East Valley Tribune - Opinion

State senator fails to represent

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 17:56:35 -0700

Our View: One thing to look for Monday when the Arizona Legislature returns to the Capitol — will Sen. Thayer Verschoor of Gilbert come forward to do his job?

Good news for Good News Church in Gilbert over federal sign ruling

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 16:51:50 -0700

Lawn Griffiths: Over the years, I have been outspoken at cities’ absurd ordinances to control signs — so I was thrilled to see a court ruling Friday that came down on the side of Good News Community Church in Gilbert in its fight with the town.

Letters to the editor: Nov. 22

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 17:25:38 -0700

We encourage readers to submit letters to the editor on issues of interest to East Valley residents. Submissions should be no longer than 300 words, factually accurate and original thoughts of the writer. Please be brief and include name, address, city and phone number for verification. Letters and comments may be edited for clarity and length.

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Chandler should follow Gilbert on budget cuts

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 15:27:13 -0700

Our View: Until now, Chandler has weathered the economic downturn better than neighboring cities, but it hasn't escaped the budget pain. For a city that already has a lean operation compared to other Valley communities, Chandler now has no choice but to consolidate and eliminate some services.

Extend tax credit for Mesa movie studio

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 14:52:41 -0700

Our View: Why shouldn't Mesa be the next satellite for Hollywood's filmmaking empire? The East Valley's largest city often struggles with local and national perceptions. Even the thousands of residents who love their community too often think of their hometown as a place for commuters to sleep while they drive to work at Phoenix's financial services centers, Scottsdale's airpark or Chandler's high-tech corridor.

Letters to the editor: Nov. 20

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 22:00:26 -0700

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Officials ignore E.V. model for fighting crime

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 12:53:58 -0700

Bill Richardson: Last week, Forbes magazine announced the world's most powerful people. No. 41 was Sinaloa drug cartel head Joaquin "Chapo" Guzman. He's also on Forbes' billionaires list. Guzman's obviously doing a better job of getting away with crime than law enforcement is at stopping him.

Stimulus Web site plays games with numbers

Wed, 18 Nov 2009 11:20:01 -0700

Brad Harrington: The fact of the matter is that the “stimulus” package, the alleged goal of which was to create millions of jobs, has been an utter failure, and the Obama administration is clutching at every possibly straw—including phony cook-the-data straws—to try to hide that fact.

Make the budget cuts already

Tue, 17 Nov 2009 13:46:18 -0700

Our View: Arizona lawmakers are back at the state Capitol, seeking to chip away once more at the monstrous state deficit.

When a picture says so much more

Tue, 17 Nov 2009 11:05:52 -0700

Chris Coppola: Every now and then, we're reminded about how the seemingly routine things we do here can touch people in unexpected ways. A photograph of high school soccer players celebrating a goal served up one such reminder last week.

The Democratic shuffle in Tempe

Tue, 17 Nov 2009 15:16:56 -0700

Le Templar: The biggest news from the Capitol could be the pending retirement of a veteran lawmaker that has encouraged an even better known Tempe politician to switch parties and prepare for a legislative race next year.

Queen Creek, leave the trash-hauling to us

Tue, 17 Nov 2009 14:25:36 -0700

Our View: Queen Creek has been vigorous in its efforts over the past two years to take on the trappings of any big-government municipality. The town launched its own fire department and it bought the local water supply company. Now, Queen Creek is ready to impose a single trash-hauling operation on the entire community.

Manage off-road vehicles to protect forests

Mon, 16 Nov 2009 15:46:41 -0700

Cyndi Tuell: People concerned about the impact of off-road vehicles in Arizona's national forests can now do something about it. Each national forest in Arizona is developing a "travel management plan" to determine which roads, trails and areas will be open to motorized vehicles and cross-country travel. This public planning process comes at a time when critical values are threatened by off-roaders, and your participation is encouraged.

Mesa council member takes national stage

Mon, 16 Nov 2009 16:38:11 -0700

Le Templar: Mesa City Councilman Dennis Kavanaugh has grabbed a special first for his community -- a leadership role with the National League of Cities.

Time for U.S. to declare bankruptcy

Mon, 16 Nov 2009 11:47:16 -0700

Scott Beaulier and Peter Boettke: Rather than incur painful, gradual inflation taxes, we would prefer to see politicians come clean. Debts will be erased once and for all, and the legitimacy of the state will, in one fell swoop, be called into question.

V.P. Biden raises cash for vulnerable Mitchell

Mon, 16 Nov 2009 10:28:20 -0700

Le Templar: Vice President Joe Biden is in Arizona this morning, trying to build support for the White House economic stimulus efforts and attending a fundraiser for some Democrats in the state’s delegation to the U.S. House of Representatives. Biden’s visit coincides with a growing national consensus that Reps. Harry Mitchell and Gabrielle Giffords could be especially at risk to a national shift in voter sentiment back to the Republican Party. Blog | More

What's next - gold stars and smiley faces?

Thu, 12 Nov 2009 19:58:45 -0700

Our View: Consider a public administrator who must make decisions every day that can affect the future of hundreds of people. How much confidence would you have in this administrator if you learned that person's job performance is judged by goals such as "be nice," "be happy," "be clear" and "be gentle"?

Arpaio, Thomas told to pay up

Thu, 12 Nov 2009 18:08:32 -0700

Our View: Mesa lawyer Pat Gilbert has found a way to really get the attention of Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio and County Attorney Andrew Thomas, by going after their personal wallets.

U.S. needs push to develop alternative energy

Thu, 12 Nov 2009 13:49:36 -0700

Dale Whiting: The debate over the future of U.S. energy policy has become more vocal. Opponents of carbon emission cap-and-trade claim implementation will increase the average home energy bill by $1,700 per year.

Cities' lawsuit protects constitution

Tue, 10 Nov 2009 12:33:37 -0700

Our View: Arizona cities are taking an important stand to uphold a key principle of the state constitution even though they could face withering criticism from lawmakers and their own residents.