AZ State Legislators + Business Leaders Return From Mexico Trip

Hamer Times:
1 Wrap-up from Mexico (Vol. 1): The World’s Most Consequential Trade Bloc
Posted on August 28, 2017 by Glenn Hamer 
2 Mexico trip wrap-up Vol. 2 – “What’s good for Arizona is good for Mexico”
Posted on August 29, 2017 by Glenn Hammer
Glenn Hamer returned Saturday from a visit to Mexico City that provided a large, bipartisan delegation of Arizona legislators and business community representatives an insider’s view of the Arizona-Mexico relationship and the gravity of the ongoing renegotiations of the North American Free Trade Agreement.
Link > http://www.azchamber.com/blog

1. Here are his takeaways from an outstanding trip (with more to come):
Twenty-six Arizona legislators – possibly the largest state delegation of lawmakers ever to visit Mexico City at the same time – Corporation Commissioner Andy Tobin and business leaders were promoting increased trade, and stronger educational and cultural ties between Arizona and our southern neighbor.
Kudos to Rep. Tony Rivero and his co-chair Rep. Gabaldón for pulling this off.A recurring theme of the trip was the importance of building on the prosperity of the North American economic bloc, and doing so in a way that’s a win-win-win for the United States, Mexico and Canada. Trade, despite the president’s rhetoric to the contrary, is not a zero-sum game. We can all grow and prosper. It’s about addition, not subtraction.
In addition to being our friend, Mexico is far and away Arizona’s largest trading partner. In fact, we trade more with Mexico than with our next four trading partners combined.

• About 40 percent of our exports go to Mexico.
• Approximately 100,000 Arizona jobs depend on trade with Mexico.
• Mexican visitors to Arizona spend over $7 million every day sleeping in our world-class hotels, eating in our restaurants, attending our sporting events, and shopping in our stores.
• Critical sectors of Arizona’s economy like tourism, mining, aerospace and semiconductors all enjoy a rich integrated relationship.
• Supply chains are developing in new areas, such as the modern auto industry.
• And a positive relationship with Mexico is important for Arizona to navigate its future water needs.

While the entire US economy generally would suffer were NAFTA to be dismantled – 14 million jobs, after all are tied to trade with Mexico and Canada – Arizona, as a border state, would get hit hard. The integration and increased trading volumes that have occurred in the past nearly 25 years are spectacular

2. More from Glenn Hamer on his recent participation in a historic bipartisan trade delegation to Mexico:

Our delegation met with Mexican Foreign Minister Luis Videgaray, who is leading the NAFTA talks for Mexico.

He could not have been any warmer in his desire to trade more with Arizona and he reiterated to our group how Arizona’s success is good for Mexico.

He also made clear of the stakes:

If the president were to terminate NAFTA, tariffs for US exports, such as milk and apples, would go from zero to double digits. That would mean the loss of US agribusiness jobs and higher prices for Mexican consumers; both bad outcomes. Instead of the win-win with trade, we would immediately feel the effects of a lose-lose.

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About Glenn Hamer

Glenn Hamer is the president and CEO of the Arizona Chamber of Commerce and Industry. View all posts by Glenn Hamer → 

Residential Rental Property Owners: A REMINDER about TPT

ADOR Reminding Residential Rental Property Owners To Obtain A Transaction Privilege Tax License

Property Management Companies also being advised of changes in licensing requirements.

The Arizona Department of Revenue (ADOR) is reminding property owners, who rent out residences in a city or town that levies transaction privilege tax (TPT) on residential rental activity, are required to obtain a TPT license with ADOR.

Also, property owners, who rent out residences for periods of less than 30 days, must have a TPT license and report and remit TPT under the transient lodging classification for State, County and City.

The Arizona Department of Revenue is the single point of central administration and collection of state and city taxes for all taxable businesses, including residential rental owners in the state. Owners of taxable residential rental properties are required to file one TPT return for all taxing jurisdictions with ADOR.

Residential rental owners can get license application forms, tax forms and other information regarding residential rental taxation from the ADOR website, www.azdor.gov. To file and pay taxes online, which is required for any taxpayer that has more than one taxable property, register for an account at www.AZTaxes.gov.

ADOR has a special hotline and dedicated email for residential rental taxpayers with questions about transaction privilege tax filing and payment. A residential rental owner can direct all TPT inquiries to: residentialrental@azdor.gov or by calling: 602-716-RENT (7368).

 Property Management Companies

The Arizona Department of Revenue is also reminding Property Management Companies (PMCs) to make sure their clients are properly licensed for TPT.

Additionally, the Agency is advising PMCs of the following licensing and filing changes:

• PMCs will no longer need a TPT license for filing residential rental TPT on behalf of their clients. PMCs that own taxable residential rental properties will still maintain their TPT licenses. 
• ADOR is currently working on a new electronic bulk upload function that will improve the filing process for Property Management Companies.
• The Arizona Department of Revenue is targeting January 2018 to have the new electronic licensing and filing functionality for customers.

 For more information on the TPT, please go to: https://www.azdor.gov/

Just saying THANK YOU, Dear Readers



 



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YOU CAN START ME UP ANY TIME YOU WANT   

Arpaio Pardon Doesn't Mean Conviction Just Goes Away

Arpaio Pardon Doesn't Mean Conviction Just Goes Away 

The judge ruled that he will have to hold a hearing before deciding to toss - or not toss - the former sheriff's conviction.   

By Colin Miner (Patch Staff) - Updated 30.08.2017 @ 3:02 am ET

Former Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio may have been handed a very unusual pardon by President Trump but that doesn't mean his conviction for criminal contempt automatically goes away.

That was the ruling from federal Judge Susan Bolton on Tuesday.
Arpaio's lawyers, pardon in hand, had asked Bolton to vacate the former sheriff's conviction.
Arpaio had been convicted of ignoring a judge's ruling to stop immigration patrols that had been found to violate the civil rights of people picked up.
While Arpaio originally boasted of ignoring the judge's order, at trial, he maintained that the order had been vague and didn't intentionally disregard it.
Arpaio had been facing six months in prison when sentenced on Oct. 5.

Bolton canceled that sentencing and, instead, scheduled a hearing for the day before about whether Arpaio's conviction should be thrown out.

Source: https://patch.com/arizona/phoenix

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Also take a look at another report by Colin Miner yesterday

Joe Arpaio Pardon Roils Arizona Politics As Former Sheriff Shows No Remorse, Threatens McCain

     

"It's probably payback time," the once-convicted former sheriff said of John McCain, the state's senior senator who is battling brain cancer

Link > https://patch.com/arizona/phoenix/joe-arpaio

 

While presidential pardons usually come after the judicial process runs its course, an application is made and remorse is shown, none of those were the case with the Arpaio pardon.
(For more local news, subscribe to the Phoenix Patch to receive daily newsletters and breaking news alerts. For more information and updates on this and other political stories, subscribe to the White House Patch.)
The former sheriff - who was overwhelmingly voted out of office last year and who once compared his tent city prison to a "concentration camp" - has not only shown no remorse, he has said he plans to go after people, with McCain just being one of his targets. . .
Meanwhile, the state's junior senator - Jeff Flake, a frequent target of Trump's ire - put out a statement that while slightly more tempered than McCain's was nonetheless critical. . . Trump has told Republicans in Arizona that he would spend $10 million of his own money to help defeat Flake.
The question being raised by political observers is will Trump's pardon of Arpaio help - or actually hurt - Republican chances in the state next year?
The math says that a lot of the people who voted for Trump in Maricopa County also pointedly voted to cast Arpaio out of office, leaving open the question of who the pardon is supposed to appeal to in Arizona.
Krysten Sinema, a Democrat who represents the state's Ninth District and is expected to challenge Flake - or whomever the Republicans nominate - next year quickly seized on the pardon.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

PUBLIC INTEGRITY: Here and There

Members of Congress scoring personal loans from political supporters

Repayment terms often undisclosed, transactions together worth millions

Here in Mesa there is not a requirement for

personal financial disclosure. 

A review of mandatory personal financial disclosure forms filed by all current members of the House and Senate reveals at least 19 have accepted loans from organizations or moneyed individuals instead of a bank or traditional financial institution. Often, these organizations and individuals rank among the lawmakers’ key political supporters. In two of these cases, the loans were made to members' spouses.

Here's the link to Center for Public Integrity > https://www.publicintegrity.org/politics 

Unlike other large cities whose citizens are concerned about public integrity, for those elected to public office here in Mesa there is no mandatory reporting requirement for personal financial disclosures of any kind. The issue has never been in made, despite rumors of "undisclosed business associations" or connecting the dots between financial ties between friends-and-families that have dominated this city for more than 130 years.

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Just yesterday, there was the curious case of a Mesa resident/businessman and politician - all wrapped up-in-one - who committed suicide at the age of 46 leaving behind five children.

That information was revealed by his wife

Wife Says Arizona Politician Wil Cardon, 46, Killed Himself

By Associated Press • Aug 28, 2017

Cardon's family said the man with a smile "as wide as Arizona" suffered from depression, a disease that he battled with "openness and honesty."

 

Hmmm... it might have something to with the recent FBI investigations here in Mesa and/or

in the 2014 Arizona secretary of state race, candidate Wil Cardon had openly The Free Enterprise Club with APS and Commissioner Pierce and "dark money". *

Allegations have been rampant here in Mesa about "dark money" poured in to support certain candidates in last year's General Election, as well as the over $500,000 spent in a privately-financed public relations campaign that turned into a major screw-up when Mayor John Giles used his private law firm address to be used by the VoteYes1 Mesa question on a ballot referendum - Mesa taxpayers rejected it.

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*("What business does a utility have with a secretary of state race?" Cardon asked. He, like others who have marveled at the flow of money into the race, believes APS is thanking Commissioner Pierce for favorable votes by supporting his son's run for the state's No. 2 elected post.

Source: http://www.azcentral.com/story/news/arizona/politics/2014/08/03/arizona-free-enterprise-money-election-season/13537793/ )

 

 

 

Op-ED Today: Mesa City Council District 3 Ryan Winkle Makes His Case To Rebuild Trust

Image from City of Mesa website

Ryan Winkle: Give me a chance to prove myself after my DUI

Ryan Winkle, AZ I See It Published 6:02 a.m. MT Aug. 29, 2017        

Source: http://www.azcentral.com 

"The solution for me now is facing the reality that I am an alcohol abuser and that I need help to change that. I need to address what isn’t working in my life, and build a path forward with humility, purpose and hope.

That path forward began immediately after May 6. I started alcohol counseling. I have eliminated alcohol from my life. I have accepted the legal consequences and served time in jail. I have apologized and taken responsibility for my wrongdoing. I have surrounded myself with a community that will hold me accountable.

Now I am asking my colleagues on the city council and my constituents for fair discipline, but also for an opportunity to rebuild their trust. . . "

 

BLOGGER NOTE: Obviously not the best time scheduling on a work-day for most residents here in Mesa, nonetheless the Mesa City Council has scheduled a Special City Council Meeting  for this Thursday 08/31/2017 @ 7:30 AM - 10:00 AM

 

 

 

 

 

I want to rebuild your trust

It is because of those relationships, and because of the forgiveness 

". . . We’re going to build a path into the future as one community, because despite my awful mistakes and my struggle with alcohol abuse, I still have a deep passion for the city of Mesa and for working with its people. This will always be one of my highest priorities, no matter which consequences the city council decides are appropriate for the terrible decision I made in May. . . "
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Councilmember Ryan Winkle
District 3
Elected to the Mesa City Council in August 2016, Councilmember Ryan Winkle began his first term representing District 3 in January of 2017. His term on the Council runs until January of 2021.
Winkle is one of the co-founders of the Mesa Urban Garden, a community organization that provides fresh produce directly to the community and local food banks. He was a key voice behind turning an empty dirt lot into a point of pride for Downtown Mesa. He is also a co-founder of RAILMesa, a registered neighborhood group that advocates for increased citizen participation, responsible development of housing, transit options and the creation of quality jobs along Mesa’s Light Rail Corridor.

Winkle works as a Community Economic Development Consultant, dealing with underserved communities around the East Valley in the areas of housing options, workforce development, neighborhood revitalization, public outreach and transit-oriented development.
Winkle holds both a Bachelor of Arts in Sustainable Urban Dynamics and a Bachelor of Sciences in Urban Planning from Arizona State University and a Masters of Business Administration from Wilkes University Mesa. Raised in Mesa, Ryan and his wife Ericka have one son, Rian Erick.
Council CommitteesCommunity and Cultural Development- Chair
Economic Development
MAG Human Services Coordinating Committee- Council Representative
City Benefits Advisory Committee- Council Representative
Mesa Sister Cities- Council Representative
Mesa United Way- Council Representative

Arizona Boards and CommitteesMaricopa Integrated Health Services Governing Council
East Valley Filipino American Business Chamber of Commerce - President
Former member and Chair - Mesa Historical Museum Board of Directors
AAED Tribal Economic Development Committee
ABAKA Foundation Advisory Board
MAG Human Services Committee
http://mesaaz.gov/city-hall/mayor-council/councilmember-ryan-winkle

Sheriff Joe's Round-Up Reign of Terror

This could not get more upfront and more personal and more hyper-local featuring the memories and observations of George Gascon, Mesa AZ Chief of Police 2006-2009.

Joe Arpaio. Photo by Gage Skidmore via Flickr

Living Under Joe Arpaio’s ‘Reign of Terror’

By Celeste Fremon/WitnessLA | 24 mins ago  

"As the debate over last Friday’s presidential pardon of Joe Arpaio, the former sheriff of Maricopa County, Ariz., continues to roil the nation, TCR highlights a law enforcement figure who repeatedly clashed with the self-styled “toughest sheriff” of America for comment.

San Francisco DA George Gascon.
Photo courtesy @George Gascon

San Francisco District Attorney George Gascón, who served as chief of the Mesa, Ariz., police department between 2006 and 2009, possesses a trove of hard-won personal knowledge about how Arpaio works—perhaps more than nearly any other law enforcement figure in the nation. A 28-year veteran of the Los Angeles Police Department, Gascón rose to become second in command of the LAPD under Bill Bratton, overseeing 8,000 patrol officers, before he became the chief cop in Mesa,a city more populous than Atlanta, Kansas City  or Miami. Although it’s been nearly 10 years since Gascón, who fled Castro’s Cuba with his family at the age of 13, clashed with “Sheriff Joe,” his memories and observations represent a vivid reminder of the activities that led to Arpaio’s conviction.
In a conversation with WitnessLA Editor Celeste Fremon, Gascon spells out the constitutional violations that he says were committed by the sheriff  “almost on a daily basis,” discusses what it was like to work under Arpaio’s “reign of terror,” and suggests how prosecutors and law enforcement should respond to President Trump’s “mockery of the rule of law.”
READ MORE > https://thecrimereport.org/terror/

Staring Down Sheriff Joe

WLA: At some point Arpaio appeared to go to war with you personally.

 

Immigration and Public Safety

WLA: Los Angeles Chief of Police Charlie Beck and other law enforcement officials have repeatedly stated that having local cops help ICE is not in the best interests of public safety. Please explain why you believe that is true

 

The Road to Criminal Contempt

1. WLA: Let’s talk about the court order that Arpaio defied that led to the president’s pardon. We know that the ACLU filed a federal class action lawsuit against Arpaio in 2007, alleging that he and the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office engaged in racial profiling and unlawful traffic stops of Latinos. Four years later, the lawsuit went to trial. What came next?

2. WLA: So then, five years later, in May 2016, U.S. District Judge Murray Snow handed down a 162-page ruling finding Arpaio guilty of civil contempt of court. When Joe still didn’t stop, Snow referred Arpaio and three of his aides to the U.S. Attorney’s Office, requesting that they be prosecuted for criminal contempt of court. He was convicted in July 2017.

3. WLA: What are next steps for law enforcement, and for others who disagree with these actions?