Wake-Up Call: Friday, August 15, 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.

Arizona is one of most electorally competitive states this fall

Nearly half of the state's eight congressional districts are listed as being among the most competitive in the country this fall, a new Politicker.com analysis shows.

The Pindell Report, which launched today, shows that only much larger states like Pennsylvania, New York, Illinois and Florida have more competitive House elections. Even California just has two races that are competitive. (PolitickerAZ.com, Staff)

Link: http://www.politickeraz.com/editoraz/1859/arizona-one-most-electorally-c...

Titla touts strong Native support

Mary Kim Titla has raised over $100,000 from Native American tribes in Arizona and nationwide, according to a statement put out by the campaign Thursday. (PolitickerAZ.com, Evan Brown)

Link: http://www.politickeraz.com/evanbrown/1884/titla-touts-strong-native-sup...

Resident asks city to charge Sen. Obama for logo

Barack Obama probably never set foot in Chandler but resident Michael Rivera said the presidential candidate appears to be copying the city's logo.

Both logos are round with a big white spot in the middle and some curvy lines. Chandler's, registered as a trademark in 1993 and used since 1984, symbolizes a growing urban area between the Santan Mountains and farm fields within the letter "C," said city spokeswoman Jane Poston. Obama's blue "O" with curving red stripes and white center is said to represent America's farmland at sunrise in flag colors. (Arizona Republic, Edythe Jensen)

Link: http://www.azcentral.com/news/articles/2008/08/14/20080814cr-obama0815.h...

School redistricting panel cancels ballot-issue forums

Public forums scheduled across Arizona to inform voters about school district unification, which will be on the Nov. 4 ballots, have been canceled.

Marty Shultz, School District Redistricting Commission chairman, said he dropped the forums, including one planned for Sept. 9 at Estrella Mountain Community College, because grassroots campaign efforts about unification increased. (Arizona Republic, Betty Reid)

Link: http://www.azcentral.com/news/articles/2008/08/15/20080815redistrict0815...

Dist. 17 now has more Democrats than Republicans

Arizona Legislative District 17 never was a Republican stronghold, but the party always held an advantage on the voter rolls. Not anymore. (East Valley Tribune, Mike Branom)

Link: http://www.eastvalleytribune.com/story/123158

Initiative on health care will be on ballot after all

PHOENIX — Arizonans will get to decide in November whether they want to block the state from imposing a universal health-care program, after all.

Maricopa County Superior Court Judge Mark Aceto ruled Thursday that 22 signatures originally declared invalid on the petitions for Proposition 101 should be counted. The 22 were from a random sample of 5 percent of all names checked by the Maricopa County Recorder's Office. (Daily Star, Howard Fischer)

Link: http://www.azstarnet.com/sn/politics/252899.php

UA, ASU get OK for solar energy effort

FLAGSTAFF — Researchers at the UA and ASU are hoping seed money from state tax dollars will help transform Arizona into an industry leader in solar energy research and policy. (Daily Star, Aaron Mackey)

Link: http://www.azstarnet.com/sn/metro/252881.php

Carroll goes hybrid, ditches his gas hog

Pima County Supervisor Ray Carroll has traded in his gas guzzler and gone over to the green side.

The Arizona Daily Star reported in May that Carroll's Dodge Ram pickup truck, with just 17 miles to the gallon on the highway, got the worst gas mileage of any vehicle driven by a City Council member or county supervisor. (Daily Star, Erica Meltzer)

Link: http://www.azstarnet.com/sn/metro/252869.php

State, schools cut deal on English learners

Sunnyside and Tucson unified school districts will only partially comply with a state mandate they've vehemently disagreed with to segregate students not proficient in English into four hours a day of English immersion this school year. (Tucson Citizen, Mary Bustamante)

Link: http://www.tucsoncitizen.com/ss/local/93811.php

Denogean: Tribes: Snuff the butts at casinos

The Navajo Nation recently came close to doing the right thing and beginning a smoking ban in all public areas, including its future casinos.

It was close, but no cigar, as concern for casino profits took precedence over tribal health, as has been true with nearly every tribe that enters into the gaming business. (Tucson Citizen, Anne Denogean)

Link:  http://www.tucsoncitizen.com/ss/local/93805.php

School board candidates caught in paperwork mix-up

Four school board candidates pounded the hot pavement collecting hundreds of signatures, all so they could get on the Nov. 4 ballot for an unpaid public position.

Then a bureaucrat told them they had the wrong form and would need to start over. (Arizona Republic, Ray Parker)

Link: http://www.azcentral.com/news/articles/2008/08/14/20080814cr-boardsnafu0...

Surveys offer mixed views on Scottsdale issues

Scottsdale voters will go to the polls Sept. 2 to pick a mayor and three council members.

But they will also express themselves on Scottsdale growth and the contentious issue of building height and density within the community. (Arizona Republic, Peter Corebett)

Link: http://www.azcentral.com/news/articles/2008/08/14/20080814sr-biz0815real...

Aug. 23 forum slated for Coconino County voters

The two Democrats vying to represent the northern and western parts of Coconino County on the county's top governing board are scheduled to respond to questions from voters on Saturday, Aug. 23. (Arizona Daily Sun, Staff)

Link: http://www.azdailysun.com/articles/2008/08/14/news/local/20080814_local_...

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.