful in proposing positive bills. The Vermont Senate's committee's chairman and vice chairman have joined to back a bill that would bring justice to those charged with lewd and illicit sex crimes. This type of conglomeration proves to be beneficial to the well-being of their state, whereas an association between a lobbyist and a legislator would look to the purse rather than the people.

Candidates Woo Rural Voters

2006-04-06T23:39:00.000-04:00

By: Miles Moffeit, Denver Post Staff Writer

Jenna Thompson--Colorado

Colorado’s gubernatorial seat will be open in November and currently, three candidates are battling for the position. The most well known are the two Republican candidates, Bob Beauprez and Marc Holtzman. The men have made it clear that they do not care for another. Holtzman sees that Beauprez claims to believe in one issue yet he votes in the opposite direction. Holtzman refers to Beauprez as “both ways Bob.” The three leading contenders participated in a debate in Grand Junction, a rural western Colorado city, on April 1. Bill Ritter, the only Democrat, dressed informally to identify with the rural audience. Beauprez tried his best to identify with the 150 member audience by trading old dairy farming stories. The three candidates spoke about immigration, law enforcement, and health care. Each tried to show how significant the rural community is to the state of Colorado but the article heavily weighed on the testy relationship between the two Republicans.

Official Sources: Congressman Bob Beauprez (R)
Unofficial Sources: Bill Ritter, Marc Holtzman, Doug Aden

This article was interesting because it seems like a good clean cat fight between the gubernatorial candidates. Colorado governor Bill Owens is giving up his seat because of the formal governor power of tenure granted by the state’s constitution. The three main candidates are trying their best to gain support from the entire state of Colorado. This is why they will go to several different cities, from urban to rural like Denver and Grand Junction, to attempt to relate to the citizens. For these men to run for governor, a tremendous amount of money must be invested and it does not hurt if they have endorsements from fellow big names. Holtzman is a millionaire and Beauprez has the support of the National Rifle Association and United States Senator Wayne Allard. The article speaks more on the feistiness of Holtzman, who is considered a long shot to win the race over Beauprez. It seems that Holtzman’s position in the race has created this need for attention and he does this by verbally attacking Beauprez’s character and accusing him of inconsistency with his voting. It is significant that the men are trying to identify with the citizens but it is also childish for Holtzman to grant his opponent the “both ways Bob” motto.

Questions arise for state's Medicaid answer

2006-04-06T22:58:00.000-04:00

by James S. Tyree
CNHI News Service
Ada Evening News

Mary Ann Lankford
Oklahoma

The Medicaid program is the second largest expenditure on the Oklahoma state budget, costing an estimated 3.4 billion dollars to maintain. Of the 700,000 people receiving assistance, 70 percent are children and the rest are primarily elderly and disabled persons. In response to the rising costs associated with the program, Republicans and Democrats have come together in order to push a Medicaid Reform Act through the state legislature. The bill offers patients greater choice in service plans and also allows for allotment in employer-sponsered health plans. While both parties are united in the idea that Medicaid needs to be reformed to cut cost and provide greater health care and coverage for the uninsured, some legislators express concern that their are too few details about the feasibility of the program.

For those with little knowledge about Medicaid, this article deals with the issue in a relatively simplistic manner. In fact it is little more than a brief summary of our class discussion on the topic or maybe an affirmation of the things we spoke about. For instance, the fact that both political parties recognize health care costs are rising and the program needs overhauling to promote efficacy. Yet, despite the need for reform legislators are still hesitant to change the system, which I find quite frustrating. It is obvious the system is broken yet rather than implement changes they continue to discuss the fact that the system is broken, which is a complete waste of time in my opinion.

Official Sources
Bonnie Dunn, executive director of Transition House
Representative Kris Steele (Republican)
Nico Gomez, Oklahoma Health Care Authority
Representative Jari Askins (Democrat)
Melvin Alexander, Norman Regional Hospital

City is Eyeing Rescue Charge

2006-04-06T20:32:00.000-04:00

Stephanie Cellemme, Connecticut

Stephen Goode, Staff Writer

Hartford Courant

The Hartford Fire Department will start charging for certain services it provides. Calls regarding a fire or emergency medicine will not be charged; costly calls, such as a car accident with spills or extraction, will be charged. The costs will be charged to that person’s insurance, not directly to them, and will be collected by an independent company. The mayor and the city council are defending the plan. However, insurance companies claim that this will be unfair to motorists who pay their taxes. A few other cities already charge for calls.

Official Sources: Hartford Mayor Eddie A. Perez (undesignated)

Unofficial Sources: Hartford Fire Chief Charles Teale Sr.; David Snyder, vice president of the American Insurance Association; Tim Pelton of Holdsworth, Pelton, and Associates Inc.; Jim Trainor, chief of Meriden Fire Department and Connecticut's director for the New England Association of Fire Chiefs

What is interesting about this article is that the fire department is levying the fees upon the public, not the city. Though the city council supports the plan, it is not delegating any responsibilities to the city bureaucracy in charging or collecting the fees. The book doesn’t discuss these types of organizations being able to have such powers, so it came as a surprise that they would be allowed to do this outside of the city’s jurisdiction. I also think that it would have been better for the article to quote more official sources in order to show that the council really backs the plan and why it does.

Governor is still coy about race

2006-04-06T19:26:00.000-04:00

Amy McCall, Alaska
article by Jeannette J. Lee, Associated Press
in The Anchorage Daily News

This article in the Anchorage Daily News discusses Governor Frank Murkowski's relunctancy to commit to running for re-election. He had originally planned on announcing his decision by January, but he explained that he is delaying it until the progress of his negotiations with BP, Conoco Phillips, and Exxon Mobil on a gas pipeline is more definite. A resolution would be another step towards the building of a pipeline to Canada and the Midwest, a goal to which Murkowski has always been very committed. He has until June to announce his final decision. Meanwhile, several other candidates have already begun campaigning.

Sources:
Official- Governor Frank Murkowski (R)

This article illustrates how different the incumbent's role is in an election. Murkowski explained how he is not worried about the other candidates gaining ground before he decides what to do, because he does not have the burden of establishing a name for himself, a process which takes significant time. It also relates to the formal power of tenure, because he is having to decide whether or not it will take another term for him to carry out his agenda. This proves that many things cannot be done in just a few years, but require a lengthened period of influence. In general, the article is just a summary of the governor's plans. It does not deal with anything controversial, and therefore requires Murkowski as the only source.

Stay in class during protests, schools urge

2006-04-06T19:23:00.000-04:00

Karen Kolman; Arizona

Karina Bland and JJ Hensley; staff writers
The Arizona Republic

Public schools throughout the Valley in Arizona are urging students to stay in school and not participate in immigrant legislation protests. On Monday, during school hours, over 100,000 people are expected to march to the State Capitol in response to recent immigration legislation. However, school administers are warning students that if they attend the protest and skip school, there will be consequences. Tom Horne, the Superintendent of Public Education, went as far as to suggest a lockdown on all schools so that the students would not be allowed to leave and to fire staff members who allow any students to leave. Normally, the only time schools issue lockdowns is when the order comes from the police or fire department. Many students want to attend but they don’t know if they will participate during or wait until after school lets out.

Official Sources:
Tom Horne, Superintendent of Public Education, undesignated
Tim Tait, Dysart District Spokesman, undesignated
Craig Pletenik, Phoenix Union High School District spokesman, undesignated
Unofficial Sources:
Jorge Cruz, Senior at Metro Tech High School, undesignated
Principal John Ewing, Phoenix Preparatory Academy, a junior high, undesignated
Jose Mendoza, Active Citizen, undesignated

This situation brings many issues to the forefront. How much freedom do minors have? Can educators hold them hostage in their own school? I think it is pretty ridiculous that the superintendent wants to lockdown the school and then fire staff members who let students attend the protest. That is a flat-out abuse of power. People should be encouraging students to stand up for what they believe in and attend the rally. Students are concerned about the well-being of the country and administrators want to lock them up and ban participation. The AIMS tests will be going on that week and if the schools don’t have enough participation than school funding can be reduced. That is probably the real reason they don’t want students attending the rally. I think this is a definite violation of First Amendment Rights.

Higher sales tax: voters' choice? Senate OKs nature, arts amendment

2006-04-06T15:18:00.001-04:00

Whitney Isenhower

Minnesota

Dennis Lien, Staff Writer, St. Paul Pioneer Press, 04/04/2006

The Minnesota Senate passed a bill Monday that would increase the state sales tax from 6.5 percent to 6.875 percent. The bill would take effect in July 2007, and the extra money would fund natural resources, parks, clean water and some art projects. Of the $245 million that would be raised in the first year of the bill taking effect, 34 percent would go to funding fish and wildlife habitats; 22 percent would go to parks, trails and zoos; another 22 percent to a mandatory cleanup of polluted waters; and the remaining 22 percent to arts, museums and public broadcasting. The original bill was first introduced in 1999, and this year is the first time it has managed to pass either body of the Minnesota legislature, with its 42-22 win in the Senate. Conservationists are the major proponents of the bill, while many of its critics do not want the tax increase to fund money for the arts. Today (April 4), a Minnesota House Committee will examine a broader version of the bill, which includes a proposal to ban same-sex marriages.

Official Sources: Sen. Dallas Sams, DFL-Staples, Chief Senate sponsor of the bill
Sen. Pat Pariseau, R-Farmington
Minn. Gov. Tim Pawlenty

Unofficial Sources: Former Sen. Bob Lessard of International Falls
Lance Ness, a spokesman for outdoor groups supporting the constitutional amendment

This bill is interesting because sales tax is such a surefire way to raise funding for programs, and in this case the money would not fund more attention-receiving issues such as education and health care, but would go toward the environment and arts. The part of this proposal and article that I find noteworthy is how the Minnesota House has tacked a gay marriage ban onto its bill -- a nice example of legislators trying to get unrelated issues passed by putting them with other bills, namely legislation that is receiving strong support. The House committee members also used the bill to “alter a ballot question on transportation funding,” according to a similar online article from Minnesota Public Radio. (There is some confusion as to if this is the same committee hearing to which the Pioneer Press article refers, but the MPR article is dated April 3, while the Press article was posted on April 4. The Press says the committee hearing was scheduled for Tuesday (April 4), though it is possible the original Monday MPR article was updated after the House committee meeting on Tuesday. Then again, since the Tuesday Press article mentions the marriage ban as part of the House’s bill already, the committee meeting to which the Press referred as taking place on Tuesday may simply be an additional committee hearing, and the House committee meeting mentioned on MPR was a previous, separate one when the new parts were first added to the bill). The MPR article also noted that the Minn. Republican House Speaker said the bill likely would not receive a House vote until after the Legislature’s break for the Easter and Passover holidays. It is also a bit surprising that a bill aimed at helping environmental conservation failed to pass for several years until aid for the arts was a part of it, because arts often seem to be lower on the list of things the public and officials think should receive funding.

Senate kills bill to allow housing on ag land

2006-04-06T15:18:00.000-04:00

Senate kills bill to allow housing on ag land
Elizabeth Ryan, Hawaii
By: Derrick DePledge
Advertiser Government Writer
Honolulu Advertiser

A state Senate committee killed a bill yesterday that would legalize the building of luxury homes and other housing on agricultural land. After a lawsuit was settled in March of this year, the debate grew into a conflict between housing and agriculture on the Big Island. State Senator Russell Kokubun said lawmakers will try again next year to resolve the issues brought forth. Key dissenters on the bill are environmentalists who argue counties and the state Land Use Commission already has restrictions and guidelines on what can be built on the lands and what cannot. State senator Gary Hooser believes it would have been best if the lawmakers had remained out of the debate.

Official sources: Russell Kokubun, senator (D); Gary Hooser, senator (D)
Unofficial sources: Jeff Mikulina, director of the Sierra Club’s Hawaii chapter; Henry Curtis, director of Life of the Land; Andy Levin, executive director to Big Island Mayor Harry Kim

Critique: I think the article once again draws into the issue of sprawl. With Hawaii becoming a state with growing population that relies on tourism for much of its money, sprawl is bound to happen and this article brings into question the use of agricultural land. Since Hawaii used to thrive on agriculture, and in some parts still does, agricultural land is deemed important in Hawaii. So this article raises some interesting issues. But with Hooser’s last comments on lawmakers stepping aside, I think that brings in the issues of boundaries. I think there should be a line where politicians and lawmakers of the sort have no jurisdiction when it comes to issues. In this case, the lawmakers may have stepped over their boundaries and should have just let the argument be settled by the government and the departments involved in the issue. But I like this article because it points out how a bill can be easily challenged by interest groups and politicians; and also how one vote of dissent ends the bill. But then I also like the fact that it was stated that next year, the issue will be brought up again, it just shows how a bill can be killed, but doesn’t die.

Coble could become 'strong'

2006-04-06T13:52:00.000-04:00

Anna Cotton-South Carolina
The State- Columbia
Gina Smith-staff writer
Coble could become 'strong'

Summary: Columbia Mayor Bob Coble may soon have more power if the city adopts a "strong mayor" form of goverment which a panel will review in early May. He would be given more power to create and set the budget, the ability to hire and fire individuals. Former mayor Patton Adams is studying whether or not this change is necessary. Currently Coble is working in a "council-manager" form of government and has equal power along with the 6 members of the city council. Coble says by making the mayor more powerful you also make him more accountable. Coble says that if he had more power he could enact new projects for the city and tbe able to hire staff who share his vision. Duvall says that he doubts the citizens of Columbia would vote for a "strong mayor" form of government because they are happy with the set up now, and he said that even if the change occurred the mayor would have to deal with the council.

Critique: This is a really interesting article because he have specifically covered this material in class. I think the author should have gotten more official sources, maybe council members, and gotten their reactions because I think they would be against this strong mayor form of government. They did however do a great job covering what Coble would do if he did get this new power and how it would potentially benefit the city.

Official Sources:Mayor Bob Coble

Unofficial Sources: former Mayor Patton Adams, Howard Duvall (executive director of the Municipal Association of South Carolina)

Restaurant smoking ban fails in Senate

2006-04-06T12:23:00.000-04:00

Chelsea Wilson, New Hampshire

By: Tom Fahey, State House Bureau Chief

Summary:
Following up on last week's article discussing the Senate panel split on a smoking ban and their recommendation for the Senate to kill the bill, this morning the bill was effectively killed. Despite the fact that the public has expressed overwhelming support of a smoking ban, the Senate narrowly defeated the legislation 12-11. Many Senate Republicans seemed to feel that the legislation would have resulted in government action going too far and want to leave the decision up to individual restaurants. Democrats saw the bill as a public health issue.
Manchester Union Leader

Official Sources:
Sen. Carl Johnson, R-Meredith
Sen. Robert Odell, R-Lempster
Sen. Chuck Morse, R-Salem

Critique:
This is an instance in which the legislature is clearly out of line with the policy liberalism of the state. 79 percent of the public supported the smoking ban bill. It is difficult to tell what it is that caused the discrepancy between the public's opinion and their representation. Mr. Fahey could have bothered to get a quote from the Democratic side this time.

Utah last in school funding

2006-04-06T12:13:00.000-04:00

Laurin Gioglio: Utah
Celia R. Baker, staff writer

In this Salt Lake Tribune article, Utah is ranked last (51st) in school funding, according to the US Census Bureau. To determine the rankings, the USCB used per-pupil spending figures from the 2003-2004 school year. Utah comes out as the only state to spend less than $6,000 per pupil ($5,008), where the national average is around $8,000. Utah tries to get around this ranking by looking at their spending in a different way—“For every $1,000 earned by Utahns, about $50 went to taxes that support public education - a figure that places Utah 27th in the nation when education spending is compared with personal income.” However, the article also points out that Utah has the highest fertility rate and also the highest ratio of students to wage earners—which only means there are going to be even more students in the coming decade. Another point brought up in the article is that Utah is spending a higher proportion on higher education than K-12 than other states are.

Sources:
Pat Rusk, Utah Education Association President
Patty Murphy, Utah State Office of Education school finance specialist
Pam Perlich, statistician on the faculty of the University of Utah's College of Business
Mike Jerman, vice-president of the Utah Taxpayers Association
Stephen Kroes, director of the Utah Foundation

In what seems to be a continuing trend with me, somehow I manage to find an article that is relevant to the week’s topic. For starters, I recognize that a big deal is being made about this ranking; however, I also remember that the textbook has an extensive discussion about whether or not the amount of money has as much of an impact as people believe (in fact, the textbook says “there is no consistent, significant statistical relationship between school resources and student performance”, and this was based on a study done by James Coleman in 1966). The people in the article seem to think it does, especially when it relates to being up-to-date with technology and such. And I can agree with them on that part of it. I guess I am still skeptical about the impact of money, especially since the study referred to in the book is from 1966 and may be more than likely outdated. Then there is the issue of just how many kids there are going to be in the decade to come. One of the sources (Kroes) made a comment that “we just might need to take some money away from other areas and put it into education if we want to make significant improvements in education funding." This kind of bugs me, because Utah had a surplus this year and chose to cut taxes instead of putting more money into areas (like education) that seem to have needed it more. Shouldn’t the state being anticipating this need they will have for funding in the coming years? And another thing that bugs me is that Utah spends more on higher education than K-12. I think it would be better for the state to invest in the children while they are younger and in grade school where they can build a fundamental knowledge base and be better prepared out of high school than to put more money into higher education. It’s almost like they are looking to fix mistakes that might have occurred because of inadequate lower-level education.

Week in Review

2006-04-06T11:36:00.000-04:00

Mary-Katherine Walston--Week in Review

Tallies for the week of March 27th:

Topics:
Legislative Proposals (6)
Citizen Action (1)
Government Corruption (1)
Healthcare (3)
Election/Campaign (3)
Governor Action (2)
Taxes (2)
Economic (2)
Education (2)
Federal Aide (1)
Legislature (1)
Technology (1)
Immigration (1)
Voting (2)
Mandates (1)
Environment (1)

Sources:
AP (12)
Staff (14)
Statehouse (4)
Special (0)

Official Sources: 69

Unofficial Sources: 27

Republican Sources: 36

Democratic Sources: 26

Legislative proposals are a foundation of the policymaking process. New ideas and response to the effectiveness of old ones are a part of the cycle that keeps state legislatures so busy.

Although brought to light in session by actual state legislators, proposals may arise from varying sources. In addition to the role of a policymaker and an overseer of government, a legislator must also represent the concerns of the people he serves. Therefore, legislative proposals may in fact arise from a legislators own individual ideas, or according to Bowman and Kearney, ideas may surface from constituents, interest groups, or state agencies. Another source of proposals may be unsuccessful state laws in need of revision or elimination.

The amount of legislative proposals introduced is certainly not equivalent or really even comparable to the number that make it through the complicated and somewhat chaotic process to actually become a law. However, without the pitching of ideas, there would be no opportunity for positive change, as opposed to the rather small probability of success owned by a legislative proposal. Bowman and Kearney note that certain factors such as legislators who agree to cosponsor a bill, strong committees, the support of interest groups, and the influence of policy entrepreneurs, who are people willing to support a bill and are intelligent on the subject matter, can assist the odds of turning a legislative proposal into a law. Legislative proposals serve as a foundation for changes of various magnitudes.

For example, a large-scale change is in the works according to Aurora Sentinel as Colorado legislators are working with other states to change the determining factor in presidential races from the Electoral College vote to the popular vote of the people. On a smaller scale of influence, but no less important, the Massachusetts state legislature is considering a bill that would increase the eligible age to receive a driver’s license to 17 ½ and the permit age to 16 ½ in hopes of decreasing the amount of automobile accidents statewide.
The wide range of issues seen in proposals throughout various states legislatures this week made it clear that nearly any topic can be addressed via legislative proposal. Regarding health, the Manchester Union Leader said that New Hampshire is contemplating joining the other New England states in the creation of smoking ban legislation. In response to immigration, the Pioneer Press wrote that a bill has been proposed in the Minnesota state legislature which would strengthen checks on immigrants applying for programs involving medical aid. Fran Bradley, the sponsor of the bill, wants to change the system so that illegal immigrants can be reported without written permission from the accused. The Baton Rouge Advocate reported Louisiana’s state legislature to be considering a bill that calls for separate Republican and Democratic primaries instead of using the open primary system the state currently uses. Without use of the legislative proposal, these issues could not be weighed by government.

Policymaking is a means of changing society, whether it be in the area of healthcare, taxes, immigration, education, or otherwise. The legislative proposal, no matter its origin, is a link to policymaking and a necessary component to make reforms on all levels of government.

Despite Flaws, Nebraskans can save with Medicare

2006-04-06T10:08:00.000-04:00

Nebraska
Connie Benjamin, AARP Nebraska state director
Tim Wagner, director of the Department of Insurance
Gov. Dave Heineman
by, Mark Andersen
journalstar.com

On Wednesday, many advocates for a new Medicare prescription drug program stated that the elderly were giving up a chance to save hundreds of dollars by opposing it. According to Connie Benjamin, director of the Department of Insurance, "the drive to enroll Medicare-eligible residents is reaching the critical stage;" anyone who enrolls after May 15 could permanently have to pay and additional 1 percent for every premium monthly delay. According to Tim Wagner, director of the Department of Insurance said about 160,000 of the 266,000 Medicare-eligible residents have enrolled in some sort of drug plan. According to the Kaiser Family Foundation, Nebraska ranks 34th in its percentage of Medicare eligible residents.

The problem arises with the proposed Medicare program, that some are torn in choosing a specific program. Nebraska ranks 4th in the state for those enrolled in the stand-alone Medicare prescription drug plan (a plan connected to Medicaid). The average person enrolled in this Medicare prescription drug program is saving about $800 a year; in the future, they are expected to save more. The biggest problem now, which bothers Governor Heineman, deals with the local pharmacies, and their inability to be reimbursed by insurers.

Drug, alcohol measure advances

2006-04-04T14:25:00.000-04:00

Beth Hutchens, South Dakota
Associated Press, drug, alcohol measures

South Dakota passed new legislation with stricter penalties on those possessing drugs in a vehicle. The measure was more rigid before the 180 day revocation period of a license, for adults, was knocked down to 90 days and the penalty only affects the driver of the vehicle, not all of the occupants. Without these revisions it was said that the bill would not have passed, like the past two years’ attempts. The penalties for first time offenders that are minors (possessing alcohol while driving) are also lower than what was laid out in the first draft of the bill, 30 days, with the second time offense being 180 days. The article does not say from which party came the opposition against the stricter first draft. Also there is not information about how big of a problem is the possession of drugs in vehicles, for minors or adults.

Sources: Neil Fulton, a lobbyist for Rounds (unofficial); Representative Sean O'Brien, Republican-Brookings, served on Criminal Code Commission

SDPB head pledges fight against budget cut

2006-04-04T14:18:00.000-04:00

Associated Press

Beth Hutchens, South Dakota

The South Dakota Public Broadcasting is fighting against budget cuts that took place in the closing hours of the legislative session. The SDPB was not prepared for such a cut, $500,000 and didn’t realize that it was going to take place. Also, they will lose federal funding, $60,000. The total amount lost will be about 1 million according to the executive director. The article does not reveal why these cuts are being made, in any budget there are hard decisions. A cut in one area means more money in another, and South Dakota has been working for new education programs to prevent kids from dropping out of high school, since the rate is increasing, for example. Obviously cuts for the SDPB are going to be important to the SDPB, but this was probably not an arbitrary action taken by the government. The SDPB has been a financially responsible organization says the executive director and she also continues by adding that most of the money spent is used in the program “Statehouse” in order to cover the legislature.

Sources: executive director of the SDPB, Julie Anderson; Senator Garry Moore, Democrat—Yankton; Representative Jamie Boomgarden, Republican—Chancellor

Legislator comments on abortion bill

2006-04-04T13:17:00.000-04:00

Beth Hutchens

By Joe Kafka
Associated Press Writer

The article describes one legislator's personal opinion and his perception of the opposition to the bill prohibiting abortion in South Dakota. Pat Haley, a democrat from Huron, said that the abortion ban will do nothing but cost South Dakota money. He also said that the bill was "pushed by extremists and will almost certainly be found unconstitutional." The article goes on to outline South Dakota's history success is changing legislation through popular votes and grass roots campaigns, which by the tone of this article bodes well for the opposition of the bill. The article does not say how close the opposition is to getting the 16,728 signatures it needs, nor how strong those in favor of the bill are.

Sources: Pat Haley, Democrat--Huron

Counties get jitters over road funds

2006-04-03T22:05:00.000-04:00

Rumors have been circulating throughout Kentucky counties that the state legislature might come out of its week long closed session with proposals for cuts in county road funds. The session, which has been devoted to discussing budget compromises, has reportedly been discussing the possibility of cutting the money counties receive for road funding from the state's gasoline tax. The legislature would take that money and devote it to state highway projects. Counties currently receive about 18 percent of the tax.

Sources:
Official - Gary Logsdon, Grayson County Judge/Executive

The counties are naturally worried about the removal of the tax, and the issue is indicitave of state government's meddling in local affairs. Counties would not be able to keep up with the increasing cost of materials for highway repairs, should the money be taken away. However, it remains to be seen what the legislature would do with all the money. Perhaps they would in fact use the money to improve local and county roads but at their discretion rather than the counties'.

Anatomy of a bill's political baggage

2006-04-03T21:46:00.000-04:00

Kevin Chandler
Kentucky

Article printed in the Lexington Herald-Leader and written by Ryan Alessi.

A bill that has made its way through the Kentucky legislature and now sits on the desk of Governor Ernie Fletcher has once again reminded politicos how intwined their actions and pasts can be. The bill would allow rural electric cooperatives to sell other products beyond power and light. It was proposed after the state Supreme Court ruled that Jackson Energy had violated the law by attempting to sell propane. The lawsuit was filed in 1999 by a Kentucky propane distributor and argued 8 months ago by Stan Cave, chief of staff for governor Ernie Fletcher. The legislature wants to topple the supreme court by passing the bill and forcing the issue to be re-visited. However, in further politicial twists, one of the Supreme Court justices who ruled against Cave was a former colleague of his on the governor's staff, and the only dissenting Senate vote on the bill was from a senator whose brother was co-counsel for cave. .

Sources:
Official - Stan Cave, chief of staff for Gov. Ernie Fletcher; Rep. Rob Wilkey (D); Rep. Jim DeCesare (R); Jodi Whitaker, spokesperson for Gov. Ernie Fletcher
Unofficial - Ron Sheets, president of the Kentucky Association of Electric Cooperatives

A rather mundane issue, the Supreme Court's decision and the proposed bill are not sparking any huge controversies within the Kentucky government. Cave was not chief of staff when he took on the propane dealer's case, and there has not been the remotest hint of wrongdoing on either side. Rather the issue mainly highlights the "good old boy" atmosphere of Kentucky's legislature and judiciary. It is not suprising that the leading figures of Kentucky's government are also leading figures in its energy cooperatives and leading lawyers.

Mormonism thriving in heavily Catholic US Northeast

2006-04-03T11:50:00.000-04:00

Jabeen Ahmad, Massachusetts
By Jason Szep, Reuters

In this Boston Globe article, the advance of mormonism is apparent. The article talks about the increase of participation in the Mormon faith. In the past 10 years, the number of mormons in the northeast area (including Massachusetts) has increased by 37%. The national growth of the faith has increased by 21%. The article states several factors that have added to the faith's appeal: social service, community feel and scandals in the Catholic Church.

Unofficial Sources: Allan Barker, Rodney Stark, Jan Shipps, Tim Wilson

The northeast, in particular Massachusetts, has a large Catholic population. This population has a large influence on policies and constituents in the region. The increase in the mormon faith means a number of things for Massacusetts. First, people are interested in the faith because of the social services that are offered, such as housing and food. This means, that officials in the state need to be more akin to the needs of their people and they need to make sure that the people are being taken care of. Clearly social services are important to many of the people in the state. Secondly, the demographic and political ideology of the state is changing. Policies will have to be changed to match the ideology.

Legislator suggest leasing Atlantic City Expressway

2006-04-01T15:22:00.000-05:00

Christian Rhodes-New Jersey
Staff Writer Jeff Whealan

In an article in the Star Ledger, State Sen. William Gormley has proposed that the state of New Jersey lease the Atlantic City Expressway as a way to bring in additional revenue. Gormley sent a letter to Gov. Corzine asking him to explore a transaction similar to the privatization of Indiana Toll Road. An Australian-Spanish consortium will pay Indiana 3.8 billion dollars up from in exchange for the revenue for the next 75 years. As part of the deal, the private investors will also operate and maintain the road. Gormley believes that the plan can be successful in New Jersey because the toll revenues for the Atlantic Expressway and the Indian Road Toll are similar. Previous, Sen. Ray Lesniak proposed a privatization idea that would caused for the state to form a for-profit corporation selling shares of stock to private investors. Although New Jersey would a possible profit of 6 billion dollars, Gov. Corzine raise some concerns about the structure of the proposal and the limitations it set on government to increase toll tax. The new proposal has been under scrutiny by members of Gormley's opposing party, Democrats, for its complete privatization of a public good. Whatever, the scenario Gov. Corzine has promise to take both suggestions under advisement as he mules over how to get New Jersey out debt.

Official sources:
State Sen. William Gormley, member of the Budget Committee (R)
State Sen. Ray Lesniak (D)

The article addresses different scenes that happen out of the per view of the public, with regards to budgetary concerns and such. It is interesting that the idea of privatization of any public good is on the table, but when the state is facing a escalating budget crisis, all options must be weighed. In this case, a prime transportation expressway is being considered as a possible source for decreasing the problematic budget. While Gormley expresses that the proposed idea would offer an bipartisan solution, the game of political "one-up" is in play, as both sides voice their concern for the proposed ideas.

Gov. Ted Kulongoski's union problems may grow after the primary

2006-04-01T08:12:00.000-05:00

Rebecca Rolfe, Oregon
Nigel Jaquiss, Editorial Staff

The November election and May primaries for the governor’s seat are reoccurring headlines in Oregon this year. Incumbent Governor Kulongoski is facing a paltry slate of Democratic contenders, but he isn’t as strong as he’d like to think he is, either. The big unions that backed Kulongoski and led him to victory in the last election are fed up with pay freezes and cuts in benefits that they’ve decided to endorse other candidates or none at all.

Sources: Official: None; Unofficial: Russ Dondero (Blogger and Political Science Professor at Pacific University), Cameron Johnson (Governor Kulongoski’s Campaign Manager), Mark Wiener (Political Strategist)

Labor unions must really have something to say if they are willing to risk having to backtrack should (and likely when) Kulongoski wins the primary. This is an interesting approach in terms of grassroots action (citizens trying to create political change) or big business (influential organizations trying to create political change). I don’t know whether this approach will be effective, though, because it is likely just going to make Kulongoski even more hardened to labor unions’ wishes.

Earlier primary touted as aid to Florida

2006-03-31T21:42:00.000-05:00

Brandon Mayes, Florida
Lesley Clark and Mary Ellen Klas, Elections

This article in the Miami Herald explains Florida Republicans' desire to move the 2008 state primary up in the calendar. Republicans feel that moving it to a week after the New Hampshire primary will give the state more influence in selecting presidential candidates. As it stands now, Florida's primary is later in the calendar and a number of smaller states' primaries have already selected the presidential candidates. Proponents argue that such a large state as Florida is a microcosm of the nation and debates in a more influential primary will bring up more and more diverse issues that will be the basis of the selection of candidates.

Official Sources:
Rep. Marco Rubio-R
Rep. Dan Gelber-D
Unofficial Sources:
David Johnson-R

There was no debate over the issue in the article. Both Florida Republicans and Democrats agree that the move would be good. There is a certain amount of hubris within their comments, some saying that they are "Florida, for crying out loud"; as if there was some distinguishing factor other than the size of the state alone. Such a move would give Florida even more influence in elections in addition to the power it already has in the general elections. It would also require candidates to spend even more time and money in Florida. The article seemed to be a promotion of the move rather than a discussion of its effects.

Changing currents

2006-03-31T19:17:00.000-05:00

Joey Collevecchio
Washington

From the Seattle Times: http://web.lexis-nexis.com.libproxy.lib.unc.edu/universe/document?_m=57eafedd91ff31c392c515d6258a2c3f&_docnum=3&wchp=dGLzVlz-zSkVb&_md5=61c5adf91821850a75412289d6644473

BY: Linda V. Mapes, Staff Writer

Summary:
District Court Judge James Redden ruled that dams operating in the Columbia River basin must change their protocols and procedures to reduce harm to the indiginous salmon population. Redden said the existing protocols violate environmental laws designed to protect the fish, 14 of 20 species of which are in danger of becoming extinct in the region. Redden said if the dams refuse to cooperate, he will impose court rule of the dam operations, effectively relegating them to being run by the state courts. Redden said until the dams come up with a new plan that doesn't wipe out existing salmon populations, the courts will oversee how the dams are operated.

SOURCES
Official: James Redden (unknown), District Court judge
Malcolm Marsh (unknown) District Court judge

Unofficial: Todd True, (unknown) attorney for environmental group Earthjustice
David Ruork, farmer
Kieth Petersen, historian
Pete Wilson, Portland Port Comissioner
Steve Wright, administrator of Bonneville Power Administration

Analysis:
This is a very extensive article chronicling the damage done to salmon populations in Washington, as well as the damage done to ethnic Indian tribes, the fishing industry, and the local economy by the fish's depletion. It also shows the desire for cheap electricity, as well as the inadequate Federal regulations governing environmental protection. This article is every journalist's dream; it's an enterprise piece that was given considerable space in the paper and looks at the situation from almost every possible angle. Awesome.

City struggles with costly sewer upgrade plan

2006-03-31T17:22:00.000-05:00

Li'vahn Hamden, WV

Article by Justin D. Anderson, Daily Mail Staff

This article relates a federally mandated $213 million sewer overflow project to control the discharge of sewage into streams and rivers, which may soon be undertaken by the Charleston Sanitary Board. The board has been seeking alternatives due to the high cost of the project which they say will force them to raise customer’s sewer bills to objectionable levels, potentially driving residents out of the area. This leads to an apparent contradiction with this unfunded mandate; the bills which this plan would produce for customers would be considered unacceptable by the EPA, which is the agency which has mandated the improvements. More than 50 communities in WV face similar problems; Charleston officials are now seeking relief from Washington to help address this growing predicament.

Official Sources;
- Larry Roller, general manager of the Charleston wastewater treatment plant
- U.S. Senator Robert Byrd (D)
- Jessica Greathouse, a state Division of Environmental Protection official

This article presents a good example of the potential problems of federal mandates for state and local governments, particularly when the mandates are unfunded. The author has apparently done a fair deal of research on the impacts of this particular mandate, and the circumstances which necessitated it. A bit more information on the deleterious effects of the sewage problem would have been useful for preserving objectivity. In general, however, this article meets my standard for decent investigative journalism.

Alabama House, Senate Can't Agree on Military Voting

2006-03-31T16:45:00.000-05:00

by Genna Suggs
from WSFA TV's website (AP)

The House and Senate of Alabama cannot decide how to make sure troops overseas are able to vote for the upcoming primary runoff election. Today, the Senate voted on a plan that would delay the primary three weeks, allowing absentee ballots to be received in time. Earlier in the month, the House voted to keep the election on the same day, but the soldiers would use special ballots. At this point, the Senate must agree with the House bill or vice versa. An agreement much be reached because the Juiciary Department is suing the state because there is not enough time between the June 6 election and June 27 runoff to get military ballots.

No sources, AP story.

I found this story interesting because I think people often forget about absentee voting. The votes across the seas are just as important as the ones cast in our hometowns. This article shows the two legislative bodies can butt heads, but they ultimately must agree to each other to get things done.

Senate health plan evolving quickly

2006-03-31T16:36:00.000-05:00

Elizabeth Curlee
Vermont

Burlington Free Press
By: Nancy Remsen, Free Press Staff Writer

Article

Summary: The Vermont Senate's proposed health care plan recently expanded to include a wide span of services and benefits to Vermonters. The new plan includes a provision for hospitals to offer free and discounted services to those who signed up for "Catamount Health" but had previously been uninsured. Catamount is a proposed government-financed health program that would provide comprehensive primary care to uninsured citizens who earn too much to qualify for the state's existing subsidized care. The plan also includes a provision to offer extensive preventative care services, including providing free immunizations for children. In the plan, statewide health insurance is required by the year 2010. The plan, offering such popular services for low costs, would attract a favorable business climate, said policy analyst Kenneth Thorpe. The coverage plan could decrease overall health insurance rates by 6-7%. The means for funding such a grand proposal are still being discussed, and the plan is still evolving.

Sources:
Official: Senate Health and Welfare Chairman Jim Leddy, D-Chittenden
Sen. Diane Snelling, R-Chittenden
Sen. William Doyle, R-Washington
Secretary of Administration Michael Smith
Unofficial: Kenneth Thorpe, a consultant from Emory University in Georgia

Critique: This article resonates with our discussion Thursday on state health care, and depicts the trend in rising health care expenditures by government. The proposal by Senate leaders is incredibly expansive, bordering on idealism- especially the idea of "free" immunizations and "health care for all" by 2010. Such proposals are very citizen-friendly; however, cuts in other areas of the budget would have to be made in order for such a plan to come to fruition. An increased tax on cigarettes, for instance, has been proposed by Gov. Jim Douglas to lessen the financial burden. The proposal has initiated numerous debates regarding its ability to actually provide for Vermonters.
"We aren't rejecting it," Jim Leddy said. "We need to see how it is going to work and whether it is going to work." This attitude has been shared by most members of the Vermont House and Senate, where the draft will be voted on once its revisions are complete. This bill, called a "work in progress" by Leddy, shows how states have continually increased their budgets to allow for increased healthcare coverage with individual state-sponsored programs (such as Vermont's Catamount). Medicaid and Medicare are still strong programs within Vermont, however, people that barely do not qualify for Medicaid can be supported by Catamount if they have lived without insurance for a year. This is an example of the increased capacity of states's functions, the ability to devise new programs and enact them within a balanced budget to maintain a healthy citizenry.

Núñez warns Schwarzenegger, GOP on immigration

2006-03-31T15:38:00.000-05:00

Tyson Grinstead, California
By Erica Werner, Associated Press for The Sacramento Bee

On Thursday, California Assembly Speaker Fabian Núñez issued a warning to the California Republican Party, and more specifically to Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger that if they do not oppose the House Illegal Immigration bill, Republicans will suffer at the polls in November. Núñez, a Democrat from Los Angeles, says that “"I think all of this has been a wake-up call for the Republican Party, that you can't pander to the right by picking on immigrants - it's not going to work anymore,” and is quite blunt in forecasting the further movement of Latinos into the California Democratic party. Schwarzenegger’s re-election campaign spokeswoman, Katie Levinson, responded stating that Hispanic voters see eye to eye with the Governor on taxes, education and “the need for a comprehensive and coherent immigration strategy.”

Official Sources: Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger (R), Speaker Fabian Núñez (D), Fmr. Gov. Pete Wilson (R), Schwarzenegger re-election campaign spokeswoman, Katie Levinson (R).

Unofficial Sources: none

I found this article interesting on two separate levels. First, it is a clear example of how national politics can have an impact at the state level. Schwarzenegger now has to make a decision on how to handle this issue so as to remain popular in his state, but not face heat from the National Party. His solution has been to criticize Núñez’s attacks for making the attacks from Washington DC, and to show support for a temporary guest worker program. The second level at which this article is interesting is that the Democrat is “warning” the Republican to change policy, instead of letting him make mistakes that would lead help the cause of a nominee from his party. Núñez does predict that Arnold’s fate will be similar to that of Fmr. Gov. Pete Wilson, yet the overall method of his attacks are an odd approach in my mind.

Static for wireless access bill

2006-03-31T14:29:00.000-05:00

Joe George, Maine

By Susan M. Cover, Staff Writer
Kennebec Journal

The Utilities and Energy Commission of the Maine legislature recently voted in favor of a bill that will encourage the expansion of broadband Internet services into rural areas. The seven legislators who voted for the bill are all Democrats who support the $1.5 million in funding the project will need. Republicans said they like the concept of the bill; however, they would like to learn more about the project before providing it with funding. Rep. Hannah Pingree, the sponsor of the bill, want to tax communication services providers one quarter of one percent to get the necessary $1.5 million. Republicans are arguing that the$1.5 million will be simply sucked out of the economic system. Democrats, including Gov. John Baldacci, believe that the bill will promote economic development and help areas that do not have high speed Internet access.

Official Sources: Rep. Hannah Pingree, D-North Haven; Rep. Stacey Allen Fritts, R-Pittsfield; Sen. Phillip Bartlett, D-Gorham

Unofficial Sources: Tom Federle

This is a classic argument between Democrats and Republicans. The Democrats want to obtain tax dollars to give Internet access to some of the relatively isolated communities of Maine. They believe that the Internet is an important social tool that will dramatically impact these communities. On the other hand, the Republicans do not want to have to raise taxes, especially ones that will affect communications businesses in Maine. I personally do not see how the Republicans believe that $1.5 million in tax dollars will be taken out of the economy and hurt citizens.

Colorado Lawmakers Weigh Plan to Skirt Electoral College

2006-03-31T13:51:00.000-05:00

By: the Associated Press for Aurora Sentinel

Colorado—Jenna Thompson

The Electoral College determines who wins the United States’ presidency. Currently, Colorado legislators are attempting to work with other states to change this Constitutional law which was founded more than two hundred years ago. If these lawmakers had it their way, the candidate who wins the popular vote would win the president’s race. The proposal calls for all the Electoral College delegates to vote for the winner of the national popular vote rather than their state’s popular vote winner. The legislators feel that presidential candidates focus only on the swing states and with this new system, it will help direct attention back to those states which can be ignored come election time. They see this as being a better representative of democracy in America.

Official Sources: Senate Majority Leader Ken Gordon (D), State Senator Jon Evans (R), State Senator Lew Entz (R)

Changing how the Electoral College operates seems very unlikely. Amending a constitutional law, particularly one of this stature, would take an incredible amount of time. There would be so many levels of government involved and affected. This issue has appeared at the state level with the Colorado assembly and it would have to be passed by the U.S. Congress and the president would have to sign the bill into law. It would be ironic that if this was to become a law, the president who signs the bill was elected by the old system of the Electoral College and he may not have won the popular vote. Colorado is typically a red state and it is not surprising that the Senate majority leader, a Democrat, is encouraging the Colorado legislature to get on board since Al Gore won the popular vote in 2000 but President Bush won the Electoral College’s vote. I think it is interesting that both Republicans and Democrats in Colorado are supporting this proposal because next election, the Democrats may not win the popular vote but they would have won in the Electoral College had it been the old system.

Legislature meets key goals

2006-03-31T12:48:00.000-05:00

Adam Rhew
Georgia

Atlanta Journal-Constitution staff writers Jim Tharpe, Nancy Badertscher and Sonji Jacobs write about the Georgia legislature's final hours for the current session. The Legislature took action on myriad topics, and let others die during the off-year. They approved an extremely stringent sex offender bill, restrictions on eminent domain, and a record budget. The eminent domain bill won 171-0 approval in the House and 55-0 approval in the Senate. Support for the budget wasn't as popular. In the end, legislators signed off on an $18.6B for FY 07, including $6.5 million for 300 Republican-sponsored local projects some have called "pork-barrel spending."

Official Sources: Gov. Sonny Purdue (R), Rep. Chuck Martin (R-Alpharetta), House Minority Leader DuBose Porter (D-Dublin)
Unofficial Sources: Joan Brown, Atlanta garden club member

Critique: What's interesting about this article is to see what legislators tried to push through at the last minute. Some of the bills that they approved have national ties: the eminent domain bill stems from the Supreme Court's ruling last year on the topic. Also it again ties into the powers of the state and federal government (who should regulate what). Finally, the record state budget ties in with what we've recently discussed -- what to spend money on, and how the budget is divided. This is just a great story to get a general feel for how the Legislature works.

Senate panel split on smoking ban

2006-03-31T12:20:00.000-05:00

Chelsea Wilson, New Hampshire

By Tom Fahey, State House Bureau Chief
Manchester Union Leader

Summary:
New Hampshire, the last state in New England without a smoking ban, has been debating smoking ban legislation in both state houses. After the bills passage in the House the Senate Committee hearing the bill voted a tie and recommended a killing of the bill on the floor. Interest groups say that the majority of the public is in favor of a smoking ban.

Official Sources:
Senate President Ted Gatsas, R-Manchester
Sen. Lou D’Allesandro, D-Manchester
Minority Leader Sylvia Larsen, D-Concord

Unofficial Sources:
William Cahill of the Clean Air Works coalition
Chris Williams of the Greater Manchester Chamber of Commerce

Critique:
The argument against the bill is that workers in restaurants that are tolerant of smoking can choose to change their jobs. This seems to be a very shortsighted solution as the restaurant workers are not the only ones who are affected by smoking in bars and restaurants. Perhaps some of the focus on the issue should be on the astonishing statistics found in New York and Massachusetts pointing to the decrease in heart attacks experienced since their smoking bans were enacted. In the long run it could save NH big money in Medicaid costs to enact the ban. And by the way, who ever recommended a killing of the bill because it would be too close to call on the Floor like the Committee did!?

2006-03-31T11:58:00.000-05:00

Kimberly McAuley, New Mexico
KOBTV.com
by Associated Press

Although an incumbent has never lost in New Mexico's first district, Representative Heather Wilson (R) from New Mexico might lose her seat to New Mexico's Attorney General Patricia Madrid (D). Wilson is the the only woman veteran in Congress and sometimes goes against the republican party, which has made her popular in her district. Experts predict however that this race will be very competitive and Madrid shouldn't be taken lightly as a competitor.

Official Sources
Representative Heather Wilson (R)
Attorney General Patricia Madrid (D)

This competitive race could be a good thing for the citizens of New Mexico, because both candidates will have to present strong platforms in order to win and I'm sure that the platforms will be centered around whatever the citizens want in order to gain the most votes. An incumbent has never lost in that district, so it would be a major upset if Madrid won. Madrid is going to have to run an excellent campaign in order to win out over an incumbent that ther citizenry has re-elected for ten years.

Competitive NM congressional race on the national stage

2006-03-31T11:40:00.000-05:00

Kimberly McAuley, New Mexico
KOBTV.com
by Associated Press

Although an incumbent has never lost in New Mexico's first district, Representative Heather Wilson (R) from New Mexico might lose her seat to New Mexico's Attorney General Patricia Madrid (D). Wilson is the the only woman veteran in Congress and sometimes goes against the republican party, which has made her popular in her district. Experts predict however that this race will be very competitive and Madrid shouldn't be taken lightly as a competitor.

Official Sources
Representative Heather Wilson (R)
Attorney General Patricia Madrid (D)

This competitive race could be a good thing for the citizens of New Mexico, because bothe candidates will have to present strong platforms in order to win and I'm sure that the platforms will be centered around whatever the citizens want in order to gain the most votes. An incumbent has never lost in that district, so it would be a major upset if Madrid won. Madrid is going to have to run an excellent campaign in order to win out over an incumbent that ther citizenry has re-elected for ten years.

Senate debates school finance proposals

2006-03-31T11:10:00.000-05:00

Bliss Pierce representing Kansas
By John Milburn-Associated Press (Kansas City Star)

Summary
The Kansas Senate is under debate about the numerous proposed plans to raise money for the public school system. Due to a court issued mandate, Kansas has to raise millions of dollars to increase the quality of their school system within the next four years. The Senate rejected a three year, $633 million plan that the House proposed, and it has rejected at least two more plans since then. The biggest controversy within the legislature is that they want to raise this money for the school system, but they don’t have the money to do so.
http://www.kansascity.com/mld/kansascity/news/local/14217051.htm

Official Sources
Sen. Jim Barnett (R)
Gov. Kathleen Sebelius (D)
Sen. Kay O’Conner (R)
Sen. Karin Brownlee (R)
Derek Schmidt - Senate Majority Leader (R)

Unofficial Sources
(none)

Critique
This problem in Kansas is interesting because everyone is coming up with these “great plans” to get money into the system but they tend not to think them all the way through. How can you pass legislation to increase spending without having the money to do so? That’s the opinion of many of the senators who know that this plan will not be resolved any time soon. This issue is a great example of how hard it is to balance a budget for a state, but it also has to do a lot with state and local relations. The deal with the increase in funds is that the local school boards have to raise some of the money themselves, but the state continues to throw out legislation limiting how they can raise the money. I’m interested to see how this state vs. local “catfight” will turn out because the only thing people seem to agree on is that this idea is ridiculous.

week in review

2006-03-31T10:45:00.000-05:00

Laura Fried
Week in Review

Tallies-
Topics: Legislation (4)
Election (3)
Education (9)
Abortion (1)
Governor Action (2)
Taxes (4)
Initiative (1)
Gay Marriage (1)
Environment (1)
Government Corruption (3)
Religion (1)
Immigration (1)
Annexation (1)
Gun Control (1)
Budget (1)
Lobbying (1)

Official Sources: 82
Unofficial Sources: 42

Republican Sources: 36
Democratic Sources: 18

Reporters: Staff Reporters (26)
AP (3)
Statehouse/Legislative Beat (2)
Unknown/None (3)
Special Author (1)

Americans tend to believe that one of state and local government’s most important jobs is to manage the educational systems in the area, however there is a major education crisis plaguing many states and localities. This crisis has gained the attention from all levels of government from mayors to state legislators. Although the children who go through the educational system are too young to vote and have their opinions heard on their schooling, plenty of people care and speak up on the issue including parents and teachers. The quality of the school systems, teacher shortages, overcrowded schools, and funding for schools are just a sample of the obstacles and problems facing school systems today. The problems in education are evident in the high number of news articles dealing with issues in education in the past week, showing that education is a hot topic and that it is something that state and local governments are focusing their attention on.
An article published in the Bismarck Tribune showed not only a problem facing many areas, the loss of teachers due to retirement or other factors, but how difficult it can be for school boards to function and make citizens happy. The school board had to deny 19 teachers early retirement, not only to help prevent further teacher shortages, but to try to save money. If they let the teachers retire the school board would have to find money from somewhere else to pay for their retirements. The school boards not only have to deal with educational decisions, but they also end up dealing with economic decisions for the area as well. This can include finding money to pay teachers to finding money to build a new school. They often work with other branches of government to do this, but it is still something they must keep in mind, as seen in North Dakota.
Rankin County in Mississippi is facing overcrowding in their school system since the county’s population has increased as of late. Although some of the increase came from Hurricane Katrina evacuees, many people have also came to the area for other reasons. Whenever a population increases school systems suffer because schools become overcrowded, class size increases, teachers become stressed under the conditions, etc. However, because of this crowding problem, the county now needs to find money to create new schools and hire more teachers. Finding money is controversial and will be a problem, especially in a state that has been hit by Katrina and is still trying to allocate money to revive its coastal towns.
In Durham, North Carolina, a school board is showing its solution to two consistently poorly performing high schools. Its solution is to give bonuses to new teachers and principals (after removing some of the old ones who aren’t making the cut) and making teachers sign contracts to stay in the school for at least two years so that people don’t just take the bonuses and run. They are also making changes within the school aside from personnel changes, including making an honors program and separating freshmen from upperclassmen. The school board is being proactive in the matter and flexing its muscles. The plan should work well because it is increasing teacher pay to attract better, more qualified teachers, maintaining teachers so that the school can have a steady teaching base, and forcing the schools to raise its standards and expect higher student performance. Also the school board members will probably receive praise for their effort from constitutents like when they can see action happening, especially in a positive sense.
Los Angeles, California is dealing with another difficult issue that major cities face with their educational systems. The Los Angeles mayor wants to join the Los Angeles school systems with the school systems of surrounding areas. This deals a lot with urban sprawl. Although it might be a good idea for smaller towns to join forces and promote educational systems, it would be very difficult to have such a large city, like Los Angeles, join up with so many smaller (yet still very big) towns and all of their schools. It would be very expensive and although the Los Angeles schools might benefit, the schools in the suburbs could very well suffer because money from their systems would go to the larger Los Angeles system because they have many more schools and students to provide for. This is something that is happening in cities all around the country and something that should be watched closely to see what works and does not work for future references.
Education is a very important function of governments because so much is riding on the education of the youth of America. However, it is a costly process and one that many people have many different views on. It will be very interesting to see how education helps play into not only mayorial and gubernatorial races, but in the 2008 presidential election as well.

Legislators short on votes needed to override vetoes

2006-03-31T10:30:00.000-05:00

Laurin Gioglio: Utah
Matt Canham, The Salt Lake Tribune

In this Salt Lake Tribune article, Legislators will not be able to override any of the four contentious vetoes by Governor Jon Huntsman with the necessary 2/3 vote. SB70 would have taken away the governor’s say in the approval of radioactive waste dumpsites by allowing an override of the governor’s veto. Huntsman insisted this bill would infringe on his authority. HB100 would have required environmental groups to post bond to cover any costs to developers due to delays when filing suit on environmental grounds. Huntsman vetoed it because it is “preempted by federal law,” and therefore unconstitutional. HB148 would have biological parents the sole decision-making authority regarding a child’s relationship with a third-party, i.e., grandparents, step-parents and gay partners. HB151 would have placed a fee on high school students enrolling in college-level courses, seeming to serve to hurt low-income students.

Sources:
Official:
Gov. Jon M. Huntsman, Jr.-R
Senate President John Valentine
House Speaker Greg Curtis, R-Sandy

Rep. LaVar Christensen, R-Draper

Deputy Chief of Staff Mike Mower

This is a direct follow-up to my article summary last week regarding Huntsman’s actual vetoes of these bills (3 of the 4 bills, actually). It is also more evidence of the synergy that exists between the legislative and executive branches in Utah. The small fraction of dissenters is comprised of the few legislators who initially introduced and supported the legislation, and they by no means represent the general consensus of the whole legislative body. What is also striking is the quote from Mike Mower at the end of the article. Basically he is saying that the office of the governor is happy that these bills haven’t proven to be more of an issue so that now they can all focus on the special session Huntsman is planning to call in May regarding taxes. The tax issue has been close to Huntsman’s heart since his campaign for the office in 2005 and he has been desperately trying to bring it to the forefront of policy discussions (hence the special session). I’m sure that he is very pleased now that there are no other issues that the legislators are going to be worrying about while he is calling the special session.

Alaska's damaged reputation to cut cash flow, Stevens says

2006-03-31T10:19:00.000-05:00

Amy McCall, Alaska
article by Matt Volz (AP)
in The Anchorage Daily News

This article in The Anchorage Daily News showed that Alaska is in danger of losing congressional assistance for their iniatives because they are not willing to spend enough of their own money. The country as a whole has a $8 trillion defecit, while Alaska is sitting on a $1.4 billion surplus, making federal law makers question their need to send them money. A couple of earmarks have already been removed from major projects, and this is likely to continue if the state does not begin to match funds. One of major concern is the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge oil drilling, which needs to pass this year. They emphasized the importance of making some quick decisions before Alaska misses out on their fair share of the oil market.

Sources:
official- Senator Ted Stevens (R), House Majority Leader John Coghill (R), House Minority Leader Ethan Berkowitz (D)

This article caught me by surprise because I never expected for a state to have a surplus so large. It surprises me that the federal government has not begun to cut funds earlier. The article also shows how partisan politics can have a negative impact on a state. Important projects such as the ANWR drilling are failing to pass through Congress because the state itself cannot reach a decision. This could be a problem in the future because foreign liquified natural gas is being developed and will soon reach the U.S. Alaska is in a stage right now where the fine details of their policy making is crucial so that they can reach agreement from Democrats and Republicans.

Rendell unveils plan for new Pittsburgh sports arena

2006-03-31T09:45:00.000-05:00

by Bob Lentz, Associated Press
Pennsylvania, Kristen Trautman

Governor Rendell's announcment comes with a fierce gubernatorial race in full swing and bids for state gaming licenses on the line. The proposal will provide $290 million dollars to replace Mellon Area, home to the Pittsburgh Penguins. Taxpayers will not be required to pay any of the bill. Earlier, Republican candidate Lynn Swann backed the same kind of proposal from casino Isle of Capri. However, this plan would be enacted only if the casino was given one of the gaming licenses.

Official: Governor Rendell (D)

The purpose of Renell's proposal seems two fold. First, the proposal would be appealing to constituents and would hopefully earn him points when he is falling ever so slightly behind Swann in the polls. Additionally, the assurance of a new arena regardless of who gets a license would give the appearance of being fair when assigning the bids in a few months. Rendell would be killing two birds with one stone while appearing to want the best for the people.
The article was well written and fairly thorough. I would like to know how Rendell proposed to gain the funds for the arena if the casino does not pay for it.

"Bill would close primary votes"

2006-03-31T02:00:00.000-05:00

Kerry Cannity, Louisiana

By Marsha Shuler, capital news bureau

Article from the Baton Rouge Advocate

Louisiana’s legislature is considering a bill that would eliminate the state's current “open primary” system, which allows anyone to cast a vote for any candidate in a congressional primary, regardless of the party affiliation of either one. Under the new system, Republicans and Democrats would each hold a primary and the leading candidates would match up in a general election in November. The bill passed the Senate and Governmental Affairs Committee and will now be voted on in the House. Louisiana is the only state with an open primary system.

Official sources: Noble Ellington, senator – Dem.; Cleo Fields, senator – Dem

This could be a juicy political development for whoever is into that sort of thing. What a major shift in the electoral process. I feel a bill like this could only be proposed after a great political upheaval that shakes the state’s foundations of democracy to the core. Oh yeah, Hurricane Katrina. While the proposed change would bring Louisiana even with many other states in terms of final election decisions, the open primary provides a unique political climate and mentality for voters and candidates alike. I thought it was funny that one of the senators quoted said this move would bring too much partisan politics into the state. Considering that Louisiana seems to have a history of one of the most corrupt governments in the United States, perhaps a little partisan politics isn’t so bad. It might actually encourage more openness and responsibility than has been asked for in the past.

72% favor swapping food, cigarette tax

2006-03-31T01:04:00.000-05:00

Tera Haskin
Tennessee

By: Associated Press, Knoxville News Sentinel

Summary: A tax break from food tax is being raised by state supporters. The legislation would decrease food tax from 8.4%, the highest in the nation, to a little over 6%. In exchange for this reduction cigarette tax will be raised from $0.20 per pack to $0.43 per pack. This change would help low and middle income families who are hurt by this high food tax. Representative Gary Odom thinks that through this tax policy the legislation will help establish good health policy.

Official Sources: Rep. Gary Odom (R)
Unofficial Sources: none

Critique: This article is a good example of how state taxes though they are necessary for funding are considered a burden for many families. This legislation is just one way the government works in response to the needs of the citizens. Working out ways to balance the budget is a difficult process since there are only so many things that can be cut. With this proposed legislation funds will still be met, in fact they are predicted to be $1 million greater than before. On top of that, sound health is predicted due to the increased awareness of the risks of smoking. This proposed legislation looks very promising for the citizens of Tennessee, we shall see if it passes.

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