z >> [Ted Simons] good evening and welcome to Arizona horizons.

I met Ted Simons.

Other fees and credit cases across Arizona, more than 1400 new cases reported today along with seven new COVID fatalities.

Suspected Kobe cases are up to, they are at their highest levels in early March.

Governor Ducey today encouraged Arizona to get vaccinated but at the same time emphasize that they will not be any kind of vaccine mandate.

The governor treated quote we've made it clear from the beginning that Arizona will not mandate the Covid-19 vaccine, but we encourage everyone to get it.

It's the surest way of keeping you and your loved ones safe.

I got my shot I'm glad I did.

Arizona's faxes nation rates continue to lag behind national averages, with 3.3 million Arizonans now fully vaccinated about 51% receiving 1100 dose of the vaccine.

Other news: Rainstorm setting the state are making for impressive rainfall totals.

Some parts of the Valley are more than 3 inches and counting.

At a spot where the Tucson has recorded nearly 5 inches of rain in the past 24-hours.

Storms are forecast to continue over much of the state through most of the weekend.

And in sports news: As of next year Cleveland's major league baseball team will no longer be called the "Indians".

The team announced today the new name will be called the Cleveland guardians.

This comes today after decades of criticism from Native Americans about the old name.

The teams that it considered nearly 1200 options and surveyed more than 40,000 fans before deciding on the new name.

The team's colors will remain the same.

Time now for the journalist Roundtable and for a look at some of the week's top stories including efforts to keep recent tax cuts were going ballots, we welcome Howie Fischer and Mary Jo Pitzl.

Thank you both for joining us at the journalist roundtable, it's good to have you Mary Jo it's good to have you because you learned about that this morning.

The tax cuts that one through legislature they thought They might be referred to the voters but you're saying that so fast?

What's happening here?

Three.

A lawsuit was filed Thursday to block through rough road of drives are underway.

Those drives look to put a hold, if they get enough signatures from voters, to put a hold on the tax cuts, the new income tax category for small business and a cap on the top rate that a high owner can pay in taxes.

They want to put a pause on those laws and refer them to the ballot in 2022.

This law will stop the end its tracks.

>> [Ted Simons].

What's important is there is a section of the Arizona Constitution it says that you cannot refer measures to raise money.

For example you would not want to bring the state to a halt if there's a pack height.

Once you get the signatures the tax height stays.

This is not a tax hike.

This is a tax cuts.

And so I'm not buying the argument that somehow you can't refer this.

If in fact, you they get 118,000 signatures by September 28 but that means is a state will be collecting more money than it needs rather than less, so I'm not buying the arguments and I don't the courts where the argument that somehow you can't refer this to the voters.

And we should mention that if this doesn't on the ballot this thing is blocked.

Cannot going to affect correct?

The three correct all your taxes next spring you would not present tax rates or I would not be hit by the high interest cat that have to pay more.

I agree with Howie, it's interesting legal strategy because the Constitution says that you can't put holds on on revenue that is intended to support and the operations of the state government.

This is a tax cut and his tax cuts amounts to about $1.5 billion less in state support.

It will be interesting to see how those legal arguments play out in court.

>> [Ted Simons] how do you think that will play out in court?

>> [Howie Fischer, Capitol Media Services] I think the judges will have a hard time with it.

First, is the filing premature?

They're trying to keep their state from even accepting the petitions before they turn it in.

I think a judge is going to say, let's say a big signatures in the first place.

If they get the signatures come back and then we can make the argument of whether it is proper.

Again, I think there's only one piece of case law in Arizona.

The'' 92 case, out of county they said you cannot tax hike to the ballot.

There is no case law that backs the free enterprise to do.

>> [Ted Simons].

Last point Mary Jo, you mentioned efforts underway right now.

It is easier if there's opponents as opposed if the three people get together and coalesce into one?

>> [Mary Jo Pitzl, The Arizona Republic].

There are three separate laws really.

But they are going file.

I should say that this petition drive is being sponsored by invest in Arizona, what used to be investing ahead.

This is represented and made up of the AEA, teachers union and Stanford children.

Their argument is that if these tax changes come into effect that is going to affect overall state education, which they argue is already under.

>> [Ted Simons] Yes, let's lawmakers.

Howie, saying that when there's open meeting laws what law?

>> [Howie Fischer, Capitol Media Services].

What English-speaking laws?

The question here, this is a paralegal to a civil fight going on over public access or access laws and audits.

The attorney's contention is that the Arizona Constitution empowers chamber to make its own rules and decide how it's going to motion.

The question becomes does that supersede a law that says all meetings are open to the public?

The Legislature never exempted itself and that is really for two points because that is the same argument laws.

The attorney for the legislature is saying no, we don't have to exempt ourselves by virtue of having our own rules we decided.

And that the legislature political caucuses so clearly the legislature they were subject to the open meeting law.

What's is all about quickly, is there are Republican monikers who went to a meeting of the American group of business people that the place with nice ideas get tossed around the argument by the plaintiff and the other plaintiff's basically had your first many of the legislature on these bills closed doors and meeting.

Now we're down to the question of trial judge in this case said, no I am not going to buy the light in this case the court of appeals.

Attorneys are saying no, where the legislature we can do it we want to >> [Ted Simons] Mary Jo, so if they're basically saying?

As long as it is they want to work >> [Mary Jo Pitzl, The Arizona Republic].

, if it's not for Bennett in the rules go ahead and do it.

But I think two-point the legislature exempted its caucuses from the open meetings law and it shows they showed some difference and that is government and the proceedings of the capital really since the beginning.

Two.

The problem with the argument is how much illogical and can we take to it?

We were to have the argument on public record law and argument with open meeting law, but also the legislature or legislator not to obey?

Evasive when aside and you know what those red lights those are meant for common people.

How far can you take it?

>> [Ted Simons].

The legislature basically said that the court if the legislature acted wrongfully.

That is basically what you're saying here and went to the courts to buy?

>> [Howie Fischer, Capitol Media Services] get by.

We are coequal branch of government and therefore you cannot decide it.

Two more very versus medicine idea that the courts get to decide for the governor exceed the law, the legislature or the Congress can they exceed the law?

I'm not sure the judge is like being told, you don't have a power here.

>> [Mary Jo Pitzl, The Arizona Republic].

It removes the whole idea of the balance of power and why we have the three of Meaghan's school for each to serve as a check on the other.

>> [Ted Simons] Right, Mary Jo, covert litigation at schools I went to get this because we know the governors basically said no bandit for this is no mandate for that.

Where are we now with this?

Now that the state health records say Okay yeah my kids to school.

This complicated thing cool.

They would feel about ninja turtle masks but you can send your child to school but they cannot do or what schools cannot do is require that the child wear a mask.

Now with this latest round from the governor it appears that schools cannot have a blanket quarantine for rules for children who have been unvaccinated, which is a lot of them because you cannot get vaccinated under age 12.

They cannot have a blanket cord for these children who show up unvaccinated but who have been exposed to equipment.

So what do you do with them?

Apparently, as I understood that the state health director said, you cannot have a blanket policy but you can do this on a case-by-case basis.

>> [Howie Fischer, Capitol Media Services].

The problem becomes how much of a case-by-case basis.

The thing of an outbreak at the Peoria school District which is where the districts at issue here.

You have a bunch of unvaccinated kids particularly since they are, many of them under 12, cannot get vaccinated, they have been exposed to other folks, how many kids have to get infected before they can say, no you are not vaccinated, we don't want you in school.

Do we have to go one by one by one?

Or at what point can they say no, that is not true.

Here's the other interesting thing I know that the school's are fighting this.

The governor is arguing that a law approved of the legislators part of the budget that includes quarantines.

I don't think he read the law.

The law says that you cannot require vaccinations and you cannot require masks.

There is nothing in the statute that requires this.

I think this is the governor kind of kissing up to some of his right-wing friends and saying, look at me I am fighting the great shutdown lobby in the states.

>> [Ted Simons].

We make of that Mary Jo?

>> [Mary Jo Pitzl, The Arizona Republic] it is certainly reading something into the law that is not there.

I think it is interesting to point out that as they don't mask a requirement is getting written into law, the first draft of that was to let school districts have that authority.

They came up at a Republican caucus meeting in late May and it was represented as J Kaufman as he spoke and said, wait a minute?

You left behind this and then answer was for local control.

They quickly change that to say take away local control and make it a state requirement that you cannot require masks.

It will be interesting to see how this plays out because kids are going back to school this week.

They will have and be interesting to watch as you have a school that has children in very confined spaces faces you're not vaccinated.

When do you have a big outbreak?

And what kind of strange is that put that on the school nurse?

If there is one of the school and the school administrators.

And how will parents react?

There are parents who don't want their kids exposed to this.

They will go back to online schooling.

There's a lot of questions.

>> [Howie Fischer, Capitol Media Services].

This is tricky because we have new numbers from the health department.

We are at a daily infection rate back from when in February when the vaccine was first pulled out.

This is the delta.

Which is clearly more contagious.

But we are on top of this and everything is just fine and then all of a sudden were losing a thousand people a day.

>> [Ted Simons] I should mention today that the governor came out to mention everybody get the coveted vaccine vaccination but emphasized and nobles made pain to point out we will not be putting into effect a vexing mandate.

On his tweet that was mentioned for the facts, by the way I would like you to get it it was way good for me.

>> [Howie Fischer, Capitol Media Services] nobody has mandated the vaccine.

Nobody anywhere has suggested that it be mandated.

New features like importers like Banner health, your healthcare facility perhaps you should be vaccinated.

Nobody is having the states or counties or districts have this mandated.

This is a straw man.

>> [Ted Simons].

Okay a straw man.

Okay Mary Jo I will end with you, Donald Trump is coming to town tomorrow and he apparently, legislature Paul Boyer got in a little bit of a Twitter fight here, talk to us about this and are we seeing what the statements made today from the governor, is this kind of a way to say welcome Donald Trump?

>> [Mary Jo Pitzl, The Arizona Republic] [LAUGHTER] I'm not sure about that but first of all, it is very hard to have an argument with Trump on Twitter since Trump is banned from a Twitter.

I talked to Senator Boyer who is a Republican from Glendale earlier today and he has been critical of the ongoing election audit at the state fairgrounds.

He says is not an audit is not what he thought they were going to get to which is as a nonpartisan look at the election results in 2020.

That circulated and got around and this Trump statement came out that people post on Twitter calling out Boyer for being a rhino and being a terrible Republican and being against the audits.

And of course, I don't know her that even came from but clearly we know how he, we know where he stands on that.

And he is not backing down.

>> [Ted Simons].

Alright Howie, the last word on this and as long as this fight but ugly mentioned, he is banned from Twitter, but Paul Boyer did respond on Twitter so essentially it is a Twitter fight.

I'm kind went back to the governor a little bit is him trying to show that he's qualified or is this Paul Boyer trying to say get will here is mine and he is on the other side of the Trump divide?

>> [Howie Fischer, Capitol Media Services].

I know that there's any doubt that the governor putting a trimmer if you will on Arizona's election and safety protocol is designed to preempt whatever the president or former presidents going to say.

After Boyer, Paul Boyer is going to get to the Katie Hobbs ballots.

Kaylee Hobbs has gotten more state in international publicity over the audits than she ever could have gotten running for governor on her own.

Paul Boyer is now on the president's side.

He could run for anything at this point.

>> [Ted Simons].

We will stop it right there, Mary Jo Pitzl from The Arizona Republic and Howie Fischer from Capitol Media Services, thank you both we certainly appreciate it.

Have a good weekend.

>> [Mary Jo Pitzl, The Arizona Republic].

You bet.

>> [Ted Simons].

Coming up after the break we'll meet the new leader of ability 360 which provides resources to those with disabilities.

>> [Ted Simons] ability 360 is a nationally recognized a local organization that helps address the needs of people with disabilities.

The ability 360 has a new president and CEO.

He is Text and spoke with him earlier today.

>> Christopher Rodriguez welcome to Arizona horizon is good to have you here and congratulations on taking over Text before we talk more what is Ability-Zero?

>> So, first off thank you so much for allowing me to have the opportunity to speak with you today.

Emily excited to be here in Arizona and it cannot be more honored to be leading this great organization and ability Street 360.

Voting 360 is only different things but what I really focus on is empowering people with disabilities in the organization does that in a variety of different ways, we are not we are involved with legislative efficacy's and we are certainly going to be around the Capitol analyzing her piece of legislation a policy that affects people with disabilities.

We had different types of support groups that help people better understand how to be more independent living in the community as group settings, nursing homes and things like that.

We have an incredible sports and fitness center that has universal design and just goes so far beyond ADA requirements with people for this abilities in all types of abilities can come and do anything from just working out, getting in shape, it all the way up to we have several several para- Olympians that train there.

In fact, that the slave when I understand, it is one of two facilities like in the United States so that is another special components.

We have different components to help people with disabilities gain employment.

And also pursue financial capabilities.

We have so much, so much more.

To be honest with you, I moved out of the six-weeks into the job and every day and learning more and more about this diverse and interesting organization and I have a privilege to contribute to it.

>> [Ted Simons].

That is a good point and what you expect to bring to Ability-Zero.

>> [Christopher Rodriquez].

That's a good question after question try to figure out myself.

I spent my entire career working in the disabilities face.

We have an older brother I have it fairly significant intellectual disabilities in the growing up that put me in an interesting vantage point to some of the challenges that my pad to raising a child with disabilities and that is the older seeing some of the barriers that he has encountered as an adult.

So, that has provided me with a lot of different tools to try to contribute to the disability community and try to advocate alongside and with people with disabilities.

But I am really trying to do in terms of cultivating a vision for the future of this organization right now is really getting acquainted with the disability community in Arizona and sitting down with our staff, many of which have worked at the organization for ten plus years.

They are really understanding their contribution to the organization and understanding how all the different parts of the organization move and work together to create positive change for the disability community.

I think once I have a better understanding of that I could better cultivate a vision that encompasses, not just my perception of what the disability community might need but really listening to them and then taking direction from them to try to figure out where this organization goes in the future.

>> [Ted Simons].

I was going to say that Ability-Zero has a national represent representation as a leader with a variety people and people disabilities.

Mortgages from?

And did you hear about Ability-Zero before you have a job?

>> [Christopher Rodriquez].

Ability-Zero kind of added core to which is a center for Independent living and it exists as a result of a piece of legislation that is several decades old.

There are these entities and centers for Independent living all over the country.

In fact, there are several here in the state of Arizona.

We have a national office in Washington DC.

But this one, like you said, really is a unique center and a lot of that has to do with my predecessor, Bill Payne who just did an incredible job in taking a very unique vision and creating it and having it created and brought to reality.

One of the programs I decided a little bit ago are a result of the things that he accomplished and the people around him and the people around him accomplished.

Most recently I was in Louisiana and I headed up what is basically a federally funded law firm that protects the rights of people with disabilities, prior to that I was in Washington DC working at a place called National disability Institute.

I was heading up the legislative advocating and lobbying efforts.

I just tried to take different components and different experiences I have had, both personally and professionally and try to contribute my skill set to the needs, particular here in the state of Arizona, of the disability community.

But again, the disability community is a diverse immunity of individuals.

And the need vary from state to state.

Again, but it really trying to do right now is just listen.

I went to meet with committee partners, meet with people with disabilities, figure out where the talents of ability-360 might be able to be and a unique place to contribute and look at places where it may be other organizations that are disability related are doing a great job in supporting them.

So, I am excited to see what the future has in store.

We have an incredible group of directors and vice presidents that to a lot of the different departments and I am spending a lot of time with them.

Bill has contributed time, he is actually staying on board little bit in the consulting capacity and we speak very, very frequently.

And he is helping me put the pieces together and helping me better understand the organization and kind of what the future looks like.

>> [Ted Simons].

Text, Ability-Zero.

Congratulations on taking over it's a wonderful organization we have been a number of stories on Ability-Zero.

Best of success to you.

Thank you so much we appreciate it.

>> [Christopher Rodriquez].

Thank you.

>> 'S night out the news hour the covert Olympics and opening ceremonies.

Recent cases among athletes and protests outside, coming up after your local news on Arizona PBS.

>> [Ted Simons].

That is it for now, I'm Ted Simons and thank you so much for joining us.

You have a great weekend.

Coming up at the next half-hour of local news on Arizona PBS: On Cronkite News the elements are officially underway in Tokyo, look at athletes from Arizona getting ready to compete.

And on break it down: Click little activism in sports.