Sorry this wasn't posted on its usual day, but last week was an unusual one and it was impossible to find the time to write.

We had another week of Appropriations Committee hearings, this time listening to agencies and departments make their pleas for the 2009 budget year.  Most of the message was the same -- we're down to the bone and can't make any more cuts.  This as the Governor suggests $75 million in cuts for 2008 (out of a $10.6 billion budget!), and only $25 million for the next year.  Plus she wants to add more spending in both years.  Incredible!

There was an interesting side show on Wednesday, as Rep. Andy Biggs (R-Gilbert) made a motion to adjourn as we began the afternoon session.  His reasoning was that all the decisions were going to be made in negotiations between the Governor, the Speaker of the House, and the Senate President, so we were wasting our time in our meetings.  I had voiced the same concern to our Majority Leader earlier in the day; but his response was that the hearings gave us a chance to ask questions of the department heads, make some points about their unwillingness to cut spending, and allow the public to view the process -- both in person and as the hearings are broadcast over the Internet.  That made sense to me, and so I was willing to sit through more days in committee.  Perhaps that should have communicated better to other members.  The outcome of the cancellation of Wednesday afternoon and Thursday session was that we met on Friday, a very rare occurrence.

I attended the morning session, but had to leave at 1:00 p.m. for a drive to Page. Over the past two years I have been giving support to CREDA (Canyon Region Economic Development Alliance), which is attempting to bring economic improvement to the area of Northern Arizona and Southern Utah.  The group held a 2008 planning session on Saturday, and I was pleased to be able to attend.  It was a productive meeting, with attainable goals set for the year.  They have scheduled a conference on April 3 & 4 to be attended by local elected officials and development directors to showcase what has been learned so far.  I hope to be able to help by bringing state agencies and leaders to the area to show what has been done and what yet needs to be done for this remote area of our state.

Saturday evening was the 49th Annual Page-Lake Powell Chamber of Commerce Awards dinner, and I was again pleased to be able to stay over to attend.  Mothan 200 people attended, and it was a very successful night -- both as a fund raiser and for honoring citizens of the Page area.

The drive back to Phoenix on Sunday was not so pleasant, with snow in Page and heavy rain from Flagstaff all the way south.  I wasn't able to be home in Bullhead City this weekend, but getting out to the district is important to me and I do it as often as I can.

We're resuming regular committee meetings this week, hearing bills that (if passed in committee) will be brought to the full House.  Next week I plan to give you a run-down on the bills that I am personally sponsoring and hope to see passed.

Until then,

Nancy