If
you are having trouble viewing this e-mail with images, click
here. Please add to your address book to ensure our e-mails reach your inbox. |
 |
|
Leadership ♦ Research ♦ Advocacy ♦ Newsletter ♦ Speakers ♦ Counties ♦ Alliances ♦ Calendar ♦ Contact
|
 Supervisor Lena Fowler (Coconino County-District 5) has submitted a resolution for consideration at the National Association of Counties' (NACo) Annual Conference that encourages the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA), under the Department of Interior, to name a county liaison to "facilitate communication and information sharing with NACo and individual counties." The resolution will be heard first in the Native American Affairs subcommittee, and then in NACo's Finance and Intergovernmental Affairs Steering committee before going on to be heard by the Board of Directors at the Annual Conference (July 24-28, Nashville, Davidson County, Tennessee).
The resolution notes that NACo's Native American Affairs subcommittee is responsible for providing important feedback to the Finance and Intergovernmental Affairs committee. It explains that a BIA liaison could act as a technical expert and add additional context to policy discussions. The Department of Interior and the U.S. Forest Service already have county liaisons.
To read a draft of the proposed resolution, click here.
 Retiring Arizona Supreme Court Chief Justice Ruth McGregor said that budget cuts would impact court operations and could mean that civil cases get pushed to the back burner.
McGregor appeared on KJZZ's "Here and Now" to discuss her retirement, merit selection of judges, evidence-based sentencing, and budget cuts. When asked what impact cuts would have on the court, McGregor said, "Courts, like everyone else in the state, will feel the pain of budget cuts" in the coming year and beyond. She explained that the economic downturn has led to an increase in civil filings as more business related cases end up in court. However, the constitution mandates that criminal filings and other types of cases get priority, so civil cases may end up on the backburner and face long delays before a hearing.
Justice McGregor also discussed the field of evidence-based practices, which she has integrated into court and probation practices during her term. She explained that, previously, the severity of a person's crime would determine the length or intensity of their probation term. Instead, evidence based practices look at criminogenic factors (like family support, or unemployment) that determine how likely a person is to reoffend. Sentences are then adjusted to provide the supervision level most appropriate to a person's unique situation.
To hear the whole interview with Chief Justice McGregor, click here.
After her veto of most of the budget package last week, Arizona Governor Jan Brewer called a special session so lawmakers could continue work on the budget and the proposed tax increase.
Lawmakers met briefly on Monday, and Republicans and Democrats supported a bi-partisan package that restored education and health care funding and ensured Arizona would qualify for federal stimulus money. The measures passed unanimously out of both Appropriations committees and had broad support on the floor.
The Governor signed the measures yesterday. The legislature is expected to meet briefly on Monday, July 13, but likely will not take up budget matters again until August. Many legislators have plans to vacation or attend conferences during this time of the year.
To view CSA's analysis of county related impacts in the vetoed and enacted versions of the budget, click here.
 CSA will begin our annual summer outreach tour next month. We'll visit each county to discuss the legislative session and make plans for next session. The outreach tour is scheduled to begin in Mohave County on August 3, Apache County on August 4, and Navajo County on August 11.
Visit the CSA Calendar of Events at www.countysupervisors.org/calendar.
|
|
County Supervisors Association of Arizona
1905 W. Washington, Suite 100 Phoenix, Arizona 85009 Privacy & Security Statement Leadership / Research / Advocacy / Newsletter / Speakers / Counties / Alliances / Calendar / Contact |