[♪ THEME MUSIC ♪] >>> COMING UP IN THE NEXT HOUR OF LOCAL NEWS ON ARIZONA PBS, DEMOCRATIC LEADERS TALK ABOUT THEIR GOALS FOR THE LEGISLATIVE SESSION.

>>> GOOD EVENING, AND WELCOME TO "ARIZONA HORIZON."

I'M TED SIMONS.

THE STATE HAS ADDED MORE THAN 18, 700 CASES TODAY.

AND THE NUMBER OF ICU PATIENTS CONTINUE TO BE A CONCERN.

ARIZONA LORDED SIX NEW COVID-RELATED FATALITIES TODAY, AND THE CDC PREDICTS THAT THE COUNTRY WILL SEE MORE THAN 200,000 FATALITIES PER DAY, AND THE DIRECTOR OF THE CDC SAYS THIS: >> WHAT SHE WAS REFERRING TO IS THAT EVERYBODY IS LIKELY TO GET EXPOSED, BUT THE CHANCES OF YOU GETTING SICK IF YOU ARE VACCINATED ARE VERY, VERY LOW.

AND -- AND INFLATION IS EXPECTED TO EASE IN THE NEXT FEW MONTHS.

>>> THE ARIZONA LEGISLATIVE SESSION KICKED OFF MONDAY WITH LAWMAKERS SET TO TAKE ON SEVERAL ISSUES.

EARLIER, WE SPOKE TO DEMOCRATIC LEGISLATIVE LEAD EVER ABOUT THEIR GOALS.

THANK YOU BOTH FOR JOINING US, GOOD TO HAVE YOU HERE.

SENATOR RIOS WHAT ARE YOU LOOKING FOR, AND US SPECIALLY FROM THE MINORITY PARTY.

>> WELL, TED, I THINK AS DEMOCRATS WE ARE OPENING TO FIGHT SUPPRESSING THE VOTE, AND LOOKING AT REPUBLICANS THAT WANT TO ENACT ANTI-CHOICE SUGGESTION.

AND ON THE OTHER HAND I AM HOPEFUL WE CAN ADDRESS WATER ISSUES IN A POSITIVE WAY.

>> AND WHAT DOES IT FEEL LIKE TO YOU THE LAST FEW DAYS?

>> THERE HAS BEEN SO MUCH PARTISAN LEADERSHIP HAPPENING, AND WE'LL HOPE THAT WE HAVE THE RESOURCES WE NEED, AND WITHIN A FEW WEEKS, SCHOOL DISTRICTS WILL BE FACING A 15% CUT IN THE EXPENDITURE CAP.

>> SENATOR RIOS, DO LAWMAKERS UNDERSTAND WHAT THIS REALLY MEANS?

>> THINK FACT OF THE MATTER IS, THERE IS A BIG CONCERN THAT REPUBLICANS ARE GOING TO USE THIS AS A POLITICAL FOOTBALL AND HOLD OFF ON EXPANDING THIS ISSUE.

BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY WE HAVE UNTIL MARCH 1ST TO REACT, AND IS A VERY SERIOUS ISSUE.

>> WE KNOW SCHOOL INFRASTRUCTURE AND/OR OUR SCHOOL FACILITIES ARE FAILING.

AND IF WE CAN CREATE POLICY TO MAKE SURE WE CREATE POLICY, WE NEED TO DO THAT.

>> IN THE STATE OF THE STATE, WHAT DID YOU MAKE OF THAT?

>> AS A -- ONE THING WE HAVE RECENTLY HEARD, HE MENTIONED COLD STONE BEFORE COVID.

>> YEAH, HE PUT A LOT OF ATTENTION ON THE BORDER.

SO HOW BE DEMOCRATS FEEL ABOUT WHAT DESCRIBE AS A CRISIS.

>> FOR ME IT TOOK ME BACK TO ABOUT 2010 WHEN REPUBLICANS PLAYED TO THEIR BASE, AND AT THE END OF THE DAY WE NEED THE GOVERNMENT NEEDS TO REALLY ACT ON THIS ISSUE.

AND I THINK THIS IS PANDERING TO HIS BASE.

>> ONE THING THE REPUBLICANS OF ARIZONA ARE ASKING FOR IS A BILLION DOLLARS TOWARDS BUILDING A WALL.

WE'RE NOT ASKING FOR THAT.

WHEN YOU LOOK AT HOUSING ISSUES HERE IN THE STATE, IT IS MORE DIFFICULT FOR PEOPLE TO STAY AND BE ABLE TO STAY IN THEIR HOMES.

>> CAN YOU NOT, THOUGH FOCUS ON THOSE ISSUES AND ALSO FOCUS ON BORDER ISSUES?

>> WE'RE HEARING THE LEGISLATURE HAS THE OPPORTUNITY TO TACKLE A WATER ISSUE.

AND WE WANT TO NEGOTIATE TRUE ISSUES HERE.

>> AND WHAT DO YOU WANT TO SEE AND SEE THE ISSUE ADDRESSED?

>> FOR YEARS WE HAVE BEEN ASKING FOR REFORM.

AT THE END OF THE DAY WE HAVE A PEAL -- PIECE MATERIAL BORDER WALL ISSUE.

>> AND I HEAR REPUBLICANS SAY, WE HAVE TO DO SOMETHING?

>> I SAY WHAT DO YOU WANT TO HAVE HAPPEN?

>> BACK TO THE WATER ISSUE, THAT IS A HUGE DEAL.

DEMOCRATS WHAT DO YOU SAY?

>> WITH ARIZONA BEING ONE OF THE FASTEST-GROWING STATES IN THE NATION, WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE WE PRIORITIZE WHAT MATTERS MOST.

WE BELIEVE WE NEED TO LOOK AT AREAS THAT HAVE NOT BEEN UTILIZED IN THE PAST, AND WE HAVE SEEN THERE HAS BEEN MISMANAGEMENT IN THE PAST.

>> WHAT DO YOU WANT TOO -- TO SEE DONE.

>> WE WANT TO AT LEAST MANAGE OUR WATER SOURCE.

IF WE NEED TOE MANAGE NEW WELLS, GROW CROPS TO SAUDI ARABIA, AND IF WE DON'T PUT A STOP TO THAT, WE'LL HAVE THIS CRISIS.

THERE ARE CONCERNS FROM CONSERVATIVE REPUBLICANS, AND EVERYBODY NEEDS TOO CHIP IN.

>> OKAY.

WE THINK WE'LL HAVE ALL SORTS OF LIMIT LEGISLATIONS FROM THE REPUBLICANS.

>> YEAH, SOMETIMES YOU NEED TO GET OUT OF THE WAY.

AND THE GOVERNOR HAS SAID IF YOU CHOOSE TO HAVE PEOPLE HAVE A MASK, YOU ARE NOT GOING TO HAVE A SCHOOL BOARD.

SO WE KNOW THERE ARE AREAS WE NEED FOE DIVE DEEPER INTO IT.

>> YOUR THOUGHTS?

>> ABSOLUTELY.

THE GOVERNOR HAS CHOSEN TO ABANDON ARIZONA, AND HE IS NOT GOING TO BE SUPPORTIVE, WE NEED HIM TOO GET OUT OF THE WAY.

>> OKAY.

REAL QUICKLY.

QUICK OR LONG SESSION?

>> LONG.

>> I AGREE.

>> OKAY.

THANK YOU BOTH FOR JOINING US.

UP NEXT ON "ARIZONA HORIZON," A LOOK AT LOOK AT ARIZONA'S NEW FILM SCHOOL.

>>> ASU HAS A NEW FILM SCHOOL, AND IT'S NAMED AFTER SIDNEY POITIER WHO DIED LAST WEEK.

EARLIER THIS WEEK WE SPOKE TO THE SCHOOL'S DIRECTOR.

THANK YOU FOR JOINING US.

AND WELCOME.

WHY DID YOU TAKE THIS JOB AS FOUNDING DIRECTOR?

>> WELL, I RECEIVED AN EMAIL AND IT INTRIGUED ME, AND CERTAINLY BECAUSE OF MR. SIDNEY POITIER, WHOSE SIDANCE HAS ALWAYS BEEN IN THE FOREFRONT OF MY MIND.

I WAS ASKED IF I WAS MEET WITH THE DEAN, AND, I SAID, SURE.

AND IT WAS A WONDERFUL MEETING.

IT WAS VERY THERING, AND THEY EXPLAINED ABOUT THE SCHOOL.

I LIKED THE APPROACH TO THOUGH SCHOOL.

THE PHYSICAL CASE WAS QUITED IM QUITED -- QUITE IMPRESS PRESSIVE.

STA I THOUGHT I WOULD LIKE TO BE PART OF THIS.

>> THE WISHES AND WANTS EXMREGSED TO YOU, WHAT WERE THOSE, AND HOW DID THEY DIFFER FROM OTHER FILM SCHOOLS ACROSS THE COUNTRY?

>> WELL, IT'S MORE SOMEBODY INCLUSION AND NOT EXCLUSION.

AS WE ALL KNOW, MANY PEOPLE MATURE AND GROW IN DIFFERENT WAYS WAYS WAYS, SO MUMP OF TODAY AS W ALL KNOW IS VERY MUCH BASED ON VISUAL.

AND THERE ARE R ARE MANY OPPORTUNITY THAT THESE SCHOOLS NOT REALLY TAPPED INTO, SEW TO BE ABLE TO SUCCEED IN THIS BUSINESS IN A WAY THAT HAS EXPANDED QUITE A -- BIT, AND FOR STUDENTS TO BE ABLE TO UK PRESS THEMSELVES IN ANNEL SALIENT FIELD.

>> AND YOU WHAT DID YOU LEARN DURING YOUR YEARS THAT YOU CAN APPLY NOW?

>> WELL, EDUCATION.

CERTAINLY TO BE INVOLVED IN A TOP-NOTCH FIELD COMING UP, TO OUNCE THE PATH, THE DEPRESENCE AND FUTURE IS SOMETHING THAT REALLY, REALLY INTERESTS ME.

BECAUSE WE MUST STAY FOCUSED TO DO THIS.

>> YOU SAID YOU KNEW SIDNEY POITIER VERY WELL, TALK ABOUT THAT RELATIONSHIP.

>> SIDNEY HAD A WAY OF MAYBING YOU FEEL IMPORTANT.

I MET HIM WHEN I WAS, MUCH, MUCH, YOUNG ERE WAS FRIENDLY WITH MR. SIDNEY POITIER.

AND WHAT STRUCK ME WAS NOT ONLY THE BEAUTY OF OF THIS PERSON, BUT HE MADE ME PEEL LIKE I WAS IMPORTANT AND JUST AND THROUGH THE DECADES YHE ALWAYS WONDERED WHAT WAS BEST FOR HIS AUDIENCES.

AND ON TWO DIFFERENT OCCASIONS, HE ACTUALLY PRESENTED ME BE REWARDS.

>> CONGRATULATIONS ON YOUR POSITION, AND WE WERE MUCH APPRECIATE IT.

>> THANK YOU.

>> ♪♪ DP >>> AND THAT IS IT FOR NOW.

I'M TED SIMONS.

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING US.

YOU HAVE A GREAT EVENING.

>>> COMING UP IN THE NEXT HALF HOUR, HOW BREAK HISTORY EFFECTS BLACK YOUTH.

♪♪