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President Obama recently revealed that he’s pursuing closure of “tax loopholes” in the U.S. gas and oil industry.   History has shown us that Democrats are often quick to blame ”greedy” oil companies for the financial ills of society.  President Obama is leading his current crusade in the name of “energy reform,” invoking class struggle words like “fair share.”  This time he’s looking to repeal tax subsidies for the “Big 5R...

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The Pima County Board of Supervisors voted 3-2 to support Governor Brewer’s Medicaid expansion proposal.  Who voted “no?”  The two Republican members.

Thank you Supervisors Miller and Carroll.

http://azstarnet.com/news/blogs/health/pima-county-supervisors-give—-nod-for-medicaid-expansion/article_9d973f82-a16a-11e2-8ef3-0019bb2963f4.html

What: Press Conference & Rally – Restoring Freedom – Arizonans Against the Expansion of Obamacare

When: Thursday, 4/25 @ 11:00 a.m.

Where: AZ State Capitol (1700 West Washington)

To learn more about this event or to RSVP, please visit Facebook

Read (watch) more here.

Republican state Rep. Ethan Orr and Democratic state Rep. Victoria Steele (both of Tucson’s District 9) stopped by AZ Illustrated Politics to bring viewers up to speed on the legislative session. Arizona Capitol Times reporter Hank Stephenson joined the panel to discuss Gov. Jan Brewer’s proposal to expand Medicaid to 133 percent of the federal poverty level, as well as the latest on the st...

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Yesterday, we wrote about Maricopa County Health Systems (MIHS) CEO Betsey Bayless’ gigantic $500,000 taxpayer funded salary.  Recently, another national blog weighed in on Bayless’ lucrative compensation:

Non-Profit Hospital Executive Salaries Continue to Defy Gravity and Logic

The old saying is that nothing is certain except death and taxes.  In health care, the other near certainty seems to be that compensation for health care leaders is big and always getting bigger.

Ove...

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Who Wants to be a Half-Millionaire? Arizona’s Top Paid Unelected Bureaucrat

The controversy surrounding the recent mental health care contract given to Maricopa Integrated Health Systems by the State of Arizona is gaining momentum.  Several local conservative blogs have reported on the story recently.  The contract, which stands to be worth $2 billion to $3 billion (depending on whether the state adopts Medicaid expansion), is the largest health contract the state has ever awarded.

At th...

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Last Friday Governor Jan Brewer sided with Democrats and the hospital industry when she vetoed SB1115, a Republican-sponsored health transparency bill.  Republicans championed the bill they claim would have required health care providers to make public a list of costs for their 25 most commonly provided services, and would have required health care facilities to make publicly available their prices for their 50 most common outpatient service codes and group codes.  Supporters claim the refor...

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Earlier this week Magellan Strategies released a poll on Arizona Medicaid expansion showing that the governor’s proposal is currently struggling among all registered voters in Arizona.  Specifically, the poll showed that the proposal was failing among Republican voters and that voters were less likely to reelect their legislator if they supported Medicaid expansion.

The same day pro-expansion forces released their own poll, showing very different results.

Today, Magellan Strategies releas...

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Link to Arizona Medicaid Poll

A new poll was released today regarding Governor Brewer’s Medicaid expansion proposal here in Arizona, and not surprisingly, the proposal is taking on water with Arizona conservatives.  The poll serves as a stark contrast to a poll released this weekend by the pro-expansion forces that claims half of Republicans surveyed support the governor’s proposal.  Overall, according to the pro expansion poll, 47 % said they supported Brewer’s expansion plan,...

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Isn’t it telling that 10 out of the 11 County Board of Supervisors supporting Gov. Brewer’s Medicaid expansion plan are Democrats?

Who is pushing for Medicaid expansion in Arizona besides Governor Jan Brewer?  With the exception of a few token Republicans, her coalition appears to be filled with the support of Democrats and liberal organizations such as Planned Parenthood.

Recently the governor announced that the Gila County Board of Supervisors, the Coconino County Board of Supervisors, and the Santa Cruz County Board of Supervisors all support her Medicaid expansion proposal.  She forgot to mention that with the excepti...

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According to the independent Arizona Center for Investigative Reporting, the permanent 1-cent sales tax increase on last November’s ballot was defeated because of enthusiastic opposition from grassroots Republicans across the state.

Mapping the Vote is a collaboration between the Arizona Center for Investigative Reporting and the Arizona Capitol Times. The project included a precinct-level analysis of Arizona election data. Unless otherwise noted, you can republish these stories for free ...

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Representative Bob Robson (R-Dist. 18)

GOVERNOR BREWER SIGNS ROBSON LAW ENFORCEMENT SURVIVING SPOUSE INSURANCE BILL

STATE CAPITOL, PHOENIX (April 5, 2013) – This afternoon, legislators, a multitude of law enforcement/detention personnel, firefighters and a widow of a fallen officer joined together to celebrate a milestone in legislation protecting the families of fallen first responders. HB 2204 (law enforcement; surviving spouse; insurance), sponsored by Representative Bob Robson (R-Dist. 18...

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The Goldwater Institute recently put out a document titled, “10 Reasons to Decline Medicaid Expansion in AZ.”

It’s an excellent and comprehensive read.  The findings and facts are listed below:

1. Expanding Medicaid will cost Arizona hundreds of millions of dollars.

For the first three years, the federal government has promised to cover 100% of the medical costs for the newly eligible Medicaid enrollees, and yet the cost to Arizona’s General Fund for the first year alone wou...

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