Public Banking – Page 3 – Powers For the People

Housing, Homelessness & Gentrification: What Is the Path Forward?

Posted on June 18, 2019August 26, 2019 by Pamela Powers Hannley

Where do the mayoral candidates stand on affordable housing, low-income housing, and homelessness?

I think that’s a great question, and I hope to find the answers at the upcoming Mayor and Ward 1 City Council Candidate Forum on Saturday, June 22. The event will be held at El Rio Center, from 12 noon – 2:30 p.m. and will moderated by Nancy Montoya from Arizona Public Media. According to the Blog for Arizona Calendar, the three Democrats running for Mayor and the four running for Romero’s Ward 1 seat are expected to participate.

What is the state of housing in Arizona?

Arizona’s Housing Crisis: Has the Legislature Done Its Part?

As rents and evictions increase, housing has become a huge issue across Arizona. Housing– like prison reform and charter school reform– got a lot of lip service in the Arizona Legislature in 2019. During the session, there were many opportunities to tackle the housing crisis in a meaningful way, but those bills died.

On a high note, the Legislature allocated $10 million for the Housing Trust Fund in the FY2020 budget, which begins in a few weeks. The Housing Trust Fund used to be $40 million per year until the Tea Party Reign of Terror swept the funds and left only ~$2.5 million in it. (Of course, back then, tax cuts were far more important than helping people keep roofs over their heads.)

Continue reading Housing, Homelessness & Gentrification: What Is the Path Forward?

What Did the 53rd Arizona Legislature Accomplish? (video)

Posted on June 24, 2018July 5, 2018 by Pamela Powers Hannley

It has been a little more than a month since the 53rd Legislature ended with a 40-hour marathon, passing the budget in the middle of the night, under the watchful eye of Red for Ed teachers and supporters.

What did the Legislature do in the 53rd Session?

We passed the comprehensive Arizona Opioid Epidemic Act, to attack the opioid epidemic in Arizona.
We passed dental therapy, expanding access to affordable dental care for urban and rural residents and creating new healthcare jobs. (Video.)
We stopped several corporate tax giveaway bills that would have further drained the general fund and taken money from public education. (Video.)
We stopped an untested technology from being used on Arizona workers. After Uber and Theranos, hopefully we have learned our lesson on putting untested technologies into statute. (Video.)

What didn’t we do?

- We failed to adequately fund k-12 public education, community colleges or the university system. In fact, the Republican response to the Red for Ed movement was to make 50 fund transfers to pay the teachers a bit more (but not as much as they deserve). It’s time to restore k-12 public education funds for personnel and infrastructure to pre-recession levels. Funding education is economic development. (Video.)

Continue reading What Did the 53rd Arizona Legislature Accomplish? (video)

With Massive Tax Cuts from Feds, Big Corps Don’t Need AZ Tax Giveaways (video)

Posted on December 28, 2017 by Pamela Powers Hannley

Vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin called herself a “Mama Grizzly” because she said she would fight like a Mama Grizzly to protect her children.

Although “Mama Grizzly” was a catchy marketing slogan for the folksy rural mayor from Alaska, the Republican Party has never embraced the idea of protecting children after birth or helping families. Unfortunately, this week Congressional Republicans took their disregard for middle class families one step further by voting for billions of dollars in tax cuts for big corporations and for the richest Americans– while saddling our children and grandchildren with massive debt to pay the bills in the future.

Hmmm… let’s see… what to do… pass legislation that would actually help millions of Americans– like equitably funding public education across the country or fixing the Affordable Care Act (to make it affordable) — OR cut taxes for your rich donors? Cut taxes, of course! With party-line votes to pass the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, Congressional Republicans have shown that they are far more interested in enriching the billionaire class than in improving the lives of everyday Americans. Universal healthcare? Food Security? World-class public education? Safe roads and bridges? Financial stability for the middle class? Meh. Congressional Republicans don’t care about pursuing the People’s To-Do List.

Although the majority of Americans see the tax cut bill as unfair, Republicans are on course to deliver the biggest Christmas present… ever… to the 0.01%.

In my opinion, the passage of this massive wealth transfer bill underscores the need for a few new progressive action items…

Continue reading With Massive Tax Cuts from Feds, Big Corps Don’t Need AZ Tax Giveaways (video)

Economic Inequality, Access to Care & Workforce Development: A Progressive Roadmap (video)

Posted on December 8, 2017December 29, 2017 by Pamela Powers Hannley

On December 4, 2017, I gave a talk on economic inequality at the Democrats of Greater Tucson Luncheon. This is the text of that speech.

Economist Dean Baker, of the Center for Economic and Policy Research, recently gave a talk which focused on solving economic inequality. He pointed to five key areas of the economy that keep the rich rich and keep the rest of us in our places:

Macroeconomics;
Intellectual property rights;
Practice protection by highly paid professionals;
Financial regulation; and
Cooperate governance.

Given this list, can a state legislator like me make a dent in economic inequality? I think so.

I ran on a platform that focused on economic reform and public banking; equality and paycheck fairness; and attacking the opioid crisis.

How does my platform dovetail with Dean Baker’s list? There is quite a bit of overlap—particularly in macroeconomics, intellectual property rights, and practice protection.

Continue reading Economic Inequality, Access to Care & Workforce Development: A Progressive Roadmap (video)

Nov 2017 Constituent Update: News & Events

Posted on November 30, 2017January 5, 2018 by Pamela Powers Hannley

My November 2017 update featured an essay related to the findings from the October healthcare forum, as well as several event updates. You can read 200 Stories: Healthcare Forum Attendees Reject Repeal of ACA here. Below are photos from events and field trips that I have taken recently. You can receive my monthly updates in your email inbox by signing up here.

Touring the UA College of Medicine & Mirror Lab

Scientists build giant telescope mirrors in the UA Mirror Lab.

Continue reading Nov 2017 Constituent Update: News & Events

2017 Legislative Report Card

Posted on October 8, 2017October 17, 2017 by Pamela Powers Hannley

In 2016, I ran for the Arizona House on a platform of economic reform, equality, and tackling the opioid epidemic. I stood up to big-money politics and ran as a Clean Elections candidate, despite much advice to take the money and run.

I am honored that you elected me on Nov. 8, 2016. This year in the Legislature, I fought for fairness and stood up for your rights with my voice, my votes, and my bills.

I am running for re-election in 2018. As a Clean Elections candidate, I have pledged not to take big-money donations from special interests. This is my report card to you, the voters of Legislative District 9. It has been an honor to serve you.

Economic Reform & Public Banking

I voted against all new tax cuts for big corporations. Trickle down economics doesn’t work. Arizona needs new strategies to create jobs, fund education, and build infrastructure.
I proposed a feasibility study to create a state public bank. Arizona has focused its economic development efforts on tax giveaways for big corporations and austerity for the rest of us for far too long. The Republican-led Legislature has created a budget which gives away more revenue than it spends to run the state. When you’re in a hole, stop digging! Public banking is a sustainable economic development engine because it raises revenue without raising taxes. The Republican strategy of featherbedding the budget for multinational corporations and ideological experiments has led to sustained poverty in Southern Arizona and multiple local proposals for increased sales taxes. It’s time for fairness and equity in our budget and our tax system.

Continue reading 2017 Legislative Report Card