This report represent the efforts of the Commission since its reactivation under a new mandate in May of 1994. The goal of this work group is to develop policies and programs that will facilitate the growth of minority applicants seeking appointments as judges, commissioners, judges pro tempore, special masters, clerkships, and internships.

This report is a result of the "2002 Equitable Treatment of Minority Youth" report produced by the Arizona Supreme Court Commission on Minorities in the Judiciary. One of the recommendations issued in that report was to create an annual report card to assess progress on the reduction of over-representation of minority youth in the juvenile justice system. The decision has been modified to produce a report card every other year. The first report serves as a baseline for the second, third and fourth report cards. The intent is to illustrate the current situation, provide a basis for future comparison, highlight areas of special concern and compare these results with the prior report card.

The purpose of this handbook is to promote appropriate, consistent, and timely evaluations of compliance and initiation of enforcement by the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality. This handbook describes a uniform system for pursuing and escalating enforcement. It serves as a road map for new ADEQ compliance and enforcement staff, and a desk reference for those with more experience. It also provides guidance to those local authorities that have undertaken compliance and enforcement responsibilities through a delegation agreement with ADEQ. All of the concepts within ADEQ’s Compliance and Enforcement Policy, along with a number of other ADEQ compliance and enforcement related policies, have been incorporated into this handbook either explicitly or through the development of boilerplate.

This handbook describes the fleet station permitting process, the types of permits and inspector licenses that are issued, required inspection equipment and equipment maintenance, inspection procedures for specific classes of vehicles, and record keeping procedures. The handbook was developed from laws and regulations found in Arizona Revised Statutes Title 49, Chapter 3, Article 5, and Arizona Administrative Code, Title 18, Chapter 2, Article 10.

This handbook describes the fleet emissions inspection station requirements for all entities other than licensed motor vehicle dealers. Contained within are: Summarizations of the fleet emissions inspection station permitting and inspector licensing processes; lists of required inspection equipment and equipment maintenance/calibration standards; inspection procedures for specific classes of vehicles; record keeping procedures. The handbook was developed from laws and regulations found in Arizona Revised Statutes Title 49, Chapter 3, Article 5, and Arizona Administrative Code, Title 18, Chapter 2, Article 10.

This handbook describes the requirements for a licensed motor vehicle dealer to operate a fleet emissions inspection station. Contained within are: Summarizations of the fleet emissions inspection station permitting and inspector licensing processes; lists of required inspection equipment and equipment maintenance/calibration standards; inspection procedures for specific classes of vehicles; record keeping procedures. The inspection procedures outlined in this handbook apply to vehicles specifically held for retail sale. Vehicles other than those held for retail sale (parts truck, courtesy van, loaner vehicle) must be inspected at an official state emissions inspection station. Because dealers typically do not own the required equipment and apply for a permit to inspect diesel powered vehicles, this handbook does not address their inspection. The handbook was developed from laws and regulations found in Arizona Revised Statutes Title 49, Chapter 3, Article 5, and Arizona Administrative Code, Title 18, Chapter 2, Article 10.

In March 2000, Governor Jane Hull convened the Brown Cloud Summit to examine methods to improve visibility in the Phoenix Metropolitan Area. As part of this Summit, a Visibility Standards Subcommittee was established to recommend methods for measuring visible air quality and tracking improvements in visible air quality over time. Based on its research, the Visibility Standards Subcommittee recommended that a visibility index be established through a public survey process representative of a cross-section of residents. Acting on the recommendation, ADEQ established the Visibility Index Oversight Committee. The Committee’s goal was to coordinate the involvement of Phoenix-area residents in the development of a visibility index.

For those interested in one of the most extreme state tax and expenditure limitations, TABOR – Colorado’s initiative that limits the funding of most expenditures to annual revenue growth restrained by the sum of annual population growth and inflation rates – would seem to be exactly the right choice. To some, the initiative simply limits government to spend within its means. However, the analysis in this paper reveals that, true to the language in the 1992 Colorado initiative, TABOR limits government growth, and over time the public sector, as a share of the overall economy, declines sharply – crowding out opportunities for investments in strategic initiatives or opportunities for tax reform that may be popular with large voter constituencies or the business community. Advocates point out that provisions in TABOR do allow for voter overrides, but these are costly in both time and money, and until the overrides take place, government is
hamstrung. A simpler, more efficient alternative would be to elect fiscally conservative legislators and hold them accountable for prudent fiscal decisions that strike the right balance between a tax base conductive to economic growth and strategic investments that provide public sector infrastructure, nurturing the business climate and promoting the health and well-being of the citizenry. The paper first outlines the TABOR amendment in Colorado and examines its fiscal consequences for that state. It then examines the potential impact of a TABOR in Arizona.

The condition of Arizona’s infrastructure has a direct impact on economic productivity and quality of life. As economic competition expands domestically and globally, and as the knowledge economy evolves, the importance of a strong infrastructure increases. Education, in particular, is of growing importance. Arizona’s infrastructure challenges will require commitment and creativity to meet the needs and potential of 10 million people and to ensure a positive future for the state.