Hey Arizona voters - WAKE UP! Remember how you felt when Gov Brewer did this?
Brewer finger wags President Obama
Well, the new guy (you know, the one you just voted in) is making even her look good!
New Az Gov Doug Ducey (or as we Zonies like to call him: Gov Douchebag).
Our new Governor's guiding principles: Cut "wasteful" spending - no tax increases. You know, the usual Republican blather. While that kind of thinking was delusional in the 90s, it's utter fantasy now.
Our state has been spiraling down in austerity mode since around the time we lost Gov Janet Napolitano (now there's a Gov I REALLY miss) to Obama's team and went through the Great Recession.
As often happens when recession hits and state officials tighten up the purse strings, municipalities were so devastated that Phoenix park staff was reduced more than 80% (including in our beloved South Mountain Park) and city police departments had to cut more than 50% of their staff. (You know it's bad when Republicans let police departments suffer that kind of devastation.)
Republicans have had their hooks deep into the state's legislature for years. And we're not just talking about your average, run-of-the-mill Republicans, we're talking Sheriff Joe supporting, SB-1070 passing, we don't want no stinkin' Obamacare Republicans.
Good old Gov Brewer (did I really just say that?!) had her hands full. She made a few really brave moves that helped many struggling people in our state. 1) She fought the legislature to ensure Az picked up the ACA's Medicaid expansion, 2) she vetoed SB-1062 (religious right to discriminate against LGBT), and 3) she created the Arizona Commission on Homelessness and Housing (ACHH) to deal with our growing homeless population. The ACHH, although not that well known, was, among other things, looking to the successful Housing First program as a model for Az.
While Gov Brewer and I were on opposite sides of many policies (not to mention her offensive treatment of President Obama), she did seem to have a heart - or grown one during her governorship. After cutting Medicaid funding in 2010, the harsh press exposing the human cost of that decision seemed to make an impression.
But there's no hint of reality-based thinking coming from Gov Douchebag. When faced with insurmountable deficits in education, he turned to state lands (yes, apparently it's time to cash in by selling off to the highest bidder). He recently signed the legislature's (stupid) new law PROHIBITING cities, towns, and counties from enacting laws banning or charging for use of disposable bags.
Oh, and the current status of ACHH under Gov Douchebag? Well, they met monthly for the past 4 years up until just before the new Gov took office. Not a meeting scheduled since.
So, what is the current status of the state's efforts to help prevent and end homelessness? Well, we have a web site that provides descriptions and links to any available programs (except, of course, for the links that go to the standard "need a description" link dead end). But I guess it's pretty much what you'd expect.
Darn it! Az voters: WAKE UP AND START VOTING.