Journalists respond to the decision made by teachers to strike on Thursday until Governor Doug Ducey provides a clearer proposal for how to fund a salary increase for both educators and school support staff.
Teachers vote to strike
Thursday night saw about 78 percent of voting teachers decide to strike the following week to gain better salaries. There is a lack of clarity on how many sites and schools voted, but it is without question that the majority of those who did vote were in agreement to strike.
“They believe the governor’s plan does not hold water,” Dianna Náñez of the Arizona Republic says. “They want support for their support staff. They want to know the when the one billion dollars that’s been missing since 2008 will be restored. They want a new revenue stream. They were quite clear about that.”
Ducey is banking on the fact that the state will continue to see high economic growth in the years to come,as it has seen this past year. The idea of using these extra funds for teachers appealed to many people, but it is not clear where funding would come from after this extra money is used.
“They want to go to the table,” says Howard Fischer of Capitol Media Services. “They’ve hand-delivered letters saying education leaders want to sit down with the governor, and he replies basically saying, I only want to deal with the people who want to fix it, meaning the administrators, the school board, the business community, but not the people who got that strike vote.”
Why teachers voted to strike
One thing the governor has promised is to not raise taxes whatsoever. In this scenario, people are wondering how else to pay for increasing teacher salary and provide funding for K-12 education.
“The teachers are telling the governor to not make the strike be only about the pay raise,” Náñez says. “The case they are going to make is, the recession happened. There’s not a person in our family in Arizona that didn’t have to recover. Yet you say it’s okay to keep that billion away from us.”
The governor has stuck to his promise of not raising any taxes since he’s been elected. However, he’s cut corporate income taxes to the point where some of the generated revenue from those taxes could’ve been used to support schools.
“In the middle of the recession, we cut 30 percent off of the corporate income tax rate and then set up another scheme that allows some corporations to not have to pay any corporate income tax at all,” Fischer says. “Plus, we allowed corporations to divert their money to private and parochial schools. Then they say we don’t have the money.”
Cost of governor’s pay raise for teachers
Arizona will be the largest state to conduct a teacher strike. Náñez says the governor is grasping at straws trying to find a way to pay for the demands of educators including a keno game to help pay.
“When you see the momentum of this, the fact that everyone either knows a teacher or has a child in school or had a teacher they loved, this is putting him in a situation where he is scrambling to find money in a way to not raise taxes,” says Steve Goldstein of KJZZ.
Raising taxes does not necessarily mean losing votes, Náñez reminds everyone. Former Arizona governor Jan Brewer, also a Republican, raised taxes to fund education, an act that recieved widespread support.
“I think he was advised that they very much lost the narrative,” Náñez says. “Arizona operates off voters who are grandparent-age. What do grandparents have? Grandchildren in school. They realize at this point they have to put their heads together and have conversations.”
Political fallout of teacher strike
“The only possible winner here from a political standpoint, someone who’s actually in office, is Governor Ducey,” Goldstein says. “He’s going to be the big loser or the big winner. Unless you’re in an individual district, you don’t necessarily care about the lawmakers.”
Once the national press starts to cover this more extensively, it will become a nightmare, Náñez says. Unless the governor and lawmakers can figure something out ASAP, the narrative of this argument will become worse for those decision-makers.
Governor’s school safety plan
On another education-related topic, the panel agrees that Ducey’s school safety plan will be extremely difficult to pass with bipartisan support. With no universal background checks, no ban on bump stocks and no moving the age from 18 to 21 to own a gun, there won’t be much, if any, Democratic support.
“This is a partisan issue,” Goldstein says. “I think the phrasing of this is interesting. Which walk out does the governor pay attention to? He’s clearly paying attention to the teachers walking out, but not the children walking out to protest gun violence.”
Fischer says the governor will sign anything that reaches his desk since he’s “very pro-NRA, pro-Second Amendment.”
TED SIMONS: COMING UP NEXT ON "ARIZONA HORIZON'S JOURNALISTS' ROUNDTABLE." ARIZONA'S TEACHERS CALL FOR A STRIKE IN RESPONSE TO STATE EDUCATION FUNDING. WE WILL TALK ABOUT WHAT IS NEXT FOR TEACHERS, STUDENTS, PARENTS -AND LAWMAKERS, AS THE POLITICAL FALLOUT BEGINS. THOSE STORIES AND MORE, NEXT, ON THE JOURNALISTS' ROUNDTABLE.
PROMO: "ARIZONA HORIZON" IS POSSIBLE BY ARIZONA HIGHWAYS MAGAZINE AND BY THE CONTRIBUTIONS OF THE FRIENDS OF eight SUPPORTING YOUR ARIZONA PBS STATION. THANK YOU.
TED SIMONS: GOOD EVENING AND WELCOME TO ARIZONA HORIZON'S JOURNALISTS' ROUNDTABLE, I AM TED SIMONS. JOINING US TONIGHT, DIANNA NANEZ OF THE ARIZONA REPUBLIC, HOWARD FISCHER OF CAPTIAL MEDIA SERVICES, AND STEVE GOLDSTEIN OF KJZZ RADIO. TEACHERS HAVE VOTED TO STRIKE NEXT WEEK, THIS DESPITE THE GOVERNOR'S PLEDGE FOR A 20-PERCENT PAY INCREASE BY THE 2020 SCHOOL YEAR. THEY NOT ONLY VOTED, THEY VOTED OVERWHELMINGLY. WHAT'S GOING ON OUT THERE?
DIANNA NANEZ: THEY VOTED OVERWHELMINGLY LIKE 78 PERCENTAGE, NOW TO BE CLEAR OF THE SITES THAT VOTED, THERE IS LACK OF CLARITY HOW MANY SITES VOTED. WHAT IS GOING ON HERE IS THAT THE TEACHERS SAID THAT THE GOVERNOR'S PLAN DOESN'T HOLD WATER. THEY WANT SUPPORT FOR THEIR SUPPORT STAFF. THEY WANT IN ADDITION TO KNOW THAT THE BILLION MISSING SINCE 2008 IN EDUCATION CUTS IS RESTORED, AND THEY WANT A NEW REVENUE STREAM.
TED SIMONS: SOUNDS LIKE A LACK OF TRUST, HOWIE, HERE?
HOWARD FISCHER: NOT JUST, TRUST. WE HAVE BEEN THROUGH BUDGET CYCLES IN THE STATE. THEY THINKS ARE LOOKING GOOD NOW. THE GOVERNOR IS ASSUMING THINGS WILL CONTINUE TO GET BETTER SO FEWER PEOPLE ON ACCESS AND DES SERVICES, SO WE CAN COME UP WITH THE $371 MILLION FOR DISTRICT CAPITAL AND EVERYTHING WILL BE FINE. THE STAFFERS DID THEIR OWN ANALYSIS AND SAID,AIN'T GOING TO WORK.
STEVE GOLDSTEIN: WE THINK WE CAN DO THIS WITHOUT A PROBLEM 2019, BUT IT IS BEYOND THAT WHEN WE GET NERVOUS ABOUT WHAT IS HAPPENING. IT SOUNDED GREAT. THAT IS WHY THE PTA WAS IN SUPPORT INITIALLY. THE NUMBER IS ON JOBS.
TED SIMONS: HOW DO YOU JUSTIFY IF YOU ARE A TEACHER'S GROUP, IF YOU ARE A TEACHER HOW DO YOU JUSTIFY TELLING FOLKS NOT UP ON EVERY NUANCE, GOVERNOR WANTS TO JUSTIFY GIVING YOU A 20% PAY HIKE AND YOU ARE WALKING OUT?
STEVE GOLDSTEIN: IT IS GOING TO BE POTENTIALLY A P.R. NIGHTMARE. IT DEPENDS ON IF THEY ARE WILLING TO COME TO THE TABLE. IF IT BECOMES POLITICAL THEATER ARE, A LOT OF IT IS IN THE NUANCE HOW IT GOES.
HOWARD FISCHER: THEY HAVE HAND DELIVERED LETTERS, SAYING SIT DOWN WITH US. MAYBE WE CAN TALK. MAYBE WE CAN PUSH THINGS BACK. BASICALLY, THE GOVERNOR SAID, I'M ONLY DEALING WITH THE PEOPLE THAT WANT TO FIX IT, THE ADMINISTRATORS, SCHOOL BOARDS, BUSINESS COMMUNITY. NOT THE PEOPLE THAT GOT THE STRIKE VOTE.
TED SIMONS: IT SOUNDS LIKE IT’S NOT POLITICAL CIRCUS, BUT NOT YOU GUYS, RED FOR ED, WE'LL TALK TO THE ADDITION MAKERS.
DIANNA NANEZ: YOU HAD TEACHERS COME OUT AND SAY, IF WE ARE NOT THE DECISION MAKER, WHO ARE THE DECISION MAKERS, RIGHT? ALL OF THIS ENDS UP WITH THIS KIND OF P.R.ESQUE PLAY. THE PUBLIC SAW IT AS THE GOVERNOR COMING OUT TO SAY THIS IS WHAT WE ARE GOING TO DO. HERE'S HOW WE'LL DO IT. ARIZONA CAN STOP WHAT OKLAHOMA DID. AS SOON AS THE SAVE OUR SCHOOLS GROUP AND PTA GROUP -- SAVE OUR SCHOOLS IS WHATEVER, BUT THE AVERAGE PERSON UNDERSTANDS WHAT THE PTA IS. YOU ARE WITHDRAWING MONEY FROM DISABLED MENTAL GROUPS.
TED SIMONS: IT IS BETTER TO FIND A SUSTAINABLE FUNDING SOURCE THAT DOES NOT HURT OTHER IN THE PROCESS. YOU ARE TALKING CUTS TO MENTALLY DISABLED, CRITICAL ACCESS HOSPITAL, EVEN ARTS FUNDING. GRANTED, THE GOVERNOR'S OFFICE SAYS THESE ARE NOT CUTS; IT IS JUST NOT ADDITIONAL FUNDING. IT IS NOT GOOD.
HOWARD FISCHER: IT IS NOT GOOD. IT COMES DOWN TO PRIORITIES. EVERY YEAR, THERE IS A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF NEW MONEY. THEY CALL IT THE BOX. IN THE BOX, WE HAVE 250,000,000, OR WE HAVE WHATEVER. WE DECIDE, WHAT ARE WE GOING TO FUND TO THE EXTENT THAT HE HAS NOT ONLY SUCKED UP WHAT'S IN THE BOX, MOVING THINGS HERE TO THERE TO THERE ARE, SHORT TERM BORROWING, AND IT'S BASED ON SOME PRESUMPTIONS. YOU PUT THREE E ECONOMISTS IN THE ROOM; YOU GET SIX OPINIONS ON WHERE THE ECONOMY WILL GO. DURING THE NEPALITANO ADMINISTRATION, NOTHING IS SURE.
TED SIMONS: I WANT TO GET TO THE MAN IN A MINUTE HERE. BACK TO WHY TEACHERS DECIDED TO DO THIS. AT THE BASE OF ALL OF THIS FROM THE GOVERNOR AND LAWMAKER SIDE, NO TAXES. YOU HAVE A LOT OF BUSINESS PEOPLE SAYING, .6 SAYING IT AIN'T CUTTING IT. NOT THE GOVERNOR AND NOT LAWMAKERS.
STEVE GOLDSTEIN: THERE WAS NERVOUSNESS ABOUT THAT. GOVERNOR DID NOT WANT THAT ON THE BALLOT. THAT WAS TAKEN CARE OF AT THE LEGISLATURE. A LOT OF BUSINESS LEADERS, WE HEAR THEM SAY, LET'S UP THE SALES TAX. ONE OF THE THINGS, TALKING TO TEACHERS TODAY, NOT JUST SUPPORT STAFF. WE NEED TO FIND A WAY TO FUND K-12 ARIZONA IN A DIFFERENT WAY. IS THAT THE ARGUMENT TEACHERS CAN MAKE AT THIS POINT.
HOWARD FISCHER: THE PURE NUMBERS DO IT. IF YOU LOOK AT STATE FUNDING ON A PER STUDENT BASIS 2009 TO NOW. IT IS LESS NOW. ACTUAL DOLLARS, NOT EVEN COUNTING INFLATION IS THE POLITICS OF IT. FOR ALL OF THE TALK OF THE BUSINESS COMMUNITIES, THEY SPEND MANY ADS ON LOOK, WE ARE GETTING BETTER, AND THE GOVERNOR ASSOCIATION IS DOING A MAJOR BUY TO SAY GOVERNOR DUCEY IS SOLVING THE PROBLEM WITHOUT RAISING TAXES. THAT IS INTERESTING. THIS IS AN ELECTION YEAR.
DIANNA NANEZ: LET US GO BACK TO THE WHY. THIS IS GOING TO HURT KIDS, ETC., ETC. COMMENT AFTER COMMENT FROM TEACHERS AND SUPPORTERS ARE DON'T -- DO NOT MAKE THIS ALL ABOUT THE PAY RAISES. WE GAVE YOU A PLAN. THERE WAS ONLY FIVE THINGS. THE ONE THING THAT WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT THE CASE THEY ARE GOING TO MAKE AND THE CASE THEY ARE GOING TO MAKE IS, THE RECESSION HAPPENED. THERE IS NOT A PERSON OR FAMILY IN ARIZONA THAT DIDN'T HAVE TO RECOVER, YET YOU ARE SAYING IT IS OKAY TO KEEP THE BILLION AWAY?
HOWARD FISCHER: AND THERE IS ANOTHER PIECE OF IT, ALSO POLITICAL. IN THE MIDDLE OF THE RECESSION, WE CUT 30% OFF THE CORPORATE INCOME TAX RATE AND SET UP ANOTHER SCHEME TO PAY NO CORPORATE INCOME TAX AT ALL AND SERVE MONEY TO PROVIDE PAROCHIAL SCHOOLS AND SAY, WE DO NOT HAVE THE MONEY. I THINK I KNOW WHY WE DO NOT HAVE $100 MILLION.
TED SIMONS: THE GOVERNOR'S PLAN, $650 MILLION PLUS, IN THE GENERAL REGION. HOWIE MENTIONED, TO PAY FOR THE RAISE FOR THE TEACHERS, THE ECONOMY HAS TO GO GANG BUSTERS. WE CANNOT HAVE A RECESSION. WE CANNOT HAVE NEW POLICY HERE OR NEW PROGRAMS HERE ALL BECAUSE OF NO TAX INCREASE.
HOWARD FISCHER: THIS IS THE POSITION WE FIND OURSELVES IN. THIS MAKES IT INTERESTING FOR ME TO WATCH. I DO NOT KNOW IF YOU DISAGREE WITH THIS, BUT THE GOVERNOR IS ACTING LIKE A CORNERED ANIMAL RIGHT NOW. WHEN HE LOOKED AT THE INITIAL POLLING, STEVE FARLEY, I WILL WIN BY 10 POINTS, DAVID GARCIA, and 10 OR 12 POINTS. NOW THE MOMENTUM FROM THIS, EVERYONE KNOWS A TEACHER, IT IS PUTTING HIM IN A POSITION TO DO THIS WITHOUT RAISING TAXES.
HOWARD FISCHER: LET US TALK ABOUT THE BROADER POLITICS, A WEEK AGO TUESDAY HE WAS ON THE RADIO AND TALKED TO ME AFTERWARDS, ACCUSING ME OF POLITICAL THEATER. WE TALKED ABILITY STICKING TO THE PLAN.
TED SIMONS: TWO DAYS LATER, DO YOU THINK THE GOVERNOR'S FOLKS THOUGHT, ALL RIGHT, 20% OVER THREE YEARS, WE GOT THIS, SLAM DUNK, THE ELECTION IS OVER.
DIANNA NANEZ: I THINK HE WAS ADVISED THEY LOST THE NARRATIVE. ARIZONA OPERATES OFTEN OFF VOTERS GRANDPARENT AGE. WHAT DO GRANDPARENTS HAVE? GRANDCHILDREN. THEY REALIZE THEY PUT THEIR HEADS TOGETHER, HAD CONVERSATION. WHAT WAS MISSED FROM THE CONVERSATION, I THINK, AND WHAT WILL PROBABLY COME BACK UP, AND WE'LL SEE WHAT TEACHERS DO OVER THE NEXT FEW DAYS, WHERE WAS THE TALK ABOUT IT BEING A REPUBLICAN GOVERNOR, BREWER WITH WIDESPREAD SUPPORT TO FUND EDUCATION WITH THE TAX INCREASE.
HOWARD FISCHER: LET US GO A STEP FATHER. BREWER GOT THROUGH THE THREE YEAR, ONE CENT TEMPORARY TAX. THERE WAS A PROPOSAL ON THE BALLOT TO MAKE THAT PERMANENT. IT WAS A POORLY CRAFTED PROPOSAL TO BE CLEAR. IT INCLUDED MONEY FOR ROAD CONSTRUCTION. GUESS WHO HEADED THE CAMPAIGN TO KEEP THAT FROM HAPPENING? A TREASURERRER IN THE GOVERNOR'S OFFICE.
TED SIMONS: THE BREWER CAMPAIGN, IT WAS A FINITE THING, CERTAIN AMOUNT OF TIME FOR A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF MONEY AND THEN WE ARE OUT OF HERE. THE ONE TEACHERS WANT TO SEE NOW IS PERMANENT FUNDING. IT'S A BEAST.
STEVE GOLDSTEIN: I CANNOT BELIEVE IT. BECAUSE OF JERRYMANDERING FOR THE MOST PART, YOU ARE NOT GOING TO SEE A SHIFT FROM THE TWO-YEAR CYCLE IN THE LEGISLATURE. GOVERNOR DUCEY HAS DONE MORE IN TERMS OF WORDS. THIS TO ME SEEMS LIKE A SITUATION IF DUCEY IS NOT ABLE TO GET SOME SIMILAR PLAN THROUGH LIKE THIS. HE WANTS TO FOCUS ON TEACHER FUNDING AND TEACHER PAY, IF THIS DOES NOT GO THROUGH, IT COULD BE A BIG EXPLOSION.
TED SIMONS: WE HAVE A SHOT OF THE GOVERNOR'S VETO LETTER. THERE ARE TEN LETTERS TODAY. THEY ALL READ THE SAME WAY. THIS IS NOT -- WHY DO NOT YOU HOLD OFF AND FIGURE SOMETHING OUT. THESE ARE VETOES. THIS IS SOMETHING THE LEGISLATURE WORKED ON, AND THE GOVERNOR SAYS, NO, SIR.
HOWARD FISCHER: AND HE DROPPED A STINK BOMB IN THEIR LAPS. GOVERNORS USE A VETO THREAT. JAN BREWER DID THIS. HE SAID SEND ME THE LEGISLATION OR I WILL VETO BILLS. SHE HAD TO VETO BILLS. GETTING BACK TO YOUR POINT, HE IS UP AGAINST THE WALL. THE NATIONAL PRESS WILL BE IN TOWN. WE HAVE THE LARGEST STATE YET TO TALK ABOUT A TEACHER WALK OUT. HE THINKS HE CAN BOLD THE LEGISLATURE INTO APPROVING HIS PLAN TO HOW HE WANTS IT.
TED SIMONS: $87 MILLION IN IF YOU SAID SWEEPS, FEWER PEOPLE USING MEDICAID. THE J-L-B-C SEES $46 MILLION IN INCREASED REVENUE FROM THE ECONOMY. THE GOVERNOR'S OFFICE $46 BILLION AND LET US START A KENO GAME TO HELP PAY FOR IT. WHERE DOES THAT COME FROM?
DIANNA NANEZ: IT IS GASPING AT STRAWS. HOW HE HIT THE NAIL ON THE HEAD, EVERY STATE IS LOOKING AT THIS. IT WAS A PERFECT STORM. WHEN THE GOVERNOR AND HIS ADVISERS GOT TOGETHER TO SAY, IS THERE A WAY TO COMPROMISE, TO COME OUT LOOKING LIKE, WHAT WE DID IN ARIZONA, WE DID NOT HAVE TO STRIKE. IS THERE A MISSING?
HOWARD FISCHER: HE WOULD NOT COMPROMISE. THAT IS THE POINT. HE COULD SIT DOWN BEHIND CLOSED DOORS. LET US KEEP THIS WHERE I CAN DECLARE A WIN. YOU CAN DECLARE A WIN. HE DOES NOT WANT TO DO THAT. HE IS SO DARNED SURE HE IS RIGHT. THE GOVERNOR HAS NOT WENT TO THE TABLE AND TALKED WITH HIM.
TED SIMONS: WHO ARE THE WINNERS, WHO ARE THE LOSERS? SO FAR, THIS IS SUPPOSED TO HAPPEN THURSDAY. BETWEEN NOW AND THURSDAY, THE WORLD TURNS.
STEVE GOLDSTEIN: THE ONLY POSSIBLE WINNER FROM A POLITICAL STANDPOINT IS GOVERNOR DUCEY. HE IS THE BIG LOSER OR THE BIG WINNER. IF HE IS ABLE TO BULLY THEM ENOUGH TO PUSH THEM INTO ACTING BEFORE THURSDAY, THAT IS OKAY. I DO NOT SEE THIS AS A WIN FOR DEBBIE GARCIA.
HOWARD FISCHER: IF YOU WANT TO GET THEM TO ACT, YOU DO NOT NUKE THEIR BILLS. I CALLED J.D. MESNER. HE SAID NOTHING I TELL YOU COULD BE USED ON "ARIZONA HORIZON" TONIGHT; THE FCC WILL BE DOWN YOUR THROAT.
TED SIMONS: THURSDAY WILL BE TAKE YOU ARE KID TO WORKDAY. THURSDAY, THEY ARE STILL WRESTLING. THERE IS NO SCHOOL, HOWIE.
HOWARD FISCHER: WHICH HAS OTHER FOLKS LIKE DIANE DOUGLAS SAYING HOW ARE WE MEETING THIS FOR THE YEAR? HOW ARE WE HOUSING THOSE IN VIRGINIA, KENTUCKY AND OKLAHOMA?
HOWARD FISCHER: THAT IS THE ECONOMIC BOONE.
TED SIMONS: OH THAT IS IT.
HOWARD FISCHER: WE HAVE THE SUPERBOWL. HOSPITALITY. DOUG DUCEY'S PREDICTIONS OF MONEY WILL COME TRUE.
DIANNA NANEZ: UNLESS THE LAWMAKER AND GOVERNOR CAN COME TOGETHER IN THE NEXT 24 HOURS, FIGURE OUT WHAT THEY ARE DOING AND PUT ON A FACE TO BE UNIFIED. THEY WERE OUT RIGHT VETOES, IN THE MIDDLE OF THIS NARRATIVE WHERE WE WANT TO FUND EDUCATION; IT WILL BE A NIGHTMARE WHEN THE NATIONAL TEST LOOKS AT IT. WE WILL TRY TO STAY OPEN WITH THE SUPPORT STAFF IF WE CAN. YES, IT WILL BE A MESS.
STEVE GOLDSTEIN: DUCEY IS THE ONE MOST AFFECTED BY THIS. HE IS IN A POSITION WHERE -- J.D. MES NARD, HE CAN AFFORD TO DO THAT. GOVERNOR DUCEY CANNOT.
TED SIMONS: LET US MOVE ON. THIS IS FASCINATING. THE GOVERNOR'S SCHOOL SAFETY PLAN. THERE IS ANOTHER MUD WRESTLING ACTIVITY. IT SOUNDS AS THOUGH OUT OF COMMITTEE, REPUBLICANS LIKE THE IDEA OF MORE RESOURCES HERE, MORE SCHOOL RESOURCE OFFICERS THERE. SOUNDS LIKE THE N-R-A LIKES IT TOO.
HOWARD FISCHER: WHAT GOT OUT OF COMMITTEE IS NOT WHAT THE GOVERNOR PROPOSED. JUDGE CAN SAY SOMETHING IS HERE. DETERMINE IF HE IS CRAZY OR JUST A RADIO COMMENTATOR AND GO FROM THERE. THERE ARE SCHOOL SAFETY THING IN THERE. THINGS DEMOCRATS DO NOT LIKE THE ARMED OFFICERS IN SCHOOLS. THE DEMOCRATS ARE NOT GOING TO VOTE FOR THIS. NO BAN ON BUMP STOCKS. HE HAS TO APPEAL TO REPUBLICS SHOVING THE MEASURE TO THE RIGHT. PEOPLE WITH AN OUTSTANDING WARRANT CANNOT GET A C-C-W PERMIT WAS JETTISONED. THE N-R-A SAYS, FOR STOP OWEDDERS, NOW THEY ARE HAPPY.
TED SIMONS: WHICH DID REPUBLICS IN THE COMMITTEE SAYING THE NRA LIKES THIS CELEBRATE?
STEVE GOLDSTEIN: THIS IS A PARTISAN ISSUE. THAT IS THE INTERESTING THING. OF COURSE, IT IS. PHRASING IS INTERESTING. WHICH WALK OUT DOES THE GOVERNOR PAY ATTENTION TO.
TED SIMONS: THERE ARE KIDS DINING IN AT THE CAPITOL, PROTESTING AT THE CAPITOL. THIS WOULD BE HEADLINE MATERIAL.
DIANNA NANEZ: NATIONAL. THIS IS WHAT IT COMES DOWN TO. THIS IS WHAT THE CONVERSATION HAS COME DOWN TO SINCE PARKLAND. BEFORE PARKLAND, YOU DID NOT HAVE TEENAGERS IN SCHOOL SAYING, WHY DO THE ADULTS KEEP LETTING US DIE. THEN YOU GO TO THE CAPITOL AND HAVE A DIE-IN. STUDENTS ARE SWEARING. THEY ARE DRAMATIC. NORMALLY YOU WOULD SEE THAT TURN PEOPLE OFF. HERE IS THE ISSUE, WHO IS ACTUALLY DYING? THE STUDENTS ARE DYING.
TED SIMONS: WITH THAT IN MIND, IS THE GOVERNOR OKAY WITH WHAT IS COMING OUT OF THE LEGISLATURE SO FAR?
HOWARD FISCHER: HE WILL SEEN ANYTHING THAT REACHES HIS DESK. HE IS PRO NRA, PRO SECOND AMENDMENT. IF IT REACHES HIS DESK, HE WILL SIGN IT, DECLARE A VICTORY AND HAVE A CEREMONY.
TED SIMONS: I WANT TO CLOSE OUT WITH EILEEN CLEAN, HEAD OF REGENTS, NAMED STATE TREASURER BY DOUG DUCEY. ADDRESS, SHE SAID I LOVE THIS, AND I HAVE NO REASON TO THINK I WILL EVER GOING TO RUN THAT. YOU BUYING THAT?
STEVE GOLDSTEIN: WELL, NO.
DIANNA NANEZ: DID YOU HESITATE?
STEVE GOLDSTEIN: SHE WAS BOARD OF GOVERNORS, CHIEF OF STAFF. I HAVE NEVER HEARD ANYONE SAY ANYTHING BAD ABOUT HER, WHICH MAKE HER NOT FIT TO BE A POLITICIAN FIRST. KIMBERLY YE IS IN THE HOUSE. TOM FERIEZE SENDING A MESSAGE THAT SHE MIGHT BE RUNNING FOR OFFICE.
TED SIMONS: HE SAID I AM OUT OF HERE. THE OFFICE IS IN GOOD SHAPE. I WAS A CANDIDATE. NOT ANYMORE.
DIANNA NANEZ: HE IS SAYING it is SO GREAT RIGHT NOW THAT I SHOULDN'T EVEN RUN BECAUSE IT'S SO GREAT.
TED SIMONS: YOU CANNOT HANDLE IT AFTER SHE IS DONE WITH IT.
DIANNA NANEZ: YOU CANNOT FOLLOW HER UP. SHE IS THAT GOOD. YE BUTS OUT THE LAUNDRY LIST OF LAWMAKERS ENDORSED. CLEARLY, SHE FELT CORNERED TOO.
HOWARD FISCHER: AS YOU POINT OUT, KIMBERLY YE AS A LEADER IN THE SENATE, AS A NATIONAL FIGURE, AS AN ASIAN AMERICAN WOMAN HAD THE BACKING.
TED SIMONS: WITH THAT IN MIND, IF EILEEN KLEIN DOES RECONSIDER IN A WEEK OR TWO AND SAYS, MAYBE GIVE IT A SHOT, ARE WE SEEING A PRIMARY FOR TREASURER?
STEVE GOLDSTEIN: I CERTAINLY THINK SO. IT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH BEING TREASURER IS DOES THE IDEA OF HIGHER TUITION COME UP. IT BECOMES, AND THAT IS ONE SORT OF MONEY ISSUE I AM CURIOUS TO SEE IF THIS BECOMES DUCEY V. DEWITT IN TERMS OF WHAT KIND OF ISSUE THERE IS.
HOWARD FISCHER: SHE IS A BRIGHT, ATTRACTIVE, POLITICALLY SAVVY WOMAN, BUT IT'S SOMETHING TO BE FROM THE BOARD OF REGENTS TO SOMEONE KISSING BABIES AND SHAKING HANDS.
DIANNA NANEZ: SHE IS AN EXPERIENCED WOMAN THAT CAN TAKE THE POLITICAL STAGE AND DO WELL. YE IS A WELL-LIKED POLITICIAN. SHE WILL HAVE THAT BIT OF EXPERIENCE. WHAT YOU HAVE ARE TWO PEOPLE EVEN THAT COULD SWING DEMOCRAT VOTES BECAUSE OF THEIR HISTORY AND EXPERIENCE. IT IS TWO, WELL-MATCHED PEOPLE. YE HAS BEEN ON THE POLITICAL STEAJ. SHE CAN DO THE T.V. THINGS. WE DO NOT KNOW IF KLEIN CAN DO THAT.
TED SIMONS: IT IS ONE OF THE FEW TIMES WE HAVE HAD CONVERSATION AT ALL ABOUT THE STATE TREASURER RACE, THE CAMPAIGNING AND POLITICS OF IT. TALK ABOUT KISSING BABIES, HOW MANY BABIES YOU GOT TO KISS TO RUN FOR STATE TREASURER?
HOWARD FISCHER: KIMBERLY YE IS NOT ALWAYS AS GOOD ON HER FEET AS SHE SHOULD BE. YOU WANT TO ASK HER A QUESTION; YOU RUN IT THROUGH MIKE PHILLIPS. IT WILL BE INTERESTING IF THEY ARE SITTING ACROSS FROM EACH OTHER.
STEVE GOLDSTEIN: I WOULD BE INTERESTED TO SEE HOW THAT ONE GOES.
TED SIMONS: THANKS FOR BEING HERE. COMING UP MONDAY ON ARIZONA HORIZON, WE SIT DOWN WITH REPUBLICAN CONGRESSIONAL CANDIDATE DEBBIE LESKO... IN ADDITION, HOW A SPECIAL GROUP OF DOGS WORKS TO BRING COMFORT TO YOUNG PATIENTS. THAT'S MONDAY ON "ARIZONA HORIZON." IN ADDITION,
TED SIMONS: TUESDAY NIGHT AT 10:00, JOIN US FOR A RECAP OF THE SPECIAL ELECTION IN CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT-8, BETWEEN DR. HIRAL TIPIRNENE AND DEBBIE LESKO. THAT'S TUESDAY, AT 10:00. THAT IS IT FOR NOW. I AM TED SIMONS. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING US. YOU HAVE A GREAT WEEKEND.
Dianna Náñez: Arizona Republic
Howard Fischer: Capitol Media Times
Steve Goldstein: KJZZ
