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TED: COMING UP NEXT ON "ARIZONA HORIZON," THE LEGISLATIVE SESSION IS OVER, BUT NOT BEFORE A LAST-MINUTE SKIRMISH INVOLVING EDUCATION VOUCHERS.

ALSO TONIGHT, ARIZONA RANKS 40th AMONG STATES IN AN ANNUAL REPORT ON CHILDHOOD WELL-BEING.

>>> AND A MOBILE MUSEUM TRAVELED THE STATE IN HONOR OF AMERICA'S 250th BIRTHDAY.

THOSE STORIES AND MORE NEXT ON "ARIZONA HORIZON."

.

TED: GOOD EVENING, AND WELCOME TO "ARIZONA HORIZON."

I'M TED SIMONS.

THE STATE LEGISLATURE PASSED, AND THE GOVERNOR SIGNED, AN $18.3 BILLION BUDGET OVER THE WEEKEND, BUT THE COOPERATIVE EFFORT WAS MAR BY A LAST-MINUTE TUSSLE INVOLVING THE STATE'S EDUCATION VOUCHER SYSTEM.

TO LEARN MORE, WE WELCOME HOWIE FISCHER OF CAPITOL MEDIA SERVICES.

ALL RIGHT, HOWIE, START WITH THE BUDGET ITSELF.

BUDGET DEAL IS DONE IN THE WEE HOURS OF THE WEEKEND, HUH?

>> WE ALL KNEW HOW THIS WAS GOING TO COME OUT.

THE GOVERNOR IS CLAIMING CREDIT FOR THE ENTIRE 18.4 BILLION, THE TRUMP'S BIG, BEAUTIFUL BILL TAX CUT.

SHE GOT A FEW THINGS, SHE GOT A TEMPORARY SUSPENSION OF NEW TAX BREAKS FOR DATA CENTERS WHICH FREED UP MONEY FOR SUMMER SCHOOL LUNCH PROGRAMS AND A FEW OTHER THINGS.

FEW POLICY CHANGES, BUT ESSENTIALY IT WAS PRETTY MUCH WHAT THE REPUBLICANS WANTED FROM THE BEGINNING.

TED: SOUNDS LIKE THAT.

MORE ON THAT IN A SECOND.

WE GOT TO TALK ABOUT THE LAST MINUTE INTRIGUE INVOLVING ESAs INITIATIVES, WHAT GOES ON THE BALLOT, WHAT DOESN'T?

WHO AGREED?

WHO DIDN'T?

WHAT'S GOING ON HERE?

>> I LOVE HOW YOU REFER TO IT AS A SKIRMISH.

I THINK STREET FIGHT OR BRAWL MIGHT BE BETTER.

WE'VE HAD VOUCHERS IN ARIZONA SINCE 2012, KIDS WITH SPECIAL NEEDS.

KEPT EXPANDING IT IN 2022 BECAME UNIVERSAL VOUCHERS WHICH MEANS THE PROGRAM BALLOONED FROM 12,000 KIDS TO 100,000 AND BILLION DOLLAR PRICE TAG.

ARIZONA EDUCATION WANTS A CLEAR LIST WHAT YOU CANNOT BUY.

THAT LINGERIE IS NOT A LEGITIMATE SCHOOL EXPENSE, YOU CAN'T BANK THE MONEY TO CARRY OVER FOR COLLEGE AND CUT DOWN ON KIDS SENDING KIDS TO PAROCHIAL SCHOOLS ALREADY, $150,000 LIMIT.

THEY'RE WELL ON THEIR WAY IF NOT PAST THE 259,000 SIGNATURES THEY NEED.

THEY SCARED THE HECK OUT OF HOUSE SPEAKER STEVE MONTENEGRO.

LET'S MAKE A DEAL.

I WILL PUT INTO LAW, WITHOUTING ABOUT IT TO THE BALLOT, SOME OF WHAT YOU WANT IN TERMS OF THE LIST OF THINGS YOU CAN'T BUY, ADDITIONAL MONEY AND A $25,000 CAP OF WHAT YOU CAN CARRY FORWARD.

THE ARIZONA EDUCATION ASSOCIATION SAID, SURE, ONLY THING IS THEY DIDN'T BOTHER TO NOTIFY SAVE OUR SCHOOLS.

DIDN'T NOTIFY THE DEMOCRATS, THEIR ALLIES, AND THE WHOLE THING FELL APART.

THAT'S WHEN IT GOT UGLY.

REPUBLICANS CAME BACK AND SAID, OKAY, WE'RE NOT GOING TO FIGHT YOU YES OR NO ON THE INITIATIVE.

WE'RE GOING TO PUT A POISON PILL ON HERE.

THEY PUT A MEASURE ON THE BALLOT, THE HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION THAT SAYS IF ANYTHING PASSES AFTER NOVEMBER 1, THAT IN ANY WAY INFRINGES ON THE MONEY GIVEN TO THE CHILDREN OF MILITARY FAMILIES, THE CATEGORICALS, IF ANYTHING PASS THESE AFFECTS THEM, THE ENTIRE INITIATIVE BLOWS UP AND IT'S A TOTAL POISON PILL.

TED: SO IT MEANS THAT BOTH MEASURES WERE TO PASS, IF BOTH MEASURES WERE TO PASS, THEN THAT WOULD MAKE THE FIRST MEASURE VOID.

>> EXACTLY.

AND THEY DID IT IN A BACK DOOR FASHION BECAUSE THEY SUDDENLY PULLED IT OUT AFTER NEGOTIATIONS FELL APART, AND PROPOSED IT AS A CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT.

REMEMBER THE INITIATIVE IS STATUTORY.

THEY HAVE BUDGET CLAIM AND STATE LAW.

THIS IS IN THE CONSTITUTION, SO IT'S HARD FOR THE SAVE OUR SCHOOLS FOLKS AND THE ASA SAYING AMEND THE CONSTITUTION.

>> THE POISON PILL WAS DISCOVERED HOW AND THE REACTION WAS WHAT?

>> WELL, THIS WAS FUNNY BECAUSE THE LAST-MINUTE BILL TAKEN TO COMMITTEE AND SAYS WE'RE HERE TO PROTECT THOSE POOR KIDS WHO ARE THE CHILDREN OF MILITARY.

SOUNDS GREAT, UNTIL YOU SEE THAT SOMEWHERE IN THERE IS THIS LITTLE LANGUAGE THAT SAYS IF, IN FACT, THE CHILDREN LOSE ANY OF THEIR BENEFITS, INCLUDING THE MONEY THEY CAN CARRY FORWARD TO COLLEGE, IT BLOWS THE WHOLE THING UP.

REPRESENTATIVE MICHAEL WAY WAS SAYING, THIS IS NOTHING TO DO WITH ANYTHING ELSE, THIS IS ABOUT THE KIDS, AND YET WHEN HE WAS ASKED QUESTIONS, HE STOOD IN THE BACK AND SMILED.

THEY ALL KNEW WHAT THEY WERE DOING.

THIS IS ESSENTIALLY PUNISHMENT FOR THE AEA FOR NOT GOING ALONG WITH WHAT THE SPEAKER WANTED.

TED: WHAT ARE WE LEFT WITH HERE AS FAR AS BALLOT REFERRALS, WHAT ARE WE LEFT WITH AS FAR AS BALLOT MEASURES THAT WE'RE GOING TO SEE?

HOW MANY ARE ON THERE AND WHAT ARE WE SEEING?

>> 10 MEASURES THAT THE LEGISLATURE REFERRED.

IN TERMS OF EDUCATION, THE SAVE OUR SCHOOLS AEA MEASURE.

THE 45 ARIZONA.

THIS IS BETSY DeVOS' GROUP, SHE'S PRO-VOUCHER.

REFORM LIGHT, IT DOESN'T HAVE THE CAP AND A FEW OTHER THINGS AND THINGS LIKE THAT.

THEN BECAUSE LAWMAKERS WERE MAD, THEY PUT ON THIS POISON PILL, AND PUT ON SOMETHING ELSE TO SAY THAT IF -- SAYS THAT THE AEA OR ANY TEACHER'S UNION, CAN NO LONGER DO THINGS LIKE DUES CHECK-OFF IN THE SCHOOLS WHICH HAS ALWAYS BEEN ALLOWED, AND PUT SOMETHING ON THE BALLOT SAYING YOU HAVE TO HAVE INSTRUCTIONAL EXPENSE AT 60 CENTS OUT OF EVERY DOLLAR.

HAVE YOU RISING UTILITY BILLS, RISING GASOLINE COSTS, AND IT'S BUILT IN A WAY THAT IF THE SCHOOL DOESN'T GET THERE, THEY START TAKING AWAIT SCHOOLS'S MONEY.

TED: WITH ALL THAT SAID, HALF A DOZEN JUST FOR EDUCATION ALONE, THE BALLOT'S GOING TO BE A RUSSIAN NOVEL AGAIN, ISN'T IT?

>> ONCE AGAIN, AND GIVEN THE WAY THE STUFF IS WORDED, IT COULD BE IN RUSSIAN OR SWAHILI AS FAR AS WE KNOW.

WE'VE GOT THINGS ON ELECTIONS, WE HAVE SOME THINGS, FOR EXAMPLE, ON WHETHER, IN FACT, IF YOU HAVE AN ELECTRIC VEHICLE, CAN THE STATE CHARGE YOU BASED ON MILEAGE.

WHOLE BUNCH OF THEM.

TED: DO WE HAVE ANYTHING INVOLVING PROP 123, EXPANDING PROP 123, DID ANYTHING HAPPEN, AND IN THE CLOSING HOURS ANY, TALK?

ANYTHING?

>> THERE WAS TALK.

YOU'VE GOT A COUPLE THINGS TO REMEMBER.

SOME OF THE FOLKS WHO WANTED 123 BEFORE THE WHOLE DEAL FELL APART SAID WE WOULD A CONSTITUTIONAL GUARANTEE OF THE RIGHT TO VOUCHERS, EMPOWERMENT SCHOLARSHIPS IS WHAT THEY CALL THEM.

THAT WAS NEVER GOING TO HAPPEN.

THE OTHER PIECE IS THE NEGOTIATION.

THERE ARE A LOT OF PEOPLE, DEMOCRATS WHO THOUGHT, IF IN FACT, THE AEA NEGOTIATED PUTTING PROP 123 OR SOME OF 123 ON THE BALLOT, MAYBE IT WOULD HAVE BEEN ACCEPTABLE AND THEY SHOULD HAVE TALKED TO US, BUT THEY DIDN'T GET ANY OF THAT.

SO WE GO THROUGH ANOTHER YEAR WITHOUT THE EXTRA MONEY AVAILED FOR EDUCATION.

TED: REPUBLICANS GOT MUCH OF WHAT THEY WANTED, DEMOCRATS NOT SO MUCH, AND THE GOVERNOR NOT SO MUCH, YET THE GOVERNOR SEEMED VERY HAPPY SIGNING THESE BILLS.

SHE SEEMS PLEASED.

RANK AND FILE DEMOCRATS?

>> THEY'RE MAKING THE BEST OF IT.

REMEMBER, SHE'S NEGOTIATING FOR THEM, THEY REALLY WEREN'T AT THE TABLE.

WE HAVE THE HIGHER STANDARD DEDUCTION, THERE IS THE NO TAX ON TIPS, NO TAX IN OVERTIME, DEMOCRATS SAY, WAIT A SECOND, THAT'S MONEY, WHY ARE WE GIVING THAT UP?

BUT IT SOUNDED GOOD.

I THINK THAT THEY TOOK WHAT THEY COULD GET.

THEY THINK THAT, LOOK, IF WE HAVE A THREE-YEAR SUSPENSION OF TAX BREAKS FOR DATA CENTERS, THEY CAN SAY WE SAVED THESE PROGRAMS HERE, BUT I THINK THE DEMOCRATS ARE GOING TO BE PUTTING A SMILING FACE ON IT AND SAYING IT'S ONE OF THOSE WIN-WIN SITUATIONS.

TED: ALL RIGHT, HOWIE FISCHER, CAPITOL MEDIA SERVICES, GOOD STUFF.

THANK YOU FOR JOINING US.

.

TED: THE KIDS COUNT DATA BOOK IS A YEARLY REPORT THAT CONDUCTS STATE RANKINGS FOR OVERALL CHILD WELL BEING.

THIS YEAR'S REPORT HAD ARIZONA RANKED A MODEST 40th, A SLIGHT IMPROVEMENT OF LAST YEAR'S 42nd.

WE WELCOME JANUARY CONTRERAS, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE CHILDREN'S ACTION ALLIANCE.

THE KIDS COUNT DATA BOOK, WHAT ARE WE TALKING ABOUT?

>> KIDS COUNT DATA BOOK IS AN ANNUAL REPORT PUT OUT BY AN NATIONAL FOUNDATION, THEY RANK STATES AGAINST ONE ANOTHER AND FOCUSES ON SOME OF THE ELEMENTS OF WHAT DOES IT TAKE FOR A CHILD TO GROW UP AND HAVE A LOT OF OPPORTUNITY AND HEALTH AND EDUCATION AND THESE THINGS THAT CAN HELP THEM BE ALL THAT THEY CAN BE.

TED: HEALTH, FAMILY, EDUCATION, ECONOMIC WELL-BEING ALL FACTORS IN THERE.

>> THAT'S RIGHT.

TED: SO WE'RE 40th, NOT SO GREAT, JANUARY, BUT WE'RE NOT 42nd.

NO SMALL FAVOR.

WHY ARE WE CONTINUALLY IN THIS COUNT AND SIMILAR COUNTS SO FAR BEHIND?

>> IT IS GOOD NEWS.

WE MOVED FROM 42nd TO 40th.

OBVIOUSLY, OUR NEXT GOAL SHOULD BE LET'S GET OUT OF THE TEN WORST STATES IN THIS COUNTRY.

WHAT DRAGS US DOWN THE MOST IS EDUCATION.

WE JUST HEARD HOW EDUCATION IS A POLITICAL FOOTBALL IN OUR STATE.

IT WASN'T ALWAYS THAT WAY, AND WE NEED TO GET PAST, THAT WE NEED TO STOP DIVESTING PUBLIC FUNDS FROM PUBLIC SCHOOLS SO EVERY KID HERE THAT GOES TO A NEIGHBORHOOD SCHOOL HAS EVERYTHING THEY NEED FOR QUALITY EDUCATION.

TED: DID SEE SOME DECREASES IN CHILDHOOD -- KIDS LIVING IN POVERTY, IS THAT CORRECT?

>> YEAH.

TED: HOW DID THAT -- WHY DO YOU THINK THAT HAPPENED?

>> ONE REASON IS OUR VOTERS OFTEN MAKE THE BEST DECISIONS AND OUR VOTERS VOTED FOR MINIMUM WAGE THAT IS HIGHER THAN IN MANY OTHER STATES.

WE DO SEE THAT COME INTO PLAY.

TED: BIG DROP IN PEOPLE NEEDING FOOD ASSISTANCE AS WELL?

>> WELL, WE HAVE SEEN THAT FOOD -- FOOD SECURITY, HOW THEY REFER TO THAT.

THAT'S HARD TO GAUGE RIGHT NOW BECAUSE IN ARIZONA WE KNOW WHAT WE'RE GOING THROUGH.

HR1, OR WHAT'S CALLED THE ONE BIG, BEAUTIFUL BILL, WHICH IS A REAL TRAGEDY OF LEGISLATION FOR KIDS AND FAMILY, IS REALLY IMPACTING, AND WE'VE SEEN 180,000 KIDS IN ARIZONA LOSE FOOD ASSISTANCE, WE HAVE A LOT OF WORK THERE.

>> I WAS GOING TO SAY, SOME OF THE NUMBERS -- THE REPORT DATES BACK TO 2024.

WHERE DO THEY GET THE NUMBERS?

HOW FAR BACK?

>> THE MOST RECENT DATA AVAILABLE, THE 2024 DATA.

TED: WE COULD SEE THAT PARTICULAR METRIC FALL EVEN FURTHER?

>> WE WILL.

CERTAINLY.

AS WILL THE REST OF THE COUNTRY.

RIGHT HERE IN ARIZONA, KIDS HAVE LOST THE MOST FOOD ASSISTANCE.

TED: THIS WAS INTERESTING.

HEALTH CARE ONLY ONE STATE HAD A HIGHER UNINSURED RATE FOR KIDS?

>> TEXAS.

NOW WE'RE ACTUALLY THIRD IN THE HIGHEST NUMBER OF UNINSURED KIDS -- HIGHEST RATE OF UNINSURED KIDS.

I WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE, WE USED TO BE DOUBLE DIGITS.

COUPLE YEARS AGO, GOVERNOR HOBBS AND THE LEGISLATURE PASSED THE EXPANSION OF KIDS CARE, WHICH IS FOR THOSE FAMILIES THAT FALL IN THE GAP, WORKING FAMILIES.

SO WE'RE GLAD TO SEE THOSE POLICY CHANGES, BUT WE STILL HAVE SO MUCH WORK TO DO BOTH TO INCREASE EMPLOYER SPONSORED INSURANCE AND PUBLIC PROGRAMS.

>> IN TERMS OF EDUCATION, PRESCHOOL ENROLLMENT WAS BEHIND, READING AND MATH SCORES BELOW THE NATIONAL AVERAGE, ARE THEY PUBLIC SCHOOLS?

PRIVATE SCHOOLS INCLUDED?

CHARTER SCHOOLS?

HOW DO THEY GET THE NUMBERS HERE?

>> THE DATA IS NATIONAL DATA, I COULDN'T EXACTLY SAY WHICH SCHOOLS THEY'RE FOCUSING ON, BUT WE ARE 47th IN THE COUNTRY WHEN YOU JUST TAKE THAT EDUCATION CATEGORY OUT OF THE REPORT.

WE SCORED -- THAT'S OUR LOWEST RANKING SCORE.

WE HAVE TO DO MORE THERE.

I GREW UP HERE.

I RAISED MY KIDS HERE, I FEEL LIKE THEY HAD ALL THIS OPPORTUNITY, AND NOW WE JUST SEE SCHOOLS BE STARVED.

TED: DOES IT FEEL LIKE THERE ARE AREAS OF THE STATE THAT ARE DOING BETTER AND/OR WORSE THAN OTHERS?

>> YEAH.

SO WE DO A COUNTY SNAPSHOT EVERY YEAR, AND IT'S REALLY INTERESTING, AND WE ACTUALLY TRAVEL TO DIFFERENT COUNTIES TO DISCUSS THAT WITH COMMUNITY LEADERS AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS.

IN YUMA, GRADUATION RATE IS AWESOME, AND YOU CAN SEE THE PRIDE THAT THEY HAVE IN THAT, AND IN YOUR RURAL AREAS, YOU HAVE A HIGHER RATE OF UNINSURED KIDS, OFTENTIMES BECAUSE THERE AREN'T THE JOBS AVAILABLE THAT COME WITH HEALTH INSURANCE BENEFITS.

SO YOU HAVE EVERY COMMUNITY LOOKING FOR SOLUTIONS TO DIFFERENT THINGS.

WE ARE IN MOHAVE COUNTY AND PEOPLE ARE TALKING ABOUT HOW THEY HAD HEALTH CARE PROVIDERS CLOSING OFFICES ALREADY.

TED: SEEMS LIKE EVERYTHING HERE, MONEY IS THE UNDERPIN.

IT'S THE BASE OF EVERYTHING GOING ON HERE.

HOW DO YOU ENSURE -- SAY YOU FIND WAYS TO GET MORE FUNDING, MORE MONEY, HOW DO YOU ENSURE IT GOES TO THE RIGHT PLACES?

>> YOU'RE RIGHT.

FUNDING MATTERS, AND IT'S BEEN SAID A MILLION TIMES OUR BUDGET IS A MORAL DOCUMENT.

WHAT ARE OUR PRIORITIES?

AND SO IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE'RE PAYING ATTENTION TO THINGS LIKE THIS IF WE KNOW OUR LITERACY, READING RATE IS ABIZ MILL FOR THIRD GRADERS, IT STARTS WITH GOING TO PRESCHOOL.

CREDIT TO THE LEGISLATURE AND GOVERNOR HOBBS, $45 MILLION PUT INTO AFFORDABLE CHILD CARE, IT IS NOT ENOUGH BUT MORE THAN WE'VE HAD IN A DECADE PRIOR TO THIS.

WE HAVE TO LOOK AT WHAT ARE THOSE PRIORITIES.

WHEN WE'RE GIVING A LOT OF OTHER INITIATIVES.

A LOT OF FUNDING, WE NEED TO THINK ABOUT THE INVESTMENT IN KIDS AND FAMILIES AND WHAT THAT MEANS FOR OUR ECONOMIC STRENGTH AS A STATE TOO.

TED: IS THAT WHAT YOU TAKE FROM THE REPORT?

THAT KIND OF MIND-SET, THAT KIND OF THINKING?

>> ABSOLUTELY.

WE'RE MOVING FORWARD IN A LITTLE STEP AND A LITTLE STEP, BUT WE NEED BIG STRIDES AND OUR KIDS DESERVE THAT.

TED: JANUARY CONTRERAS, CHILDREN'S ACTION ALLIANCE, THE KIDS COUNT DATA BOOK.

THANK YOU.

>> THANK YOU.

.

TED: A MOBILE EXHIBITION RECENTLY TRAVELED TO ALL 15 ARIZONA COUNTIES IN CELEBRATION OF AMERICA'S 250th ANNIVERSARY.

THE ROAD TO 250 TRAVELING MUSEUM IS DESIGNED TO HELP GENERATE ENTHUSIASM AND CIVIC PRIDE BY BRINGING HISTORY AND CIVIC REFLECTION TO COMMUNITIES ACROSS THE STATE.

JOINING US IS MUSEUM DOSET OF THE AMERICA 250 COMMISSION.

GOOD TO HAVE YOU BOTH HERE.

THANK YOU FOR JOINING US.

>> THANK YOU.

TED: LAURA, START WITH YOU, THE AMERICA 250 COMMISSION, WHAT IS THAT?

>> A GOVERNOR APPOINTED COMMISSION HOUSED OUT OF THE SECRETARY OF STATE'S OFFICE AND WE HAVE THE HONOR OF COORDINATING AND PLANNING STATEWIDE PUBLIC PROGRAMMING IN HONOR OF THE SEMI QUINN CENTENNIAL.

>> THE TRAVELING 250th MUSEUM, YOU GET TO DEFINE THAT.

>> I DO.

BASICALLY A MOBILE TOUR WHICH THE CENTERPIECE WAS THE ARIZONA LIBERTY BELL, YOU SEE THE CAPITOL RIGHT NOW, AND SO YEAH, GOT TO TRAVEL WITH THE BELL ACROSS THE WHOLE STATE.

TED: WAS IT A BIG TRUCK?

WHAT KIND OF VEHICLE?

>> IT WAS A TRACTOR-TRAILER.

TED: REALLY?

>> THERE WE GO.

NOW WE'RE SEEING IT.

>> IT ACTUALLY SPANNED IT, TOO.

THERE WE GO.

TED: AND YOU TRAVEL ALL OVER.

LAURA, DOES THIS THING EVER BREAK DOWN?

IT DID NOT BREAK?

>> IT DIDN'T BREAK DOWN.

I WILL TELL A FUNNY STORY, WHEN WE HIT 100 IN MARCH, WE GAVE THE AIR COMPRESSORS A RUN FOR THEIR MONEY.

TED: I BET.

THERE'S THE LIBERTY BELL, THIS IS FEBRUARY THROUGH APRIL, CORRECT?

LAURA, HOW DO YOU DECIDE WHAT TO PUT IN THERE WITH NATIONAL HISTORY, STATE HISTORY, THE WHOLE NINE?

>> HOW DO YOU CONDENSE ARIZONA IN AMERICAN HISTORY?

IT'S A UNIQUE CHALLENGE.

WE WORKED WITH ARIZONA HISTORICAL SOCIETY, THE ARIZONA HISTORICAL PROJECT TO PUT SOMETHING FORWARD THAT WOULD BE INVITING AND REFLECTIVE AND INVITE PRIDE IN ARIZONA, AND WE WERE SO THRILLED WITH THE RESPONSE.

TED: AND THE PANELS, VIDEOS, DID YOU HAVE INTERACTIVE STUFF AS WELL?

>> WE DID.

ONE SIDE WAS DEDICATED TO THE NATIONAL STORY, AND THE OTHER SIDE WAS THE ARIZONA STORY.

ON ONE SIDE, WE HAD AN AREA WHERE PEOPLE CAN WRITE ABOUT MOMENTS THAT MADE THEM ARIZONANS OR AMERICANS.

WE GOT THE BEST RESPONSES FROM PEOPLE ACROSS THE STATE.

TED: TALK MORE ABOUT THOSE RESPONSES, WHAT DID YOU HEAR?

>> WE HEARD A LOT OF PRIDE IN OUR COUNTRY, A PRIDE OF BEING ARIZONAN, REALLY LOVING OUR CLIMATE, THAT WAS ANOTHER ONE.

JUST PRIDE IN BEING AN AMERICAN, WHICH WAS SO REFRESHING TO ME.

TED: LAURA, THIS IS LIKE MAKING THE MILESTONE ACCESSIBLE LIKE HANDS-ON, ONE ON ONE, TO EVERYONE IN THE STATE.

THAT THE GOAL HERE?

>> THAT WAS REALLY IMPORTANT TO SECRETARY FONTES, THE CHAIR OF THE COMMISSION, YOU DON'T JUST COME TO THE STATE CAPITOL TO SEE.

THIS COMES TO YOU, NO MATTER WHERE YOU ARE IN THE STATE, THERE IS SOMETHING TO CELEBRATE, A WAY TO BE INVOLVED AND WE WERE SO PROUD TO GET THIS ON THE ROAD.

TED: IT WAS HISTORY, AND STORYTELLING AS WELL?

HOW DID THAT WORK?

>> ONE OF THE THINGS, STEVE MENTION THE MOMENTS THAT MADE US, WE MADE THE DEAR AMERICA AND ARIZONA POST CARDS ON BOARD.

PEOPLE SHARE WHAT THEY THOUGHT ABOUT THE STATE, THE STATE CAPITOL, THE STATE PARKS, ALL OVER THE PLACE, AND WE'VE ARCHIVED SOME PERMANENTLY IN THE ARIZONA MEMORY PROJECT, AND THE STORIES ARE SO MEANINGFUL.

PEOPLE TALKING ABOUT LONG HISTORIES OF MILITARY SERVICE AND WHAT BROUGHT THEM OUT TO ARIZONA OR FAMILY LEGACIES HERE, OR WHAT THEY HOPE FOR THE FUTURE, AND THOSE ARE MAGICAL CARDS TO READ.

TED: WHEN YOU TRAVEL THROUGHOUT THE STATE AND HIT A CERTAIN COUNTY.

DID YOU GO TO A PARTICULAR PLACE THAT YOU HAD SOMETHING FOCUS AND TARGETED?

>> IT DEPENDED.

WE WERE AT LIBRARIES A LOT.

WE WERE AT -- I DON'T KNOW, CONVENTION-TYPE PLACES.

IT JUST ALL DEPENDED ON THE COMMUNITY.

>> DOWNTOWN TOMBSTONE WAS A FUN ONE.

>> INCREDIBLE, TOMBSTONE.

TED: THAT THING IN DOWNTOWN TOMBSTONE?

>> IT WAS VERY DIRTY AFTER THAT.

BUT -- TED: I'LL STICK WITH YOU ON THIS ONE.

WHEN YOU FIRST STARTED, WHAT DID YOU EXPECT, AND DID WHAT YOU EXPECT OCCUR?

>> YEAH, I EXPECTED IT TO BE POPULAR JUST BECAUSE OF WHAT WAS IN IT.

I WAS FORTUNATE ENOUGH TO BE PART OF THE TEAM PUT IT INSIDE OF IT.

SO I THINK THAT WAS A CALL TO PEOPLE TO COME OUT, AND YOU KNOW, EVERY COUNTY WAS DIFFERENT.

EVERY CITY HAD THEIR OWN CULTURE AND THEIR OWN WAYS OF DOING THINGS, AND COMING BACK FROM IT, I FEEL SO MUCH MORE AMERICAN, I GUESS IS THE WAY TO SAY IT.

TED: YEAH, YEAH, WHAT ABOUT YOUR EXPECTATIONS, LAURA?

>> WELL, I REALLY HOPED THAT PEOPLE WOULD GET EXCITED ABOUT IT AND SEE THEMSELVES IN IT.

THAT WAS ONE OF OUR MOST IMPORTANT GOALS IS THIS IS SOMETHING ARIZONANS CAN SEE THEMSELVES IN AND BE A PART OF.

THOSE WERE THE SPECIAL MOMENTS IN THE TRAILER WHEN PEOPLE WOULD COME IN AND HAVE A PERSONAL STORY.

ON THE MILITARY PANEL, WE TALKED ABOUT "U.S.S.

ARIZONA," AND SOMEBODY SAYING MY GRANDFATHER SERVED OR I HAVE A FAMILY CONNECTION TO THAT.

THOSE MOMENTS WERE SO CONNECTIVE AND POWERFUL.

I WOULD SAY HONESTLY IT EXCEEDED MY EXPECTATIONS.

WE HAD SUCH POSITIVE FEEDBACK, AND ESPECIALLY BRINGING IT TO COMMUNITIES ACROSS ARIZONA.

WE HEARD THE MOST WONDERFUL THINGS FROM OUR HOST SITES OF THE WE NEVER GET THINGS LIKE THIS OR THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BRINGING IT HERE.

THAT WAS SO SPECIAL.

>> THAT'S GREAT.

LAST QUESTION, STEVE, FOR YOU.

THE MOBILE MUSEUM, WILL IT EVER BE MOBILE AGAIN?

>> THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION.

THAT'S PROBABLY MORE FOR LAURA.

>> PARTS OF IT WILL.

WE'RE WORKING ON SENDING THE PANELS AROUND TO THE ENTIRE STATEWIDE LIBRARY SYSTEM TO LIVE ON.

TED: CONGRATULATIONS, SOUNDS LIKE YOU HAD A GREAT TIME AND A LOT OF GOOD WAS DONE.

>> THANK YOU.

>> THANK YOU.

TED: THAT IS IT FOR NOW.

I'M TED SIMONS.

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING US.

YOU HAVE A GREAT EVENING.