Issue 1 - January 11, 2013

Legislative Overview

On Monday, January 14, the first regular session of Arizona's 51st Legislature will convene. Any mayors, councilmembers and municipal staff attending the Opening Day ceremonies are welcome to use the League as their "base of operations" throughout the day.

In addition to the pomp associated with welcoming both incoming and returning legislators, Governor Jan Brewer will deliver her annual State of the State Address. Although the specifics of the governor's speech are unknown, it is expected to include the topic of transaction privilege tax (TPT) simplification. The governor's TPT Simplification Task Force issued a report in December with a number of recommendations, some of which represent significant impacts to the way taxes are collected and administered in cities and towns. The League applauds the governor for tackling the difficult issue of tax reform, but is concerned about the potential impacts to both the state and municipalities. Because the potential consequences could be detrimental to cities and towns, the League issued a Legislative Alert on the issue, which can be viewed here. The League will provide greater information and analysis in the coming weeks as more details are made available.

Monday Teleconferences

The League will continue to host a weekly teleconference to report on the status and impact of various legislative bills in the 2013 session. The calls are scheduled for Monday mornings promptly at 10:00 a.m. (except the first one will be Tuesday, January 22 at 10:00 a.m. due to the Martin Luther King, Jr. holiday). Mayors, managers and other city or town staff who are interested in legislative activities are invited to participate. Call-in numbers and a brief agenda will be sent out prior to the calls.

Legislative Bulletin

The League will electronically distribute the legislative bulletin every Friday during the legislative session. The bulletin serves as a way for the League to communicate to elected officials, staff and other interested parties about activities at the Legislature with relevance to cities and towns. This year will see a new approach to the bulletin, which will be further explained in next Friday's edition. If you know of anyone that would like to subscribe to the bulletin please have them send their name and email to league@azleague.org and request to be added to the legislative bulletin distribution list.

New Legislative Associate

Beginning on Monday, January 14, Ryan Peters will be joining the League of Arizona Cities and Towns as the newest legislative associate. Ryan previously worked for the Intergovernmental Programs Department at the city of Glendale. In addition to his knowledge of municipal issues, Ryan brings military and private sector experience to the legislative division. He will undoubtedly serve as a great advocate for cities and towns.

Legislative Intern

The League is pleased to welcome Laurie McGill as its new legislative intern for the 2013 session. Laurie is a seasoned administrative assistant with a background in health insurance and customer service. She has an undergraduate degree in sociology and is currently pursuing a master's in public policy at Arizona State University. Laurie will be assisting the League's legislative staff for the duration of the spring 2013 semester.

League Training on Legislative Engagement

On Friday January 18, from 9:00 - 11:00 am, the League will be offering a free training session on how municipal elected officials and staff can improve their effectiveness at the state Capitol. Additional information, including how to register can be found here.

Your Voice

The 2013 edition of Your Voice at the Capitol, our listing of senators and representatives, is available here. Please use this document to access your delegation. Early contact with your legislative delegation is strongly recommended in order to establish a relationship with the elected officials representing your district. Maintaining good communications with your legislators provides them with invaluable insight as to how proposed legislation may affect their communities.

Additionally, you can contact our legislative division at (602) 258-5786 or email using the information below:

René Guillen, Jr., Legislative Director: rguillen@azleague.org
Ryan Peters, Legislative Associate: rpeters@azleague.org
Dale Wiebusch, Legislative Associate: dwiebusch@azleague.org

Legislative Bulletin is published by the League of Arizona Cities and Towns.
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