>> Ted: NEXT ON ARIZONA HORIZON, IT'S THE JOURNALIST'S ROUNDTABLE AND THAT'S NEXT.

IT'S TIME FOR ANOTHER EDITION OF THE JOURNALIST'S ROUNDTABLE AND JIM SMALL OF THE ARIZONA MIRROR AND MARY JO PITZEL AND CAMRYN SANCHEZ OF THE ARIZONA CAPITAL TIMES.

PANEL, GOOD TO HAVE YOU AND JIM, BILL GATES, A LIGHTNING ROD AS FAR AS ELECTION DENIERS ARE CONCERNED AND NO MORE OF THIS FOR ME.

>> OBVIOUSLY, YOU KNOW, BIG DEAL, HE'S BEEN ON THE MARICOPA COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS AND THE CHAIRMAN AND FRONT AND CENTER IN THE WHOLE 2022 ELECTION AND THE POST ELECTION STUFF THAT'S GONE ON AND, YOU KNOW, OPENED UP ABOUT A MONTH AGO TO THE "WASHINGTON POST" ABOUT THE TRIALS AND WHAT HE'S GONE THROUGH BECAUSE OF ALL OF THE ATTACKS AGAINST THE COUNTY AND AGAINST HIM IN PARTICULAR AND THE PTSD AND THE THREATS AGAINST HIM AND HIS FAMILY AND THE CONCERNS FOR SAFETY.

YOU KNOW, HE DECIDED THIS WEEK HE WAS DONE AND WALK AWAY FROM ELECTED OFFICE AFTER THIS TERM ENDS AND I THINK GET HIS LIFE BACK IN ORDER AND FIGURE OUT WHAT HE WANTS TO DO IN THE FUTURE.

>> Ted: MARY JO, YOU SAID HE SUFFERED FROM PTSD FROM ALL OF THIS?

>> WHEN YOU FEEL SO THREATENED THAT YOU MOVE YOUR FAMILY TO ANOTHER PLACE TO SPEND A COUPLE OF NIGHTS, THAT'S UNDERSTANDABLE AND HE PROBABLY SO MORE OF IT COMING FOR 2024.

>> Ted: WAS IT A SURPRISE, CAMRYN?

>> HE DIDN'T CITE THAT AS THE MAIN REASON AND HE JUST SAID, YOU KNOW, HAD A GOOD RUN AND LOVE MY FAMILY AND, YOU KNOW, I THINK INTENTIONALLY ADMITTED WHAT WE ALL KNOW TO BE TRUE, HE'S BEEN THE SUBJECT OF A LOT OF IRE AND THAT WAS THE HEADLINE, NOT TOO LONG AGO AND THIS OPENS UP AN INTERESTING GRACE IN 2024.

>> Ted: INDEED AND SAL SAID THAT.

>> LAYING THE GROUNDWORK FOR A CAMPAIGN AND TO FUND HIS CAMPAIGN.

AND I KNOW BILL GATES CAME TO THE COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS AND ANOTHER CURRENT CITY COUNCILMAN, JIM WARING SAID HE WON'T RUN.

>> Ted: THIS DISTRICT THAT HE'S RUNNING IN, THOUGH, THIS BILL GATE'S DISTRICT, IS THIS ONE THAT SAID WE LIKE SAL DICICIO?

>> IT'S A TEST BECAUSE IT'S THE FIRST TIME THIS DISTRICT WITH THE NEW BOUNDARIES WILL BE TESTED OUT, BUT YEAH, STILL REPUBLICAN FRIENDLY.

>> Ted: YEAH, YEAH, WHAT DO YOU THINK, CAMRYN?

I WOULD THINK SAL DICICIO TO THE RIGHT AND FRIENDLY TO REPUBLICANS AND I'M NOT SURE WHO ELSE IS ENTERING AND NOW THAT THIS ANNOUNCEMENT IS OUT, I WOULD EXPECT MORE THAN A COUPLE OF PEOPLE TO PUT THEIR NAME IN THE RING.

>> Ted: JIM, MOST IF NOT ALL OF THESE SEATS ARE UP?

>> I THINK ALL OF THEM ARE.

POTENTIAL TO SEE A LOT OF RACES FOR THE COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS AND POTENTIAL CONFLICTS.

>> Ted: ELECTION DENIERS AND THE WHOLE NINE YARDS AND IS THAT A MAJOR PLAYER.

>> I'M SURE CANDIDATES WILL MAKE THAT FOR THE CAMPAIGN AND WE SAW THAT IN 2022 AND FOR THE CANDIDATES SHOULD DID THAT, THEY DID NOT FARE WELL, BUT I THINK IT STILL EXISTS IN SOME CORNERS TO THE RIGHT AND MORE CANDIDATES WHO RUN ON THE IDEA THAT MARICOPA COUNTY'S ELECTIONS ARE SAFE AND UNSECURE.

>> DON'T FORGET THE COUNTY POST IS ON THE BALLOT OF CURRENT INCUMBENT RICHARDS WILL RUN AGAIN.

RICHARDS IS A BIT OF A LIGHTNING ROD AND IT'S PRIMARY CHALLENGES.

>> Ted: THAT'S FASCINATING TO WATCH.

AND CAMRYN, WHO IS CHAD CAMPBELL AND WHY IS HE THE GOVERNOR'S CHIEF OF STAFF?

>> HE'S A DEMOCRAT AND THE MINORITY LEADER IN THE HOUSE, I BELIEVE, BEFORE MY TIME, AND NOW HE'S GOING TO BE SERVING IN A VERY IMPORTANT HIGH OFFICE IN THE EXECUTIVE TOWER.

THIS MEANS HE'S REPLACING ALI BONES, THE PERSON WHO HOLDS THE OFFICE, WORKS WITH THE LEGISLATOR, WORKING ON THE BUDGET AND IS CENTRAL TO THINGS.

A BIG, A BIG DEAL FOR HIM AND A LONG-TIME CONSULTANT.

>> Ted: LONG-TIME FRIEND OF KATIE HOBBS AND IN THE LEGISLATURE DAYS.

TALK ABOUT ALI BONES AND WHY SHE'S NOT THERE AND TALK ABOUT CHAD CAMPBELL AND WHY HE IS.

>> CHIEF OF STAFF, LONG-TIME FRIEND AND DECADE'S LONG FRIEND OF HOBBS, BOTH SOCIAL WORKERS AND ALI BONES WORKED IN THE DOMESTIC VIOLENCE ARENA, PUBLIC POLICY ARENA AND WAS THE ASSISTANT DEPUTY SECRETARY OF STATE AND BASIC, KATIE HOBBS' RIGHT HAND, SECRETARY OF STATE FOR FOUR YEARS.

WHEN SHE GOT ELECTED GOVERNOR, SHE MOVED UP AND NAMED CHIEF OF STAFF.

I THINK THE REASON SHE'S NOT THERE FUNDAMENTALLY, SHE DIDN'T G EL WELL, I THINK, IN THE JOB AND BORNE OUT.

YOU SEE A LOT OF FRUSTRATION IN THE CAPITOL, DEMOCRATS IN PARTICULAR WERE THEY UPSET WERE UP UNDER HER DIRECTION HAD REALLY DEALT WITH THEM AND DEALT WITH WHAT THEY FELT WERE THE MAJOR ISSUES.

THE BUDGET WAS A KEY TURNING POINT PARTNERSHIP.

AFTER THE BUDGET GOT DONE THAT WE SAW THIS CHANGE IN STAFF.

I THINK THIS IS A CHANGE THAT IN MOST NORMAL SITUATIONS WOULD HAVE WAITED IN THE FALL OR LATE SUMMER AND ON THE FRIDAY BEFORE A THREE-DAY WEEKEND.

INSTEAD, IT HAPPENED A LOT QUICKER THAN THAT.

>> Ted: CHAD CAMPBELL A LOT OF EXPERIENCE AND KNOWS HIS WAY AROUND THE CAPITOL.

>> HE SERVED FOUR TERMS IN THE HOUSE AND THE MINORITY LEADER FOR, I THINK, TWO TERMS.

AND THEN, AS A LOBBYIST, HE KNOWS THE MECHANICS AND A LOT OF THE PERSONALITIES AND HOW TO WORK WITH PEOPLE.

YOU KNOW, HE WAS KEY IN THE MEDICAID EXPANSION VOTE THAT GOVERNOR BREWER PUSHED FOR IN 2018.

IT SHOWS THE ABILITY TO WORK ACROSS THE AISLE.

>> Ted: HE WAS A KEY PLAYER DOWN THERE.

AND GETTING THAT DONE, THAT WAS A COO AND THAT PEOPLE COULD WORK TOGETHER.

>> WE'VE SEEN BIPARTISAN SINCE THEN AND IN DIFFERENT FORMULATIONS AND PRESUMABLY THAT WILL HELP WITH CAMPBELL AND AS YOU POINTED OUT, HE KNOWS KATIE HOBBS AND THEY REPRESENTED THE SAME DISTRICT AND THEY ARE FRIENDS AND THAT GETS BACK TO, LIKE, YOU USUALLY WANT YOUR CHIEF OF STAFF TO BE SOMEBODY YOU CAN TRUST.

BUT NOT ONLY HE'S SOMEONE YOU CAN TRUST BUT BEEN AROUND THE BLOCK MANY TIMES.

>> Ted: RESPONSE FROM DEMOCRATS AND REPUBLICANS AS WELL?

I HAVEN'T HEARD ANYTHING NEGATIVE FROM DEMOCRATS AND LEGISLATIVE EXPERIENCES AND NEXT YEAR TRYING TO NULLIFY AND HE CAN SAY, I'M HERE TO HELP AND I'LL BRIDGE THE GAP.

I'VE BEEN AROUND THE WHOLE TIME FROM THAT ANGLE AND I KNOW HOW THE PROCESS WORKS AND GET YOU WHAT YOU WANT AND BE TOUGH, I THINK.

>> ONE OF THE KEY THINGS TO THE NINTH FLOOR, THE GOVERNOR'S OFFICE IS MORE OF A POLITICAL ACUMEN.

THAT'S WHAT WE'VE SEEN OVER THE FOUR OR FIVE MONTHS, WHEN THE GOVERNOR'S OFFICE HAS FUMBLED ON AN ISSUE, THAT THEY'RE A LITTLE BIT TONE DEAF OVER POLITICS OR UNAWARE AND THEY'VE TAKEN STEPS THAT UPSET DEMOCRATS AND KIND OF SEEMED TO NOT REALLY BE AWARE OF THE GREATER POLITICS HAPPENING IN THE STATE AND HAPPENING AT THE CAPITOL.

YOU KNOW, I THINK CHAD CAMPBELL BRINGS AN EYE TO THAT AND UNDERSTANDS CAMPAIGNS AND LEGISLATING AND HOW THE PUBLIC POLICY ARENA WORKS.

>> JIM MENTIONED THE BUDGET WAS PROBABLY A TURNING POINT AND I WOULD SAY IT WAS A BREAKING POINT FOR ALI BONES.

THERE'S A LOT OF WORK TO BE DONE AT THE LEGISLATURE AND DISCONTENTED DEMOCRATS WHO WANT TO SEE THEIR GOVERNOR DO WELL AND HAVE NOT BEEN HAPPY WITH, ESPECIALLY HOW SHE DID NOT ADVOCATE LOUDLY DOING SOMETHING FOR THE VOUCHER PROGRAM.

THE REGIONAL TRANSPORTATION TAX, THE ISSUE TO BE RESOLVED AND GETTING RID OF THE RENTAL TAX AND A PUSH TO DO MORE ON HOUSING, TO MAKE HOUSING MORE AFFORDABLE WITH THE HOUSING CRUNCH.

>> Ted: WAS IT A COINCIDENCE THE GOVERNOR SPOKE ABOUT A $40 MILLION WATER PLAN AND SHE WAS FRONT AND CENTER?

WAS IT QUOINS IT COINCIDENCE OR WHAT?

>> CHAD IS COMING ON NEXT WEEK AND A NICE WAY TO SIGNAL, YOU KNOW, THAT WORRY ON WE'RE ON TOP OF THIS WITH POLICY.

>> Ted: ONE OF THE THINGS THE DEMOCRATS ARE UPSET ABOUT, THEY HAVE A YEAR TO FIGURE OUT WHAT TO DO AND YOU GO IN OFFENSE OF THIS COMMITTEE CREATED, I GUESS, FOR SAYING, IT LOOKS LIKE IT'S SAYING NO.

AND WE HAD ANOTHER NO.

>> YES, SO MARTINE COZADA WITH A SMALL, OVERLOOKED AGENCY, HE WENT IN FROM OF THAT COMMITTEE WHICH WAS REJECTED WHICH WAS A SURPRISE TO NO ONE.

HE'S DEFINITELY A VOCAL, LIBERAL LEFT WING AND SOMETIMES ALIENATE ALIENATED LEFT WING POLITICIAN AND TRIED HARD TO CONVINCE THE COMMITTEE HE WON'T BE POLITICAL IN THIS OFFICE, BUT THAT WASN'T ACCEPTABLE TO THEM.

THERE WERE HEAVY CHARGES.

>> Ted: ANTI-SEMITISM?

>> BECAUSE HE SUPPORTED PALESTINE AND ANOTHER CAME AND SAID THAT C ARC COZADA IS ANTI-SEMITIC AND WOULD REFLECT ON THE STATE.

>> THAT WOULD SUGGEST HE WOULD DISCRIMINATE AGAINST WHITE, JEWISH MALES WHO COME INTO, YOU KNOW, I DON'T KNOW RENEW THEIR CONTRACTOR LICENSE AND NO EVIDENCE OF THAT.

>> Ted: WHAT DO WE MAKE OF THIS?

CONSIDERING WHO HE IS AND PAST VISIT, HE SAID HE HAD TO STAND UP FOR THESE POSITIONS BECAUSE THAT WAS HIS JOB AS LEADERSHIP FOR THE DEMOCRATS.

WAS IT WISE TO PUT HIM AS A NOMINEE IN ANY STATE AGENCY?

>> I THINK THAT THE HOBBS' ADMINISTRATION HAS APPROACHED THE IDEA OF FINDING DIRECTORATES NOT IN THE POLITICAL WORLD THEY'RE IN WHICH IS WHAT THE REPUBLICAN SENATE THAT IS HELL BENT ON STOPPING HER FROM BEING ABLE TO SET HER GOVERNMENT FROM THE WAY SHE WANTS TO.

IN PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATIONS, YES, THE SENATE HAS A DUTY TO VET THESE PEOPLE AND HAVE DONE FAIRLY LIGHT VETTING AND SOMEONE DOESN'T HAVE SOME REALLY ALARMING RED FLAGS IN THEIR BACKGROUND THIS COMMITTEE, IN A LOT OF WAYS, HAS KIND OF TURNED THE TABLES ON THAT AND HAS APPROACHED THIS AS, YOU KNOW, IN A LOT OF WAYS, REJECTED BECAUSE HE'S PROGRESSIVE AND OUTSPOKEN OF REPUBLICANS.

I THINK THAT'S WHAT WE'VE SEEN -- THIS COMMITTEE BROUGHT UP A LOT OF THESE THINGS, THINGS UNRELATED TO THE JOB, EVEN AT ALL.

AND IT ALMOST KIND OF TURNS IT INTO A SITUATION, WELL, WE DON'T LIKE YOUR POLITICS, SO WE DON'T THINK YOU SHOULD HAVE ANY ROLE IN STATE GOVERNMENT.

WE CAN TURN THE KNIFE ON THE GOVERNMENT WHILE WE DO IT.

>> Ted: PLEASE.

>> I WANT TO TALK ABOUT THE HIRING ISSUE AND THE CHARGE OF HIM BEING CALLED A RACIST.

SO HE LAST YEAR IN THE SENATE JUDICIARY VOTED AGAINST EVERY APPOINTEE AND IT WAS VETTING APPOINTEES AND A DIFFERENT PROCESS AND VOTED AGAINST THEM IN THE NAME OF WANTING MORE DIVERSITY OF APPOINTEES AND WOMEN AND WOMEN OF COLOR AND JEWISH PEOPLE AND I REMEMBER THINKING, WHAT IS GOING ON?

AND DO YOU HAVE A PROBLEM WITH ME?

NO, YOU'RE QUALIFIED AND I CAN'T VOTE FOR YOU.

AND THEY WERE SAYING THIS IS NOT WHAT I EXPECT FROM OUR LAWMAKERS AND THAT DEFINITELY CAME UP IN THE HEARING.

HE WAS NEVER GOING TO PASS.

YES, THEY GOT TO EVERY HOT BUTTON POLITICAL TOPIC UNDER THE SUN IN THE COURSE OF THAT COMMITTEE HEARING.

>> Ted: THAT MEANS, WHAT, NOT GOING TO MAKE IT, HUH?

>> MOST LIKELY.

PRESIDENT PETERSEN WILL BRING THAT TO THE FLOOR BUT WITH THE REPUBLICAN COMMITTEE SAYING, VOTE NO AND 16 REPUBLICANS HOLDING THE MAJORITY, THEY'LL PROBABLY FOLLOW SUIT.

>> Ted: IS THERE A RUNNING SCORE OUT OF YAYS AND NAYS?

>> OUT OF THE COMMITTEE.

>> TRANSPORTATION.

>> Ted: IS IT A WINNING OR LOSING RECORD?

>> I THINK MOST -- >> WINNING.

>> THE VERY FEW THAT HAVE COME -- >> IN TERMS EVER OF THE SENATE, IT'S IN LINE WITH WHAT THE COMMITTEE RECOMMENDS SO FAR.

>> Ted: LAST POINT ON THIS, THESE PEOPLE -- CASADA IS DOING HIS JOB FOR WHAT, A YEAR?

HOW DOES THIS WORK?

>> UNLESS THE SENATE WERE TO HOLD A FULL VOTE AND REJECT HIM AND THAT WEREN'T HOLD ANYMORE AND A YEAR BEFORE YOUR CONFIRMATION.

>> THEY COULD LET IT HANG AND LOOK FOR ANOTHER JOB.

>> Ted: AND REALLY BIG STORY THIS WEEK WAS TOM HORN, PUBLIC INSTRUCTION COMING OUT WITH ESTIMATES AND MARY JO, WE'LL START WITH YOU AND THE FACT THAT, IT'S SOMETHING THAT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE -- HOW MANY MILLIONS OF DOLLARS IS NOW PROJECTED TO BE MANY, MANY, MANY MILLIONS OF DOLLARS?

>> IT'S A MOVING TARGET BECAUSE THE UNIVERSAL VOUCHER PROGRAM OR EMPOWERMENT SCHOLARSHIP ACCOUNTS IS BRAND NEW AND A LOT OF PEOPLE FLOCKED TO APPLY FOR SCHOLARSHIPS AS SOON AS THEY WERE AVAILABLE IN SEPTEMBER.

EVERY SUBMIT THAT HAS BEEN PUT OUT BY THE BUDGET COMMITTEE HAS BEEN BLOWN AWAY, YOU KNOW, BY THE ACTUAL ACTION ON THE GROUND.

SO A STUDY DONE BY THE END OF MAY CONCLUDED THAT -- WELL, THERE ARE CURRENTLY ALMOST 61,000 CHILDREN WHO ARE USING THE VOUCHERS.

HORN'S OFFICE PROJECTS IT WILL HIT 100,000 WITH A COMBINED MILLION DOLLARS AND THAT STARTED THE FREAK POINT.

>> Ted: A FREAKOUT SUGGESTS THIS WAS A SURPRISE.

>> THERE ARE SOME THINGS TO FIGURE OUT.

HOW MANY CHILDREN WILL TAKE ADVANTAGE OF IT AND HOW MANY OF THEM WERE IN PRIVATE SCHOOLS AND HOW MANY PUBLIC SCHOOLS AND EACH VOUCHER IS A DIFFERENT AMOUNT.

IT'S IMPOSSIBLE TO SAY WHAT IT WILL BE.

BUT THIS IS, YEAH, A HIGHER ESTIMATE WE'VE HAD BEFORE AND I DON'T THINK THAT IS BAD NEWS TO EVERYONE.

I MEAN, THIS IS GOOD NEWS TO CERTAIN PEOPLE WHO SUPPORT VOUCHERS AND CERTAIN LAWMAKERS ARE, LIKE, YEAH, THIS IS GREAT.

THAT'S WHAT WE WANT.

AND THAT'S -- IT'S NOT INSIGNIFICANT, BUT THE EDUCATION BUDGET IS QUITE LARGE.

>> Ted: JIM, PLEASE EXPLAIN THIS.

IN THE SAME ANNOUNCEMENT, TOM HORN, RELEASED THE NUMBERS AND SAID IT WILL SAVE THE STATE NUMBERS FOR EVERY KID THAT TAKES A VOUCHER.

A LOT OF KIDS WERE SAYING YEAH AND A LOT SAYING THAT'S NOT TRUE.

>> THEY RAISED THE VOUCHER AMOUNT TO MATCH -- INSTEAD OF PUBLIC DISTRICT SCHOOLS TO MATCH CHARTER SCHOOLS AND 90% OF WHAT THE STATE PAYS AND WITH A CHILD TO ATTEND A CHARTER SCHOOLS.

THEY DON'T HAVE THE ABILITY TO GO TO VOTERS FOR PROPERTY TAXES WHICH YOUR LOCAL SCHOOL DISTRICT DOES.

SO RIGHT OFF THE BANT YOU'RE BAT, YOU'RE TAKING 90% OFF.

THEY'RE IN PHOENIX ELEMENTARY AND THEY GO INTO GET A VOUCHER, THEY'RE GOING TO COST TAXPAYERS MORE, FLAT OUT.

THEY'LL COST TAXPAYERS MORE BECAUSE THEY'RE GOING TO BE GETTING, BASICALLY, THE 90% OF THE CHARTER MONEY.

YOU KNOW, AND THEN YOU LOOK AT THE FACT YOU HAVE ROUGHLY HALF OF THE STUDENTS THAT ARE INVOLVED IN PROGRAM HAVE NEVER SET FOOT IN A PUBLIC SCHOOL.

THEY'RE PRIVATE SCHOOL STUDENTS ALREADY OR THEY ARE KINDERGARTENERS WHO ARE COMING IN WHO HAVE NEVER BEEN IN A PUBLIC SCHOOL.

THE WAY THIS WAS DESIGNED 15 YEARS AGO WAS TO TAKE KIDS OUT OF PUBLIC SCHOOLS AND MOVE THEM OVER WITH THE IDEA THAT IT WOULD SAVE MONEY AND BE 90% OF THE COST OF EDUCATING IN A PUBLIC SCHOOL.

THAT HAS NOT BEEN THE CASE FOR AWHILE AND DOESN'T REMAIN THE CASE ANYMORE AND GOING FORWARD AS THESE NUMBERS CONTINUE TO GROW, YOU'LL CONTINUE HAVING THESE ARGUMENTS OVER, IS IT SAVING MONEY?

I THINK BOTTOM LINE, IT DOESN'T.

>> TO A CERTAIN EXTENT, WHERE THE STUDENT IS COMING FROM.

IF THEY'VE NEVER BEEN IN PUBLIC SCHOOL, THAT'S AN IMMEDIATE, BASICALLY, SEVEN THOUSAND DOLLARS HIT TO THE STATE'S GENERAL FUND, WHICH FEEDS AN EDUCATION BUDGET.

BUT THERE'S STILL A COST, AS JIM EXPLAINED, TRANSFERRING FROM A CHARTER SCHOOL OR A DISTRICT SCHOOL.

SO WE'VE GOT THESE DIFFERENT TRACKS.

WE'VE YET TO SEE -- HORN INSISTS IT GOING FORWARD TO ONE HUNDRED THOUSAND IN DIFFERENT SCHOOLS, BUT WE DON'T KNOW.

WE'LL FIND OUT AFTER THE SMALL SEMESTER BEGINS AND THERE'S BEEN TIME.

AND THEN THE JOINT LEGISLATIVE COMMITTEE LOOKED AT HORN'S ANALYSIS AND SAID, LOOK, THIS IS HIGHLY SPECULATIVE, WE NEED TO DIG INTO THE DATA MORE AND THEY'RE NOT WILLING TO BLESS THAT REPORT.

>> Ted: CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG HERE, BUT PROPERTY TAXES COVER CERTAIN SCHOOL DISTRICTS AND THAT'S OBVIOUSLY -- THOSE ARE LOCAL TAXES.

AS MARY JO MENTIONED, THIS IS STATE MONIES NOW.

>> YEAH, THE WHOLE THING IS FASCINATES TO WAP BECAUSE IT'S UNPRECEDENTED.

ARIZONA IS NOT SURE HOW IT WILL GO AND, YOU KNOW, LOVE IT OR HATE IT, I THINK ALL ESTIMATES ARE A LITTLE SPECULATIVE RIGHT NOW.

>> THAT'S WHAT'S LEAD TO PEOPLE WHO ARE CRITICAL SAYING SEE THIS $900 MILLION FIGURE, IT PROVES TO YOU THAT WE'RE ON A PATH, THIS WILL BUST THE BUDGET, AND THIS IS SIMILAR TO THE ALTERNATIVE FUEL'S FIASCO OF THE JANE HAUL ERA.

LAWMAKERS ARE POINTING OUT THUS FAR, ESA'S MAKE UP 3% OF THE K12 BUDGET.

>> Ted: THE POLITICS OF THIS, JIM, QUICKLY, THE DECLINING ENROLLMENT, THEY MIGHT HAVE TO CLOSE AND THAT, AND WE FOUND OUT THE OWNER OF BASIS BOUGHT IS 6.$7 MILLION HOME IN CASH.

>> THERE'S A LOT OF MONEY TO BE MADE IN EDUCATION.

WE WERE ONE OF THE EARLY ENTRANTS THREE YEARS AGO AT THIS POINT.

I THINK IT'S BEEN DEMONSTRATED TIME AND TIME AGAIN, THERE'S A LOT OF MONEY TO BE MADE AND ALONG THE WAY.

WHEN IT COMES TO EVERYTHING FROM CHARTER SCHOOLS TO THE STUDENT TUITION ORGANIZATIONS FROM, YOU KNOW, MAYBE 20 YEARS AGO TO, YOU KNOW, NOW INTO THE SOUNDER VOUCHER PROGRAMS.

ONE OF THE THINGS THAT CRITICS OF THE VOUCHER PROGRAMS SAID ABOUT EXPANDING THIS, IF WE DO THIS, WE'LL CREATE AN ECONOMY FOR PEOPLE TO COME IN TO START UP SCHOOLS AND CHARGE AND TAKE THIS AND FOR EXISTING SCHOOLS TO JACK UP THEIR TUITION RATES IN ORDER TO JUSTIFY SET THE DIFFERENCE BECAUSE THEY CAN SUDDENLY HAVE ALL OF THEIR EXISTING STUDENTS GO GET A VOUCHER AND HAVE THEM PAY THE SAME OUT OF THE POCKET.

AT THAT POINT, IT DOESN'T HELP THE IDEA OF, WE'RE GOING TO GET MORE KIDS INTO THIS.

>> Ted: HOW MUCH OVERSIGHT IS OVER THIS?

>> THAT'S BEEN AN AREA OF CONTENTION.

DEMOCRATS WANT MORE OVERSIGHT AND HOBBS WANTS MORE OVERSIGHT AND WHO WILL BE TEACHING THE KIDS?

CAN ANYONE SAY THAT THEY'RE A TEACHER WHO HAS A SCHOOL?

THIS IS THE DEMOCRAT'S ARGUMENT.

BUT AGAIN, THE NEWS OF, LIKE, PUBLIC SCHOOLS MIGHT HAVE TO CLOSE BECAUSE KIDS ARE USING ESA'S TO GET HOME SCHOOLED AND TO SOME THAT'S A YAY.

IT'S INTERESTING.

>> BOTTOM LINE, VERY LITTLE OVERSIGHT OF THIS AND YOU HAVE THE PUBLIC DISTRICT SCHOOLS THAT EVERY YEAR GET EIGHT THOUSAND BILLS INTRODUCED TO PUT FURTHER REGULATIONS ON THEM AND WE HAVE THIS NO-HOLD BARRED AND EVEN THOUGH THAT'S TAXPAYER DOLLARS FOR IT.

PEOPLE SEE A SEVERE DISCONNECT THERE.

IT'S NOT A LEVEL PLAYING FIELD.

THIS IS INTENDED WITH THE SURGE IN ESA'S AND INCENT CHARACTERIZE INCENTIVIZE TO GET BETTER.

>> Ted: SOMETHING HAS TO GIVE HERE.

>> PROBABLY DEPEND ON WHAT KIND OF LEGISLATURE IN 2024.

>> Ted: WE'LL SEE WHAT GIVES.

BEFORE WE GO, SUPREME COURT JUST THIS AFTERNOON REJECTED THE REPUBLICAN IDEA THAT, WHAT, THE CONSTITUTION SAYS YOU HAVE TO HAVE AN OFFICIAL OVER YOUR SHOULDER OR AT LEAST WATCHING WHAT YOU DO WHEN YOU VOTE.

SO YOU CAN'T DO IT AT THE KITCHEN TABLE.

THE SUPREME COURT SAID, I DON'T THINK SO?

>> THIS IS A LAWSUIT,, THEY'VE LOST AT THE TRIAL COURT AND THEY REJECTED THE BID TO RECONSIDER IT.

YEAH, MINE, IT WAS EARLY VOTING IN ARIZONA OF, BASICALLY, YOU KNOW, THE OPEN EARLY VOTING AND MAIL VOTING SYSTEM AS OPPOSED TO BALLOT.

>> Ted: WAS IT A SHOW CLAIM?

DO REPUBLICANS WANT TO STOP EARLY VOTING?

>> I DON'T THINK THE CURRENT REPUBLICAN LEADER WANTS TO.

THEY PUT OUT A STATEMENT SAYING WE DON'T HAVE ANYTHING TO SAY AND THIS WAS A LEGACY ISSUE FROM THE PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATION, MEANING WHEN KELLY WARD WAS RUNNING THE PARTY.

SO THEY'RE HAPPY TO WALK AWAY FROM IT AND WE SAW IN A TIFF BETWEEN JEFF DEWITT AND KARI LAKE, ABOUT TWO WEEKS AGO, THAT THEY WANT EARLY VOTING.

BECAUSE THEN YOU CAN TRACK PEOPLE'S BALLOTS AND, YOU KNOW, GET ON PEOPLE TO SAY, YOU KNOW, GET TO THE POLLS OR MAIL THAT THING IN AND GET YOUR VOTE IN.

>> Ted: THAT WAS A REPUBLICAN CALLING CARD EARLY ON.

>> REPUBLICANS PIONEERED IT IN ARIZONA AND BUILT THE SYSTEM THAT BECAME THE ENVY AND THE THING THAT -- THE SYSTEMS ACROSS THE COUNTRY WERE MODELED AFTER AND REPUBLICANS USED IT TO THEIR GREAT ADVANTAGE AND DOMINATED EARLY VOING AND LEFT DEMOCRATS TO SHOW UP AT THE POLLS ON ELECTION DAY.

AND THEN IT'S BEEN FLIPPED AROUND.

>> Ted: WILL THIS SHOW UP IN THE LEGISLATURE OR PUSH THIS AWAY.

>> IT'S BEEN ASKED AND ANSWERED AND THIS IS NOT THE FIRST TIME IT'S GONE THROUGH THE COURTS AND I JUST WONDER IF THIS IS THE HILL TO DIE ON.

PEOPLE FIND THIS CONVENIENT AND PEOPLE WHO REPUBLICANS AND THE DEMOCRATS FIND IT CONVENIENT.

>> Ted: PANEL, GREAT DISCUSSION.

THAT'S IT FOR NOW.

I'M TED SIMONS AND THANK YOU FOR JOINING US AND YOU HAVE A GREAT WEEKEND.