DFA-MC » Initiatives

AZ Legislature to Put Anti-Health Care Bill back on the Ballot

Webstaff — Tue, 03 Mar 2009 14:39:33 +0000

A bill to change the AZ Constitution to prevent health care changes such as Universal Health Care in Arizona may be back on the ballot. A form of the 2008 Prop 101 is being discussed on March 4 in the House health committee. This promotes for profit health care.

Come to the DFA-MC meeting Wednesday, March 4 and learn about single-payer health care from Dr. Jonathan Weisbuch. This is the health care system that the AZ legislature is trying to prevent but Jon Conyers, Raul Grijalva and others have proposed in HR 676 in the U.S. House of Representatives.

El Penasco Restaurant, 19 Broadway, Tempe, 85082; 6:30 pm.

Go to the March4Schools and then come to the meeting.

Sunset Due For Predatory Lendors

Webstaff — Wed, 19 Mar 2008 20:55:32 +0000

Andrea Dalessandro, Candidate for LD 30 House, has written an excellent opinion piece on the Stop Payday Loans initiative:

In 2000, many legislators were hoodwinked into allowing payday loans in Arizona. The law is set to expire, or “sunset,” in 2010 but Senate Bill 1239 seeks to postpone the ban until 2012. The leadership of the Legislature is attempting to delay solving the problem.

Payday loans are legalized loan sharking with fees that equal interest of 400 percent to 500 percent a year. My ethical, moral and economic values tell me that payday loans are not a reasonable credit option. If you are not sure about that, do a Google search for the word “usury.”

…Payday loans are predatory lending at its worst and take advantage of working people with limited resources. Seniors and the disabled are emerging as the new targeted customers, according to a Feb. 12 article in The Wall Street Journal.

For more information please visit the Stop Payday Predators Web site at http://www.stoppaydaypredators.com.

Phoenix Initiative to Improve Parks and Preserves

Webstaff — Mon, 17 Mar 2008 20:14:42 +0000

Phoenix voters will be asked to vote for continuing improvements in their parks and mountain preserves, without an increase in taxes.

The initiative, known as the Phoenix Parks and Preserves Initiative (PPPI), will be Proposition A in the city election on Tuesday, May 20. It will be paid for by extending the 0.1 % sales tax that was passed by voters in 1999 with an 80% approval.

Additional details can be found at www.phxparks.com. Last day to register for new voters is April 21.

The undersigned is a member of the Board of the Phoenix Parks and Conservation Foundation, which is one of many organizations and individuals supporting the initiative to improve the quality of life in Phoenix.

- Hal Stahl, Member DFA-MC