Education decisions are among the most important choices people ever make. So we were surprised and disappointed to see an article so loosely reasoned and reckless in its conclusions as “Five Reasons to Skip College” published in Blank Slate at Forbes.com on April 18, 2006. The article never provides a numerical assessment of the costs and benefits of going to college, uses statistics inappropriately and in a way that biases the conclusions against college, contains conceptual errors on how to evaluate the return on a college education, and greatly exaggerates the only substantive criticism of typical evaluations of the financial worth of a college degree.

Discusses the results of the 2010 decennial census for Arizona, with comparisons to the nation and other states, and for Arizona counties and places. Changes between 2000 and 2010 are included. In addition to the total population, the population living in households, and the population living in group quarters, the following topics are discussed: household type, race and ethnicity, age, housing units and vacancies, and homeownership. The data are available in two accompanying Excel files.

Volume I: Facts
Analyses of Arizona state government finance, using data of the Arizona Joint Legislative Budget Committee, and of the combined finances of all state and local governments within Arizona, using data of the U.S. Census Bureau. A historical perspective is provided for both datasets. For combined state and local government finance, comparisons are made to other states and to the national average. In addition, other measures of the tax burden by state are examined.

Volume II: Concepts and Issues
Addresses the conceptual and empirical relationships between taxes, government revenue, and economic growth. Also discusses current issues specific to Arizona state government finance. This is a revised version of the report "Tax Reductions, the Economy, and the Deficit in the Arizona State Government General Fund," incorporating new and updated material.

Volume III: Options for Managing the Arizona State General Fund
Presents options and offers recommendations for managing the Arizona state government general fund. The near-term budget deficit is addressed as well as ways to prevent budget deficits from recurring every time economic growth slows.

The Arizona Injury Surveillance and Prevention Plan establishes objectives and proposes strategic actions to avoid injury. The actions proposed are based on the knowledge that many seemingly accidental injuries could have been prevented by taking precautions, avoiding unnecessary risks, and/or enacting and enforcing laws such as drunk driving laws or seat belt laws.

The Department provides a wide array of public health prevention and preparedness related services including medical and childcare licensing, the State Public Health Laboratory, the State Hospital for psychiatric care, and a system around administering behavioral health services for the Medicaid population. All ADHS programs focus on incorporating evidence-based practices, building in more e-business solutions, and continuous quality improvement.

The Arizona Department of Health Services offers a vast array of programs that benefit every state resident and visitor. I like to remind people that we are with you from birth to death. In fact, we provide certificates for both events through our Office of Vital Records. If you drink the water, eat the food, require hospital or nursing home care or use a child care facility, the Arizona Department of Health Services has touched your life in some important way. Assuring the quality of our food and water, setting standards for hospitals and nursing home and child care, maintaining the State’s vital records, screening newborns for genetic diseases, protecting the public from disease and overseeing the state’s mental health system and Arizona State Hospital are just some of the duties of the Arizona Department of Health Services.