Beyond the Ballot AZ

With Election Day fast approaching what's top of mind for Arizona voters? From rising costs and government accountability to data centers this conversation centers around recent polling by Clean Elections and what it reveals about local voter sentiment. Listen to Tom and Gina get into the data from the Clean Elections Voter Poll through the lens of a veteran political journalist. Together, they unpack key findings, some surprises and explore what the results may mean for candidates. Guest:Hank Stephenson, founder of the Arizona Agenda Resources:Clean Elections Voter PollClean Elections YouTube Channel where you can rewatch candidate debatesHosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

Winning an election is just the beginning. What actually happens when a newly elected member of Congress arrives in Washington D.C. and how do promises on the campaign trail turn into legislative action? In this episode, Gina guides a conversation about what the first 60 days in office look like for a newly elected member of Congress from how their offices are staffed to how they are organized to serve constituents. And why staying connected with elected representatives matters long after ballots are cast. Plus you will hear firsthand why passing legislation can take years but how congressional staff help address everyday concerns in their home state as well as in D.C.  Guest:Steve Voeller, Vice President of Government and Community Relations at the University of Arizona Resources:Learn More About the U.S. House of RepresentativesFind Your Representative on the Clean Elections Voter DashboardHosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

Judges make decisions that impact Arizonans every day but how much do you know about the judges on your ballot and how can you learn enough about them to decide if they should be retained? In this episode Tom and Gina get into why the Arizona Constitution requires some judges to periodically appear before voters for retention and how citizens play a role early on in this process. With dozens of judges appearing on ballots across the state, this conversation with the Arizona Commission on Judicial Performance Review, is timely. It explains the commission's extensive review process from confidential evaluations and performance data to public input which guides their assessment of judges. Before casting your ballot, listen to this episode to learn more about judges up for retention and where to find the commission's evaluations. Guest:Doug Cole, Vice Chair, Arizona Commission Judicial Performance Review Resources:Arizona Commission on Judicial Performance ReviewHosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

Prop. 320 would require certain Arizona school districts to direct at least 60% of their operational budgets toward direct instruction. While the measure is intended to put more resources toward teachers and classroom expenses, the conversation gets into a central question for voters: What actually counts as direct instruction? Gina and Tom break down how this central idea in the proposition language is being defined and get into where services such as special education support, transportation and food service fit into the equation. Plus, listeners will learn about the complicated relationship between classroom spending and student  performance. Guest:Isabela Lisco, Education Reporter, KOLD Resources:Watch Isabela Lisco talk more about education on Chalk Talk.Learn more about ballot measures and voter education at the Arizona Citizens Clean Elections Commission.Hosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

Gina and Tom take a closer look at Proposition 316, a statewide measure on the Nov. 3 ballot concerning local taxes on groceries. The conversation explains how grocery taxes are structured across Arizona communities and why some cities and towns rely more heavily on this revenue than others. Plus, the discussion gets into how reductions in revenue could affect municipal budgeting and services, from roads to senior programs. The episode also breaks down how this proposition would affect a community's existing grocery taxes, when voter approval would be required and what voters may want to learn about their own city or town before casting their ballot on Prop. 316.Guest:Dale Wiebusch former Government Relations Director  for the City of Scottsdale, former Intergovernmental Affairs Director for the City of Maricopa and former Senior Legislative Associate at the League of Arizona Cities and Towns Resources:Learn more about ballot measures and voter education at Arizona Citizens Clean Elections Commission.Hosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.