http://www.tucsonsentinel.com/category/guestopinion guestopinion news from TucsonSentinel.com - Tucson's independent nonprofit online news en Copyright 2012 2012-05-21T07:23:05+00:00 http://www.tucsonsentinel.com/opinion/report/051712_commerce_op/taxpayers-win-one-vs-az-commerce-authority/ http://www.tucsonsentinel.com/opinion/report/051712_commerce_op/taxpayers-win-one-vs-az-commerce-authority/ 15:36:00Z Clint Bolick It is a small victory for taxpayers, but an important one, for it calls the “quasi-public” Arizona Commerce Authority’s attention to the constitutional limits on its powers — and to the fact that its actions will be watched closely. 2012-05-17T15:36:31+00:00 http://www.tucsonsentinel.com/opinion/report/051612_capital_gains_op/gov-brewer-signs-historic-cut-capital-gains-tax/ http://www.tucsonsentinel.com/opinion/report/051612_capital_gains_op/gov-brewer-signs-historic-cut-capital-gains-tax/ 17:42:00Z Stephen Slivinski When policymakers say they have enacted “historic” legislation, they are usually accused of hyperbole. But in the case of Gov. Brewer’s signing of HB 2815, it isn’t a big stretch to say that the action did make one historic move in regard to tax policy. 2012-05-16T17:42:21+00:00 http://www.tucsonsentinel.com/opinion/report/051012_atty_general_arpaio/asst-attorney-general-no-choice-but-sue-arpaio/ http://www.tucsonsentinel.com/opinion/report/051012_atty_general_arpaio/asst-attorney-general-no-choice-but-sue-arpaio/ 17:32:00Z Thomas E. Perez The police are supposed to protect and serve our communities, not divide them. At its core, this is an abuse of power case involving a sheriff and sheriff’s office that disregarded the Constitution. 2012-05-10T17:32:48+00:00 http://www.tucsonsentinel.com/opinion/report/051012_mortgage_siphon_op/state-siphons-off-50-million-from-foreclosure-settlement/ http://www.tucsonsentinel.com/opinion/report/051012_mortgage_siphon_op/state-siphons-off-50-million-from-foreclosure-settlement/ 16:44:00Z C.J. Hager A part of the 2013 Arizona budget bill that garnered “make the news” attention was the $50 million swept from the Attorney General’s Mortgage Settlement Fund. The budget takes over half of the settlement, $50 million, and diverts it to the General Fund. 2012-05-10T16:44:38+00:00 http://www.tucsonsentinel.com/opinion/report/051012_mccain_f-22/mccain-f-22-safety/ http://www.tucsonsentinel.com/opinion/report/051012_mccain_f-22/mccain-f-22-safety/ 15:37:00Z John McCain U.S. Sen. John McCain released this statement Thursday regarding concerns about the safety of flying the F-22A Raptor. 2012-05-10T15:37:42+00:00 http://www.tucsonsentinel.com/opinion/report/050212_conservative_dems_op/the-most-conservative-democrats-nation-dont-believe-it/ http://www.tucsonsentinel.com/opinion/report/050212_conservative_dems_op/the-most-conservative-democrats-nation-dont-believe-it/ 22:46:00Z Sam Stone Listening to Ron Barber and Richard Carmona, you’d think they were the most conservative Democrats on the planet. Why is that important? Obama’s low approval ratings don’t provide much in the way of coattails for candidates to grab on to. Instead, in Arizona, the president has adopted a strategy from NASCAR: drafting. 2012-05-02T22:46:38+00:00 http://www.tucsonsentinel.com/opinion/report/050112_tucson_drifts_op/tucson-portland-ized-it-should-so-fortunate/ http://www.tucsonsentinel.com/opinion/report/050112_tucson_drifts_op/tucson-portland-ized-it-should-so-fortunate/ 17:02:00Z Jon Talton Guest opinion: What’s the biggest danger facing Arizona’s second city? According to Roger Yohem, writing in Inside Tucson Business, it is that the Old Pueblo will become Portland-ized. It should be so fortunate. 2012-05-01T17:02:15+00:00 http://www.tucsonsentinel.com/nationworld/report/042412_sudan/sudan-faces-new-charges-war-crimes/ http://www.tucsonsentinel.com/nationworld/report/042412_sudan/sudan-faces-new-charges-war-crimes/ 16:35:00Z John C. Bradshaw As thousands cower in caves, the Enough Project petitions an African commission to stop Sudan from bombing civilians in the Nuba Mountains. 2012-04-24T16:35:05+00:00 http://www.tucsonsentinel.com/opinion/report/042312_glendale_hockey_op/glendale-busts-budget-plans-raise-taxes/ http://www.tucsonsentinel.com/opinion/report/042312_glendale_hockey_op/glendale-busts-budget-plans-raise-taxes/ 16:01:00Z Carrie Ann Sitren How do you close a $35 million budget gap? Perhaps the better question is why that hole was dug in the first place. One answer for the City of Glendale is hockey. 2012-04-23T16:01:12+00:00 http://www.tucsonsentinel.com/opinion/report/042312_4thave_downtown_op/4th-ave-downtown-mom-and-pops-need-you-mind-their-business/ http://www.tucsonsentinel.com/opinion/report/042312_4thave_downtown_op/4th-ave-downtown-mom-and-pops-need-you-mind-their-business/ 15:32:00Z Tana Kelch With the pressures of streetcar construction, if you love Tucson and all the unique businesses that make us so darn special, it is more important than ever to support our mom-and-pop places on 4th Avenue and in Tucson’s downtown proper. 2012-04-23T15:32:38+00:00 http://www.tucsonsentinel.com/opinion/report/042012_bible_bill_op/a-peek-between-pages-bible-bill/ http://www.tucsonsentinel.com/opinion/report/042012_bible_bill_op/a-peek-between-pages-bible-bill/ 17:41:00Z Ed Perkins You’d think lawmakers and the governor are tiring of controversy as they approach the end of this year’s legislative session. But in what is widely seen as a contentious move in secular society, Brewer signed a measure allowing schools to offer a high school course on the Bible’s influence on Western culture. 2012-04-20T17:41:39+00:00 http://www.tucsonsentinel.com/opinion/report/041912_mccain_syria/mccain-us-must-arm-syrian-opposition/ http://www.tucsonsentinel.com/opinion/report/041912_mccain_syria/mccain-us-must-arm-syrian-opposition/ 21:24:00Z John McCain Bashar al-Assad has not abided, and will not abide, by a ceasefire. And the only way to stop Assad’s campaign of slaughter is for the United States to take tangible steps with our friends and allies to help the Syrian opposition change the military balance of power on the ground. 2012-04-19T21:24:22+00:00 http://www.tucsonsentinel.com/opinion/report/041812_grijalva_communist_west/grijalva-republicans-stir-pot-with-communist-charges/ http://www.tucsonsentinel.com/opinion/report/041812_grijalva_communist_west/grijalva-republicans-stir-pot-with-communist-charges/ 20:16:00Z Raúl M. Grijalva For decades, this kind of thing was hidden in John Birch Society pamphlets and private meetings in back rooms. People were too sensible, or ashamed, to push it in public. But once extreme right-wing conservatives found they could start name-calling, smearing and lying without consequence, they got hooked. Now they couldn’t kick the habit even if they wanted to. 2012-04-18T20:16:04+00:00 http://www.tucsonsentinel.com/opinion/report/041012_mccain_f-35/mccain-f-35-basing-critical-az-economy-natl-security/ http://www.tucsonsentinel.com/opinion/report/041012_mccain_f-35/mccain-f-35-basing-critical-az-economy-natl-security/ 17:20:00Z John McCain Arizonans recognize the criticality of supporting F-35 basing as part of a continued strong military presence in Arizona, not just for the economic benefit to our constituents, but also for the strategic benefits our state provides to the security of our nation. 2012-04-10T17:20:32+00:00 http://www.tucsonsentinel.com/opinion/report/040412_tax_commission_gw/needed-comprehensive-look-tax-code/ http://www.tucsonsentinel.com/opinion/report/040412_tax_commission_gw/needed-comprehensive-look-tax-code/ 16:25:00Z Stephen Slivinski Goldwater Institute: Tax policy is often like looking at a pointillist painting – stare closely at only a section, and you don’t have a sense of the whole picture. But when you back up, the picture comes into a focus. Gov. Brewer recently signed a law creating a tax reform commission for Arizona. 2012-04-04T16:25:08+00:00 http://www.tucsonsentinel.com/opinion/report/033012_merit_system_op/gutting-states-merit-system-return-boss-tweed/ http://www.tucsonsentinel.com/opinion/report/033012_merit_system_op/gutting-states-merit-system-return-boss-tweed/ 16:21:00Z Ed Perkins There is little doubt that the public would benefit from a modernized state personnel system that yielded more capable employees. But critics of Gov. Brewer’s proposed overhaul worry that reliance on private-sector tactics will backfire and re-invite cronyism — something the current system was designed to prevent. 2012-03-30T16:21:53+00:00 http://www.tucsonsentinel.com/opinion/report/032212_land_hunger_op/legislature-has-bad-case-land-fever/ http://www.tucsonsentinel.com/opinion/report/032212_land_hunger_op/legislature-has-bad-case-land-fever/ 16:34:00Z Ed Perkins Gifford Pinchot, the first chief of the U.S. Forest Service, once said, “There is no hunger like land hunger.” This may help explain why some legislators are again salivating over large tracts of Arizona’s topography. 2012-03-22T16:34:33+00:00 http://www.tucsonsentinel.com/opinion/report/032012_university_transparency_op/sunshine-best-disinfectant-even-campus/ http://www.tucsonsentinel.com/opinion/report/032012_university_transparency_op/sunshine-best-disinfectant-even-campus/ 17:47:00Z Carrie Ann Sitren As national Sunshine Week comes to a close, some legislators are trying to close out the sunshine. A new proposal would expand a current exemption to Arizona’s public records laws and limit public information at universities. 2012-03-20T17:47:19+00:00 http://www.tucsonsentinel.com/opinion/report/031912_carmona_op/az-effort-block-contraception-simply-bad-health-policy/ http://www.tucsonsentinel.com/opinion/report/031912_carmona_op/az-effort-block-contraception-simply-bad-health-policy/ 00:43:00Z Richard H. Carmona A recent push to block women from getting access to contraception shows the Arizona Legislature is not operating from an evidence-based or reality-based point of view. 2012-03-20T00:43:39+00:00 http://www.tucsonsentinel.com/opinion/report/031912_local_control_gw_op/local-control-sometimes/ http://www.tucsonsentinel.com/opinion/report/031912_local_control_gw_op/local-control-sometimes/ 17:21:00Z Clint Bolick Whenever local bureaucrats or special-interest groups want to neutralize conservative legislators, one of their most-potent weapons is two words: “local control.” 2012-03-19T17:21:43+00:00 http://www.tucsonsentinel.com/opinion/report/031512_recall_goalposts_op/time-stop-moving-goalposts-recall-elections/ http://www.tucsonsentinel.com/opinion/report/031512_recall_goalposts_op/time-stop-moving-goalposts-recall-elections/ 16:17:00Z Ed Perkins If you can’t beat ‘em, change the election laws. This old political saw appears to be the sentiment among conservative lawmakers still smarting over Sen. Russell Pearce’s defeat in a recall election. A bill would replace the current winner-take-all system with one requiring partisan primaries. 2012-03-15T16:17:20+00:00 http://www.tucsonsentinel.com/opinion/report/031312_dark_money/the-really-really-dark-money-politics/ http://www.tucsonsentinel.com/opinion/report/031312_dark_money/the-really-really-dark-money-politics/ 19:57:00Z Edwin Bender Along with Super PACs, we’re now hearing about Dark Money, the unlimited anonymous funds that can flow to Super PACs via nonprofit “social welfare” organizations that don’t have to publicly disclose who gave them the funds. 2012-03-13T19:57:09+00:00 http://www.tucsonsentinel.com/opinion/report/031212_leahy_foia_sunshine/balancing-security-and-open-government-cyber-age/ http://www.tucsonsentinel.com/opinion/report/031212_leahy_foia_sunshine/balancing-security-and-open-government-cyber-age/ 18:55:00Z Patrick Leahy Sen. Patrick Leahy: The Freedom of Information Act has been a bulwark of our open society since it was signed into law 45 years ago. Today, amid debates in Congress about how best to improve the nation’s security in cyberspace, we must remember we have a compelling duty to safeguard the public’s “right to know” about threats to their health and safety. 2012-03-12T18:55:06+00:00 http://www.tucsonsentinel.com/opinion/report/030812_pcc_guest_op/a-new-chapter-begins-pima-college/ http://www.tucsonsentinel.com/opinion/report/030812_pcc_guest_op/a-new-chapter-begins-pima-college/ 18:12:00Z Scott A. Stewart A new chapter at Pima Community College began last week with the unanimous vote by the Board of Governors to appoint Dr. Suzanne Miles as interim chancellor. 2012-03-08T18:12:19+00:00 http://www.tucsonsentinel.com/opinion/report/030712_mla_ethnic_studies/mla-ethnic-studies-courses-books-are-scholarly-not-political/ http://www.tucsonsentinel.com/opinion/report/030712_mla_ethnic_studies/mla-ethnic-studies-courses-books-are-scholarly-not-political/ 19:22:00Z Modern Language Association The Modern Language Association expressed deep concern over the elimination of TUSD’s MAS program and the removal of textbooks from classrooms, arguing that ethnic studies are relevant to all schoolchildren, and that attempts to curtail such inquiry go against the U.S.’s founding principles. 2012-03-07T19:22:31+00:00 http://www.tucsonsentinel.com/opinion/report/030512_occupy_op/occupy-tucson-deanza-eviction-was-illegal/ http://www.tucsonsentinel.com/opinion/report/030512_occupy_op/occupy-tucson-deanza-eviction-was-illegal/ 20:38:00Z Tex Shelters Guest opinion: Under Chief Villaseñor’s direction, the Tucson Police Department abused both power and force March 1. They feebly attempted to cloak their actions under color of law with a vague, rarely-used City ordinance to do so. 2012-03-05T20:38:37+00:00 http://www.tucsonsentinel.com/opinion/report/030512_mccain_syria/mccain-time-us-air-strikes-syria/ http://www.tucsonsentinel.com/opinion/report/030512_mccain_syria/mccain-time-us-air-strikes-syria/ 19:40:00Z John McCain What opposition groups in Syria need most urgently is relief from Assad’s tank and artillery sieges. The U.S. should lead an international effort to protect key population centers through airstrikes on Assad’s forces. 2012-03-05T19:40:45+00:00 http://www.tucsonsentinel.com/opinion/report/030112_election_gw_op/time-burst-special-interest-election-bubble/ http://www.tucsonsentinel.com/opinion/report/030112_election_gw_op/time-burst-special-interest-election-bubble/ 17:09:00Z Nick Dranias Consolidating elections in even-numbered years will keep bonds and spending initiatives from being approved in low-turnout elections, the Goldwater Institute says. 2012-03-01T17:09:07+00:00 http://www.tucsonsentinel.com/opinion/report/022912_virtual_schools_gw_op/cane-toads-virtual-schools-and-unintended-consequences/ http://www.tucsonsentinel.com/opinion/report/022912_virtual_schools_gw_op/cane-toads-virtual-schools-and-unintended-consequences/ 15:39:00Z Jonathan Butcher A bill to regulate online schools might create an unintended consequence: grade inflation. 2012-02-29T15:39:13+00:00 http://www.tucsonsentinel.com/opinion/report/022412_mccain_syria/mccain-us-must-help-stop-slaughter-syria/ http://www.tucsonsentinel.com/opinion/report/022412_mccain_syria/mccain-us-must-help-stop-slaughter-syria/ 17:59:00Z John McCain The situation in Syria is often compared to Libya last year. In fact, the better analogy may be to the Balkans in the 1990s. Unfortunately, speeches and meetings by themselves will do nothing to stop the unacceptable slaughter in Syria, which is growing worse by the day. 2012-02-24T17:59:18+00:00 http://www.tucsonsentinel.com/opinion/report/022212_film_tax_credits_op/no-more-tax-credits-hollywood/ http://www.tucsonsentinel.com/opinion/report/022212_film_tax_credits_op/no-more-tax-credits-hollywood/ 21:12:00Z Stephen Slivinski It’s like a bad re-run. A few legislators are trying to revive Arizona’s film production tax credit (SB 1170) that lapsed in 2011. 2012-02-22T21:12:10+00:00 http://www.tucsonsentinel.com/opinion/report/021512_grijavla_economy/grijalva-budget-simply-needs-create-jobs/ http://www.tucsonsentinel.com/opinion/report/021512_grijavla_economy/grijalva-budget-simply-needs-create-jobs/ 17:39:00Z Raúl M. Grijalva Job creation and tax fairness are at the top of voters’ to-do lists for Congress. These days, instead of hacking and slashing investments in our future and creating more corporate tax loopholes, the national conversation is right where it should be: how we get America back to work. 2012-02-15T17:39:07+00:00 http://www.tucsonsentinel.com/opinion/report/021512_elections_goldwater/save-money-double-turnout-with-consolidated-local-elections/ http://www.tucsonsentinel.com/opinion/report/021512_elections_goldwater/save-money-double-turnout-with-consolidated-local-elections/ 16:39:00Z Lucy Morrow Caldwell With elections happening at a variety of times throughout a two-year cycle, special-interest groups have an upper hand because they can turn out their supporters on obscure election days while regular Arizonans are left in the dark. 2012-02-15T16:39:45+00:00 http://www.tucsonsentinel.com/opinion/report/021412_state_of_city/rothschild-state-city-getting-stronger/ http://www.tucsonsentinel.com/opinion/report/021412_state_of_city/rothschild-state-city-getting-stronger/ 19:00:00Z Jonathan Rothschild The state of our city is getting stronger. That’s good news. As our economy recovers, it will be tempting to go back to how we’ve done things in the past. It is imperative that we not fall into that trap. 2012-02-14T19:00:19+00:00 http://www.tucsonsentinel.com/opinion/report/021412_mccain_centennial/mccain-arizonas-future-will-worthy-its-past/ http://www.tucsonsentinel.com/opinion/report/021412_mccain_centennial/mccain-arizonas-future-will-worthy-its-past/ 16:13:00Z John McCain I was nearly forty-five years old before I could claim a hometown. My ambitions brought me to Arizona, and my work keeps me away from here for more than half my time. But Arizona has given me a home, and in the thirty years that have passed since I moved here, it has worked its magic on me and enchanted me and claimed me. 2012-02-14T16:13:31+00:00 http://www.tucsonsentinel.com/opinion/report/021312_things_about_arizona/things-arizona-100/ http://www.tucsonsentinel.com/opinion/report/021312_things_about_arizona/things-arizona-100/ 01:34:00Z Jon Talton It’s centennial week in Arizona, and the local media are doing their part to play it up. The Rogue Columnist tells you what you really need to know about our state. 2012-02-14T01:34:44+00:00 http://www.tucsonsentinel.com/opinion/report/020912_redistricting_op/redistricting-bills-take-power-grabbing-new-level/ http://www.tucsonsentinel.com/opinion/report/020912_redistricting_op/redistricting-bills-take-power-grabbing-new-level/ 19:35:00Z Ken Clark Five pieces of new legislation —introduced by Rep. Andy Tobin and passed out of committee this week — have taken power-grabbing to a whole new level, and would set redistricting back to a time of shadowy legislative deals. 2012-02-09T19:35:03+00:00 http://www.tucsonsentinel.com/opinion/report/020712_capitol_goldwater_op/capitol-buy-back-not-bad-idea/ http://www.tucsonsentinel.com/opinion/report/020712_capitol_goldwater_op/capitol-buy-back-not-bad-idea/ 17:38:00Z Byron Schlomach, Ph.D. Some might say that getting back the capitol buildings’ paper is just symbolic nonsense for the sake of the state’s centennial. And sentiment is a bad reason to pursue any policy. But this is more than a feel-good idea. 2012-02-07T17:38:44+00:00 http://www.tucsonsentinel.com/opinion/report/020212_ua_campus_guns/ua-president-guns-will-do-nothing-make-our-campus-safer/ http://www.tucsonsentinel.com/opinion/report/020212_ua_campus_guns/ua-president-guns-will-do-nothing-make-our-campus-safer/ 17:35:00Z Eugene G. Sander I have been a gun owner for all my adult life, and am fully supportive of the right to own a gun. However, having faculty, staff or students bringing weapons into classrooms and other campus activities will do nothing to make our campus safer. 2012-02-02T17:35:38+00:00 http://www.tucsonsentinel.com/opinion/report/013012_azwaterpolicy/garcia-water-water-everywhere-not-question/ http://www.tucsonsentinel.com/opinion/report/013012_azwaterpolicy/garcia-water-water-everywhere-not-question/ 23:34:00Z Joseph Garcia How can Arizona water policy sustain an arid state for the next 100 years? 2012-01-30T23:34:09+00:00 http://www.tucsonsentinel.com/opinion/report/013012_insurance_reform/important-reforms-dont-always-require-grand-vision/ http://www.tucsonsentinel.com/opinion/report/013012_insurance_reform/important-reforms-dont-always-require-grand-vision/ 17:45:00Z Nick Dranias Sometimes important regulatory and tort reforms come in small packages. 2012-01-30T17:45:56+00:00 http://www.tucsonsentinel.com/opinion/report/012312_stegeman_letter/stegeman-clarifying-tusds-mas-book-ban/ http://www.tucsonsentinel.com/opinion/report/012312_stegeman_letter/stegeman-clarifying-tusds-mas-book-ban/ 18:27:00Z Mark Stegeman When the TUSD board voted (4-1) to end the Mexican-American Studies (MAS) curriculum, ending use of the books had to be part of that package. Staff says that the seven titles removed from classrooms and placed into storage are still available in school libraries. 2012-01-23T18:27:05+00:00 http://www.tucsonsentinel.com/opinion/report/011212_solar_goldwater_op/ending-solar-subsidy-fiasco/ http://www.tucsonsentinel.com/opinion/report/011212_solar_goldwater_op/ending-solar-subsidy-fiasco/ 19:27:00Z Clint Bolick It’s not every day that the New York Times makes a compelling case against government giveaways. But a recent page-one article underscored that the Solyndra scandal was only the tip of the solar-subsidy iceberg. 2012-01-12T19:27:25+00:00 http://www.tucsonsentinel.com/opinion/report/011012_dems_brewer_op/brewers-rhetoric-vs-reality/ http://www.tucsonsentinel.com/opinion/report/011012_dems_brewer_op/brewers-rhetoric-vs-reality/ 20:05:00Z Arizona Democratic Party By now you’ve seen the news coverage and heard the takeaways from Gov. Brewer’s State of the State address Monday. But here’s the thing: Many of the basic claims she made are just not true. 2012-01-10T20:05:14+00:00 http://www.tucsonsentinel.com/opinion/report/011012_postmaster_responds/postmaster-clarifying-effects-closing-mail-sorting-center/ http://www.tucsonsentinel.com/opinion/report/011012_postmaster_responds/postmaster-clarifying-effects-closing-mail-sorting-center/ 19:01:00Z Carl Grigel There are several portions of Tucson City Councilman Richard Fimbres’ guest column about the U.S. Postal Service’s proposal to consolidate Tucson’s processing and distribution operations with those in Phoenix that require clarification. 2012-01-10T19:01:38+00:00 http://www.tucsonsentinel.com/opinion/report/011012_az_debt_goldwater_op/its-time-square-up-states-debt/ http://www.tucsonsentinel.com/opinion/report/011012_az_debt_goldwater_op/its-time-square-up-states-debt/ 18:10:00Z Nick Dranias Governor Jan Brewer has declared that one of her priorities in the coming session is to pay down the state’s debt. The idea, mirrored by leadership proposals in the state house and senate, is both timely and refreshingly frank. It is time to square Arizona’s fiscal policy with the state constitution. 2012-01-10T18:10:04+00:00 http://www.tucsonsentinel.com/opinion/report/011012_postal_closing_op/postal-closing-would-disrupt-by-mail-elections/ http://www.tucsonsentinel.com/opinion/report/011012_postal_closing_op/postal-closing-would-disrupt-by-mail-elections/ 17:45:00Z F. Ann Rodriguez Closing a mail-sorting center in Tucson would not just delay mail delivery here, but would disrupt local elections conducted by mail, and nearly disenfranchise voters on the Tohono O’odham Nation, writes Pima County Recorder F. Ann Rodriguez. 2012-01-10T17:45:05+00:00 http://www.tucsonsentinel.com/opinion/report/010412_taxes_goldwater_op/no-surprise-jobs-money-go-where-taxes-are-low/ http://www.tucsonsentinel.com/opinion/report/010412_taxes_goldwater_op/no-surprise-jobs-money-go-where-taxes-are-low/ 19:19:00Z Stephen Slivinski Every year, people and their income move between states. They move for a number of reasons, but there’s ample evidence that cost of living and its relationship to tax burdens are a factor. 2012-01-04T19:19:25+00:00 http://www.tucsonsentinel.com/opinion/report/010412_cherrybell_fimbres_op/still-time-stop-closure-cherrybell-postal-center/ http://www.tucsonsentinel.com/opinion/report/010412_cherrybell_fimbres_op/still-time-stop-closure-cherrybell-postal-center/ 18:48:00Z Richard Fimbres I want to thank the 600 people who attended the Dec. 28 public meeting about the potential closure of the Cherrybell Post Office processing center. Tucson and Southern Arizona showed that we are strongly opposed to closing the facility. 2012-01-04T18:48:41+00:00 http://www.tucsonsentinel.com/opinion/report/010312_predictions/brushing-dust-off-predictions-2012/ http://www.tucsonsentinel.com/opinion/report/010312_predictions/brushing-dust-off-predictions-2012/ 18:20:00Z Tom Prezelski Much like a monsoon haboob or a lengthy speech by an East Valley Republican, 2012 promises more dust-ups and hot air in the local political arena. Here’s one take on what the year holds: on wry, hold the pickle. 2012-01-03T18:20:25+00:00 http://www.tucsonsentinel.com/opinion/report/010312_parents_goldwater_op/education-what-real-parent-empowerment-looks-like/ http://www.tucsonsentinel.com/opinion/report/010312_parents_goldwater_op/education-what-real-parent-empowerment-looks-like/ 18:06:00Z Jonathan Butcher Imagine if your child’s assigned elementary school had puddles of urine in the bathroom, mouse droppings in the cafeteria, and clogged water fountains. Now imagine if your complaints were rejected by the principal. 2012-01-03T18:06:19+00:00 http://www.tucsonsentinel.com/opinion/report/122611_sopa_op/avast-sopa-threat-free-speech/ http://www.tucsonsentinel.com/opinion/report/122611_sopa_op/avast-sopa-threat-free-speech/ 16:44:00Z Bill Macfadyen When I first heard talk of SOPA, of course I thought of Mexican food. But the more I’ve learned about the Stop Online Piracy Act working its way through Congress, the more of a bad taste it leaves. The law would open a porthole to censorship, online disruption and more expensive Internet connections. 2011-12-27T16:44:42+00:00 http://www.tucsonsentinel.com/opinion/report/122611_occupy_letter/occupy-tucson-open-letter-kozachik-villasenor/ http://www.tucsonsentinel.com/opinion/report/122611_occupy_letter/occupy-tucson-open-letter-kozachik-villasenor/ 20:28:00Z Shannon Cain An open letter to Councilman Kozachik and TPD Chief Villaseñor, from organizer Shannon Cain: “We are Occupy Tucson, and this village isn’t going anywhere.” 2011-12-26T20:28:01+00:00 http://www.tucsonsentinel.com/opinion/report/121911_mccain_kim_jong_il/mccain-kim-jong-il-warm-corner-hell/ http://www.tucsonsentinel.com/opinion/report/121911_mccain_kim_jong_il/mccain-kim-jong-il-warm-corner-hell/ 18:11:00Z John McCain The world is a better place now that Kim Jong Il is no longer in it. For more than six decades, people in North Korea have been consigned to lives of dire poverty and cruel oppression under one of the most totalitarian regimes the world has ever known. 2011-12-19T18:11:30+00:00 http://www.tucsonsentinel.com/opinion/report/121511_bill_of_rights/the-holiday-that-got-away-why-we-need-honor-bill-rights/ http://www.tucsonsentinel.com/opinion/report/121511_bill_of_rights/the-holiday-that-got-away-why-we-need-honor-bill-rights/ 16:48:00Z Ken Paulson Imagine if they canceled Independence Day. There would be outrage. Americans would be angered by the suggestion that we shouldn’t celebrate freedom. And yet we do the same thing every Dec. 15 on the birthday of our Bill of Rights, a document that guarantees core personal liberties. 2011-12-15T16:48:26+00:00 http://www.tucsonsentinel.com/opinion/report/120611_opinion/legislators-hope-you-arent-paying-attention-state-budget/ http://www.tucsonsentinel.com/opinion/report/120611_opinion/legislators-hope-you-arent-paying-attention-state-budget/ 21:11:00Z Ted Prezelski House Appropriations chairman John Kavanagh made an appearance on a local radio station last week touting the news that our state’s budget situation won’t be nearly as dire next year as everyone thought it would be — and that this was done without raising revenues. Not quite. 2011-12-06T21:11:09+00:00 http://www.tucsonsentinel.com/opinion/report/113011_republic_rogue_op/arizona-republic-gone-rogue/ http://www.tucsonsentinel.com/opinion/report/113011_republic_rogue_op/arizona-republic-gone-rogue/ 21:52:00Z J. Charles Coughlin It is time for a leadership change at the Republic; Publisher John Zidich of Fiesta Bowl board fame and his executive editor Randy Lovely need to go. We don’t need a daily rag of negativism and half-assed reporting; I can get that from any blog out there. The Republic has gone rogue and it needs correcting. 2011-11-30T21:52:59+00:00 http://www.tucsonsentinel.com/opinion/report/113011_ed_standards_goldwater/common-core-standards-drive-schools-off-cliff/ http://www.tucsonsentinel.com/opinion/report/113011_ed_standards_goldwater/common-core-standards-drive-schools-off-cliff/ 17:33:00Z Jonathan Butcher Lawmakers across the country should give serious thought to the price they want to pay to implement curriculum standards that aren’t internationally competitive and don’t prepare our children for college. 2011-11-30T17:33:40+00:00 http://www.tucsonsentinel.com/opinion/report/112911_immig_illegal_op/immigration-call-them-illegal/ http://www.tucsonsentinel.com/opinion/report/112911_immig_illegal_op/immigration-call-them-illegal/ 18:50:00Z Jose Aliseda I have been asked how to refer to people who are in this country illegally — as illegal aliens or by a softer term, like undocumented immigrants. I suppose as a legal immigrant to this country at the age of 4, I might have a different perspective from those who have not had at least part of those terms applied to them. 2011-11-29T18:50:19+00:00 http://www.tucsonsentinel.com/opinion/report/112911_immig_unauthorized_op/immigration-call-them-unauthorized/ http://www.tucsonsentinel.com/opinion/report/112911_immig_unauthorized_op/immigration-call-them-unauthorized/ 18:43:00Z Dan Kowalski It may not be all that important, in the scheme of things, but words do matter, and people do take sides on this issue, so here’s my take. The adjective “illegal” generates pejorative, negative reactions in the listener or reader. 2011-11-29T18:43:39+00:00 http://www.tucsonsentinel.com/opinion/report/112311_1-15_toll_goldwater_op/i-15-tolls-good-idea-from-adot/ http://www.tucsonsentinel.com/opinion/report/112311_1-15_toll_goldwater_op/i-15-tolls-good-idea-from-adot/ 15:48:00Z Byron Schlomach, Ph.D. There’s a 29-mile section of Interstate 15 that cuts across Arizona’s northwest corner that’s noteworthy for its limited access. Now, this expensive highway needs to be rebuilt and Arizonans, few of whom directly benefit from it, will have to pick up something in the neighborhood of 40 percent of the tab. 2011-11-23T15:48:08+00:00 http://www.tucsonsentinel.com/opinion/report/111911_asu_goldwater/the-miscalculation-would-be-think-tank/ http://www.tucsonsentinel.com/opinion/report/111911_asu_goldwater/the-miscalculation-would-be-think-tank/ 05:04:00Z ASU News The Goldwater Institute, in its Nov. 16 electronic newsletter, once again comes out against Arizona State University claiming on a false premise that it is inefficient. That statement could not be further from the truth. 2011-11-20T05:04:57+00:00 http://www.tucsonsentinel.com/opinion/report/111711_solar_goldwater_op/government-subsidized-energy-just-same-old-song/ http://www.tucsonsentinel.com/opinion/report/111711_solar_goldwater_op/government-subsidized-energy-just-same-old-song/ 21:33:00Z Stephen Slivinski Solar may one day provide a robust alternative to fossil fuels. But it’s probably going to require a set of market conditions that may not exist for quite some time. In the meantime, if enough venture capital investors think it’s a worthwhile gamble, let’s make sure government doesn’t get in their way. 2011-11-17T21:33:10+00:00 http://www.tucsonsentinel.com/opinion/report/111611_uni_admin_asu/the-miseducation-university-president/ http://www.tucsonsentinel.com/opinion/report/111611_uni_admin_asu/the-miseducation-university-president/ 17:48:00Z Jonathan Butcher ASU President Michael Crow chastises universities for not being more innovative during the current financial crisis. But ASU hasn’t exactly been a model of efficiency. Across the country, colleges are hiring massive numbers of administrators and ASU is no exception — in fact, the Sun Devils are an example of this “administrative bloat.” 2011-11-16T17:48:10+00:00 http://www.tucsonsentinel.com/opinion/report/110911_minimum_wage_goldwater/minimum-employment-with-minimum-wage/ http://www.tucsonsentinel.com/opinion/report/110911_minimum_wage_goldwater/minimum-employment-with-minimum-wage/ 19:57:00Z Byron Schlomach, Ph.D. With unemployment above 9 percent for more than 21/2 years, the last thing Arizona needs is a mandated increase in the price of labor. Yet, that is what we’ll soon have when the state’s minimum wage rises by 30 cents an hour, a result of a 2006 ballot initiative. 2011-11-09T19:57:26+00:00 http://www.tucsonsentinel.com/opinion/report/110311_cubs_goldwater_op/mesa-throws-cubs-spring-training-softball-8211-will-taxpayers-cry-foul/ http://www.tucsonsentinel.com/opinion/report/110311_cubs_goldwater_op/mesa-throws-cubs-spring-training-softball-8211-will-taxpayers-cry-foul/ 16:45:00Z Carrie Ann Sitren Mesa pitched a softball to the Chicago Cubs baseball team, and the Cubs hit it out of the park—but taxpayers should cry foul. Under a new contract, the city will shell out $84 million to build a sparkling new stadium for Cubs spring training. 2011-11-03T16:45:47+00:00 http://www.tucsonsentinel.com/opinion/report/110311_redistricting/redistricting-ouster-mathis-not-what-it-appears/ http://www.tucsonsentinel.com/opinion/report/110311_redistricting/redistricting-ouster-mathis-not-what-it-appears/ 15:22:00Z Ted Prezelski Many of us weren’t following the run-up to the firing of IRC chair Colleen Mathis. The current legislative leadership can’t stand that something, somewhere goes on without their control. Charges and counter-charges aside, that’s what this really comes down to. 2011-11-03T15:22:04+00:00 http://www.tucsonsentinel.com/opinion/report/101911_schools_goldwater_op/failing-schools-have-nowhere-hide/ http://www.tucsonsentinel.com/opinion/report/101911_schools_goldwater_op/failing-schools-have-nowhere-hide/ 19:24:00Z Jonathan Butcher Two new tools will force Arizonans to take a hard look at how our schools are performing – and make it difficult for low-performers to hide behind “fuzzy” labels. 2011-10-19T19:24:31+00:00 http://www.tucsonsentinel.com/opinion/report/101911_solar_op/focus-solyndra-distracts-from-benefits-solar/ http://www.tucsonsentinel.com/opinion/report/101911_solar_op/focus-solyndra-distracts-from-benefits-solar/ 19:00:00Z Thomas Alston There is a segment of the U.S. economy that employs more than 100,000 people – and during the past year, employment in that segment grew by more than 6.8 percent. That bright spot is the U.S. solar industry - one of the fastest-growing industries in the nation. 2011-10-19T19:00:30+00:00 http://www.tucsonsentinel.com/opinion/report/101311_billofrights_goldwater_op/the-bill-rights-comes-arizona/ http://www.tucsonsentinel.com/opinion/report/101311_billofrights_goldwater_op/the-bill-rights-comes-arizona/ 16:38:00Z Clint Bolick If a silver lining exists to the explosive growth of national power over the past several years, it is that Americans are turning to their federal and state constitutions, reading them, understanding them, and invoking them to protect their rights. So the time is especially appropriate to bring a part of the Constitution to the people. 2011-10-13T16:38:22+00:00 http://www.tucsonsentinel.com/opinion/report/101111_teacher_cert/is-certification-required-teacher-success/ http://www.tucsonsentinel.com/opinion/report/101111_teacher_cert/is-certification-required-teacher-success/ 17:02:00Z Jonathan Butcher Part of being a savvy customer is recognizing and interpreting signals when shopping. Likewise, employers look for resume signals to prescreen job applicants, such as attendance at an esteemed college or work experience at a reputable firm. But research indicates that, in the teaching profession, completion of a standard certification program doesn’t always signal competency in the classroom 2011-10-11T17:02:20+00:00 http://www.tucsonsentinel.com/opinion/report/092811_budget_goldwater_op/arizonas-broken-budget-system/ http://www.tucsonsentinel.com/opinion/report/092811_budget_goldwater_op/arizonas-broken-budget-system/ 15:27:00Z Byron Schlomach, Ph.D. The deck is stacked against taxpayers in favor of spenders, and the best way to counteract this natural tendency is with a budget system that favors taxpayers. 2011-09-28T15:27:15+00:00 http://www.tucsonsentinel.com/opinion/report/092111_hugh_holub/what-hugh-holub-taught-me/ http://www.tucsonsentinel.com/opinion/report/092111_hugh_holub/what-hugh-holub-taught-me/ 02:03:00Z Tom Prezelski I knew the legend of Hugh Holub before I ever met the man. It would be an exaggeration to say that Hugh taught me everything I know. However, it would be perfectly fair to say that what he said made a lot of things make more sense. 2011-09-22T02:03:56+00:00 http://www.tucsonsentinel.com/opinion/report/092111_surplus_goldwater_op/goldwater-surplus-what-surplus/ http://www.tucsonsentinel.com/opinion/report/092111_surplus_goldwater_op/goldwater-surplus-what-surplus/ 16:21:00Z Byron Schlomach, Ph.D. Arizona’s fiscal 2011, which ended June 30, was expected to end with a $332 million shortfall. As it happens, the shortfall was instead around $30 million, mainly due to a big uptick in corporate income tax collections. 2011-09-21T16:21:49+00:00 http://www.tucsonsentinel.com/opinion/report/091611_constitution/as-social-media-grow-so-does-first-amendment-appreciation/ http://www.tucsonsentinel.com/opinion/report/091611_constitution/as-social-media-grow-so-does-first-amendment-appreciation/ 15:03:00Z Eric Newton Each year, on Constitution Day, students and teachers celebrate the most fundamental laws of our republic. This year, they should celebrate Twitter, Facebook, Tumblr and all other social media children of the digital age. (with video) 2011-09-16T15:03:56+00:00 http://www.tucsonsentinel.com/opinion/report/091311_stimulus_goldwater_op/state-legislators-should-learn-from-failed-federal-stimulus-efforts/ http://www.tucsonsentinel.com/opinion/report/091311_stimulus_goldwater_op/state-legislators-should-learn-from-failed-federal-stimulus-efforts/ 18:32:00Z Stephen Slivinski State legislators looking to spur job creation should reject federal stimulus efforts as a model. 2011-09-13T18:32:05+00:00 http://www.tucsonsentinel.com/opinion/report/091311_pima_adult_ed/adult-education-pcc-quietly-making-difference/ http://www.tucsonsentinel.com/opinion/report/091311_pima_adult_ed/adult-education-pcc-quietly-making-difference/ 15:29:00Z Deborah Gaddy This week is National Adult Education and Family Literacy Week—an event which for the most part goes unnoticed every year except by a handful of people who know firsthand the quiet but valuable contribution adult educators make in the lives of their students and our community. 2011-09-13T15:29:55+00:00 http://www.tucsonsentinel.com/opinion/report/091211_grijalva_social_security/grijalva-social-security-insurance-you-pay-for/ http://www.tucsonsentinel.com/opinion/report/091211_grijalva_social_security/grijalva-social-security-insurance-you-pay-for/ 16:14:00Z Raúl M. Grijalva Cutting Social Security benefits and raising the Medicare eligibility age will do much more harm than good. The campaign to wipe them out is ideological, not economic. Any talk of shrinking Social Security to “save money” is flawed from the start. 2011-09-12T16:14:12+00:00 http://www.tucsonsentinel.com/opinion/report/090811_clean_elections_goldwater/clean-elections-commission-taps-taxpayer-dollars-save-itself/ http://www.tucsonsentinel.com/opinion/report/090811_clean_elections_goldwater/clean-elections-commission-taps-taxpayer-dollars-save-itself/ 16:08:00Z Carrie Ann Sitren Arizona’s Citizens Clean Elections Commission is dirtying up politics. Afraid of a proposal on next year’s ballot that would end the commission’s funding, the commission is using taxpayer money to run ads against the ballot measure. 2011-09-08T16:08:58+00:00 http://www.tucsonsentinel.com/opinion/report/090411_labor_day_op/celebrate-those-who-do-honest-work-labor-day/ http://www.tucsonsentinel.com/opinion/report/090411_labor_day_op/celebrate-those-who-do-honest-work-labor-day/ 20:50:00Z Rebekah Friend In respect to workers let’s plan to spend Monday simply celebrating all those who work – blue collar, white collar, no collar. Recognize those who hold their head high and do hard, honest work despite attacks on their rights and living standards by politicians and their big business backers. 2011-09-04T20:50:55+00:00 http://www.tucsonsentinel.com/opinion/report/082911_access_tucson_op/city-cox-negotiate-public-access-plan-secret/ http://www.tucsonsentinel.com/opinion/report/082911_access_tucson_op/city-cox-negotiate-public-access-plan-secret/ 20:40:00Z Bob Kovitz On September 7, the Tucson City Council is scheduled to make a decision that may bring in over $20 million of revenue through 2022. If you are a Cox Cable subscriber, that revenue will come from you. But you are not allowed to decide where that money goes or how it’s used by the city. 2011-08-29T20:40:20+00:00 http://www.tucsonsentinel.com/opinion/report/082211_stegeman_tusd/stegeman-tusd-ethnic-studies-an-elizabethan-tragedy/ http://www.tucsonsentinel.com/opinion/report/082211_stegeman_tusd/stegeman-tusd-ethnic-studies-an-elizabethan-tragedy/ 21:24:00Z Mark Stegeman TUSD’s Mark Stegeman on the district’s controversial ethnic studies program, disturbances at school board meetings, and the push to vote him out as board president. 2011-08-22T21:24:28+00:00 http://www.tucsonsentinel.com/opinion/report/081111_immigration_crime/does-immigration-decrease-crime-check-stats/ http://www.tucsonsentinel.com/opinion/report/081111_immigration_crime/does-immigration-decrease-crime-check-stats/ 16:16:00Z Bill Hart What if America’s drop in crime was caused in part by… immigration? What if the presence of immigrants in a community not only did not increase crime but actually helped decrease it? 2011-08-11T16:16:34+00:00 http://www.tucsonsentinel.com/opinion/report/080111_grijalva_debt/grijalva-debt-deal-bad-bargain/ http://www.tucsonsentinel.com/opinion/report/080111_grijalva_debt/grijalva-debt-deal-bad-bargain/ 19:22:00Z Raúl M. Grijalva This deal trades peoples’ livelihoods for the votes of a few unappeasable right-wing radicals, and I will not support it. 2011-08-01T19:22:47+00:00 http://www.tucsonsentinel.com/opinion/report/072811_grand_canyon_grijalva_op/grijalva-gop-lawmakers-have-grand-canyon-under-siege/ http://www.tucsonsentinel.com/opinion/report/072811_grand_canyon_grijalva_op/grijalva-gop-lawmakers-have-grand-canyon-under-siege/ 19:25:00Z Raúl M. Grijalva It’s not too dramatic to say the Grand Canyon has been under siege from mining claims for several years now. Unfortunately, several of my Arizona congressional colleagues have taken stands that would make sure that siege continues. 2011-07-28T19:25:09+00:00 http://www.tucsonsentinel.com/opinion/report/072711_nevada_grand_canyon/garcia-welcome-nevada-grand-canyon-state/ http://www.tucsonsentinel.com/opinion/report/072711_nevada_grand_canyon/garcia-welcome-nevada-grand-canyon-state/ 16:24:00Z Joseph Garcia Arizona is a little tricky to figure out. OK, for many in America, that’s stating the obvious, like saying the Grand Canyon is “grand” or that it’s located somewhere in southern Nevada. 2011-07-27T16:24:19+00:00 http://www.tucsonsentinel.com/opinion/report/072511_historical_society/top-heavy-arizona-historical-society-wastes-tax-dollars/ http://www.tucsonsentinel.com/opinion/report/072511_historical_society/top-heavy-arizona-historical-society-wastes-tax-dollars/ 16:08:00Z Richard Zimmerman The Arizona Historical Society is a minor state agency with a nonessential mission. Nevertheless, its director is among the state employed fat cats. 2011-07-25T16:08:50+00:00 http://www.tucsonsentinel.com/opinion/report/070611_unemployment_tedski/another-op-ed-that-wont-feed-anyones-family/ http://www.tucsonsentinel.com/opinion/report/070611_unemployment_tedski/another-op-ed-that-wont-feed-anyones-family/ 16:44:00Z Ted Prezelski When the special session on unemployment “blew up” and ended without a bill being voted on, much less passed, a lot of us waited to hear a decent reason. We are now on reason number three, as Arizona conservatives continue to offer ideological arguments but no solutions for our state’s long-term unemployed. 2011-07-06T16:44:37+00:00 http://www.tucsonsentinel.com/opinion/report/063011_unemployment_goldwater/putting-unemployment-insurance-work/ http://www.tucsonsentinel.com/opinion/report/063011_unemployment_goldwater/putting-unemployment-insurance-work/ 15:21:00Z Stephen Slivinski Opinion: The recent political squabble in Arizona over whether to extend unemployment benefits from 79 weeks to 99 weeks underscores a broader problem with the unemployment insurance system in the U.S. today. 2011-06-30T15:21:40+00:00 http://www.tucsonsentinel.com/opinion/report/062911_grand_canyon_grijalva/grijalva-conservation-wins-big-one-grand-canyon/ http://www.tucsonsentinel.com/opinion/report/062911_grand_canyon_grijalva/grijalva-conservation-wins-big-one-grand-canyon/ 23:18:00Z Raúl M. Grijalva It’s not too dramatic to say the Grand Canyon has been under siege from mining claims for several years now. That’s why June 20 was such a big day in the history of American conservation. Interior Secretary Ken Salazar said he will recommend withdrawing more than 1 million acres around the Canyon from mining claims for the next 20 years. 2011-06-29T23:18:29+00:00 http://www.tucsonsentinel.com/opinion/report/061511_transparency_goldwater_op/arizonas-openbooks-reveals-more-than-just-spending/ http://www.tucsonsentinel.com/opinion/report/061511_transparency_goldwater_op/arizonas-openbooks-reveals-more-than-just-spending/ 16:39:00Z Byron Schlomach, Ph.D. Arizona’s new transparency website reveals more than how and where taxpayer money is spent. It also reveals how government operates. The next step is to understand what government agencies really accomplish and get an accurate picture of their performance. 2011-06-15T16:39:12+00:00 http://www.tucsonsentinel.com/opinion/report/061411_unemployment_op/kicking-sand-face-arizonas-down-and-out/ http://www.tucsonsentinel.com/opinion/report/061411_unemployment_op/kicking-sand-face-arizonas-down-and-out/ 23:32:00Z Joseph Garcia When Senate Majority Whip Steve Pierce glibly opened Monday’s reconvened special session by explaining away his notable absence Friday with his day-at-the-beach soliloquy, it was apparent this day – like any other day – would be anything but for Arizona’s unemployed. 2011-06-14T23:32:25+00:00 http://www.tucsonsentinel.com/opinion/report/060911_grijalva_horses_op/grijalva-slaughter-horses-needs-congressional-attention/ http://www.tucsonsentinel.com/opinion/report/060911_grijalva_horses_op/grijalva-slaughter-horses-needs-congressional-attention/ 17:36:00Z Raúl M. Grijalva Wild horses embody the Western spirit that has animated our national conversation about protecting animals and open spaces. Horses and burros form some of the strongest bonds with humans found anywhere in the animal kingdom. We shouldn’t leave horse slaughter, public or private, in the no man’s land it currently occupies. 2011-06-09T17:36:50+00:00 http://www.tucsonsentinel.com/opinion/report/060711_defense_energy/defense-energy-bill-will-save-lives/ http://www.tucsonsentinel.com/opinion/report/060711_defense_energy/defense-energy-bill-will-save-lives/ 19:28:00Z Gavi Begtrup Giffords advisor on military energy strategy: Saving energy saves lives. That is how Adm. Michael Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, described the imperative for the Pentagon to reduce the number of fuel convoys headed into harm’s way in Afghanistan. 2011-06-07T19:28:29+00:00 http://www.tucsonsentinel.com/opinion/report/060111_fimbres_budget_op/fimbres-why-i-supported-city-budget-proposal/ http://www.tucsonsentinel.com/opinion/report/060111_fimbres_budget_op/fimbres-why-i-supported-city-budget-proposal/ 16:17:00Z Richard Fimbres To date, this Mayor and Council have taken the action to balance the budget for this fiscal year. It is a fair budget for these tough economic times. This is only part of what is needed. We must, in turn, stimulate the economic engine to make the city move again. 2011-06-01T16:17:12+00:00 http://www.tucsonsentinel.com/opinion/report/060111_maricopa_sheriff_goldwater/is-maricopa-sheriff-ignoring-serious-crimes/ http://www.tucsonsentinel.com/opinion/report/060111_maricopa_sheriff_goldwater/is-maricopa-sheriff-ignoring-serious-crimes/ 15:46:00Z Clint Bolick In a pair of reports in 2008-09, the Goldwater Institute documented a very disturbing practice in the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office: a persistent habit of declaring serious crimes solved and closing cases without serious investigation, much less arrest or identification of suspects. 2011-06-01T15:46:41+00:00 http://www.tucsonsentinel.com/opinion/report/051611_grijalva_immig_videos/grijalva-immigration-dream-act-rising-gas-prices/ http://www.tucsonsentinel.com/opinion/report/051611_grijalva_immig_videos/grijalva-immigration-dream-act-rising-gas-prices/ 23:51:00Z Raúl M. Grijalva U.S. Rep. Raúl Grijalva talks about immigration reform, the DREAM Act, and rising gas prices in his weekly video update. 2011-05-16T23:51:36+00:00 http://www.tucsonsentinel.com/opinion/report/051311_uganda_gays/time-stop-kill-gays-law-uganda/ http://www.tucsonsentinel.com/opinion/report/051311_uganda_gays/time-stop-kill-gays-law-uganda/ 15:17:00Z Bishop Gene Robinson With all the natural disasters occurring recently—earthquakes, tsunamis, and tornadoes—it’s easy to miss the man-made disaster about to occur in Uganda. But it will destroy countless lives. And unlike the natural disasters, we can do something to stop it. 2011-05-13T15:17:26+00:00 http://www.tucsonsentinel.com/opinion/report/051211_grijalva_bin_laden/grijalva-we-got-osama-bin-laden-now-lets-get-out-afghanistan/ http://www.tucsonsentinel.com/opinion/report/051211_grijalva_bin_laden/grijalva-we-got-osama-bin-laden-now-lets-get-out-afghanistan/ 00:05:00Z Raúl M. Grijalva The news of Osama bin Laden’s death at the hands of a small group of Navy SEALs, after hiding in plain sight for years, reminds us that we spent a generation deploying ever more troops to fight an enemy that doesn’t have an army, or a country, or a government. 2011-05-13T00:05:53+00:00 http://www.tucsonsentinel.com/opinion/report/051211_mccain_torture/mccain-torture-didnt-help-fight-bin-laden/ http://www.tucsonsentinel.com/opinion/report/051211_mccain_torture/mccain-torture-didnt-help-fight-bin-laden/ 14:57:00Z John McCain It was not torture or cruel, inhuman, and degrading treatment of detainees that got us the major leads that ultimately enabled our intelligence community to find Osama bin Laden. 2011-05-12T14:57:42+00:00