Representative Gorman joins Heartland Institute Advisory Board

State Representative Pamela Gorman (R-6) has accepted a position on the Legislative Advisory Board of The Heartland Institute, a 21-year-old national nonprofit, nonpartisan think tank headquartered in Chicago Illinois.

Rep. Gorman will advise Heartland on topics to address and serve as a source for the think tank’s scholars and reporters. Heartland Legislative Advisors also submit essays and news reports for Heartland publications, meet with counterparts from other states at seminars and conferences, and receive priority treatment of their research requests.

“I am honored to be able to represent the concerns of my constituents by working with The Heartland Institute and my colleagues from other states,” Rep. Gorman said. For more information about The Heartland Institute, visit its Web site at www.heartland.org.

Inches Shorter but Thousands Less...

In a recent victory for you, the taxpayer, the flags are once again flying over your state capitol and it cost you less than $20.

Governor Napolitano's administration had previously insisted that thousands of dollars be spent to replace a still-good flag pole that had been bent in a summer storm.

For months since the wind bent the pole, the Dept. of Administration has been "working on" getting it fixed. Bids came in from $11k to $28k before a bit of reason crept into the picture in the form of a freshman state legislator. State Representative Jerry Weiers (R-12), a generally all around common sense guy, thought that perhaps the community might be willing to donate time and materials as part of their patriotic duty to see that the flags would once again wave. Turns out Rep. Weiers was right. Within a couple phone calls, local companies had stepped up with everything from cranes to cages to welders so the state could hang our beautiful brand-spankin' new flags!

Napolitano's administration persisted to fight for the right to spend thousands of your dollars, in spite of the donations. Who was going to receive your money in this lucrative pole raising? You will need to pursue that information through her office. But, whoever was to take reportedly $11 thousand tax dollars to do this job for Napolitano is now left watching in wonderment as true American spirit prevailed and the flags waive without their help or their profit (for only the cost of 4 cans of silver spray paint).

Oh, there were some hang ups. All was not smooth. Turns out the pole would need to be cut (rather than bent back) to be structurally sound. So, the pole is now something like 18" shorter. But, that 18" saved the taxpayers at least $11,000.

I've included a picture of Rep. Weiers unceremoniously placing the gold ball back on the top of the flagpole. He was extended this honor for the effort he made to save taxpayer dollars, but more importantly to assure the flag still waves over your Arizona capitol. It should be noted that he did not order up a marching band, fancy banners, or a gaggle of adoring supporters. Rather, pizza was ordered for the volunteer tradesmen on the site and Rep. Weiers waited patiently for the job to be finished while chatting with those of us who curiously walked over to observe the pole repairs. A humble man and a great American, Rep. Jerry Weiers made me proud to know him once again.

Top 5 Reasons to attend the AZ Taxpayers Luncheon Nov. 5th

The awards luncheon is only two weeks away.  Join us and Senator Jon Kyl as we celebrate the best, worst, silliest and strangest in state government in 2005.
 
Top 5 Reasons to Attend the 2005 AZ Taxpayer Awards Luncheon
5.  Now that the National Review Online has mentioned our awards, we're famous.
4.  The winner of the Vladimir I. Lenin Award may actually show-up.
3.  An "arch-conservative" legislator has warned us he may get emotional.  The AZ Republic may make fun of him in the Political Insider.
2.  Because you really want to know what is the strangest legislation of 2005.
1.  Sen. Kyl will give directions to the "Bridge to Nowhere."
 
PLUS:

Rep. Pamela Gorman will be presented The Champion of the Taxpayer Award.

 
 
2005 AZ Taxpayer Awards Luncheon
Saturday, Nov. 5th  *  11:30 am to 1:30 pm
 
Keynote Speaker U.S. Sen. Jon Kyl
 
Emcee Tom Patterson, Chairman of the Goldwater Institute
 
Location: Goldwater Institute 500 East Coronado Rd, Phoenix, AZ (7th Street and McDowell, just north of I-10)
 
 
RSVP to info@aztaxpayers.org.  Make checks payable ($15 members, $20 non-members) to:

Arizona Federation of Taxpayers Association
Attn: Tom Husband, Treasurer 
5520 E. San Miguel Ave.
Paradise Valley, AZ 85253-5137
 
Elected officials are free.  Table sponsorships are available for $120 ($15 per seat for 8 seats).
 
For more information contact:
 
Chad Kirkpatrick, Chairman, Arizona Federation of Taxpayers, (602) 214-6362, chair@aztaxpayers.org  
Tom Jenney, Vice Chairman, Arizona Federation of Taxpayers, (602) 478-0146, vc@aztaxpayers.org 
 
 
 
* Thanks to the Goldwater Institute for allowing the Arizona Federation of Taxpayers to use its facilities for this event. This is not a Goldwater Institute event. Because of the Institute’s nonprofit status, AFT cannot allow any fundraising, candidate endorsements, or collection of five-dollar contributions to take place during the luncheon. 
 
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