Wake-Up Call: Monday, August 4, 2008

With the PolitickerAZ.com Wake-Up Call e-mailed to your inbox, phone, Blackberry or PDA first thing in the morning, you can get a rundown of Arizona's top political headlines. Sign up to get the Wake-Up Call delivered every morning.

With the PolitickerAZ.com Wake-Up Call e-mailed to your inbox, phone, Blackberry or PDA first thing in the morning, you can get a rundown of Arizona's top political headlines. Sign up to get the Wake-Up Call delivered every morning.

Deadline today to register to vote in Sept. 2 primary

The deadline to register to vote in the Sept. 2 primary election is tonight at midnight.

Every registered voter, including independents, can vote in the primary. (Daily Star, Staff)

Link: http://www.azstarnet.com/sn/politics/251160.php

Pinal Republicans seek foothold in newly open supervisor seats

Pinal County has been run by a three-person Board of Supervisors since 1911.

In that time, only Democrats have held those three positions.

But with two long-standing incumbents stepping down in the fall, Pinal County Republicans feel their time has come to wrest control of the board. (Daily Star, Brian Pederson)

Link: http://www.azstarnet.com/sn/metro/251169.php

Districts see few to fill governing board seats

Just three days before the filing deadline, 23 of the 57 school districts in Maricopa County do not have any governing-board candidates for the Nov. 4 election.

In addition, some districts have candidates but not enough to fill all available board seats. As of Sunday, only 56 candidates had filed for the 165 open board seats. The deadline to file for candidacy is 5 p.m. Wednesday with the Maricopa County School Superintendent's Office. (Arizona Republic, Meghan Moravcik)

Link: http://www.azcentral.com/news/articles/2008/08/04/20080804deadline0804.h...

Town removes 260 outlaw campaign signs

Code-compliance officials snatched up more than 260 campaign signs that were found to be in violation of town regulations.

The removal efforts took place Wednesday and Thursday. Code officials planned to hit some small pockets in south Gilbert on Friday to confiscate remaining outlaw signs, said Adam Adams, Gilbert code compliance administrator. (Arizona Republic, Mike Walbert)

Link: http://www.azcentral.com/news/articles/2008/08/04/20080804evsigns0804.ht...

Solar power plant stalled by presidential candidates

PHOENIX -- The future of the world's largest solar power plant planned for the Arizona desert could depend on whether the two presidential candidates manage to get back to Washington. (Daily Sun, Howard Fischer)

Link: http://www.azdailysun.com/articles/2008/08/03/news/state/20080803_arizo_...

What 2004 ballot promised, what we got aren't the same

Pima County has switched $48 million — more than 15 percent of the 2004 bond funds spent so far — away from the projects approved by voters to projects deemed more important by the county staff. (Daily Star, Erica Meltzer)

Link: http://www.azstarnet.com/sn/metro/251034.php

Political Notebook by Daniel Scarpinato : The old McCain place can be yours for $12M

So, John McCain might be trying to liken Barack Obama to celebrities like Britney Spears and Paris Hilton in a new TV ad, but our Arizona senator is the one whose former home is being listed as a celebrity property. (Daily Star, Daniel Scarpinato)

Link: http://www.azstarnet.com/sn/metro/251079.php

Bee spot on leadership open to interpretation

The ad: A 30-spot for Republican Tim Bee.

The race: Congressional District 8, where Bee is challenging incumbent Democrat Gabrielle Giffords.

The medium: Television.

The message: "Tim Bee. A reputation for effectiveness," an announcer says. "Putting taxpayers and common sense first." (Daily Star, Daniel Scarpinato)

Link: http://www.azstarnet.com/sn/metro/251058.php

Valadez is reliable, knows territory

Ramón Valadez has a solid, 12-year record of public service to Southern Arizona. He is a lifelong Tucsonan who has an intimate understanding of local issues and, more importantly, has the political knowledge necessary to enact good public policy. (Daily Star, Staff)

Link: http://www.azstarnet.com/sn/politics/250897.php

Backers face trouble with ballot initiatives

Too many proposals and not enough time are adding up to heartburn for backers of several state ballot initiatives.

Some of the proposals that supporters hope to put before voters this November are chalking up higher-than-normal error rates, potentially imperiling their chances of getting on the ballot. (Arizona Republic, Mary Jo Pitzl)

Link: http://www.azcentral.com/news/articles/2008/08/03/20080803ballot0803.htm...

Campaign drive calls Pearce embarrassment to party

The rhetoric is getting bitter on blogs, campaign signs and now on YouTube. A new campaign advertisement labels veteran state Rep. Russell Pearce of Mesa an embarrassment to the Republican Party in the run-up to the hotly contested District 18 Senate race against political rookie Kevin Gibbons. (East Valley Tribune, Sonu Munshi)

Link: http://www.eastvalleytribune.com/story/122245

School boards elections lineup taking shape

Three open seats on the governing board of the Chandler Unified School District will be decided during the Nov. 4 election. So far, two challengers have filed paperwork to run, and two incumbents say they will. (Arizona Republic, Ray Parker)

Link: http://www.azcentral.com/news/articles/2008/08/02/20080802cr-skulelect08...

State judge orders new description of tax increase

PHOENIX -- A state judge late Friday ordered that description of a proposed tax hike for transit projects be rewritten to exclude a calculation of how much the levy will increase. (Daily Sun, Howard Fischer)

Link: http://www.azdailysun.com/articles/2008/08/02/news/state/20080802_arizo_...

Ex-councilman denies embezzling from fraternity

Former Tucson City Councilman Brent Davis is scheduled for arraignment Wednesday on an embezzlement charge stemming from his involvement in the sale of a fraternity house on the University of Arizona campus. (Tucson Citizen, Blake Morlock)

Link: http://www.tucsoncitizen.com/ss/local/92620.php

Higgins' focus on economics

Joe Higgins is challenging incumbent Republican District 1 Supervisor Ann Day in the party's September primary election.

Higgins, a self-described "entrepreneur," has run several small businesses and is the chairman of the Tucson Small Business Commission. (Tucson Citizen, Garry Duffy)

Link: http://www.tucsoncitizen.com/ss/local/92619.php

With the PolitickerAZ.com Wake-Up Call e-mailed to your inbox, phone, Blackberry or PDA first thing in the morning, you can get a rundown of Arizona's top political headlines. Sign up to get the Wake-Up Call delivered every morning.