Senate President Brenda Burns and House Speaker Jeff Groscost failed to develop a legislative consensus on a number of critical issues, ranging from mental health to kids issues, tobacco settlement money, education and others. This is a legitimate concern in a vacuum, but mental health services have been woefully underfunded in this state for decades. A governor and Legislature responsive to this need would reprioritize to rectify this tragedy. Again, dock the leadership. We've known this money will be coming for more than a year and lawmakers are no closer to deciding what to do with it today than they were in the last millenium.
Education remains a problem in Arizona.
Study after study shows that Arizona students enter adulthood ill-prepared for the challenges of the New Economy. Yet lawmakers balk at beefing up resources as needed - be it for secondary or higher ed, capital or operations. Gov. Hull gets credit for at least proposing something - a sales tax increase to pay teachers better, reduce class size and invest in higher ed. Most legislators have demonstrated all the interest of a bored hippopotamus. This is responsible like Sheriff Joe is modest.