Of the People....

...for the people, by the people.

The vote Tuesday by the people of Arizona to accept a temporary increase to the sales tax is a significant event. Public schools and public safety organizations have avoided larger cuts that would have been devastating to their services.

I have been struck throughout this process by the Republican legislative leadership's disregard of their constitutional duty. Specifically, Article XI,Section 10 of the Arizona Constitution states, "...the legislature shall make such appropriations, to be met by taxation, as shall insure the appropriate maintenance of all state educational institutions, and shall make such special appropriations as shall provide for their development and improvement."

The Republican legislative leaders did not show the courage to increase revenues to fulfill this duty. Instead, they enacted more than 250 bills that tended to reflect individual agendas that do little or nothing to improve the future of Arizona. Case in point: there were no jobs bills among those transmitted to the Governor to sign. For all the hand wringing over the state's fiscal situation, there was no bill sent up that was designed to promote state growth through jobs creation. This legislative session reflected the short-sightedness of the Republicans in charge rather than the visionary leadership that is needed to take Arizona out of this recession and build for the future.

Lucky for us, the people of Arizona know what is important -- education and public safety. Thank you to the voters for providing a clear-cut direction -- and a message to those seeking to lead in these tumultuous times.