I’m sensing a pattern here.
Arizona Senate President Andy Biggs sponsored legislation to audit the Department of Child Safety, to the tune of $250,000. Must have been pretty important if a fiscal conservative wanted to spend a quarter million dollars to figure out how to fix the agency. Well, the results of the study are in, and the conclusion is, the agency needs more money to function properly. Biggs is appalled. That’s not what he wanted to hear.
“They didn’t really get at any of the stuff that I thought was important,” Biggs said. “I could’ve gone out and asked all those local stakeholders what do you think, and they all would’ve told me we need to spend more money. And that’s basically what Chapin Hall [Center for Children at the University of Chicago] put together.”
Biggs wants the agency to cut back on the number of people it serves, not spend more money to increase services like the study recommends.
Governor Doug Ducey wants to build more private prisons. The recent riot at the privately run Kingman prison isn’t deterring him, nor are Department of Corrections studies that say private prisons cost more than state-run prisons. Admittedly, those cost effectiveness studies are a few years old. Back in 2012, Republicans said the Department of Corrections should stop conducting the studies because weren’t comprehensive enough. If the studies considered all the data, Republican private prison advocates said, they would show the private prisons cost less.
So is Ducey planning to conduct a new, better study that will factor in all the costs? Nah. I guess it’s too risky. A new study might come to conclusions Ducey doesn’t want to hear.
Off the top of my head, I can think of two other recent instances where Republicans decided to ignore things they didn’t want to hear.
Remember when then-Superintendent of Public Instruction John Huppenthal spent $110,000 on a study that was supposed to prove TUSD’s Mexican American Studies program violated the law that was designed to kill the program? The report concluded that MAS was a good program that didn’t break any laws, even ones designed specifically to put it out of compliance. Huppenthal’s reaction? “I don’t want to hear it.” He condemned, then ignored the study he commissioned.
And what about the judge’s order that the legislature add $317 million to the state’s education funding to comply with the 2001 ballot measure that specified how much the state needs to spend on our schools? And that’s just for one year. Over the next five years, the total would be more like $2.9 billion. The Republicans who control the legislature don’t want to hear it. When asked for a response, they fold their arms, pouting child style, and say, “The courts aren’t the boss of me.”
I remember a saying I used to hear years ago. “My mind is made up, don’t confuse me with facts.” Seems appropriate right about now.
This article appears in Jul 16-22, 2015.
Sorry but we only need to look to our airports and see what law enforcement run by the government has done to TSA. Why not give it some time and see what the long term results are? It is actually a British idea that has been working just peachy across the pond.
By the way does it insulate taxpayers from lawsuits of prisoners?
I really hate the direction this state is going. Worse yet, like you said, they don’t listen. They don’t care. Responsive government for the public interest, it is not.
I tend to agree: Too many conduct “studies” with the intent of coming to an already predetermined conclusion so that they can justify their already planned actions. Not only do they think they are above the law – the courts are not the boss of ME – the facts, or reality, are not the boss of them either. Perhaps the Know-Nothing Party of the 1800’s that held fast to their biases over the facts has reincarnated.
Yep, they’re definitely an ignorant bunch, and unfortunately it’s unlikely we’re going to change overnight the political demographics of the state where they were elected through a democratic process. So what’s the solution?
A) Move to Vermont?
B) Continue to write about their idiocies and congratulate ourselves that we’re smarter than they are?
C) Use what resources we have available to do various forms of damage control at the local level?
With two kids to educate in this Godforsaken state, I’m voting for option C.
Residents of other states and employers listen to the constant whining of liberals and the tax and spend mentality, and decide not to come here. I can see who is actually harming the state. Your kids can get a college degree here but they won’t find meaningful employment.
We have to change the politics of a sanctuary city. I guess enough Americans have not been murdered yet.
Hey, Al Toid, are you related to Hem Roid? Just wondering.
Politicians in this state listen to the whining of religious wingnuts and people who don’t think they’re rich enough, yet, and implement policies guaranteed to keep the public uneducated, unemployed or in a private prison, all while getting a pat on the head from their handlers for being so obedient.
“Private” is the wrong adjective for CCA and other companies that make money from the penal system; “for profit” is more accurate. The whole relationship between the For-profit prison industry and Arizona Republican lawmakers is beyond stupid and crosses into flat-out corruption. Can anyone defend contracts requiring 98% cell occupancy rates (which provide an incentive to the state to put as many people as possible behind bars) or that put Arizona taxpayers on the hook for construction costs but then give ownership of the facilities to the private companies? If we later want to buy the buildings, we have to pay for them AGAIN? I think it’s time we stop pretending Republicans care about fiscal responsibility.
Sorry Ldonyo but I’m not. Everything you described still requires violation of laws and convictions. Uneducated and in a prison are life choices. You just don’t happen to like their choices and want to blame somebody else.
Uneducated and in prison are not always choices . We have ridiculously long sentences for drug use( 1 who President Obama let out for drug use after 17 years. This was not selling, robbing,etc. Studies have repeatedly shown young people who are white get off for violations that oftentimes other races of people have the book thrown at them. Also the latest African-American young lady, Sandra Bland, who was pulled over for no turn signal, told to put our her cigarette, fought for her rights and she is dead, is another example to refute what you said. No way do I believe she killed herself.). We have African- Americans who are targeted daily and end up in prison. I have seen targeting over and over and yes you could say a person did something like Sandra. Some media is trying to paint as being combative and my God I would be if I were black and I was pulled over for a turn signal violation. I would be terrified. When there are prisons for profit, anything can be made to look like a crime. Look at the DOJ report and/or documentary about Ferguson. I have not talked to 1 person who either read the report or saw the documentary who believes what you said at all any more.
College is no long affordable for many. Also, when schools are not funded, there is not equality for all but I think you knew that.
No, Al Todd, you made a very uninformed post, are just plain insensitive to others or have a strong sense of entitlement. BTW did you know that there are 2 children who died in Tucson within 10 days who were abused? Yes the funds for CPS have been inadequate for years, workers can only get so many calls in and can only work so many hours and consequently they make quick stops and move on. If you want to see documentation for the 2 cases I cited, just Google what I said. They will be in your face if you want to see it. There are a lot more stories like those 2 children but like the DOJ report on Ferguson , you have to really want to bother to research or read the articles in the paper. They are not liberal news. Arizona Daily Star(AZCentral) do report these things to a small degree. These stories were there because I get the paper every day.
To go back to the findings that Ducey and Biggs like to ignore, there is not enough money put where children are concerned(be it education or social services). They are trying to put salve on their consciences(if they have any) that prisons for profit are where money should be put. They really are only trying to serve their richer friends in power…. not Arizona .
Choices Guardian. Why can’t you accept that and stop blaming everybody else?
Al Tod, Yes sadly the choices adults are making regarding who they elect do affect children . The 2 children that recently died did not choose to die. We as a society have a duty to protect them. In addition you are making choices to not be educated by doing the appropriate research that will affect children who do not have a choice. That may be why you do not think education is a priority. Very sad Al Tod. Ignorance is not bliss.
Guardians you have no focus. You have mentioned five different subjects but they all come back to blame. Instead of wasting time arguing with my, why don’t you 1. Donate time and more money to public schools. 2. Volunteer to tutor those lower income kids and motivate them out of poverty. 3. Work on your reading comprehension
I never said education is a priority. My comment was after a college degree there may be no jobs here for them. That is why they leave with our much needed tax base. What can you do to bring jobs and growth to this community to help it flourish?
I do donate time, money, and tutoring Al Todd… more than you can imagine. I see a lot and you really ought to do what you lecture me about. If you didn’t think I addressed the issues in the article and your point about choice, is purely purely because of your myopic vision. The point is the effects of not funding so many areas for children and instead putting the money towards private prisons is so vast that for you it may appear that I am not ‘focused’ instead of viewing the horrible neglect in so many areas that goes on in this state of education and children in general in Arizona. It is about priorities for monies spent. Ducey and Biggs do not like the results of the audit of department safety. I don’t imagine. Putting money in the corporate pockets for private prisons in more important to them. Obviously you support monies spent on prisons over prevention is so many way. It is not surprising that you think I don’t comprehend.
Thank you.