Search query: arizona

For most of the last decade, California was first or second in new business creation. In 2009, it ranked first. In 2010, new business creation imploded. Actually, that's an understatement. California was almost dead last in 2010 with only Michigan behind them.  That's right, it went from #1 to #50 in just one year for business creation (The list includes the District of Columbia, so there are 51 entries.) In 2008, California created 32,829 businesses, in 2009, it created 12,529, but in 2010 it

A law in April upped California's renewable energy goals by 2020 to 33% from 20%, a far more ambitious goal than any other state is attempting. But, while a renewable energy economy is a laudable goal, it seems doubtful that California will actually be able to achieve it. Or if it does, it will be through smoke and mirrors gambits. PG&E is buying Renewable Energy Credits from wind farms in Canada to help them achieve their renewable goals in California even though that power will never be used

Five Arizona counties have been designated by federal agriculture officials as primary natural disaster areas due to damage caused by ongoing drought and related disasters that began in January. Contiguous counties in Colorado, New Mexico and Utah are also part of the declaration which went into effect last week. Apache, Cochise, Graham, Greenlee, and Santa Cruz counties were recognized by the USDA as natural disaster areas on August 16, making all qualified farm operators within those areas el

After weeks of heated rhetoric and accusations directed toward the Tea Party movement in the days leading up to the debt ceiling agreement and afterward, Rep. Maxine Waters (D-CA) stirred up the war of words again in California this weekend by saying: "the Tea Party can go straight to hell." The Democratic Congresswoman-- who is still battling House ethics violation charges in an ongoing investigation-- was addressing a townhall audience in Inglewood, California this Satuday, and the crowd burs

In the wake of the debt ceiling crisis, there has been an astonishing wave of criticism directed at the two-party state and duopoly system of government.  For many Americans, the debt debacle appears to have been the straw that broke the camel's back.  But, will their anger translate into action? Sometimes it seems as if not a day goes by without a new survey or poll measuring the depth and breadth of the nation's frustration with its elected representatives, as well as underscoring the exodus

Recently, a bipartisan group in Arizona has gone public with its intention to promote a constitutional amendment for a non-partisan primary modeled after California's Proposition 14, which decisively passed last year. A few days later, I was forwarded a message from Mark Hinkle, Chairman of the Libertarian Party, by Christina Tobin, a respected advocate of fair elections, stating, "Make no mistake, they are trying to kill off all competition at the ballot box.” (emphasis added). Who 'they’ are,

There’s a new level of political theater that’s premiered in America, and it’s not primary season – it’s recall season.  While the national focus has been on the recall of six Wisconsin Republican state legislators (two of whom were replaced by Democrats), there has been little national coverage thus far of the movement to recall Arizona State Senate President and anti-immigration activist Russell Pearce. The recall election, which has just been approved by the Maricopa County Superior Court to

The U.S. Department of Energy has finalized a $967 million loan guarantee for a 290 MW solar photovoltaic plant on 2400 acres between Yuma and Phoenix. The Aqua Caliente project is now the world's largest PV project under construction.  This follows plans by EnviroMission to build the world's first grid-scale solar updraft tower in Arizona, which is now on the leading edge of big solar power (along with California and Nevada.) Both plants will be using state-of-the art technology to build solar

Earlier this month, the Arizona Open Government Committee officially launched its campaign to bring a top-two style open primary system to the Grand Canyon State by ballot initiative in next year’s elections. On August 3rd, the group unveiled their proposed constitutional amendment, entitled “The Open Government Act,” that would do away with the state’s current semi-closed partisan primary elections and instead institute a top-two open primary system similar to that adopted by California voters

A recent proposal by the Arizona Department of Water Resources (ADWR) to amend its assured water supply rules would provide grandfathered irrigation water rights to farmlands that were retired for development. The new rules would apply only to lands that previously had irrigation water rights and that are still capable of being irrigated. We all know the story: beginning in 2005 and lasting until 2007, a speculative-driven bubble inflated land and real-estate values beyond market recognition. A