Arizona’s public pension systems for state employees, public safety personnel and corrections officers are on a path toward financial stability, according to a study by a bipartisan think tank. Despite having funding to meet 71.6 percent of pension obligations — a gap of $14.5 billion — reforms enacted in 2011 have curtailed the growth of future liabilities, according to the Grand Canyon Institute. Read more»

Almost half of Arizona’s general revenues came from federal funds in fiscal 2011, the third-highest share in the nation, according to a recent report from the Tax Foundation. 45.7 percent of Arizona’s general revenue came from federal aid, lower than only Mississippi and Louisiana, and well above the national average of 36 percent. Read more»

Arizona’s legislative session this year was as hard to track as a Stealth bomber, even for many Capitol regulars. Technology is in theory giving Arizonans unprecedented access to the Legislature, but lawmakers are short-circuiting the public process. Read more»

The Goldwater Institute and the Michigan-based Mackinac Center between them successfully shepherded five model bills through ALEC’s Commerce, Insurance, and Economic Development Task force — all targeting public sector unions — at ALEC Task Force Summit. Read more»

An advocacy group gives Arizona an A-minus on how it helps taxpayers research online how and where state government spends their money. Read more»

Thousands of Arizona educators laid off in recent budget cuts could be reinstated if Congress passes President Barack Obama’s new jobs bill, a Democratic state lawmaker said Wednesday. Read more» 1