Last Week This Morning: Yes, casitas in your backyard!

Republicans blame losses on Big Tech, rather than unpopular opinions. MAGA lawmakers, joined by failed gubernatorial candidate Kari Lake, held yet another meeting at the #AZLEG to push their election denialism lies and conspiracy theories instead of doing something useful. One of the speakers even blamed the GOP’s losses on Google “mind-control machines”. State Rep. Cesar Aguilar correctly called his far-right colleagues out, saying that they should support policies that are more popular with Arizona voters if they want to perform better. Notably, Kari Lake’s anti-abortion position is out of line with the majority of Arizonans, and she lost her race in 2022.

 

Tom Horne attacks local schools, again. After threatening to withhold funds, Tom Horne is now wasting taxpayer money with a lawsuit to ban research-backed dual-language programs for English-learners, forcing English-only instruction. Though these programs are approved by the State and are shown to be beneficial to student wellbeing, Horne’s agenda is based in bigotry and not what is best for students. During his prior term, Horne was behind a racist ban on ethnic studies electives, which a judge later found to be unconstitutional.

Yes, casitas in your backyard! The Phoenix City Council has voted to allow homeowners to legally build accessory dwelling units, commonly referred to as casitas, in their backyards. This action will help to expand affordable housing options in the Valley, and is intended to benefit long-term renters like college students and older family members. Many Phoenix residents voiced their support, but some shared concerns about the city’s ability to enforce regulations around short-term rentals. Currently, a law signed by former Governor Doug Ducey preempts cities, towns, and counties from restricting short-term rentals. But many municipalities, including Phoenix, plan to advocate for more local government control next session.

 

 

Disinfo a top threat. During a recent interview on The Gaggle podcast, Secretary of State Adrian Fontes said “the greatest obstacle [to a free and fair election next year] is the proliferation of mis and disinformation” and named them as “insidious forms of voter suppression”. We couldn’t agree more!

 

 

 

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ICYMI: Tell your lawmaker how you feel about their 2023 Progress Score. During this critical time in our state, the Progress Scorecard helps Arizonans hold their lawmakers accountable for their votes this past session. Let your lawmakers know how you feel about their scores!