HOW TO MAKE A PLAN TO VOTE

The Federal Government's massive spending sprees are fueling rampant inflation. Here's the kicker: Senate and House leaders, picked by fellow representatives, also set the rules. These rules decide whether your reps can amend bills, investigate, or keep the government in check. In a twist of irony, while Regular Order means crafting 12 budget bills, it's been over two decades since leadership of either chamber has delivered fiscal responsibility with Regular Order. So, we're stuck in a cycle of unchecked spending on woke projects, foreign wars, an invasion, loss of American sovereignty, and rising prices.

The state legislature holds the purse strings, sculpting budgets and tax policies. They're the watchdogs of the Executive, greenlighting gubernatorial picks and crafting laws or putting big decisions directly to the people via ballots. But it's not just about policy. The vibe in the legislature whether they're singing in harmony or stuck in a deadlock shapes everything. Effective lawmaking reflects the public's pulse, while gridlock protects us from an assault on our liberties, impacting our trust in government, how we engage politically, the access people have to their government, and the state's overall groove and freedom families have to stay together and thrive.

The Arizona Corporation Commission isn't just about keeping the lights on. They're the unsung heroes (or villains, depending on who you ask) shaping our daily lives. They're the gatekeepers of our energy bills, making sure utilities play nice and keep costs down. But there's more. Think energy and water policy that could flip our world upside down. By pulling the plug on coal or nuclear, or greenlighting a power surge for growth, the ACC holds the key to whether our state runs on caffeine or chaos. Their decisions light up more than just our homes; they spark the economy or throw it into shadow.

The County Board of Supervisors? They're the VIPs behind your county's scene, calling the shots on: - Your Wallet: Crafting the budget and setting property taxes. - Election Vibes: Running the show on election day and counting the votes. - Bookworm Hangouts: Keeping libraries lit and determining if kids have access to p$rn. - Homelessness: County oversight enabling homelessness or solving it. - Land Use Design: Deciding where the high rises hit and parks pop up. - Ride or Road: Shaping how you roll through town, how much traffic is allowed to persist, tracking your license plate as you travel through the valley, and if you have the freedom to own a car by making it affordable to access the roads or not. - Federal Funds: Catching those big government checks and determing if citizens or foreigners are prioritized. - Crisis Mode: Declaring when it's time to hit the panic button and declaring lockdowns for health or climate purposes. - Global Membership: They control your ties to national and globalist entities implementing or opposing a degrowth policy strategy including limiting access to food supplies or radical climate policies. In short, if you choose candidates that don't subscribe to freedom as their chief governing principle, they can become the puppet masters of your local life.

County Assessors hold the keys to your wallet: Property Tax Wizardry: They decide your home's worth, thus your tax bill with a sophisticated calculation. Dream of Homeownership: Especially for seniors, their valuation can make or break the dream of affordable living. In short, they're the gatekeepers of your home's property tax amount.

The County Attorney is your legal compass, steering the ship of justice: Crime and Punishment: They choose which cases to chase, setting the vibe between order and chaos. Repeat Offenders: Deciding if we're stuck in a cycle of crime or if justice gets a real shot. County Watchdog: They're the legal eyes on all county ops, keeping everyone in line. In essence, they're the guardians of the law, shaping the very feel of safety and accountability in your county.

The County Recorder is the vote gatekeeper: Voter Rolls: They're the bouncer at the voter's door, deciding who gets in or stays out, potentially keeping foreign names out or letting them slide. Early Vote Maestro: They oversee the processing of early ballots to your home and are responsible for the early in-person voting experience. Election Tempo: From signature checks to determining if early-mail-in ballots can be tabulated onsite during Election Day, they set the rhythm of election night. Ballot Integrity: They guard the vote's journey from start to finish through their oversight of chain of custody documents. Security Spotlight: With election funds, they can exercise broad powers by prioritizing security or abusing the funding for censorship of citizens. In essence, they're quietly designing the framework of how your vote plays out. In short, they're the unseen hand shaping your electoral symphony

County Superintendent of Schools is the invisible hand shaping your kids' education: School Board Seats: They fill school board gaps, steering education policy. Scandal Central: Currently, the incoming superintendent will face a budget mess, with fiscal oversight in shambles. Teacher Growth: They're also in charge of sharpening your child's educators and providing tools and resources to empower teachers or reinforce woke policies. In short, they're the behind-the-scenes architect of your child's school experience, for better or worse.

The significance of the county sheriff's role means they have the power to profoundly affect the quality of life, public safety, emergency services, and the justice system's efficiency within their jurisdiction. 

Their approach to law enforcement, community engagement, and administrative duties can either enhance community resilience or contribute to systemic issues, making them a linchpin in local governance. 

They are the last stand to protect the civil liberties of citizens. Sheriffs can also serve civil processes like evictions, subpoenas, and court orders, which can significantly impact personal and business disputes.

The Treasurer manages the investment portfolios of the county, directly impacting its financial health. This involves investing county funds to maximize returns, which can significantly affect the budget for county services, infrastructure, and public programs. 

They oversee the collection of property taxes, which is a primary revenue source for funding schools, emergency services, and other public utilities. The Treasurer has responsibilities related to election integrity, including the secure storage of election ballots. 

Recent events have shown how the Treasurer's oversight, or lack thereof, can lead to significant financial adjustments, like the case where schools had to repay over-collected property taxes.

Constables serve as the bridge between the courts and public. Constables protect property rights by facilitating evictions. They also contribute to public safety by serving domestic violence orders. 

By efficiently handling evictions, property seizures, and other civil enforcement, constables indirectly support economic activities by ensuring that legal decisions concerning property, debts, or other civil matters are executed, thus maintaining economic transactions' integrity.

School board members are the architects of your child's educational journey, wielding influence over curriculum, budgets, and the overall school environment. They decide what's taught in classrooms, how resources are spent, and who leads the schools, ensuring that community values and needs are reflected in educational policies. 

From safety measures to cutting-edge learning technologies, from whether woke equity & graphic sexual education is prioritized over parents' values, to fostering innovation, these representatives play a critical role in your child's daily school experience and future prospects -- for better or worse. 

Their decisions shape not just academics but also the social and ethical fabric of schools, making their role pivotal in nurturing well-rounded students.

CAWCD can levy property taxes to pay back the federal government for building the canal system to the Colorado River. They also set the rates for the municpalites to purchase water from the sources they manage. 

They can influence conservation policies such as responsible stewardship or drive woke policies to restrict water usage under a political agenda. 

They also influence water management programs such as recycling poo water or agricultural and corporate use programs.

The city's elected officials hold the keys to your daily life, shaping: 

• Your Wallet: They control taxes and city spending. 

• Safety and Services: Overseeing cops, firefighters, and neighborhood care. 

• Community Issues: Their choices can tackle or exacerbate homelessness, abuse, and addiction. 

• Money Moves: Funds can fuel innovation or foster corruption. 

• Road Rage: They decide if your commute is smooth or a nightmare. 

• Clean Living: Managing trash and water to keep your city livable. 

• Crisis Mode: Declaring when it's time to hit the panic button and declaring lockdowns for health or climate purposes. 

• Global Membership: They control your ties to globalist entities implementing or opposing a degrowth policy strategy including limiting access to food supplies or radical climate policies. 

In essence, they sculpt the city's heartbeat, for better or worse, including whether your city gets cut up into 15-minute surveillance neighborhoods, also referred to as smart cities or holistic planning.

Local ballot propositions are usually referred to the ballot by the current mayor and city council. The description of the ballot statements is approved by your elected officials, so you should always read the fine print of the language before voting, if possible. 

A good rule of thumb is if you think your city is going in the right direction, a YES vote will continue current policies, while a NO vote will require them to go back to the drawing board and re-evaulate the current trajectory and management of the city.

A YES vote has the impact of retaining the judge. 

A NO vote has the impact of potentially allowing the governor to appoint a replacement. 

From the Arizona Sun Times: 

Arizona voters will choose whether to retain 69 judges up for retention election this fall, the bulk from the Maricopa County Superior Court. Only four of Arizona's 15 counties hold retention elections for judges, along with the Arizona Supreme Court and Arizona Court of Appeals. 

The judges are initially appointed by the governor and then run for retention every few years. In contrast, superior court judges in the remaining 11 counties must run for election initially, and they are not appointed in every election after that.

Passage of Prop 133 effectively prohibits the implementation of jungle primaries and ranked choice voting. 

• The freedom of association with a political party is a right that Arizonans have exercised for over a century. 

• When all political parties aren't guaranteed access to the General Election ballot, the risk for single-party rule increases. 

• Arizona citizens have additional avenues of participation in their government, including increased legal standing in holding government accountable, due to the existence of party participation. 

Opponents argue single-party rule protects democracy.

Both left-and-right leaning states have implemented distribution requirements for signatures to change their constitution, including: Missouri, Arkansas, Colorado, Nevada, and Wyoming. 

Currently, rural citizens often are left out of the initiative qualification process since it's less profitable for paid canvassers to gather signatures in their areas. 

Opponents are concerned that this amendment makes it harder to amend the AZ Constitution.

Called "police powers" in the AZ Constitution, the governor currently has broad authority to declare emergencies with no limit on the length of time or impact to the citizens. 

This Prop provides a check and balance where the people's representatives have accountability authority over emergency declarations immediately. 

Opponents say it will hinder the governor's power during emergencies, such as lockdowns for health crisies or climate change.

Saves initiative organizations time and money by allowing the constitutionality of a inititiative to be determined prior to turning in signatures. 

Opponents say it will add to up front costs of an initiative to change the AZ Constitution

Judges and Justices are appointed by the governor by a list of nominees selected by a commission. They serve 4 or 6 year terms and then the people get a vote for retainment. 

The Commission on Judicial Performance Review evaluates the performance of judges and justices. 

Proponents of Prop 137 say lifetime appointments eliminate politics from the retainment process. 

Opponents say Prop 137 will elminate a Constitutional right of the people to have final oversight over judges and justices.

As municipalities exponentially increase minimum, small business owners are struggling to afford employees and some small businesses are closing. 

While large corporations are responding to firing workers and replacing them with robots and kiosks. 

Proponents say Prop 138 protects small business owners and workers while ensuring workers have a pay boost versus current law. 

Opponents say it prevents tipped workers from reaching a "living wage."

Current AZ law allows for no-excuse abortions of unborn humans up until 15 weeks of pregnancy and for the full term of pregnancy when the life of the mother is at risk. 

At 15 weeks of development, an unborn human can feel pain has tastebuds, starts to be able to breathe, and his/her reproductive systems are already developing. 

Proposition 139 in Arizona seeks to enshrine a broad right to abortion, allowing procedures throughout pregnancy under various circumstances, including taxpayer funding, without significant state regulations. 

This could mean less oversight on abortion practices, restricting the involvement of parents for minors, and removing protections for healthcare workers who object to performing abortions. 

Additionally, it would limit the rights of fathers in abortion decisions and potentially affect the care for infants born alive post-abortion. 

Proponents argue it ensures abortion access, while critics highlight potential ethical and legal implications concerning consent, medical care, and transparency.

Proposition 140 seeks to upend Arizona's elections with an open primary system, allowing all candidates to compete together, eliminating the assurances that all parties will have representation in the General Election. 

However, it brings practical challenges like longer ballots and unfunded mandates for very expensive election equipment and administration costs. 

Critics warn of potential voter confusion, lack of transparency in vote counting, and a six-year lock on election law changes, potentially leading to prolonged issues. 

While it may reduce partisan influence, the proposition limits candidate diversity in the General Election with one-party rule and increase campaign costs, impacting the very essence of grassroots participation in Arizona.

Proponents say a YES vote Prop 311 will send a clear message that Arizonans support first responders. 

Opponents of Prop 311 say the benefit should be funded by the Legislature rather than funding it from charging criminals.

Proponents say Prop 312 provides a modest defense for property owners against damage caused by homeless camps and public nuisance violations on or near their property. 

It creates an accountability mechanism when municipalities fail to uphold their public safety obligations. 

Opponents say Prop 312 defunds cities and will create funding hardships.

Currently, a person who commits a class 2 child sex trafficking felony could be released after only 7 years or until the remainder of the criminal's natural life depending on the age of the victim.

Prop 313 makes the penalty for class 2 child sex trafficking felony a penalty of natural life imprisonment with no chance for release. 

Law enforcement members have endorsed Prop 313 saying it provides them with the tools they need to hold child sex traffickers accountable. 

Opponents say Prop 313 should be rejected because it doesn't provide exceptions for victims of child sex trafficking who are coerced or forced into sex trafficking other children.

Arizona currently spends $2.3B a on year on costs related to illegal aliens. 

Proponents for Prop 314 say it will alleviate some of that strain by prohibiting illegal aliens from accessing public benefits, and it will provide law enforcement with the tools they need to keep us safe. 

Opponents of Prop 314 says that it will fail by design and lead to harassment of legal citizens. 

While opponents say the Prop doesn't provide a funding source for increased law enforcement costs, proponents say the savings experienced from reduced crime from the border will fund the initial increase in public safety costs.

Proponents say Prop 315 returns legislative powers back to the legislature and that it provides transparency and stability for the business community with an important check on corrupt, bloated government crushing small businesses. 

Opponents say the reporting requirements add another layer of bureaucracy.

Experts estimate the projects slated for development under Prop 479 will cost upwards of $70 Billion. It funds an expansion of bus rapid transit and diverts local funding to light rail projects while ridership has plummeted to a 20-year low. 

Opponents of Prop 479 say that the millions of dollars set aside for street funding are slated for road diet projects where the number of lanes in road are decreased. 

The infrastructure planned fits a 15 minute city infrastruction plan. About 40% of the funding is designated for freeway projects 37% is designated for public transportation which includes significant road diet construction 

Over 22% is arterial and regional infrastructure projects which are largely dedicated to reducing the number of lanes in roads which will create more traffic congestion. 

Proponents say that transportation funding will improve infrastructure and fix roads. 

Opponents say the Prop 479 plan should be scrapped and the legislature should put together a plan focused on funding highways and roads in a way that expands traffic flow and scraps the road diets.

The district says that their current revenues will stay consistent causing them to not need to do a tax increase to increase the base expenditure limit. This increase will cause the Districts 2025-2026 expenditure limit to double from $451M to $902.3M. 

Opponents argue that there is no accountability or transparency built into doubling the real expenditure limit. Ineveitably they believe MCCD will come back and ask for a tax increase to cover the ongoing costs of the new programs implemented with this approval.