[♪ THEME MUSIC ♪] >>> COMING UP IN THE NEXT HOUR OF LOCAL NEWS ON ARIZONA PBS, ON ON THE BIDEN SPENDING PLAN, ON "CRONKITE NEWS," ARIZONANS WHO ARE PUSHING FOR THE PLAN VOICE THEIR SUPPORT AT THE U.S. CAPITAL.

THAT'S ALL AHEAD IN THE NEXT HOUR ON ARIZONA PBS.

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

I'M TED SIMONS.

THE ARIZONA SENATE HAS SENT A LETTER TO CYBER-NINJAS REQUESTING THAT THE COMPANY IMMEDIATELY COMPLY WITH THE COURT ORDER THAT CALLS FOR THE RELEASE OF PUBLIC RECORDS RELATED TO THE SENATE'S SELF-STYLED AUDIT OF MARICOPA COUNTY ELECTION RESULTS.

IN THE LETTER, THE SENATE SAID THUS FAR THEY HAVE RECEIVED A QUOTE, UNSUBSTANTIAL PERCENTAGE OF ALL EXISTING, RESPONSIVE RECORDS, ADDING THAT CYBER-NINJAS IS NOW IN MATERIAL BREACH OF THE COURT AGREEMENT.

THEY ARE ACCUSING CYBER-NINJAS OF NOT PROVIDING RECORDS THAT A JUDGE ORDERED THEM TO RELEASE.

>>> SENATOR KYRSTEN SINEMA STRONGLY CONDEMNED THE ACTIONS OF GUESTS WHO WEAR NATIVE AMERICAN DRESS TO A WEDDING SHE OFFICIATED.

ATTENDEES TO THE WEDDING WERE ENCOURAGED TO WEAR COSTUMES TO THE WEDDING OF THEIR CHOOSING.

>>> KYRSTEN SINEMA IS REPORTED TO BE OPEN TO THE IDEA OF TAXING COMPANIES MAKING MORE THAN $1 BILLION IN PROFIT.

THE PLAN IS DIFFERENT FROM A STRAIGHT CORPORATE TAX INCREASE, WHICH SINEMA OPPOSES.

BUT WEST VIRGINIA CENTER JOE MANCHIN DENOUNCED THE PACKAGE AS DIVISIVE.

>>> PRESIDENT BIDEN NOMINATED LONGTIME PROSECUTOR GARY RESTAINO TO SERVE AS U.S. ATTORNEY FOR ARIZONA, HE HAS SERVED AS AN ASSISTANT U.S. ATTORNEY SINCE 2003.

PRIOR TO THAT HE WORKED AS A CIVIL RIGHTS LAWYER FOR JANET NAPOLITANO IN THE ARIZONA ATTORNEY GENERAL'S OFFICE.

>>> THERE ARE THREE NEW MEMBERS OF THE STATE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES INCLUDING TWO FROM PINAL COUNTY.

NEAL CARTER AND TERESA MARTINEZ REPLACED FRANK PRATT, AND BRET ROBERTS WHO RESIGNED.

ALSO TODAY THE MARICOPA COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS APPROVED CHRISTIAN SOLARIO TO SUCCEED RAQUEL TERAN WHO LEFT THE HOUSE AFTER BE APPOINTED TO FILL A SENATE VACANCY.

>>> AND COVID NEWS AS EXPECTED THE NUMBER OF NEW CASES IN ARIZONA SKYROCKETED TODAY.

CLOSE TO 6300 WERE REPORTED, BUT THAT UNUSUALLY HIGH NUMBER IS DUE TO REPORTING LAGS FROM A DATA-PROCESSING ERROR OVER THE WEEKEND, AND THERE WERE 81 COVID-RELATED FATALITIES FOR THE DAY, THAT NUMBER IS HIGH, BUT NOTE AS EFFECTED AS MUCH BY THOSE WEEKEND REPORTING GLITCHES.

>>> AS WE MENTIONED, PRESIDENT BIDEN'S BUILD BACK BETTER PLAN CONTINUES TO BE MIRED IN NEGOTIATIONS ON CAPITOL HILL, THOUGH AN AGREEMENT WOULD BE BROKERED AT ANY MOMENT.

THIS AFTERNOON WE TALKED ABOUT THE BILL AND WHERE IT STANDS WITH CONGRESSMAN TOM O'HALLERAN.

GOOD TO SEE YOU.

BY THE TIME THIS RUNS LATER THIS EVENING, THE WHOLE WORLD COULD CHANGE AS FAR AS THE BIDEN SPENDING PLAN, BUT WHERE ARE WE AT NOW?

>> THANKS FOR HAVING ME ON TED.

RIGHT NOW WE'RE IN A HOLDING PATTERN UNTIL MAYBE 5 OR 6% OF THE BILLS -- THE INFRASTRUCTURE BILL IS A DONE BILL.

IT WILL LEAVE HERE AND GO TO THE WHITE HOUSE, HOPEFULLY THIS WEEK.

THE OTHER BUILD BACK BETTER PLAN -- OR RECONCILIATION BILL, THAT IS THE ONE THAT PROBABLY THERE IS STILL A LOT OF DEBATE TO GO THIS WEEK.

I DON'T KNOW THAT WE'LL GET A FINAL BILL OUT OF HERE THIS WEEK, BUT NEXT WEEK IS MUCH MORE HOPEFUL.

THERE HAS BEEN CLOSURE SINCE THE LAST NEGOTIATIONS AT THE BEGINNING OF THIS WEEK.

THERE HAS BEEN MORE CLOSURE.

WE WERE PROBABLY AT 10% THEN, AND NOW WE'RE DOWN IN THE NUMBER OF ISSUES OUTSTANDING, WHETHER THEY ARE TAXING ISSUES OR SOME OF THE -- THE NUMBER ISSUES SEEM TO BE WITHIN A RANGE 1.75 TRILLION TO 2 TRILLION, AND I THINK MOST PEOPLE ARE ON BOARD WITH THOSE NUMBERS.

THE ISSUES NOW ARE A NUMBER OF THEM IN HEALTHCARE AND A NUMBER OF THOSE ALSO IN CLIMATE CHANGE, AND THOSE SHOULD GET IRONED OUT, I WOULD THINK, BECAUSE WHEN YOU ARE IN LEADERSHIP, YOU HAVE GOT TO GET THINGS DONE.

>> YEAH, TWO MAJOR CLIMATE CHANGE PROPOSALS, LAST I HEARD THEY WERE BEING THREATENED AND EXPANSION TO MEDICARE AND MEDICAID, THAT WAS BEING THREATENED AS WELL.

HOW SERIOUS ARE THOSE THREATS?

>> THE ENVIRONMENTAL STUFF IS MOSTLY HINGING ON SENATOR MANCHIN, AND HE HAS SHOWN HIS ABILITY TO WANT TO GET A BILL DONE.

HE HAS CLOSED THE WINDOW CONSIDERABLY FROM 1 TRILLION DUN TO 1.75, IS WHAT HIS ACCEPTANCE NUMBER IS, AND ON THE OTHER SIDE, OF COURSE, THE DEMOCRATIC CAUCUS, PROGRESSIVE SIDE OF THE CAUCUS HAS SHRUNK THEIR NUMBER DOWN TO WITHIN THAT RANGE, AND BOTH SIDES HAVE AGREED TO A LOT OF THE ISSUES, BUT YOU ARE RIGHT, MEDICARE EXPANSION FOR A NUMBER OF OUR STATES IS STILL AN ISSUE, AND FOR EYE AND VISION.

THE BIGGEST WILL BE DENTAL.

IT'S A LARGE NUMBER, AND ALSO A NUMBER THAT'S MEANINGFUL TO THE AMERICAN PEOPLE.

IT'S A BIG HEALTHY ISSUE FOR ELDERLY, AND THE OTHER ISSUE IS OF COURSE THE TIMING OF IT.

SOMETHING LIKE THAT PROBABLY WILL BE FOUR OR FIVE YEARS OUT FROM GETTING FULLY IMPLEMENTED.

>> LET'S TALK ABOUT THE SPENDING.

HOW ARE YOU GOING TO PAY FOR IT?

WE HAVE AN IDEA OF A NEW TAX ON BILLIONAIRES.

I DON'T THINK SENATOR MANCHIN IS ALL THAT EXCITED ABOUT THAT, BUT THAT IS AN IDEA.

AND THE BOOK INCOME.

THESE TYPES OF TAXES, ARE THEY FEASIBLE?

ARE THEY LEGAL?

>> I'M NOT A LAWYER, BUT I DO KNOW SO FAR THE ATTORNEYS IN CONGRESS FEEL LIKE THEY ARE SOMETHING THAT IS LEGAL.

AND IT'S JUST LIKE WHEN WE WERE AT THE LEGISLATURE.

YOU HAVE COUNSEL AND THEY TELL YOU CONSTITUTIONAL OR NOT CONSTITUTIONAL AND YOU MOVE FORWARD, BUT THE 15% IS BASED ON OBVIOUSLY ANY GIVEN YEAR YOU HAVE UP TO 100 CORPORATIONS NOT PAYING ANY TAXES AT ALL, WHILE THE REST OF THE PEOPLE ARE PAYING TAXES, AND THAT IS NOT ACCEPTABLE.

AND I KNOW SENATOR SINEMA, THAT IS ONE OF THE OPTIONS SHE IS FAVORING.

I WOULD ALSO FAVOR THAT.

I WANT TO SEE THE TAX ON SOME -- ANYTHING LIKE THAT BEFORE IT GOES FORWARD, SO THAT'S ANOTHER REASON WE NEED TO SEE THE TEXT ON THESE BILLS, AND THE PAYMENT STRUCTURE OVER THERE -- THERE IS A LOT OF PAPERWORK ALREADY IN THAT PROCESS.

WE'RE CARRYING A LOT OF MONEY IN FROM THE CARES ACT AND THE OTHER ACTS THAT WERE DONE DURING COVID.

SADLY WE STILL HAVE COVID, BUT A LOT OF THAT MONEY HAS BEEN MOVED OVER SO WE'RE NOT REACHING OUT FOR MORE MONEY ON THAT BILL, BUT ON THE OTHER BILL, WE'LL BE REACHING OUT FOR MORE MONEY.

BUT CONSIDERABLY LESS THAN SOME HAD WANTED, AND IT WILL BE AN IMPORTANT BILL FOR THE FUTURE OF AMERICA, I BELIEVE, IN MANY SECTORS.

HEALTHCARE, OUR CHILDREN'S EDUCATION, WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT, THE FUTURE OF AMERICA, ACTUALLY.

BECAUSE WHEN WE STARTED THIS PANDEMIC, WE STARTED PUTTING BILLS OUT, SO WHEN WE ARE TOWARDS THE END THAT WE WOULD HAVE A STRONG COUNTRY, A COUNTRY THAT WAS GOING TO BE ABLE TO COMPETE AROUND THE WORLD, AND A COUNTRY THAT WAS GOING TO HAVE NOT ONLY THE WORKFORCE OF TODAY, BUT THE WORKFORCE OF TOMORROW.

RIGHT NOW, OBVIOUSLY WITH THE QUICK CHANGE -- THIS HAS BEEN A -- IT'S NOT A MARGINAL SMALL CHANGE.

IT'S A HUGE CHANGE TO OUR SOCIETY.

>> SHOULD THE HOUSE VOTE ON THE SOCIAL SAFETY NET PLAN BEFORE THE INFRASTRUCTURE VOTE?

>> I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY TIMES I HAVE TO SAY IT, BUT I HAVE WANTED TO VOTE FOR THAT FOR WEEKS, MAYBE OVER A MONTH NOW.

WE SHOULD HAVE VOTED FOR IT IN AUGUST, AND THAT IS -- THAT IS CRITICAL TO PUTTING PEOPLE BACK TO WORK IN GOOD-PAYING JOBS.

IT'S CRITICAL FOR GETTING INFRASTRUCTURE FOR COMPETITIVENESS NOT ONLY HERE BUT AROUND THE WORLD, AND IT'S CRITICAL TO ADDRESS FOR ARIZONA THE WATER ISSUES THAT WE HAVE, THE INFRASTRUCTURE IN BROADBAND, WASTEWATER ISSUES, ADDRESSING PIPELINES FOR WATER, SO OUR CITIES AND TOWNS CAN CONTINUE TO MAKE SURE THEY HAVE A DECENT WATER SUPPLY.

IT SOLVES A LOT OF THE ISSUES THAT WE HAVE, AND IT'S TARGETED IN LARGE PART MUCH MORE TOWARDS RURAL AMERICA.

>> BUT SHOULD IT BE TIED TO THE SOCIAL SAFETY NET PLAN?

>> I HAVE NEVER BEEN FOR THAT.

>> ALL RIGHT.

CONGRESSMAN THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING US.

WE ACH APPRECIATE YOUR TIME.

>> THANKS, TED.

YOU HAVE A GOOD ONE.

>>> UP NEXT, THE LATEST ON COVID BOOSTER SHOTS AND LOW-DOSE VACCINES FOR KIDS.

>>> ARIZONA THIS WEEK PASSED NEW YORK IN COVID-RELATED DEATHS PER CAPITA.

WE TALKED ABOUT THAT, AND OTHER MORE ENCOURAGING COVID ISSUES WITH WILL HUMBLE, PRESIDENT OF THE ARIZONA PUBLIC HEALTH ASSOCIATION.

WILL HUMBLE, GOOD TO HAVE YOU IN STUDIO.

GOOD TO SEE YOU AGAIN.

WE HAVE GOT A LOT TO TALK ABOUT HERE.

WE'RE NOW HIGHER THAN NEW YORK.

>> YEAH, THAT'S RIGHT.

WE PASSED NEW YORK.

THEY HAD THAT HORRIBLE SURGE AT THE VERY BEGINNING BEFORE THERE WAS PPE OR ANY OF THAT.

NOW ARIZONA HAS TAKEN THE LEAD.

OVERTAKEN NEW YORK.

SO WE'RE ABOUT FOURTH OR FIFTH IN THE COUNTRY, AND IT'S THE CAST OF CHARACTERS AHEAD OF US, MISSISSIPPI, NEW JERSEY STILL -- >> YEAH, AND ALABAMA -- >> YEAH.

>> WHY ARE WE IN THIS COMPANY IN >> THE LACK OF MITIGATION.

WE HAD BASICALLY NO MAN MAN -- MITIGATION AT ALL.

AND THOSE WERE THE ENVIRONMENTS THAT SPREAD THIS VIRUS SO EASILY, AND AMPLIFIED IT SO MUCH, AND THAT'S WHY.

>> CASES AND FATALITIES RIGHT NOW.

MOSTLY UNVACCINATED?

MOSTLY SENIORS?

>> ALMOST ALL UNVACCINATED, AND MOSTLY SENIORS, BUT NOT EXCLUSIVELY.

ADULTS OF ALL AGES ARE VULNERABLE TO HAVING REALLY BAD OUTCOMES.

>> ARE WE HEADING FOR A ROUGH WINTER?

>> WELL, IT WILL BE ROUGH, BUT I DON'T THINK WE'LL END UP LIKE DECEMBER AND JANUARY OF LAST YEAR, BUT IT'S MOSTLY BECAUSE OF THE STATE OF AFFAIRS IN THE HOSPITALS.

WE HAVE NEVER HAD 20% HEAD SPACE IN OUR HOSPITAL SYSTEMS.

AND 25% OF THE PEOPLE IN OUR HOSPITALS ARE IN THERE FOR COVID-19, SO THEY ARE TAKING UP SPACE THAT NORMALLY WOULDN'T HAVE BEEN TAKEN, AND THAT IS PUTTING A STRESS ON THE ENTIRE SYSTEM, AND CAUSING DIFFERENCES IN THE STANDARD OF CARE.

>> WHAT ARE WE EXPECTING FROM THE FLU THIS WINTER?

>> YEAH, IT'S REALLY HARD TO TELL.

I -- AS YOU KNOW, WE HAD PRACTICALLY NO FLU SEASON LAST YEAR.

WE'LL PROBABLY COME BACK TO MORE CLOSE TO NORMAL.

WE'LL SEE.

THERE ARE STILL SOME PEOPLE WEARING MASKS, WHICH ACTUALLY WORKS BETTER FOR INFLUENZA THAT COVID.

>> YEAH.

YEAH.

>> THE TAKE-HOME MESSAGE FOR VIEWERS IS GET YOUR FLU VACCINE.

>> MIXING AND MATCHING BOOSTER SHOTS.

WHAT DO WE KNOW ABOUT THIS?

AND WHAT SHOULD WE DO?

>> YEAH, SO JUST RECENTLY, THE CDC HAS SAID MIXING AND MATCHING VACCINES IS AN OKAY PRACTICE.

IT'S NOT LIKE THEY ARE SAYING YOU SHOULD DO IT, BUT WHEN YOU NEED TO, IT'S OKAY.

>> IS IT BETTER?

IF I GOT THE MODERNA SHOULD I STICK TO MODERNA WHEN I CAN.

>> IF YOU HAD JOHNSON & JOHNSON, YOU WOULD BENEFIT -- I MEAN THE DATA SHOWS IF YOU GET AN MESSENGER RNA VACCINE, THAT BOOSTER GIVES YOU A POWERFUL DOSE.

AND IF YOU HAD PFIZER, AND DECIDED TO GIT MODERNA, IT IS THE SAME.

AND THEY HAVE BEEN USING THAT COMBINATION OF JOHNSON & JOHNSON AND MODERNA OR PFIZER ALL ALONG.

>> BUT IF YOU HAD JOHNSON & JOHNSON, YOU SHOULDN'T GO GET A JOHNSON & JOHNSON BOOSTER?

>> WELL, YOU CAN.

>> FOR THE UNVACCINATED -- AND I MEAN THE UNVACCINATED ORIGINALLY, AND EVEN FOR BOOSTER, IS IT PRETTY MUCH BALL GAME BY NOW.

IF YOU ARE NOT VACCINATED BY NOW, ARE YOU GOING TO GET VACCINATED?

>> YOU ARE GOING TO GET VACCINATED BY THE VIRUS, THE OLD FASHIONED WAY.

BY THE VIRUS.

WE HAVE HIT A BRICK WALL WHEN IT COMES TO TALK TO PEOPLE AND TRYING TO GET THEM TO GET VACCINATED.

AS OF RIGHT NOW, IT DOESN'T LOOK REAL PROMISING TO ME.

>> I ASK THE QUESTION, BECAUSE KIDS ARE SOON TO BE VACCINATED HERE, 5 TO 11.

ARE PARENTS GOING TO GET THEIR KIDS VACCINATED.

>> SURVEYS SHOW 40% OF PARENTS ARE EARLY ADAPTORS, SO THEY WILL BE CALLING THEIR PEDS PEDS -- PEDIATRICIAN'S OFFICE AND SAYING WHEN CAN I GET MY APPOINTMENT?

AND I THINK PROBABLY A COUPLE HUNDRED THOUSAND -- MAYBE EVEN 300,000 OF THEM, THEIR PARENTS ARE GOING TO GET THEM IN AS SOON AS POSSIBLE, AND THEN THERE WILL BE THAT GROUP THAT IS JUST REALLY BUSY, HASN'T GOTTEN AROUND TO IT, COULDN'T GET TIME OFF WORK, THEY WILL BE THE ONES VACCINATING THEIR KIDS IN LATE NOVEMBER AND EARLY DECEMBER, AND THEN THERE WILL BE MANY PARENTS WHO ARE CHOOSING NOT TO VACCINATE THEIR KIDS, AND THAT IS JUST HOW IT WILL END UP BEING.

>> YEAH, AND AS FAR AS THE CLINICAL TRIALS THAT YOU HAVE SEEN PRECEDING THIS APPROVAL AND WHAT HAVE YOU FOR 5 TO 11 YEAR OLDS, ALL MAKE SENSE TO YOU?

>> OH, YEAH, OF COURSE.

SAFE AND EFFECTIVE WAS THE DETERMINATION.

THEY EXTENDED THE CLINICAL TRIALS FOR THE KIDS JUST TO MAKE SURE BECAUSE OF THE HEART ISSUE.

SO IT WAS BROADER THAN IT WAS GOING TO BE, AND THE VIRUS IS FAR MORE DANGEROUS.

THAT IS WHAT THE DANGER IS, IS THE VIRUS ITSELF, NOT THE VACCINE.

SO, YEAH, TO ME IT IS A NO-BRAINER.

>> THAT'S INTERESTING, BECAUSE SOME PEOPLE I THINK HONESTLY, THEY MIGHT BE A LITTLE SHY OF HAVING THE AFTER EFFECTS, THEY KEEP HEARING STORIES, I WAS LAID OUT FOR A WEEK, BUT THAT IS STILL BETTER THAN MAYBE EVEN GETTING A LESSER RESPONSE, BECAUSE THE VIRUS WHEN IT IS IN YOU, IT IS IN YOU.

>> YEAH, AND YOU ARE ROLLING THE DICE.

YOU MIGHT HAVE A MILD FEVER OR END UP IN THE HOSPITAL OR DIE.

>> YEAH.

>> AND THAT IS WHAT HAS BEEN UNNERVING ABOUT THE VIRUS ALL ALONG.

>> LAST QUESTION, REAL QUICKLY HERE, ARE YOU OPTIMISTIC THAT WE HAVE BEEN THROUGH THE WORST OF THIS?

>> YES.

>> GOOD ENOUGH.

WE'LL STOP IT RIGHT THERE.

I LOVE THAT ANSWER.

WILL HUMBLE, PRESIDENT OF THE ARIZONA PUBLIC HEALTH ASSOCIATION, ALWAYS GOOD TO SPEAK WITH YOU.

WE APPRECIATE YOUR TIME.

>> MY PLEASURE.

THANKS.

>>> THE FAFSA PROGRAM HAS HELPED COUNTLESS FAMILIES OBTAIN COLLEGE FINANCIAL AID.

"HORIZONTE" HOST JOSE CARDENAS SPOKE WITH RICHARD DANIEL, EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT OF EDUCATION FORWARD ARIZONA, ABOUT APPLYING FOR FAFSA, AND THE IMPORTANCE OF THE PROGRAM TO UNDER-SERVED STUDENTS WHO WANT TO ATTEND COLLEGE.

>>> RICHARD DANIEL THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING US.

THE ORGANIZATION YOU ARE WITH, EDUCATION FORWARD ARIZONA IS FOCUSED ON A LOT OF THINGS OF IMPORTANCE IN PARTICULAR TO THE MINORITY COMMUNITY, BUT ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT IS FAFSA.

TELL US WHAT IT STANDS FOR, AND WHY IT IS SO IMPORTANT.

>> THANK YOU JOSE FOR HAVING ME ON THE SHOW TODAY.

IT STANDS FOR THE FREE APPLICATION FOR FEDERAL STUDENT AID, AND IT'S VERY IMPORTANT FOR A COUPLE OF REASONS.

THE FIRST IS THAT IT ALLOWS STUDENTS TO APPLY FOR FEDERAL AID, AND UNLOCKS DOLLARS THAT ARE AVAILABLE TO THEM THAT THEY WOULDN'T OTHERWISE HAVE ACCESS TO.

AND WE FOUND SEVEN OF TEN STUDENTS WHO APPLY FOR FAFSA WILL GO ON TO A SECONDARY EDUCATION OPPORTUNITY.

>> AND AS I UNDERSTAND IT, SPEAKING OF TIME, MORE RECENTLY YOU HAVE SEEN A DECLINE IN THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE SUBMITTING THEIR FAFSA APPLICATION.

>> THAT IS RIGHT.

WE HAVE A STATE-WIDE GOAL OF 52% THAT WE WANT TO COMPLETE THE FAFSA.

DURING THE PANDEMIC, WE HAD A SIGNIFICANT DECREASE IN APPLICATIONS.

AND THE PANDEMIC CREATED A CHALLENGE FOR OUR STUDENTS TO COMPLETE THAT, AND MANY TIMES WHAT HAPPENS IS THAT THERE IS THE OPPORTUNITY FOR THOSE PEOPLE TO HAVE ACCESS TO TOOLS AND THOSE ARE THINGS WE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO CREATE AS AN ORGANIZATION.

>> SO PART OF IT, I ASSUME ARE WHAT YOU JUST REFERRED TO, PEOPLE HAVING ACCESS TO COMPUTERS, AND THERE WAS A DROP IN ENROLLMENT AT LEAST AT THE COMMUNITY COLLEGE LEVEL, IS THAT CORRECT?

>> IT IS.

THE STATE HAS A STATE-WIDE ATTAINMENT GOAL, AND THIS IS A DRIVER FOR THAT.

WHEN PEOPLE APPLY FOR THE FAFSA, AND THEY ARE THOSE TOOLS, THE CHALLENGE IS FOR STUDENTS TO IDENTIFY WHAT IS AVAILABLE TO THEM IN TERMS OF RESOURCES, FINANCIAL AID, SCHOLARSHIPS, OPPORTUNITIES LIKE THAT, IT HAPPENS IN THE HIGH SCHOOL SETTINGS, AND WHEN THE HIGH SCHOOLS HAD TO SHUT DOWN, STUDENTS DIDN'T HAVE ACCESS TO A LOT OF THOSE RESOURCES, SO THEY DON'T GET THE INFORMATION, AS A RESULT OF THAT, MANY STUDENTS DIDN'T GO TO COLLEGE OR HAVE AWARENESS OF WHAT TO DO, AND DIDN'T KNOW WHERE TO TURN.

AND I THINK THAT HAS CREATED SOME OF THE DECREASE IN ENROLLMENT HERE IN ARIZONA, PARTICULARLY IN THE COMMUNITY COLLEGE SITUATION.

>> AS I UNDERSTAND IT, THERE ARE A LOT OF MYTHS ABOUT FAFSA.

PEOPLE JUST DON'T UNDERSTAND.

FOR EXAMPLE PEOPLE WHO DON'T SUBMIT BECAUSE THEY THINK THEY MAKE TOO MUCH MONEY.

>> RIGHT.

MANY TIMES PEOPLE THINK THAT LOW-INCOME PEOPLE ARE THE ONLY ONES THAT ARE ELIGIBLE FOR FAFSA.

BUT IT GIVES YOU ACCESS TO GRANTS, SUCH AS THE PELL GRANT.

HOWEVER, IT WILL ALLOW YOU TO ALSO QUALIFY FOR STUDENT LOANS -- STUDENT LOANS AS WELL AS CURRENT LOANS AT LOW-INTEREST RATES, BECAUSE THAT IS ANOTHER WAY OF FEDDAL -- FEDERAL OPPORTUNITIES FOR FINANCIAL AID.

SO YOU HAVE TO UNDERSTAND WHAT THE FINANCIAL NEED OF THE STUDENT IS.

SO IT'S MORE THAN JUST THE OPPORTUNITY FOR A STUDENT, YOU KNOW, WHO IS, QUOTE UNQUOTE, THIS MYTH OF JUST A LOW-INCOME QUALIFIER.

>> AND I UNLESS YOU ARE MAKING MORE THAN $250,000 A YEAR, YOU WILL PROBABLY GOING TO BENEFIT FROM FAFSA.

>> THAT IS CORRECT.

>> AND SOME PRIVATE FUNDING FOR SCHOLARSHIPS WANT TO SEE THE FAFSA.

>> THEY DO.

SO WE ASK PEOPLE TO COMPLETE THE FAFSA, AND PROVIDE THE FORM BACK TO US THAT SHOW THAT THEY HAVE COMPLETED IT, SO WE UNDERSTAND WHERE THEY STAND WITH THEIR FINANCIAL CONTRIBUTIONS.

>> WHERE CAN PEOPLE GO TO GET MORE INFORMATION ABOUT FAFSA, AND HOW TO FILL IT OUT?

>> ONE OF THE BEST PLACES AZFAFSA.ORG.

IT TALKS ABOUT THE TOOLS, THE HOT LINE, AND CHAT BOX THAT WE HAVE DEVELOPED, A 24-HOUR CHAT BOX, AND ALSO GIVES THEM ACCESS TO THE RESOURCES TO PROVIDE THEM WITH THAT STEP BY STEP GUIDANCE.

>> VERY GOOD.

RICHARD DANIEL THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING US TO TALK ABOUT THIS.

>> THANK YOU SO MUCH, JOSE.

>>> AND THAT IS IT FOR NO.

I'M TED SIMONS.

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING US.

YOU HAVE A GREAT EVENING.

>>> COMING UP IN THE NEXT HALF HOUR ON ARIZONA PBS, ON CRONKITE NEWS, MEET THE FAMILY THAT HAS BEEN COOKING UP NAVAJO TACOS FOR MORE THAN 50 YEARS.

♪♪