From: "Friends of Transit" <friendsoftransit@qwest.net>
To: <Undisclosed-Recipient>
Subject: Lawmakers tinker with transit plan
Date: Friday, December 05, 2003 4:23 PM



Friends,
Yesterday's (12/4/03) Arizona Republic article "Lawmakers tinker with transit plan" has really struck a chord with many of our readers.  But in case you missed the article, a copy of the text is copied below.
Many of you have expressed your frustration with the legislators mentioned in the article and have asked us to provide everyone with a list of all legislators and a way in which they can contact their elected officials.  Accordingly, beneath the text of the article is a list of all the legislators and their contact information.
Keep in mind, as is the case with many stories in the media, there is more to this issue than what is written in the story.
A good website to learn more about the transportation plan is  www.maricopa2020.com
 
David Schwartz, Executive Director
* * * 
Lawmakers tinker with transit plan
Want to withhold funding for light rail, delay public vote

Pat Flannery
The Arizona Republic
Dec. 4, 2003 12:00 AM

The Valley's $15.8 billion transportation plan hit a huge pothole at the Arizona Legislature, where key lawmakers want to withhold funding for Valley-wide light rail until at least 2011 and postpone for six months a public vote on the plan's tax funding.

Rep. Gary Pierce, R-Mesa, said the changes are needed to stave off mounting opposition to the plan among Republicans in both houses. But they drew sharp criticism Wednesday from the Maricopa Association of Governments and Phoenix Mayor Skip Rimsza, who has threatened to pull Phoenix's support and tax money from the plan if lawmakers change it drastically.

"To me, it seems almost like bad faith," Rimsza told other Valley mayors assembled Wednesday for a meeting of MAG's regional council. Rimsza suggested they unite behind an effort to get Gov. Janet Napolitano involved in the negotiations, saying, "Clearly, we're going to need her support."

Napolitano was in Washington, D.C., for meetings late Wednesday and was unavailable for comment.

The transportation plan is a blueprint for the Valley's transportation future, dictating how nearly $16 billion in state and federal funds and local tax revenues will be spent if taxpayers agree to extend Maricopa County's half-cent transportation sales tax for another 20 years. Without the extension, the current tax expires in 2005. It has supplied the money to build most of the Valley's new freeways since enactment in 1985.

The new plan includes $9 billion for new freeways and improvements, $1.4 billion for major street improvements, and $5 billion to expand regional transit. Included is just over $2 billion for new light-rail routes that would augment what is supposed to be built by Phoenix and Tempe.

Legislation putting the plan and the tax extension to a public vote must be approved by lawmakers before late January in order to go on the countywide ballot in May. 

'A disappointment'
Local business leaders and MAG want the issue on the May ballot so voters focus on it and it doesn't get lost amid myriad issues on the November general election ballot.

Dennis Smith, MAG's executive director, said he expected lawmakers to put the plan on the ballot largely as crafted during more than a year of delicate negotiations among Valley cities. He called the draft legislation presented to MAG Tuesday "a disappointment," saying it ignored the unanimous wishes of local municipalities.

But Pierce doesn't think there is enough legislative support for MAG's plan without the changes, and it would require a two-thirds vote of both houses to go onto the ballot quickly. Putting the election off until November would give lawmakers more time to find votes for passage.

Delaying funding for light rail until the second phase of the plan, starting in 2011, would allow time for the initial phases of the light rail in Phoenix and Tempe to prove themselves, Pierce said. 

Stave off efforts
Although it would put $164 million in light-rail funding out of reach, Pierce thinks it would stave off efforts among some Republican lawmakers to split light-rail funding from the plan and put it to a separate public vote.

"We're afraid it won't pass at the ballot box if legitimate oversight isn't there," Pierce said. 

 

 

      House Roster
            Name 
           District 
           Party
           Email
           Room
           Phone (602)
           Fax (602)
           
            Amanda Aguirre 
           24
           D
           aaguirre@azleg.state.az.us
           332
           926-4430
           417-3024
           
            John M. Allen 
           7
           R
           jallen@azleg.state.az.us
           127
           926-3395
           417-3007
           
            Manuel V. "Manny" Alvarez 
           25
           D
           malvarez@azleg.state.az.us
           318
           926-5895
           417-3025
           
            Bill Arnold 
           12
           R
           barnold@azleg.state.az.us
           122
           926-5894
           417-3012
           
            Ray Barnes 
           7
           R
           rbarnes@azleg.state.az.us
           121
           926-5503
           417-3107
           
            Andy Biggs 
           22
           R
           abiggs@azleg.state.az.us
           307
           926-4371
           417-3022
           
            Tom Boone 
           4
           R
           tboone@azleg.state.az.us
           309
           926-3297
           417-3004
           
            David T. Bradley 
           28
           D
           dbradley@azleg.state.az.us
           337
           926-3300
           417-3028
           
            Jennifer J. Burns 
           25
           R
           jburns@azleg.state.az.us
           116
           926-5836
           417-3125
           
            Meg Burton Cahill 
           17
           D
           mbcahill@azleg.state.az.us
           333
           926-5896
           417-3017
           
            Ernest Bustamante 
           23
           D
           ebustama@azleg.state.az.us
           325
           926-5761
           417-3023
           
            Olivia Cajero Bedford 
           27
           D
           ocajerob@azleg.state.az.us
           324
           926-5835
           417-3027
           
            Ted Carpenter 
           6
           R
           tcarpent@azleg.state.az.us
           113
           926-5333
           417-3006
           
            James R. Carruthers 
           24
           R
           jcarruth@azleg.state.az.us
           302
           926-5273
           417-3124
           
            Cheryl Chase 
           23
           D
           cchase@azleg.state.az.us
           339
           926-5030
           417-3123
           
            Ken Clark 
           15
           D
           kclark@azleg.state.az.us
           316
           926-5058
           417-3015
           
            Ted Downing 
           28
           D
           tdowning@azleg.state.az.us
           334
           926-5108
           417-3128
           
            Eddie Farnsworth 
            Majority Leader 
           22
           R
           efarnswo@azleg.state.az.us
           206
           926-5735
           417-3122
           
            Jake Flake 
            Speaker of the House 
           5
           R
           jflake@azleg.state.az.us
           221
           926-5219
           417-3005
           
            Steve Gallardo 
           13
           D
           sgallard@azleg.state.az.us
           329
           926-3392
           417-3013
           
            Randy Graf 
            Majority Whip 
           30
           R
           rgraf@azleg.state.az.us
           217
           926-3235
           417-3030
           
            Chuck Gray 
           19
           R
           cdgray@azleg.state.az.us
           115
           926-5495
           417-3019
           
            Linda Gray 
           10
           R
           lgray@azleg.state.az.us
           131
           926-3376
           417-3010
           
            Deb Gullett 
           11
           R
           dgullett@azleg.state.az.us
           129
           926-5766
           417-3011
           
            Philip J. Hanson 
           9
           R
           phanson@azleg.state.az.us
           220
           926-3255
           417-3009
           
            Joe Hart 
           3
           R
           jhart@azleg.state.az.us
           303
           926-5051
           417-3003
           
            Pete Hershberger 
           26
           R
           phershbe@azleg.state.az.us
           112
           926-5839
           417-3026
           
            Carole Hubbs 
           4
           R
           chubbs@azleg.state.az.us
           111
           926-5861
           417-3104
           
            Steve Huffman 
           26
           R
           shuffman@azleg.state.az.us
           219
           926-3394
           417-3126
           
            John Huppenthal 
           20
           R
           jhuppent@azleg.state.az.us
           306
           926-5898
           417-3020
           
            Jack C. Jackson, Jr. 
           2
           D
           jkjksnjr@azleg.state.az.us
           338
           926-5160
           417-3002
           
            Clancy Jayne 
           6
           R
           cjayne@azleg.state.az.us
           128
           926-4002
           417-3106
           
            Karen S. Johnson 
           18
           R
           kjohnson@azleg.state.az.us
           222
           926-4467
           417-3018
           
            Bill Konopnicki 
           5
           R
           bkonopni@azleg.state.az.us
           110
           926-5409
           417-3105
           
            Leah Landrum Taylor 
            Assistant Minority Leader 
           16
           D
           llandrum@azleg.state.az.us
           322
           926-5864
           417-3016
           
            Sylvia Laughter 
           2
           I
           laughter@azleg.state.az.us
           312
           926-5862
           417-3102
           
            Phil Lopes 
           27
           D
           plopes@azleg.state.az.us
           331
           926-3278
           417-3127
           
            Linda Lopez 
            Minority Whip 
           29
           D
           llopez@azleg.state.az.us
           321
           926-4089
           417-3029
           
            John A. Loredo 
            Minority Leader 
           13
           D
           jloredo@azleg.state.az.us
           320
           926-5830
           417-3113
           
            Lucy Mason 
           1
           R
           lmason@azleg.state.az.us
           310
           926-5874
           417-3001
           
            Marian A. McClure 
           30
           R
           mmcclure@azleg.state.az.us
           308
           926-3312
           417-3130
           
            Debbie McCune Davis 
           14
           D
           ddavis@azleg.state.az.us
           123
           926-5412
           417-3014
           
            Robert Meza 
           14
           D
           rmeza@azleg.state.az.us
           323
           926-3425
           417-3114
           
            Ben R. Miranda 
           16
           D
           bmiranda@azleg.state.az.us
           124
           926-4893
           417-3116
           
            John B. Nelson 
           12
           R
           jnelson@azleg.state.az.us
           130
           926-5872
           417-3112
           
            Warde Nichols 
           21
           R
           wnichols@azleg.state.az.us
           117
           926-5168
           417-3021
           
            Tom O'Halleran 
           1
           R
           tohaller@azleg.state.az.us
           304
           926-4079
           417-3101
           
            Russell K. Pearce 
           18
           R
           rpearce@azleg.state.az.us
           114
           926-5760
           417-3118
           
            Gary L. Pierce 
           19
           R
           gpierce@azleg.state.az.us
           313
           926-3163
           417-3119
           
            Tom Prezelski 
           29
           D
           tprezels@azleg.state.az.us
           330
           926-3424
           417-3129
           
            Doug Quelland 
           10
           R
           dquellan@azleg.state.az.us
           342
           926-4639
           417-3110
           
            Michele Reagan 
           8
           R
           mreagan@azleg.state.az.us
           119
           926-5828
           417-3008
           
            Bob Robson 
           20
           R
           brobson@azleg.state.az.us
           218
           926-5549
           417-3120
           
            Colette Rosati 
           8
           R
           crosati@azleg.state.az.us
           341
           926-5169
           417-3108
           
            Wally Straughn 
           15
           D
           wstraugh@azleg.state.az.us
           335
           926-5829
           417-3115
           
            Bob Stump 
           9
           R
           bstump@azleg.state.az.us
           344
           926-5413
           417-3109
           
            Mark Thompson 
           17
           R
           mthompso@azleg.state.az.us
           120
           926-4225
           417-3117
           
            Stephen Tully 
           11
           R
           stully@azleg.state.az.us
           223
           926-5977
           417-3111
           
            Bill Wagner III 
           3
           R
           bwagner@azleg.state.az.us
           118
           926-5408
           417-3103
           
            Steven B. Yarbrough 
           21
           R
           syarbrou@azleg.state.az.us
           345
           926-5863
           417-3121
           

     
       
     

 

      Senator
     District
     Party
     Phone
     E-Mail
     
      AGUIRRE, Linda 
     16
     D
     926-3830
     laguirre@azleg.state.az.us
     
      ALLEN, Carolyn S. 
     8
     R
     926-4480
     callen@azleg.state.az.us
     
      ANDERSON, Mark 
     18
     R
     926-3160 
     manderso@azleg.state.az.us
     
      ARZBERGER, Marsha 
     25
     D
     926-4321
     marzberg@azleg.state.az.us
     
      BEE, Timothy S.
     30
     R
     926-5683
     tbee@azleg.state.az.us
     
      BENNETT, Ken 
     1
     R
     926-5584
     kbennett@azleg.state.az.us
     
      BINDER, Linda 
     3
     R
     926-4138 
     lbinder@azleg.state.az.us
     
      BLENDU, Robert 
     12
     R
     926-5955
     rblendu@azleg.state.az.us
     
      BROTHERTON, Bill 
     14
     D
     926-4485 
     bbrother@azleg.state.az.us
     
      BROWN, Jack A. 
     5
     D
     926-4129
     jbrown@azleg.state.az.us
     
      BURNS, Robert "Bob" 
     9
     R
     926-5993
     rburns@azleg.state.az.us
     
      CANNELL, Robert
     24
     D 
     926-4139 
     rcannell@azleg.state.az.us
     
      CHEUVRONT, Ken
     15
     D
     926-5325
     kcheuvro@azleg.state.az.us
     
      GARCIA, Jorge Luis 
     27
     D
     926-4171
     jgarcia@azleg.state.az.us
     
      GIFFORDS, Gabrielle 
     28
     D 
     926-5262
     ggifford@azleg.state.az.us
     
      HARPER, Jack W. 
     4
     R
     926-4178
     jharper@azleg.state.az.us
     
      HELLON, Toni
     26
     R 
     926-4326
     thellon@azleg.state.az.us
     
      JACKSON, Jack C., Sr. 
     2
     D
     926-4323 
     jjackson@azleg.state.az.us
     
      JARRETT, Marilyn 
     19
     R
     926-5288
     mjarrett@azleg.state.az.us
     
      LEFF, Barbara 
     11
     R
     926-4486
     bleff@azleg.state.az.us
     
      MARTIN, Dean
     6
     R
     926-5284
     dmartin@azleg.state.az.us
     
      MEAD, Slade 
     20
     R
     926-5261
     smead@azleg.state.az.us
     
      MIRANDA, Richard 
     13
     D
     926-5911
     rmiranda@azleg.state.az.us
     
      MITCHELL, Harry E.
     17
     D
     926-4124 
     hmitchel@azleg.state.az.us
     
      RIOS, Pete
     23
     D
     926-5685
     prios@azleg.state.az.us
     
      TIBSHRAENY, Jay 
     21
     R 
     926-4481
     jtibshra@azleg.state.az.us
     
      SOLTERO, Victor
     29
     D
     542-5342 
     vsoltero@azleg.state.az.us
     
      VERSCHOOR, Thayer 
     22
     R
     926-4136
     tverscho@azleg.state.az.us
     
      WARING, Jim 
     7
     R
     926-4916
     jwaring@azleg.state.az.us
     
      WEIERS, Jim 
     10
     R
     926- 4173 
     jweiers@azleg.state.az.us