Sometimes it’s good to stop and reflect on where you are and how far you’ve come. Despite those who still support extremism, our country has gone from the brink of hatred, division and chaos to a civilized, tolerant and stable country in less than two and a half years. I was. A quick glance at the headlines on Saturday, June 3 should comfort those who believe we can form a “more perfect union.” I used the headlines to identify four broad categories: Justice, Respect, Progress and Inclusion. Justice: A Republican attempt to outlaw early voting in Arizona failed, with the Jan. 6 mob sentenced to prison and a former president issued a subpoena. Respect: US military bases are getting rid of Confederate namesake. Progress: U.S. employers added 339,000 jobs in May, and President Joe Biden is set to sign a debt relief agreement today. What it’s about: Governor Hobbs raises the pride flag at the Arizona State Capitol. We have come a long way in a short time.

Mining in Arizona and the rest of the country is regulated by the Mining Act, which has not been substantially amended since 1872. It is time for that law to be introduced into his 21st century.

Recently, Rep. Raul Grijalva (Arizona) and Sen. Martin Heinrich (New Mexico) introduced legislation to modernize mining regulations.

Some of the key reforms that the proposed bill accomplishes include:

• Prioritize non-mining land use, including protection of sensitive areas.
• Requires consultation with tribes and other affected communities before exploration begins.
• Requires companies to fund mine cleanup.
• Establish royalties on extracted minerals, similar to what oil and gas companies pay.

We need reasonable and environmentally responsible laws to regulate mining – laws that protect water and wildlife habitat and manage toxic waste.

Contact US elected officials to request their support for the Clean Energy Minerals Reform Act.

Re: June 1 article “School voucher costs for Arizona taxpayers reach up to $900 million annually. “

surprise! surprise! Arizona taxpayers will pay $900 million in education vouchers next year, 63% over budget. The floodgates for voucher money are wide open as public schools continue to lose funding.

Today’s Vouchers (ESA) serve the original purpose and mission of allowing taxpayer funds to enable underprivileged children and children with special needs to attend private and religious schools. are very different. Currently, 75% of vouchers are offered to students who were enrolled in private, commercial or religious schools. I suspect that many of these students have little or no financial need and most of them are not students with special needs.

To add more insult to this budget bust, public education superintendent Tom Horn has become a cheerleader for subsidies to wealthy private and religious schools, all at the expense of Arizona taxpayers. is done in Mr. Horn is neither an advocate nor a promoter of the Arizona Board of Education’s mission to foster excellence in public education. The systematic diversion of funds to public education continues.

Re: June 4th lettertransgender. “

A letter in which the author stated that transgender women are “not quite women.” The author acknowledges that trans women are in social settings, but she says they should be kept out of “biologically sensitive areas” such as sports and toilets. I wonder if they checked how “separate but equal” played out in the history books.

Trans women are women too. full stop. They belong everywhere: women’s restrooms, women’s sports, sorority. There is no risk of a cisgender woman sharing a bathroom with a trans woman. Celebrating LGBTQ+ Pride Month in June and as lawmakers across the country continue to pass hostile and transphobic legislation, it is more than ever to reaffirm the right of transgender people to be recognized like everyone else. has become important to

I have received endorsement for the incumbent on the Tucson City Council from the esteemed Congressman Raul Grijalva. Less surprisingly, Grijalva is disappointed that incumbent Lane Santacruz has shown a lack of leadership, interest and engagement during his first and hopefully final term in the First District constituency. . Mr. Grijalva has built a tremendous reputation within our community as a Pima County Supervisor since his time on the TUSD Board and for the last few years as a member of the Southern Arizona House of Representatives. But Grijalva should leave the issue alone and not reward the incumbent for his support. Especially when it’s clear that Miguel Ortega’s challenge for a seat on the Santa Cruz City Council brings the kind of dedication and passion that Grijalva has shown for decades. I urge the voters of Tucson 1st District to stand with Ortega and restore true representation and leadership to the South and West.