Play the video above to see these stories on AZ Illustrated Politics for Friday, Nov. 1 with guests Carol West, former Tucson City councilwoman, Trent Humphries, Tucson Tea Party founder, and Jeff Rogers, former chairman of the Pima County Democratic Party:
AFFORDABLE CARE ACT TROUBLES: Humphries said that the disastrous problem with the federal government’s Affordable Care Act website would not be fixed soon and argued that the government was overstepping in regulating the insurance marketplace. Rogers said that the problems needed to be fixed soon or confidence in the program would suffer, but argued that the government had a proper role in establishing minimum standards for health-insurance polices. West said that she believed the new insurance policies that would be available to Americans would be superior to policies that are now being cancelled and recalled that similar problems plagued to rollout of a similar health-insurance marketplace in Massachusetts when that state required the purchase of health insurance.
CITY COUNCIL ELECTION: Rogers said that based on his read of the early ballots that have already come back to election officials, Democratic incumbents Karin Uhlich and Richard Fimbres would defeat Repubilcan challengers Ben Buehler-Garcia and Mike Polak in next week’s City Council election. Trent predicted that the race between Uhlich and Buehler-Garcia would be close. West said that two propositions on the ballot, which involve the approval of a general plan for the city’s future development and an increase in the city’s spending level, were somewhat esoteric but she believed both should pass. Humphries said the props might confused voters, leading them to reject them.
COUNTY POLITICAL CLASH: Pima County Administrator Chuck Huckelberry delivered a memo to Pima County Supervisor Ally Miller last week after Miller made allegations on Facebook and on talk radio that county officials were requiring developers to use certain consultants and lobbyists in order to get their projects approved. Rogers said Miller had offered no proof with her allegations and recalled that she had made unfounded accusations during her 2012 campaign. Humphries said that government shouldn’t be so big that consultants and lobbyists were necessary. West said that making accusations via Facebook was unprofessional and Miller should have brought the matter up with Huckelberry before posting her accusations on social media.
AZ Illustrated Politics is produced by Jim Nintzel. Contact him at jnintzel@azpm.org.
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