[♪ THEME MUSIC ♪] >>> COMING UP IN THE NEXT HOUR OF LOCAL NEWS ON ARIZONA PBS, ON "ARIZONA HORIZON," REACTION FROM LAWMAKERS WHO VOTED FOR AND AGAINST THE STATE BUDGET THAT SENATE REPUBLICANS PASSED IN THE OVERNIGHT HOURS.

AND LATER ON BREAK IT DOWN, A DISCUSSION ON DIVERSITY IN MOVIE AND TELEVISION CHARACTERS.

THAT'S COMING UP IN THE NEXT HOUR ON ARIZONA PBS.

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

I'M TED SIMONS.

A $12.8 BILLION BUDGET WILL BE CONSIDERED BY THE STATE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TOMORROW AFTER BEING PASSED OVERNIGHT IN THE SENATE.

THE BUDGET APPROVED IN THE UPPER CHAMBER CALLS FOR INCOME TAX CUTS THAT DROP ESTATE TAX FOR ALL REZ DENGS.

THE TAX CUTS EQUATE TO AN ESTIMATED $1.3 BILLION HIT TO STATE REVENUE.

AMENDMENTS INCLUDE AN EXPANSION OF THE STATE SCHOOL VOUCHER PROGRAM WITH, AND BAN OF UNIVERSITIES REQUIRING STUDENTS TO GET VACCINES OR WEAR FACE COVERINGS.

WE WILL HAVE MUCH MORE ON THE BUDGET IN JUST A MOMENT.

>>> FORMER CORPORATION COMMISSION CHAIR KRIS MAYES ANNOUNCED TODAY THAT SHE IS RETURNING FOR ATTORNEY GENERAL.

SHE SAYS SHE IS RUNNING TO PROTECT ARIZONANS FROM QUOTE, THOSE THAT DO HARM.

SHE WAS A REPUBLICAN WHILE SERVING ON THE COMMISSION.

SHE CHANGED PARTIES DURING THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION, AND WILL RUN FOR ATTORNEY GENERAL AS A DEMOCRAT.

>>> THE TELEGRAPH FIRE IS NOW 89% CONTAINED.

IT HAS BURNED A LITTLE OVER 180,000 ACRES.

THE RAPHAEL FIRE IS NOW AT 24,000 ACRES WITH NO CONTAINMENT REPORTED.

AND THE BACKBONE FIRE IS 1% CONTAINED.

IT IS NOW AT 38,000 ACRES.

>>> ALSO OF NOTE, THE WALNUT FIRE IN SOUTHEASTERN ARIZONA HERE I 10 EAST OF BENSON.

THAT FIRE HAS BURNED 8500 ACRES, BUT EVACUATION ORDERS AND THE TEMPORARY CLOSING OF I-10 LEAD TO MASSIVE BACKUPS.

EVACUATION ORDERS ARE STILL IN EFFECT.

>>> THREE RULINGS OF NOTE BY THE U.S. SUPREME COURT.

IN ONE CASE THE COURT FOUND A PENNSYLVANIA SCHOOL DISTRICT VIOLATED THE FIRST AMEND BY DISCIPLINING A STUDENT FOR OFF-CAMPUS SPEECH ON SOCIAL MEDIA.

THE STUDENT HAD GONE ONLINE TO EVENT HER FRUSTRATIONS FOR NOT MAKING THE IS CHEER LEADING SQUAD.

AND THE SUPREME COURT RULED THAT POLICE WILL SOMETIMES NEED A WARRANT TO FOLLOW A FLEEING SUSPECT INTO THEIR HOME.

THE COURT SAID THAT A FLEEING SUSPECT ISN'T ALWAYS AN EMERGENCY, AND WHEN OFFICERS HAVE TIME TO GET A WAR RENT, THEY MUST DO SO.

>>> AND IT RAINS IN ARIZONA, NO KIDDING, IT ACTUALLY RAINED.

MOST AREAS GOT AROUND A TENTH OF AN INCH.

THE FIRST TIME IN FIVE YEARS WE SAW MEASURABLE RAINFALL IN THE MONTH OF JUNE.

>>> AS WE MENTIONED SENATE REPUBLICANS PASSED A BUDGET OVERNIGHT.

THE SPENDING PLAN INCLUDES A $1.3 BILLION TAX CUT THAT BENEFITS THE WEALTHY AND PRETTY MUCH NEGATES A TAX ON HIGHER WAGE EARNERS.

EARLIER TODAY WE GOT REACTION FROM REBECCA RIOS, THE SENATE MINORITY LEADER, AND REPUBLICAN SENATOR PAUL BOYER.

AND SENATORS GOOD TO HAVE YOU BOTH HERE.

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING US.

SENATOR YOU ARE HERE IN STUDIO WITH US, SO WE'LL START WITH YOU.

WHY YOU THINK THIS IS A GOOD THING FOR THE STATE OF ARIZONA.

>> I THINK THIS IS A GRAND SLAM FOR THE STATE OF ARIZONA.

I BELIEVE THIS IS THE LARGEST DEBT REDUCTION IN STATE HISTORY, $1.9 BILLION.

THE LARGEST TAX CUT IN STATE HISTORY, AND UPON FULL IMPLEMENTATION OF THE TAX PLAN, THE LOWEST FLAT RATE OF STATES IN THE COUNTRY WHO HAVE A FLAT TAX.

>> SENATOR RIOS YOUR THOUGHTS?

>> I THINK WE MISSED A REAL OPPORTUNITY.

THIS IS A BUDGET IN WHICH OUR EXTRA WEALTHY WILL BENEFIT A LOT FROM THIS MASSIVE TAX CUT.

IT IS THE LARGEST TAX CUT IN HISTORY.

THE TOP 1% WILL GAIN 50% OF THE BENEFITS FROM THIS TAX CUT.

>> WHY WAS THE EMPHASIS ON WEALTHY ARIZONANS DOWN FROM 8% TO 2.95 -- UNDER 3% NOW FOR WEALTHY ARIZONANS.

WHY WAS THAT NECESSARY?

>> DOWN TO 4.5, THE FAX RATE FOR THE HIGH EARNERS.

AND WE KNOW THAT HIGH EARNERS ARE MOBILE.

WE HAVE SEEN STATES LIKE NEW YORK, ILLINOIS, CALIFORNIA?

PARTICULAR, THEY LEAVE.

AND THEY I WOULD LEAVE IF WE DON'T DO SOMETHING TO MITIGATE THE HARMS OF 208.

THIS DOESN'T IMPACT 208, BUT THE STATE IS PROTECTING THOSE HIGHER EARNERS.

>> BUT STICKING WITH YOU, VOTERS APPROVED A TAX INCREASE ON WEALTHY ARIZONANS FOR EDUCATION.

WHAT KIND OF MESSAGE DOES THIS SEND THOSE VOTERS?

>> THIS WILL NOT IMPACT 208 ONE BIT.

WE HAVE ADDED $55 MILLION OF GOING ON STRUCTURAL SPENDING FOR K-12.

WE HAVE IMPLEMENTED ADDITIONAL ASSISTANCE, AND HIGHER ED, $170 MILLION IN HIGHER ED.

SO WE CLEARLY CARE ABOUT EDUCATION.

>> SENATOR RIOS NO HARM DONE AS FAR AS THIS TAX MONEY IS CONCERNED?

THE >> THIS CLEARLY THWARTS THE WILL OF THE VOTERS IN 208.

YOU CAN'T ARGUE THAT THERE IS THE SAME AMOUNT OF MONEY THERE.

AT THE END OF THE DAY, ARIZONA CONTINUES TO RANK AT THE BOTTOM OF THE BARREL IN TERMS OF PER PUPIL FUNDS.

WE'RE AT THE BOTTOM IN TERMS OF TEACHER PAY, AND TOP OF THE LIST IN TERMS OF LARGE CLASS SIZES.

SO WHEN WE THROW OUT NUMBERS OF HOW MUCH WE WOULD HAVE PUT INTO TO EDUCATION, YOU NEED TO ZOOM OUT AND TAKE INTO ACCOUNT THE FACT THAT WE'RE STILL ABOUT A BILLION DOLLARS BEHIND WHERE HE SHOULD HAVE BEEN.

AND I WAS AROUND IN 2008 WHEN WE HAD TO CUT BUDGETS.

THIS MASSIVE TAX GIVE AWAY, EVENTUALLY THE ECONOMY WILL TURN DOWN, AND WE'LL BE BACK IN THE SAME POSITION.

GOVERNOR BREWER, A REPUBLICAN, WAS THERE AT THE TIME.

I THINK WE GAVE UP A REAL OPPORTUNITY TO INVEST IN ARIZONA, NOT ONLY IN THIS K-12 EDUCATION, BUT HIGHER EDUCATION, INFRASTRUCTURE, ROADS, BRIDGES, BUT ONCE AGAIN, THE ANSWER FROM -- YOU KNOW, GOVERNOR DUCEY WAS LET'S JUST GIVE ANOTHER TAX CUT.

AND THERE WAS NO DEPARTMENT OF REVENUE MODEL ANALYSIS GIVEN TO US, THERE WAS NO PUBLIC INPUT, OR PUBLIC FORUMS.

DEMOCRATS LITERALLY FOUND A ONE-PAGE DOCUMENT THAT WE WERE OPERATING UNDER.

SO, AGAIN, I THINK THAT CALLS INTO QUESTION THE WAY THIS TAX CUT WAS IMPLEMENTED AND ULTIMATELY THE LONG-TERM IMPACT.

WE'LL LOSE ABOUT $2 BILLION EVERY YEAR IN PERPETUITY IN FUNDING, AGAIN, FOR A TAX CUT THAT LARGELY BENEFITS THE TOP 1%.

>> RESPOND, PLEASE.

>> SENATOR RIOS IS GOING OFF OF THE OLD TAX PLAN.

WE GOT IT DOWN TO 1.3 BILLION, AND THEN WE INCREASED THE AMOUNT OF DEBT REDUCTION, WHICH WILL SAVE THE STATE $270 MILLION ONGOING.

AND WE DID GET AN AN -- ANALYST WHO LOOKED AT THIS.

HE LOOKED AT THIS PLAN, AND HE THOUGHT THAT IT WAS A PRO-GROWTH, VERY STRESS-TESTED FOR THE STATE OF ARIZONA.

IN OTHER WORDS IN CASE OF A FUTURE DOWNTURN THIS PARTICULAR BUDGET WILL ACCOUNT EXACTLY FOR THAT.

AND HERE IS THE BEST PART ABOUT THE GROWTH.

IF WE DON'T GET GROWTH, THE TRIGGERS WON'T GO INTO EFFECT, IN OTHER WORDS THE RATES WON'T GO DOWN, SO EITHER WAY IT'S GREAT FOR THE STATE OF ARIZONA.

>> RESPOND PLEASE, SENATOR RIOS.

>> AT THE END OF THE DAY NO ONE ACCOUNTED FOR THE MASSIVE TAX CUT THAT WILL BENEFIT THE WEALTHY.

AND I THINK THE VOTERS HAVE SPOKEN VERY LOUDLY THAT PUBLIC EDUCATION WAS TOP OF THE LIST, THIS TAX CUT CLEARLY DID AN IN-RUN ON PROP 208, TELLING THOSE TOP WAGE EARNERS, DON'T WORRY ABOUT WHAT THE VOTERS SAID.

AND AT THEN OF THE DAY, WE HAVE NOT MADE THE TYPES OF INVESTMENTS IN PUBLIC EDUCATION THAT ARIZONANS WANT.

AND FOR THIS ARGUMENT THAT THERE IS GOING TO BE A MASS EXODUS FROM ARIZONA, THAT HAS NOT PLAYED OUT.

PEOPLE CONTINUE TO MOVE HERE, SO THAT ARGUMENT DOESN'T HOLD ANYWAY.

>> SENATOR THERE WERE -- LASTLY, OF THE ONES OF NOTE.

EXPANDING THE SCHOOL VOUCHER SYSTEM.

AGAIN, THE MESSAGE TO VOTERS WHO VOTED AGAINST A SIMILAR EXPANSION, NOT THE SAME, BUT A SIMILAR EXPANSION THREE YEARS AGO.

WHAT ARE YOU TELLING VOTERS WHEN THEY SAY NO, AND THE LEGISLATURE SAYS YES.

>> DONALD TRUMP WAS PRESIDENT THREE YEARS AGO, MARTHA McSALLY WAS SENATOR THREE YEARS AGO.

AND THIS PARTICULAR PROGRAM, WE HAVE BEEN POLLING ON THIS.

AND THEY FOUND OVER 70% SUPPORT FOR THE PARTICULAR EXPANSION PROGRAM, SCHOLARSHIPS FOR CORE MINORITY STUDENTS, AND THEY WANT THIS.

IT WAS PREPANDEMIC, AND B, THIS IS FOR A PARTICULAR POPULATION THAT IS VERY SYMPATHETIC.

>> IS THIS POPULATION THE ONLY POPULATION TO GET THESE BENEFITS?

>> YES, ANY STUDENT WHO RECEIVES TITLE I SERVICES.

THEY ARE THE ONLY ONES WHO WILL QUALIFY.

>> THEN WHY IS THIS NOT A GOOD THING.

>> IF YOU LOOK AT STUDENTS IN TITLE I SCHOOLS, THOSE CAN BE STUDENTS THAT ARE VERY WEALTHY.

THIS COULD EXTEND TO 80% OF THE MILLION-PLUS STUDENTS IN ARIZONA.

THIS COULD SYSTEMATICALLY CHANGE AND ULTIMATELY PRIVATIZE PUBLIC SCHOOLS, BUT PUTTING IT INTO PRIVATE SCHOOL VOUCHERS THAT PARENTS CAN USE TO SUBSIDIZE THEIR PRIVATE SCHOOLING FOR THEIR CHILDREN.

AND THIS PROGRAM STARTED YEARS AGO RIGHT UNDER THE GUISE OF WELL, LET'S JUST GIVE THIS ACCESS TO DISABLED KIDS, AND THEN LET'S EXPAND IT FOR MINORITY KIDS, AND THE DOOR GOT WIDER AND WIDER AND WIDER, TO THE POINT WHERE IT WAS BURIED IN A 200-PAGE AMENDMENT THAT WE RECEIVED MOMENTS BEFORE WE WENT ON THE FLOOR.

THIS IS GOING TO BE ACCEPTABLE TO 80% OF THE KIDS, AND AGAIN, UNDER THE GUISE OF LET'S DO THIS FOR MINORITY KIDS.

SO MY CONCERN IS THOSE KIDS THAT WE INITIALLY CREATED THIS PROGRAM FOR, ARE GOING TO GET PUSHED ASIDE, AND ULTIMATELY MAY NOT EVEN BE SELECTED.

>> SENATOR IS THERE AN INCOME -- IS THERE A WAY TO MAKE SURE THAT THERE ARE SOME WEALTHY PARENTS FAMILIES THAT WILL BENEFIT FROM THIS.

IS THERE SOME SORT OF TRIGGER TO KEEP THAT ARE FROM HAPPENING?

>> WE HAVE CLARIFIED THAT.

YOU HAVE TO BE A STUDENT WHO IS RECEIVING TITLE I SERVICES, SO FREE AND REDUCED LUNCH, SO THAT ADDRESSES THAT CONCERN.

BUT 400,000 STUDENTS THAT ARE CURRENTLY ELIGIBLE, ONLY 9,000 TAKE PART.

AND ABOUT 20,000 MORE STUDENTS WILL TAKE PART.

SO WE'RE TRYING TO SAY FOR THOSE POTENTIAL 20,000 STUDENTS THAT ARE TRYING TO GET OUT OF THE SCHOOLS THAT ARE FAILING THEM, THAT YOU CAN NEVER FEEL THE SCHOOL THAT IS FAILING YOU, SO WE'RE TALKING .05% OF THE STUDENT POPULATION IN ARIZONA, THAT'S WHAT WE'RE SPENDING THIS MUCH TIME ON.

>> IT SOUNDS LIKE STUDENT FOCUSED AS OPPOSED TO SCHOOL FOCUSED, WHICH WAS YOUR CONCERN.

>> THIS MISNOMER THAT THEY GO TO A TITLE I SCHOOL, THEREFORE THEY GET FREE AND REDUCED LUNCH.

MY CHILD GOES TO A TITLE I SCHOOL, AND WE DON'T NEED FREE AND REDUCED LUNCH.

>> SO DOES SHE GET THIS PARTICULAR VOUCHER THEN?

>> NO, UNDER THE CURRENT VERSION, YOU HAVE TO BE RECEIVING TITLE I SERVICES.

SO IT'S NOT BASED ON THE SCHOOL.

IT IS BASED ON THE STUDENT.

>> I WOULD ARGUE AGAIN, MY CHILD GOES TO A SCHOOL IN WHICH 80% OF THE CHILDREN RECEIVE FREE AND REDUCED LUNCH.

SO THEY DON'T CHARGE ANYBODY FOR LUNCH.

SO TECHNICALLY HE RECEIVES TITLE I SERVICES.

AND I GUESS THAT'S MY CONCERN IS THAT IT SOUNDS GOOD, BUT WHEN YOU START LOOKING AT IT, THIS IS REALLY GOING TO BE ACCEPTABLE TO THE MASSES AT THE EXPENSE OF OUR PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEM, WHICH WE HAVE BEEN DEFUNDING FOR DECADES, WHICH THE VOTERS HAVE SAID, WE DON'T WANT VOUCHERS, WE WANT PROP 208 TO PUT MONEY INTO THE SYSTEM, BUT REPUBLICANS HAVE ESSENTIALLY ROLLED BOTH OF THOSE BACK.

>> WE'RE KIND OF RUNNING OUT OF TIME HERE, BUT I WANT TO TOUCH ON SOME OTHER AMENDMENTS.

BANS SCHOOLS FROM REQUIRING FACE MASKS.

BANNING TEACHING RACE THEORY.

THESE WERE PUT INTO BUDGET BILLS BY WAY OF AMENDMENT.

DO THEY BELONG IN A BUDGET BILL?

>> NO, NOT AT ALL.

I DON'T KNOW WHY LEADERSHIP DOESN'T PUT THEM UP SEPARATELY BEFORE THE BUDGET.

>> YOU HAVE BEEN KNOWN TO STANDING ALONE IN OPPOSITION TO MEASURES IF YOU THINK SOMETHING IS RIGHT?

WHY DID YOU IS OPPOSE THIS?

>> BECAUSE WE'RE SEVEN DAYS AWAY FROM A GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN.

I HAVE GOTTEN SOME OF WHAT I WANTED, AND NOW I'M GOING TO SAY, NOW, I NEED THIS ON TOP OF IT.

TO BE HONEST, I CAN ONLY ASK FOR SO MUCH, BUT I DO THINK IT'S INAPPROPRIATE.

>> SENATOR RIOS, YOU WOULD AGREE, I WOULD IMAGINE.

>> I DO.

AND THESE CAME OUT AT 2:30 IN THE MORNING.

THESE AMENDMENTS WENT ON BECAUSE THEY NEEDED THESE FOLKS VOTES.

THERE WAS ANOTHER AMENDMENT, THAT WILL ESSENTIALLY REQUIRE THE SECRETARY OF STATE TO HAND OVER YOUR PRIVATE VOTER DATA TO ANY OUTSIDE THIRD ENTITY THAT THE LEGISLATURE SAYS IS OKAY.

COULD BE CYBER NINJAS, THE TRUMP ORGANIZATION.

AGAIN, THIS IS THE KIND OF GARBAGE THAT GOES THROUGH IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT WHEN THEY NEED TO ASSURE THEY HAVE THAT 16TH VOTE.

AND I REALLY THINK AT THE END OF THE DAY, ARIZONANS GOT SHORTCHANGED ON THIS BUDGET, AND WE DID NOT DO RIGHT.

>> LAST QUESTION FOR YOU, SENATOR RIOS.

THE HOUSE DEMOCRATS WALKED OUT, BASICALLY PRO -- PROTESTED A QUORUM.

SO THAT'S A DARK UNDERBELLY OF POLITICS, SIMPLY NOT SHOWING UP AND DOING YOUR JOB.

DO THEY HAVE A POINT?

>> I FIND THAT HYSTERICAL, BECAUSE THEY HAVE THE MEMBERS TO PROVIDE THEIR OWN QUORUM.

IF THEIR MEMBERS DIDN'T SHOW UP.

THAT'S ON THEM.

>> AND LAST QUESTION FOR YOU.

THIS HAS NO DEMOCRATIC SUPPORT WHATSOEVER.

IS THAT HEALTHY FOR ARIZONA?

IN >> WELL I AGREE.

I HAVE BEEN WORKING WITH SENATOR BOWIE FOR MONTHS NOW ON TRYING TO GET A BIPARTISAN BUDGET, BUT I REALIZED I COULDN'T GET 16 AND 31 AT THAT POINT.

AND I REALIZED THAT WE WERE NEVER GOING TO GET OUT OF HERE, IF I CONTINUED TO PUSH THAT.

>> BUT THE FACT THAT YOU WERE NEVER GOING TO GET OUT OF HERE, IS THAT HEALTHY FOR ARIZONA?

>> THIS IS THE FIRST TIME I HAVE EVER CREATED MY OWN BUDGET THAT I HAVE PROPOSED TO HOUSE LEADERSHIP.

I THINK LEADERSHIP SHOULD BE REACHING OUT TO THE MINORITY PARTY.

>> THANK YOU BOTH.

GOOD CONVERSATION, AND GOOD TO HAVE YOU BOTH HERE.

WE APPRECIATE IT.

>> THANK YOU.

>> THANK YOU.

>>> UP NEXT, THE PHOENIX THEATRE COMPANY IS OPENING ITS DOORS FOR INDOOR PERFORMANCES.

>>> THE PHOENIX THEATRE COMPANY HAS BEEN NAVIGATING THE PANDEMIC BY HOLDING OUT DOOR EVENTS.

AND NOW THEY PLAN TO TRANSITION TO INDOOR PERFORMANCES.

WE LEARNED MORE FROM THE PHOENIX THEATRE COMPANY'S JULIA HASSEY.

GOOD TO SEE YOU.

GOOD TO HAVE THEATER COMING BACK.

HOW IS THIS WORKING OUT?

>> YES, WE ARE ABSOLUTELY THRILLED AT THE PHOENIX THEATRE COMPANY TO BE OPENING OUR 102ND SEASON.

WE ARE SO EXCITED.

WE HAVE MADE THE TRANSITION BACK INDOORS.

OUR PATRONS ARE THRILLED.

OUR PERFORMERS, OUR STAFF, EVERYONE IS JUST ELATED TO BE RETURNING TO SOME SEMBLANCE OF NORMALCY, AFTER -- AFTER -- YOU KNOW, SUCH AN INCREDIBLE PERIOD THAT WAS SO UNCERTAIN.

>> SO MUCH UNCERTAINTY, ESPECIALLY FOR THE ARTS.

>> YES.

>> WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS WHEN YOU ARE SEEING THE PERFORMERS ON THAT STAGE.

DO YOU GET EMOTIONAL AT ALL?

>> ABSOLUTELY.

IT'S -- IT'S REALLY SURREAL.

I -- I WILL SAY.

WE JUST HAVE OPENED BECOMING DR. RUTH AS PART OF OUR SUMMER SERIES, AND TO FEEL THE ENERGY IN OUR LOBBY SPACES, KNOWING THAT WE ARE GOING TO HAVE PATRONS IN OUR SPACE, KNOWING THAT WE WERE GOING TO HAVE PERFORMERS IN OUR SPACE, AND HERE REHEARSING NOW, IT'S -- IT'S SOMETHING THAT FEELS SURREAL AND FELT ALMOST UNATTAINABLE, AND IT DOES -- IT BRINGS TEARS TO THE EYES OF THE STAFF HERE, OF THE PERFORMERS THAT ARE HERE, AND OF OUR PATRONS THAT HAVE MISSED THIS EXPERIENCE SO, SO MUCH.

>> I WAS GOING TO SAY, THE PERFORMERS, THERE MUST BE A LITTLE EXTRA BOUNCE IN THEIR STEP BECAUSE OF THIS.

>> I WOULD SAY SO.

>> AND WHAT KIND OF REACTION ARE YOU GETTING FROM THE PATRONS?

>> I HAVE THE FORTUNE OF SPEAKING WITH OUR PATRONS EACH AND EVERY DAY, AND WE HAD SO MANY JOIN US FOR OUR OUTDOOR PERFORMANCES, SO WE WERE VERY FORTUNATE TO HAVE LIVE PROGRAMMING IN A SAFE SOCIALLY DISTANCED WAY OVER THE LAST YEAR, BUT NOW MAKING THIS TRANSITION BACK INDOORS, THEY ARE JUST THRILLED.

THEY CAN'T WAIT.

>> YEAH.

YEAH.

WHAT KIND OF DECISION-MAKING PROCESS INVOLVED TO MAKE THAT TRANSITION BACK INDOORS.

>> WELL, THE TRANSITION BACK INDOORS, THAT WAS ALWAYS WHAT WE WANTED TO DO.

AND WE WERE MAKING EVERY EFFORT TO MAKE THAT TRANSITION.

ULTIMATELY EVERYTHING WAS SO UNCERTAIN, AND WE HAD PIVOT MULTIPLE TIMES, AND WE ARE VERY FORTUNATE TO HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY IN AN OUTDOOR SPACE, BUT ULTIMATELY, AS SOON AS WE WERE ABLE TO RETURN BACK INSIDE, AND ENSURE WE COULD DO IT IN A SAFE WAY, WE WERE RARING TO GO.

WE WERE READY.

>> HOW ARE YOU ENSURING THAT THIS IS DONE IN A SAFE WAY NOW?

ARE THERE RULES?

THIS >> YES, WE HAVE SOME GUIDELINES THAT WE HAVE IN PLACE.

YOU KNOW, WITH VACATIONS ON THE RISE, AND WITH RESTRICTIONS BEING LIFTED, WE STILL ARE REQUIRING MASKS WHEN YOU ARE IN OUR THEATRICAL SPACES.

ALWAYS IN OUR LOBBY SPACES IF YOU ARE NOT ACTIVELY EATING OR DRINKING.

AND WE'LL BE DOING TEMPERATURE CHECKS FOR OUR STAFF, VOLUNTEERS, AND OUR PATRONS WHEN THEY ENTER, BECAUSE THE SAFETY OF OUR STAFF, ACTORS AND PATRONS, THAT IS OUR NUMBER 1 PRIORITY.

>> DID YOU GET MUCH PUSHBACK WHEN YOU DECIDED TO MAKE THE TRANSITION TRANSITION INDOORS.

>> SOME, THERE WAS A LITTLE.

BUT IT WASN'T REALLY A PUSHBACK, IT WAS ABOUT THOSE FOLKS WHO ARE READY TO RETURN.

AND WE'RE COMPLETELY SYMPATHETIC FOR THOSE WHO AREN'T READY TO RETURN.

AND IF YOU ARE NOT, THAT'S OKAY.

WE ARE WAITING FOR YOU TO COME BACK WHEN YOU ARE READY.

>> JULIA, THE OVERIMPACT ON COVID ON THE ARTS IN GENERAL IN THE VALLEY.

WHAT DID YOU SEE?

WHAT DID YOU HEAR?

>> IT -- IT REALLY HAS BEEN REALLY DEBILITATING FOR SOME ARTS ORGANIZATIONS.

AND I HEAR IT ALL THE TIME ACROSS THE WORLD.

AND I KNOW THEY ARE DOING WHATEVER THEY CAN TO GET BACK.

WE'RE VERY FORTUNATE TO RETURN BACK TO OUR PRE-COVID NUMBERS IN TERMS OF STAFFING HERE AT THE PHOENIX THEATRE COMPANY, AND WE'RE VERY FORTUNATE.

AND WE KNOW THAT.

AND NOT A DAY GOES BY THAT WE'RE NOT GRATEFUL FOR THAT, AND HOPING TO SEE THE SAME WITH ALL OF THE ARTS ORGANIZATIONS AROUND US, WITHIN OUR COMMUNITY.

THEY ARE COMING BACK.

IT HAS BEEN HARD.

IT HAS BEEN A STRUGGLE, AND WILL CONTINUE TO BE.

BUT THE ARTS ARE VITAL TO OUR COMMUNITY, AND TO WHO WE ARE, AND TO THE CONNECTIONS THAT WE'RE ABLE TO CREATE, AND I THINK THAT IT'S NECESSARY FOR THE COMMUNITY TO BAND TOGETHER AND BRING THEM BACK.

>> WELL, CONGRATULATIONS ON HANGING IN THERE, AND REOPENING.

BEST OF LUCK TO YOU.

JULIA HASSEY, PHOENIX THEATRE COMPANY, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR TIME.

WE APPRECIATE IT.

>> THANK YOU.

MY PLEASURE.

>>> AND THAT IS IT FOR NOW.

I'M TED SIMONS.

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING US?

HCHL -- YOU HAVE A GREAT EVENING.

♪♪ >>> COMING UP IN THE NEXT HALF HOUR OF LOCAL NEWS ON CRON CRONKITE NEWS, COVID PUTS A BIG PAUSE ON ATHLETES.

AND ON BREAK IT DOWN, A DISCUSSION ABOUT DIVERSITY IN MOVIE AND TELEVISION CHARACTERS.

♪♪