The SouthWest Eagle

US science integrity move devolving into mosh pit

noreply@blogger.com (Daniel R. Patterson) — Tue, 22 May 2012 20:09:00 +0000

WASHINGTON -- A vaunted initiative to restore public confidence in the scientific work of the federal agency with the most tarnished record is foundering, according to Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility (PEER). The U.S. Department of Interior has failed to deliver on its promises to conduct independent investigations of reports of scientific misconduct, prevent political interference or develop protocols to prevent duplicative and conflicting investigations, leaving an opaque jumble of irresolution.

One of the highest profile complaints under Interior’s scientific integrity process (launched in February 2011) involves Arctic researcher Dr. Charles Monnett who charged that his own agency and the Interior Office of Inspector General (OIG) had improperly disrupted his work in a “witch hunt” involving his paper on polar bears drowning after storms. On August 8, 2011, Interior Scientific Integrity Officer Ralph Morganweck wrote that he was “conducting an inquiry into these allegations.” Yet, in a letter to Representative Edward Markey three weeks after pledging to investigate the complaint against OIG (which letter PEER obtained recently under the Freedom of Information Act), Morganweck stated that he had already met with the OIG twice about the. Monnett case and –

“…I will be assisting the OIG in reviewing the scientific integrity claims that have been raised in this matter.”

“This is beyond screwy. How in the name of objectivity can the integrity officer work to assist the subject of a complaint without telling the complainant?” asked PEER Executive Director Jeff Ruch, who is asking Morganweck to recuse himself from the case but has gotten no reply. “If there is no independence in these reviews, Interior’s scientific integrity process is simply an elaborate exercise in damage control.”

At the same time, the complaint sits in limbo. On April 2, 2012, nearly eight months after accepting the Monnett case, Morganweck wrote to PEER (which represents Dr. Monnett) asking for basic information indicating that he had barely begun a review. Nor has he ever asked to interview Dr. Monnett. Similarly, five months after PEER filed a complaint about improper exclusion of livestock grazing from a massive Bureau of Land Management landscape study there has been little movement. Indeed, the assigned science integrity officer never asked for the list of witnesses PEER had offered.

The conflicting investigations by the OIG and Scientific Integrity Office also prompted promises last summer to develop a protocol to sort out who does what and to insure that OIG probes do not extend into scientific issues for which it has no expertise. Thus, in an August 25, 2011 letter about the Monnett case to Senator James Inhofe, Acting Inspector General Mary Kendall wrote:

“We are, however, in contact with the Department’s Office of Scientific Integrity on this matter and are developing protocols for coordination on such matters in the future.”

Yet, in response to a recent Freedom of Information Act request by PEER for any “protocol, guidance or memorandum of understanding” between the two entities or adopted unilaterally by the OIG on handling scientific misconduct issues, the OIG declared that it had “no documents responsive to your request.”

“Consistent and considered treatment of allegations are among the stated goals of Interior’s Scientific Integrity policy, yet this failure to coordinate makes every scientific controversy into a bureaucratic jump ball,” Ruch added, noting that PEER is preparing a series of reforms it will file as rule-making petitions this summer to fix holes in the procedures. “Interior’s scientific integrity program has broken down coming out of the gate and needs to be retooled.”

link to documents

- from PEER

33M acres Interior open range fail land health test

noreply@blogger.com (Daniel R. Patterson) — Mon, 14 May 2012 14:59:00 +0000

Your imperiled western public lands, BLM in yellow (click to enlarge map)

LIVESTOCK’S HEAVY HOOVES IMPAIR ONE-THIRD OF BLM RANGELANDS: 33M Acres of BLM Grazing Allotments Fail Basic Rangeland Health Standards

TUCSON -- A new federal assessment of rangelands in the West finds a disturbingly large portion fails to meet range health standards principally due to commercial livestock operations, according to Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility (PEER). In the last decade as more land has been assessed, estimates of damaged lands have doubled in the 13-state Western area where the U.S. Bureau of Land Management (BLM) conducts major livestock leasing.

The “Rangeland Inventory, Monitoring and Evaluation Report for Fiscal Year 2011” covers BLM allotments in Arizona, California, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oregon, South Dakota, Utah, Washington and Wyoming. The report totals BLM acreage failing to meet rangeland health standards in measures such as water quality, watershed functionality and wildlife habitat:

Almost 40% of BLM allotments surveyed since 1998 have failed to meet the agency’s own required land health standards with impairment of more than 33 million acres, an area exceeding the State of Alabama in size, attributed to livestock grazing;
Overall, 30% of BLM’s allotment area surveyed to date suffers from significant livestock-induced damage, suggesting that once the remaining allotments have been surveyed, the total impaired area could well be larger than the entire State of Washington; and
While factors such as drought, fire, invasion by non-native plants, and sprawl are important, livestock grazing is identified by BLM experts as the primary cause (nearly 80%) of BLM lands not meeting health standards.

“Livestock’s huge toll inflicted on our public lands is a hidden subsidy which industry is never asked to repay,” stated PEER Advocacy Director Kirsten Stade, noting that the percentage of impairment in lands assessed remains fairly consistent over the past decade. “The more we learn about actual conditions, the longer is the ecological casualty list.”

Last November, PEER filed a scientific integrity complaint that BLM had directed scientists to exclude livestock grazing as a factor in changing landscapes as part of a $40 million study, the biggest such effort ever undertaken by BLM. The complaint was referred to a newly appointed Scientific Integrity Officer for BLM but there are no reports of progress in the agency’s self-investigation in the ensuing months.

“BLM controls more American public land than any other government agency, and they continue to fail to conserve the health of the land,” said Daniel Patterson, Ecologist & Southwest PEER Director. He formerly worked with BLM. “Degraded rangelands harm wildlife, water, hunting, fishing and recreation on our lands. BLM remains hijacked by the livestock lobby.”

At the same time, BLM range evaluations, such as this latest one, use ambiguous categories that mask actual conditions, employing vague terms such as “making significant progress” and “appropriate action has been taken to ensure significant progress” that obscure damage estimates and inflate the perception of restoration progress. For example, in 2001 nearly 60% of BLM lands (94 million acres, an area larger than Montana) consisted of grazing allotments that were supposed to be managed to “improve the current resource condition” – a number that has stayed unchanged for a decade.

“Commercial livestock operations are clearly a major force driving degradation of wild places, jeopardy to wildlife, major loss of water quality and growing desertification throughout the American West,” Stade added, while noting that BLM has historically been dominated by livestock interests. “The BLM can no longer remain in denial on the declining health of our vast open range.”

link to documents

- from PEER

Wolf conservation hijacked by special interests

noreply@blogger.com (Daniel R. Patterson) — Thu, 10 May 2012 00:07:00 +0000

Too many wolves being killed by humans in Montana & Idaho.

HELENA MT -- Just as the Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks Commission will consider increasing its wolf hunting quota for the 2012-2013 season, western conservation researchers have released a report on Northern Rocky Mountain wolves that argues that two user groups, the livestock industry and some hunting organizations, caused decision-makers to prematurely revoke federal protection for the population and it is now in jeopardy from too high levels of hunting. The report describes the many negative biological, ecological, economic and social effects of wolf hunting and should be used to inform the current debate about wolf quotas.

“The livestock industry and some hunting groups pressured Congress to de-list wolves based upon grossly inaccurate claims,” stated Wendy Keefover, Director of Carnivore Protection for WildEarth Guardians. “Now Montana’s decision-makers are under their spell and willing to consider a longer, more deadly hunting and trapping season that could have even more devastating effects on wolves.”

“A handful of hostile ranchers using American public lands and government bureaucrats must not be allowed to persecute wolves back to the edge of extinction," said Daniel Patterson, a western big game hunter and ecologist. "The States of Montana and Idaho have done poorly so far on wolf conservation and must improve now if they want to keep control. State wildlife officials should listen more to the pro-wolf hunters and ranchers.” Mr. Patterson is also a former western state lawmaker.

Congress, in unprecedented action, legislatively de-listed Northern Rockies wolves from the Endangered Species Act in spring 2011. Idaho and Montana commenced hunting seasons for wolves in late August and early September, respectively. The two states sold more than 62,000 wolf-hunting tags to hunters and trappers, most of whom were Idaho and Montana residents, who killed more than 500 wolves in eight months, eliminating more than a third of the bi-state population (estimated at fewer than 1,300 in 2010). Now Montana is considering lengthening its hunting season, increasing the statewide quota, and even allowing trapping for wolves (Idaho already allows trapping for the species). The Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks Commission will meet on May 10 in Helena to review the policy changes.

The report, Northern Rocky Mountain Wolves: A Public Policy Process Failure, How Two Special Interest Groups Hijacked Wolf Conservation in America, documents how the livestock industry and some hunting groups influenced key federal legislators to de-list Northern Rockies wolves last spring, to the detriment of the wolf restoration and in opposition to majority public opinion. These vocal minorities claimed that wolves had recovered and that packs were depleting domestic livestock and elk herds, but none of these contentions are true.

Years of government data show that wolves have a negligible effect on the domestic livestock inventory. , Wolves killed less than one percent of the cattle (0.07 percent) and sheep (0.22 percent) inventories in Idaho, Montana and Wyoming—before the commencement of the 2011-2012 wolf hunting season and even using unverified livestock loss data (that is, the numbers that are based upon livestock growers’ uninvestigated complaints of wolf depradation). Verified livestock losses are even lower.
Wolves also have little effect on elk herds in the Northern Rockies, while biologists have demonstrated how human hunters have a much greater impacts on elk populations than wolves. Moreover, Idaho, Montana, and Wyoming all have abundant elk populations, with over 100,000 animals each, with each state managing its elk population “at” or “above” their own management objectives throughout most of their state.
Wolves had not even been recovered to even five percent of their historic range in the West when they were de-listed in the Northern Rockies and unsustainable levels of wolf hunting began in Idaho and Montana. Wyoming is also preparing to offer wolf hunting as soon as the federal government de-lists the species in that state.

The American public has spent $40 million dollars and two decades to restore wolves in the Northern Rockies. Now that effort is threatened because of misguided Congressional action based on mythical claims about the species.

Biologists note that hunting not only has direct effects on individuals, but also causes secondary mortality. Wolves, highly social beings, experience disruptions in their packs from over hunting, which puts pups and yearlings at risk for starvation and death and can cause packs to disband.

The report recommends five ways to reduce wolf/human conflicts and to conserve wolf populations in the Northern Rockies, including restoring federal protection for Northern Rockies wolves until local hostility towards wolves dissipates; designating more more protected areas for wolves, such as national parks; employing a host of non-lethal methods to protect domestic livestock from wolves; authorizing voluntarily grazing permit retirement on federal public lands; and prioritizing wolf-watching tourism which generates much higher revenue for the region than wolf hunting.

“The federal government and western states must act quickly to protect wolves for our environment, economy, and future generations, or they may end up right back on the endangered species list,” said Keefover.

- adapted from WEG news release

Note: I'm a western big game hunter and I'm pro-wolf. I'm not anti-hunting or anti-ranching. DRP

How would environment do under a Pres. Romney?

noreply@blogger.com (Daniel R. Patterson) — Thu, 03 May 2012 16:15:00 +0000

How would the environment fare under a President Romney? Not very well, his record as Massachusetts Governor suggests

WASHINGTON -- As Massachusetts Governor, Mitt Romney placed environmental agencies under a business-oriented department, slashed environmental funding and even raided park money to throw a Super Bowl rally for the New England Patriots pro football team. As a result, eco-stewardship sharply declined during Romney’s one term, according to Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility (PEER).

An overriding theme of the Romney administration was that environmental protection was secondary to economic and political ends. This theme was perhaps best illustrated by his–

* Placing state environmental agencies inside an Office for Commonwealth Development, run by transportation, housing and energy interests. State environmental protection decisions thus became subject to approval by managers with primarily economic portfolios. His successor, Gov. Deval Patrick, undid the reorganization in 2008;

* Cutting environmental funding for Massachusetts by 25%. The Romney cuts were so deep that the Commonwealth could no longer meet basic federal anti-pollution requirements; and

* Taking some $45,000 in states parks and conservation money to stage a Super Bowl send-off rally for the New England Patriots over the objections of his Conservation & Recreation Commissioner. Romney then summarily removed her and her top deputy after they refused to hire a Republican politician his office was pushing.

“The Romney administration was a nightmare for environmental protection in Massachusetts,” stated New England PEER Director Kyla Bennett, a scientist and attorney formerly with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. “Keep in mind that he wreaked havoc during a period when he was positioning himself as a moderate. I shudder to think what he would do now on a national level.”

The Patriots rally cost Massachusetts taxpayers approximately $18 per attendee. Five days after the rally, four high school students were struck by a pickup truck on VFW Parkway in West Roxbury, a highway managed by the Department of Conservation & Recreation. School officials blamed the accident on poorly plowed sidewalks which had forced the students into the street. Romney’s office also spent hundreds of thousands of dollars for Fourth of July celebrations and a Red Sox victory party.

Since there were no real environmental initiatives under Romney, there is little to point to by way of environmental accomplishments. PEER is preparing a set of in-depth analyses of Romney actions on air pollution, water quality, toxic clean-ups, land use and transparency, among other topics.

“Frankly, as a manager, Governor Romney was very weak in addressing environmental challenges,” Bennett added. “He also employed a non-consultative, autocratic style that barred consideration of alternatives before sailing off in disastrous directions.”

- PEER news release

State of Arizona's wildlife scandal in Sonora, Mexico

noreply@blogger.com (Daniel R. Patterson) — Tue, 01 May 2012 15:23:00 +0000

Arizona Game and Fish Dept. and its Sonoran counterpart CEDES violate trust of Mexican conservation organizations, and possibly wildlife law. Put at risk threatened Black-tailed prairie dog population.

HERMOSILLO, SONORA, MEXICO -- The International and Borderlands Program of the Arizona Game and Fish Department, (IBP-AZGFD) along with the Sonoran counterpart of AZGFD the Comisión de Ecología y Desarrollo Sustentable (CEDES), exploited a loophole in the Mexican legal system to extract 60 prairie dogs from Sonora in October 2011, without thoroughly informing or obtaining consent of local conservation stakeholders, including managers of a Mexican federal protected area, two Mexican non-profits, two Mexican universities and several individual citizens. In doing so, they may have gotten an illegal authorization from a Mexican federal agency and have inappropriately violated the trust of the regional stakeholders.

“This action by the International and Borderlands Program of the AZGFD and CEDES puts at risk one of the two remnant colonies of black-tailed prairie dogs in the Mexican State of Sonora,” said Biologist Oscar Moctezuma, General Director of Naturalia. “We share the AZGFD’s interest in recovering prairie dog colonies in Arizona yet we believe this should not be achieved at the expense of wild populations or local conservation efforts in Sonora. One thing that we called their attention to is that their actions were based on an overestimation of the population, resulting from using a counting method, identified by its very authors as inadequate for circumstances like those in Sonora.”

Black-tailed prairie dogs (Cynomys ludovicianus) are a species that, because of its abundance in parts of the United States, is not listed as an Endangered Species. In Arizona, the Statewide Comprehensive Wildlife Strategy recognizes the black-tailed prairie dog as a species of concern. However, this designation does not result in any protection for the species. In contrast, under Mexican Law (Norma Oficial Mexicana NOM-059-SEMARNAT-2010) the species is listed as Threatened and enjoys full federal protection.

Removing these prairie dogs against the will of the regional stakeholders and using what could very well be an illegal permit could impact years of collaboration between groups on both sides of the border as the two state agencies would find it hard to gain the necessary trust of non-government partners.

By keeping the specific objectives, benchmarks, budget, interagency agreements and calendar of their activities unknown to anybody in the region, and only disclosing their monitoring methods and results at the eleventh hour, officials of the IBP-AZGFD and CEDES have violated the trust they once had of conservation groups who participated in prairie dog conservation meetings with CEDES since August 2010.

Juan Carlos G. Bravo, Naturalia’s northwestern Mexico representative, added “We have filed a lawsuit in a federal court in Mexico City and the CEDES-AZGFD permit has been suspended until a final ruling is reached. We did this because, even though we were not able to prevent the extraction of these 60 animals, CEDES has indicated its intent to continue extractions. It has to allow the population to recover, before extracting any more prairie dogs, and a precedent has to be set that such a permit violates the law and should not have been issued. We expect the court to rule in our favor so prairie dogs can remain in Sonora where, not only are they under federal protection, but where no single instance of plague, their greatest epidemic threat, has been recorded.” AZGFD reported a die-off of prairie dogs due to plague in 2010.

Paula Martin from Prairie Ecosystems, a Colorado based expert who has more than twenty two years of experience relocating colonies in western states, commented, “By extracting incomplete families the International and Borderlands Program of the AZGFD and CEDES have acted with very little regard to the well-being of the prairie dogs or the efforts of conservation groups in our neighboring country. They appear to be plowing ahead with nothing more in mind than their own numeric agendas, despite having many alternative sources for prairie dogs, some of which I even offered to facilitate through negotiations in New Mexico and Texas from colonies threatened with lethal removal.”

Daniel R. Patterson, Tucson-based Ecologist and Southwest Director of Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility (PEER), said, "The recklessness of Arizona's Game and Fish Department is harming wildlife and critical relations with our conservation friends in Mexico. This must be stopped. Arizona's once decent wildlife agency seems to have gone rogue. Arizona Game and Fish must be reformed for the common good." Patterson is also an Arizona hunter and former Arizona State Representative who served as Ranking Member on the Arizona House of Representatives Energy and Natural Resources Committee.

Bravo concluded, “If there is to be a genuine, long-lasting regional collaboration, Sonoran citizens have the right to expect that foreign agencies uphold the highest standards of ethics and transparency, especially when dealing with our endangered species. We can’t imagine that Arizonans would approve if their neighbors started exploiting legal loopholes to harvest Arizona’s endangered wildlife, even if their purpose was recovery elsewhere.”

Naturalia is urging the citizens of Arizona to send a letter to Larry Voyles (lvoyles@azgfd.gov), Director of AZGFD, demanding that he stops all plans for further prairie dog extractions from Sonora until its populations have recovered sufficiently and a strategy is put in place that is both included in Mexico’s federal recovery plan (Spanish acronym PACE) and takes into account Mexican conservation non-profits in the region.

- adapted from Naturalia news release

Thx to Tucson LD29 constituents; friends & family

noreply@blogger.com (Daniel R. Patterson) — Wed, 18 Apr 2012 20:08:00 +0000

TUCSON -- Thank you to my great constituents in LD29 across downtown, south, southeast and Davis-Monthan Air Force Base.

It was my true honor and privilege to win your vote many times, serving four years as your Representative at the Capitol, working hard for stronger jobs, economy, education and a better quality of life for all of us in southern Arizona.

Although leaving the legislature April 11 was painful, I'm glad to be in town with my family more and still working for our common good.

Daniel R. Patterson
former State Representative
Tucson-LD29, 2008-2012
@RepPatterson

Tucson voters dissed; Rep. resigns under protest

noreply@blogger.com (Daniel R. Patterson) — Wed, 11 Apr 2012 23:33:00 +0000

ARIZONA HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
STATE CAPITOL, PHOENIX
REP. DANIEL PATTERSON (TUCSON-LD29)

April 11, 2012

To: Rep. Andy Tobin, Speaker, Arizona House of Representatives

Hon. Speaker Tobin & House Members – With this letter, I reluctantly resign under strong protest.

I have been forced to resign due to the fact that the House has become a very hostile work environment for me. Due to this I am no longer able to serve my constituents in the way they deserve.

I do not agree with the Hobbs complaint, Manning report or the draconian expulsion recommendation of the Ethics Committee.

The unfair Ethics Committee violated House Rules, my constitutional rights to due process, and would not even allow me a real hearing to defend myself and question accusers.

The rights of Arizona voters and constituents in Tucson LD29 have been badly disrespected by the Ethics Committee. The will and decision of voters has been violated again by the House.

It has been an honor and a privilege to have earned the trust of my voters and serve four years in the House.

Rep. Daniel Patterson, Tucson-LD29

Read my op-ed, 4/8/12, Arizona Daily Star

Rep Patterson backs billboard veto, tells Gov hold

noreply@blogger.com (Daniel R. Patterson) — Fri, 30 Mar 2012 17:10:00 +0000

TUCSON -- Rep. Daniel Patterson (Tucson-LD29), expressed his support of Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer’s veto of HB 2757. This bill would have jeopardized jobs and millions in economic impact related to Arizona’s unique astronomy industry.

“I want to thank Gov. Jan Brewer for vetoing HB 2757, which would have allowed electronic billboards across our state to intrude on our clear desert skies,” Patterson said. “This veto will help preserve our beautiful night skies and the astronomy industry that has created so many jobs in Southern Arizona.”

Astronomers across the state were concerned that the electronic billboards would adversely affect astrological research in Arizona because they create light pollution that interferes with the telescopes and observatories.

Electronic billboards would diminish the ability to conduct the important astronomical research in Arizona. Legalizing electronic billboards would endanger future projects like the $130 million Cherenkov Telescope, which we are competing for against five other countries.

“With the governor’s decision, the astronomy community can continue to focus on science and Arizona can continue to compete on a national and global basis for future sites and projects, while bringing research, revenue, and jobs to our state,” Patterson said. “It’s my hope that if similar legislation makes its way to the governor’s desk it will meet a similar fate. We must preserve the dark skies that make this important work possible.”

Rep Patterson welcomes jobs to his Tucson district

noreply@blogger.com (Daniel R. Patterson) — Fri, 23 Mar 2012 20:45:00 +0000

UA Science & Tech Park in SE Tucson

TUCSON -- Representative Daniel Patterson welcomed plans Thursday for a new facility from OptumRx, a unit of UnitedHealth Group, which is expected to bring at least 400 new jobs to his Tucson district 29.

“I join other leaders in welcoming OptumRx and UnitedHealth Group to my district,” Rep. Patterson said. “Tucson and Southern Arizona will benefit from these new jobs and opportunities.”

The new pharmacy-benefits customer-service center is scheduled to open in 2013. The center will handle several aspects of the company’s business including customer service, mail-order prescriptions, rebates and claims administration.

"We are strengthening the infrastructure of OptumRx in advance of a major expansion early next year, and we especially appreciate the help and support that comes from the outstanding workers and leaders of Arizona in that effort," said Larry C. Renfro, executive vice president of UnitedHealth Group and CEO of Optum, in a news release.

The company will occupy a space that is being renovated at the University of Arizona Science and Technology Park. The company will likely receive a $200,000 grant from the Arizona Competes Fund, also called the “deal closing fund” through the Arizona Commerce Authority.

“I will continue to work cooperatively for stronger economic development and jobs in Tucson,” Patterson said. "Along with better education, a stronger economy is my top priority."

Rep Patterson statement on 3/13 House Ethics mtg

noreply@blogger.com (Daniel R. Patterson) — Wed, 14 Mar 2012 03:19:00 +0000

STATE CAPITOL, PHOENIX -- Any further investigation, if approved by Speaker Tobin, should not be rushed and must stay within the specific claims made in the Feb 27 complaint. It must respect the constitution and my 'not guilty' due process in the courts. If needed, by March 28 I will again respond to the complaint.

The accuser's order of protection, a main point of the complaint, was dropped Monday by a Tucson court.

The Aug 2010 order from my ex-wife during our divorce, also part of the complaint, was not in effect long before being quashed by a Tucson court. I was never charged with any crime related to these false allegations.

I have always complied with Arizona House Rule 34, Code of Ethics.

I will continue to serve as a hardworking effective lawmaker for my constituents and Tucson, keeping my focus on better jobs, education and the economy.

*

ARIZONA HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

March 12, 2012

To: Rep. Ted Vogt, Chairman, House Ethics Committee

Mr. Chairman – I vigorously contest the allegations and complaint against me. I am confident I will prevail and my name will be cleared in a court of law. In fact, this morning a court in Tucson dismissed my accuser’s recent protective order against me.

Under committee Rule 14, I need 30 days for my opportunity to respond to the complaint, until April 12, this is due in part to workload and constituent demands during session, my family responsibilities and other job.

If you decide after that you may want to proceed with hearings or further investigation, then I’ll need 45 days for additional response.

I believe this is a reasonable and fair timeframe that, if needed, could still allow resolution in May.

Thank you, Rep. Daniel Patterson, Tucson-LD29

cc: Ethics Committee Members

Rep Patterson urges Congress keep Tucson PO open

noreply@blogger.com (Daniel R. Patterson) — Fri, 09 Mar 2012 20:56:00 +0000

Tucson's Cherrybell Post Office in LD29

STATE CAPITOL, PHOENIX – Today Rep. Daniel Patterson, D-Tucson (LD29/LD3) sent a letter to U.S. Senators John McCain and Jon Kyl expressing concern over the proposed closure of the Cherrybell Mail Processing and Distribution Center in Tucson.

In the letter, Patterson indicates the closure would result in the loss of 147 jobs and would create a $14 million void in the local economy.

"The over one million people in Tucson and Southern Arizona deserve good daily mail service. Sending all our mail through Phoenix makes no sense, and would harm business, elections and jobs," Patterson said.

Additionally, Patterson said the closure will cause a delay in postal service, a nearly 20 percent increase the postal rate for 23,000 businesses and a mail rate increase of up to 48 percent for nonprofits.

Patterson urged Congress to consider an alternative solution to resolving the United States Postal Service fiscal problem because the Cherrybell Post Office is too important to the local economy.

"To protect public services, commerce and jobs, Tucson's important Cherrybell Post Office must stay open. We thank Rep. Grijalva for his action and we call on Senators McCain and Kyl to help stop the bad closure decision by the federal government now."

Labor & Patterson stand together at Capitol for jobs

noreply@blogger.com (Daniel R. Patterson) — Thu, 01 Mar 2012 22:20:00 +0000

Rep. Daniel Patterson & union workers stand together today at the Arizona Capitol.

AZ House Dems on GOPTeaParty's reckless budget

noreply@blogger.com (Daniel R. Patterson) — Tue, 21 Feb 2012 23:33:00 +0000

AZ Republicans Steve Pierce, Senate Pres., & Andy Tobin, House Speaker (right)

House Democrats disappointed by influence of special interests and lack of transparency, long term vision in Legislative Republicans’ Tea Party budget plan

STATE CAPITOL, PHOENIX -- House Democrats criticized Legislative Tea Party Republicans for offering a budget proposal – crafted behind closed doors and released to the public less than 24 hours before it was considered in committee hearings – that again favors special interests and lacks a long-term plan to help stabilize Arizona’s economy and prepare for future budget needs in an accountable way.

"Extremist ideologies and out-of-state special interests continue to dominate the Arizona Capitol," said Rep. Daniel Patterson (D-Tucson-LD29/LD3). "Republicans' reckless budget would cause further harm to jobs, education and the economy."

"This isn't a budget for Arizona. This is budget for an extremist, special-interest driven agenda,” said House Minority Leader and Appropriations Committee Ranking Member Chad Campbell (D-Phoenix, LD 15). “Nothing highlights this more than the fact that they completely remove oversight of taxpayer funded private prisons. All this will do is line the pockets of big out-of-state corporations with taxpayer dollars."

“There are so many opportunities wasted in this budget plan,” said House Minority Whip Anna Tovar (D-Tolleson, LD 13), who is a member of the House Appropriations Committee. “Basically, the Republicans have created a big piggy bank where hundreds of millions of dollars that could be used to restore and stimulate jobs will sit unutilized.”

“This budget should be about creating jobs,” said Rep. Lela Alston (D-Phoenix, LD 15), who is also a member of the House Appropriations Committee. “We should be investing in capital improvements to schools and other critical infrastructure. We could restore health care to thousands of children and restore thousands of jobs in the process. We could pay down the debt we owe the school districts from the roll-over accounting gimmick. This budget plan addresses none of those priorities.”

Campbell said that House Democrats would be releasing a list of budget priorities this week that they will propose as floor amendments to the Tea Party legislators’ budget when it comes to the House Floor for Committee of the Whole consideration.

House Democrats pointed to many bills and policy proposals they have put forth to stimulate economic development through modest expenditures or targeted tax incentives that could be funded in this budget to immediately create jobs and produce more tax revenue.

See this link for the “House Democrats introduce bills to create jobs, boost economy” press release for specific examples and more information.

New way online to back Daniel Patterson reelection

noreply@blogger.com (Daniel R. Patterson) — Sat, 18 Feb 2012 05:57:00 +0000

TUCSON -- For the first time in Arizona voters may now sign our petition and donate a clean elections $5 online.

Voters in Tucson LD29 downtown, south and southeast (map) please go to DanielPatterson.net right now for the link to sign and donate clean $5 to help me win re-election in the new LD3 this fall.

With your support I will keep fighting in the Arizona Legislature for stronger jobs, economy and education, as I have for you for the last four years.

Big thanks!
Rep. Daniel Patterson

AZ Rep. speaks on January jobs report, economy

noreply@blogger.com (Daniel R. Patterson) — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 03:40:00 +0000

DNC News Release: Feb 6, 2012

Arizona Representative Daniel Patterson highlights 23 straight months of private sector job growth

TUCSON -- Arizona State Representative Daniel Patterson (D-Tucson-LD29/LD3) today issued the following statement highlighting 23 straight months of private sector job growth under President Obama’s leadership.

“When the President took office, our country was losing nearly 800,000 jobs a month. The crisis was even more severe in Southern Arizona, with the economic security of millions of hardworking Arizonans vanishing.

“President Obama helped stop the free-fall and helped the private sector reverse the trend. 257,000 jobs were added to the economy in January, and the President has presided over the addition of over 3.7 million jobs over 23 straight months of private sector job growth. I agree with the President that there's still more work to be done, but we’re moving our economy in the right direction and the national unemployment rate is now at its lowest level in three years.

“Arizonans thank the President for leading a steady, consistent recovery that prioritizes tax cuts for working families and small businesses, which create the vast majority of new jobs in Arizona.”

Rep. Patterson anti-dropout bill to help kids & jobs

noreply@blogger.com (Daniel R. Patterson) — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 18:05:00 +0000

Rep. Daniel Patterson introduces HB2747 to decrease high-school dropout rate

STATE CAPITOL, PHOENIX -- Rep. Daniel Patterson, D-Tucson (LD29/LD3), introduced a bill Wednesday that would require students to stay in school until their 18th birthday or graduation.

“Right now, 24 percent of our students are not leaving high school with a diploma in hand,” Patterson said, citing statistics from the Arizona Department of Education. “We need to change that by giving students more incentives to do well in school, so that when they graduate, they are better prepared for college or a job.”

HB 2747 would increase the age at which a student can drop out of school from 16 to 18, and would eliminate the option to drop out of school after completing their sophomore year of high school. Instead, a student would be required to earn enough credits to graduate if they are still under 18.

Patterson hopes that keeping students in school will encourage them to perform better in classes, and therefore graduate with higher grades and GPAs that will be more appealing to colleges, universities, and prospective employers.

“As society and technology advance, so do the requirements for these emerging fields and professions,” Patterson said.

Another hope is that the measure persuades high-school students who graduate to stay in Arizona and add growth to the economy by going to school and starting careers here.

“We need to focus on creating jobs for middle-class families, and preparing these students for the jobs of the future,” Patterson said. “By staying in school, our kids will be able to compete for those jobs. It’s a step in the right direction.”

Summary of AZ Speaker Tobin's redistricting bills

noreply@blogger.com (Daniel R. Patterson) — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 14:01:00 +0000

Arizona House Speaker Tobin

STATE CAPITOL, PHOENIX -- Here is a staff summary of Arizona House Speaker Andy Tobin's (R) controversial redistricting bills. This is certain to be a big issue in the legislature this week.

HB 2710 - lays out the framework for a special election to be held May 15, 2012; note: NO appropriation is made to cover the cost of the special election; SOS told Senate staff the election could be $8.3 million.

HCR 2051 - changes the make-up of the Independent Redistricting Commission to have 12 members and removes the appellate court appointment commission's role in selective a pool of applicants for appointment; requires the Speaker to make 3 appointments (no more than 2 from the same party and none of whom are from the same county), House Minority Leader to make 3 appointments (no more than 2 from the same party and none of whom are from the same county), Senate President to make 3 appointments (no more than 2 from the same party and none of whom are from the same county) and then the Senate Minority Leader to make 3 appointments (no more than 2 from the same party and none of whom are from the same county). The Members of the IRC will vote by majority vote to select their chair and vice chair. Requires the IRC to comply with the Open Meeting Law. The existing Commissioners' terms would be considered over and this newly created and appointed Commission would draw maps for use after the 2012 election for the rest of the decade. Allows the governor to appoint a commissioner if a vacancy occurs that is not filled by the legislative leader who made the original appointment. Also allows PCs to be appointed as commissioners as well as members of special taxing districts (this is in response to the Supreme Court case in which it concluded that one of the R nominees was not qualified to run because he was on a taxing district board). Note: no appropriation for the IRC's work is made in this bill.

HCR 2052 - refers to the ballot a measure that, upon adoption of the voters, would put in to place the LEGISLATIVE lines created by the legislature as outlined in HR 2005; if this measure were adopted, it would amend the state constitution to require the legislative maps created by the State Legislature to be adopted instead of the maps created by the Independent Redistricting Commission (IRC) for the year 2012 and the map adopted in 2012 would be used for the remainder of this decade*; it leaves in place the process by which the IRC would draw new lines in 2021. It also designates the AG's office as the attorney for the state's interests on all legal matters related to the LD map. (*NOTE: if HCR 2051 were to pass too, then the map created by the Legislature would only be in place for 2012 election and the newly-organized commission created by HCR 2051 would create maps for use in 2014, 2016, 2018 and 2020).

HCR 2053 - Does the same thing as HCR 2052 but this is only for CONGRESSIONAL districts.

HR 2005 - outlines the new "alternative" maps (incorporated by reference) created by Speaker Tobin (and John Mills); these are the maps that would be adopted as both Congressional and/or Legislative district boundaries if either or both of the HCRs above were passed by the voters

The new maps are not publicly available yet but we are told they are supposed to be on the Legislative website soon.

Revised – January 27, 2012 at 2:47 p.m. Prepared by House Democratic Staff

Rep. Daniel Patterson in to win re-election for LD3

noreply@blogger.com (Daniel R. Patterson) — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 01:55:00 +0000

VOTE DANIEL for stronger Arizona education, jobs and economy.

TUCSON -- I want to let you know that since elected in 2008 I’ve worked with my fellow lawmakers at the State Capitol to address the issues important to southern Arizona families.

I'm proud to say I am running for re-election in 2012 as your Representative for Tucson and Pima County's new Legislative District 3 (downtown, UA, central, south/west/southwest sides, Tucson Mountains & Avra Valley) map.

In these tough times, I am committed to working with everyone to solve Arizona’s problems while building jobs and a stronger economy, protecting kids and education, cleaning up the environment and preserving public safety.

People in new LD3 in Tucson, I ask please for your vote & support.

As your Representative, here are some of the issues I’ve been working on recently:

Helping Kids, Schools and Education
• Fought against massive cuts harming our kids, teachers and neighborhood schools.
• Opposed cuts to early education programs for children who deserve a chance.

Building Jobs and a Stronger Economy
• Pushed for measures to help attract high paying science and technology-related jobs.
• Worked to responsibly balance the state budget without undermining the future of Arizona’s economy.

Sustaining Our Environment, Water and Energy
• Joined forces to defeat a bill that would harm fishing and another bill that would have weakened Arizonans’ voice and property rights in the power line development process.
• Supported tourism and our State Parks by voting no on devastating budget cuts.

Defending Public Safety
• Spoke up against turning over Arizona’s prisons to private, for-profit companies.
• Challenged cuts that would have reduced the number of local law enforcement officers and firefighters on our streets.

Please know I am honored to be serving you and your neighbors. Serving as your Representative in the Arizona Legislature is a privilege and responsibility I take very seriously. To ensure I continue to represent you well, I will keep listening to your priorities for Tucson and Arizona.

We’ll work together to help solve Arizona’s critical issues.

Your input matters and will help me serve you and our community better! I look forward to our continued dialogue as we work to build a better future for Arizona and improve our quality of life.

Thank you,
Representative Daniel Patterson (D-Tucson)

Please follow our campaign: DanielPatterson.net, @RepPatterson & facebook

On strike against web censorship bills SOPA & PIPA

noreply@blogger.com (Daniel R. Patterson) — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 07:00:00 +0000

TUCSON -- The Arizona Eagle is on strike Wed. Jan 18 as part of a worldwide protest against internet censorship bills SOPA & PIPA in the US Congress. Please contact your US Rep. & Senators now.

Patterson bill limits pay to AZ Commerce Auth. CEO

noreply@blogger.com (Daniel R. Patterson) — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 17:11:00 +0000

Brewer with her man Don 'take the money & run' Cardon.

STATE CAPITOL, PHOENIX – Rep. Daniel Patterson, D-Tucson, introduced a bill Thursday that would limit the salary of the CEO of the Arizona Commerce Authority.

This follows the resignation Wednesday of Don Cardon, who grossed $300,000 annually as CEO of the authority. Cardon’s earnings also included a signing bonus of $50,000, a $1,000 per month vehicle allowance, a $50,000 retention bonus and a $30,000 a year supplemental allowance (see Arizona Republic story).

“Middle-class Arizona families are struggling to make ends meet, but Gov. Brewer gave away their tax dollars to fund her friend’s excessive salary,” Patterson said. “We need to hire the best and most dedicated person for this job, but our kids’ schools are crumbling, and many hard-working Arizonans don’t have health care and Cardon’s sweet deal was too much.”

HB 2309, Patterson’s bill, would limit the salary of the authority’s CEO to not exceed twice the governor’s salary, which is currently $95,000.

Cardon became the head of the authority in August 2011, when the governor revamped the then-Department of Commerce and privatized it.

Rep welcomes moratorium on Grand Canyon mining

noreply@blogger.com (Daniel R. Patterson) — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 17:07:00 +0000

Arizonans back Grand Canyon protection.

STATE CAPITOL, PHOENIX – Rep. Daniel Patterson, D-Tucson, praised the decision by U.S. Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar to issue a moratorium on dangerous uranium mining on a million acres of land near the Grand Canyon.

The moratorium will be in place for the next 20 years to protect public health and Arizona’s beautiful lands.

“I applaud Secretary Salazar’s decision to extend the moratorium on uranium mining at Arizona’s natural point of pride, the Grand Canyon,” said Patterson, Ranking Member on the House Energy and Natural Resources Committee. “This decision is a win-win for Arizona to protect our beautiful lands, public safety and tourism for years to come.”

The moratorium, issued on Monday, is an extension of an already-existing ban that Salazar issued in 2009.

“Uranium mining has a disastrous history from deadly abandoned sites to dams breached and radioactive waste seeping into aquifers and contaminating water,” Patterson said. “We already know uranium mining isn’t a good idea. It’s a threat to public health and safety as well as to the tourism business in Arizona."

Patterson invites people to town hall in Tucson

noreply@blogger.com (Daniel R. Patterson) — Thu, 05 Jan 2012 02:28:00 +0000

Bringing the Capitol to you at our 9th Town Hall in Tucson since 2009.

STATE CAPITOL, PHOENIX -- Rep. Daniel Patterson, (D-Tucson) invites the public to a town hall in January to hear from people and to listen to what matters to them in the 2012 legislative session. Constituents are especially encouraged to attend.

Rep. Daniel Patterson Town Hall
When: Saturday, Jan. 14, 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.
Where: Quincie Douglas Library, 1585 E. 36th St. (at Kino), Tucson AZ

“This is a critical time for Arizona – time to make change happen and to finally stop the partisan bickering and get down to business,” Patterson said. “We need to protect kids and our public schools from more cuts and it’s time to get a jump on innovation in our economy. I want to hear from you and listen to your ideas on how we can make our quality of life better for Arizona families. Please join me.”

RELATED: Patterson in to win 2012

Brewer asked for costs of her reckless lawsuits

noreply@blogger.com (Daniel R. Patterson) — Tue, 22 Nov 2011 18:13:00 +0000

Lawmaker asks Governor for costs of lawsuits to defend her “extremist agenda”

STATE CAPITOL, PHOENIX -- State Rep. Daniel Patterson (D-Tucson) filed a public records request today with Governor Jan Brewer’s office, asking for an accounting of the taxpayer dollars that have been spent litigating the Governor’s various policy positions and actions.

“This state is in an economic crisis. The Governor’s attention should be focused on creating jobs and the public’s money should be dedicated to schools and kids,” Patterson said.

“In every case below, the Governor and her partisan supporters in the Legislature had ample warning of the cost that would ensue from potential lawsuits. But they moved forward with their reckless and extremist agenda and now it is the taxpayer that is paying the bill,” Patterson said.

A copy of the letter, detailing the specific lawsuits Patterson has asked for information about, is below:

ARIZONA HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Representative Daniel Patterson

November 22, 2011

Matthew Benson, Director of Communications
The Office of Governor Janice K. Brewer
1700 West Washington Street
Phoenix, Arizona 85007

Dear Mr. Benson,

Pursuant to A.R.S. § 39-121 et seq., I am writing to request copies, or the right to examine and make copies, of any and all public records evidencing the costs, including attorneys’ fees, of the following litigation:

1. Arizona Early Childhood Development and Health Board v. Brewer, CV-09-0078-SA (Ariz. Supreme Ct.)
2. State of Arizona v. United States, cv-01072-SRB (Ariz. Dist. Ct.)
3. United States v. State of Arizona, cv-01413-NVW (Ariz. Dist. Ct.)
4. Brewer v. Burns, CV-09-0168-SA (Ariz. Supreme Ct.)
5. Arizona Independent Redistricting Commission v. Brewer, CV-11-0313-SA (Ariz. Supreme Ct.)
6. Collins v. Brewer, cv-02402-JWS (Ariz. Dist. Ct.)
7. Fogliano v. Betlach, CV2011-010965 (Ariz. Superior Ct.)
8. State of Florida v. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 3:10 cv-91 RV/EMT (N.D. Florida)

This request includes, but is not limited to, any and all documents (whether written or electronic, including text messages, emails, phone records, audio, video, CD Rom or any other format) and includes costs for the entire span of the litigation, including appeals (interlocutory or otherwise) and any judgments for damages, including payment of the prevailing party’s attorneys’ fees, as well as any costs for cases associated or consolidated with the above-named cases. Summaries of these costs may be provided in lieu of copies of billing statements in order to minimize any dispute over withholding attorney-client confidential information.

These records are not sought for any commercial purpose, and therefore I do not agree to pay for any costs associated with locating these public records. See A.R.S. § 39-121.03.

Please comply with this request on or before November 28, 2011. See id. § 121.01(D)(1) & (E) (requiring prompt compliance with public records requests). If for any reason you refuse to provide any of the requested public records, pursuant to A.R.S. § 39-121.01(D)(2), please provide an index of the items withheld and the reasons for which you are withholding them.

Sincerely,
Representative Daniel Patterson

UPDATE: AZ Independent Redistricting attacked

noreply@blogger.com (Daniel R. Patterson) — Fri, 04 Nov 2011 14:58:00 +0000

Pearce, Brewer & TeaParty legislature drunk with power and out-of-control.

UPDATE, Thu. Nov 17: The Arizona Supreme Court today restored Mathis as Chair of the AIRC and declared her impeachment by Brewer and the Senate was unconstitutional. Also, Senate President Russell Pearce was recalled by voters on Nov 8 and is now out of office.

STATE CAPITOL, PHOENIX -- My statements on the Arizona Independent Redistricting Commission crisis (Nov 4 & Nov 1):

Representative Daniel Patterson (Tucson): Book hawker Brewer in NYC and the Arizona TeaParty Legislature, drunk with power, earned wide criticism this week due to their illegal power grab and attack against independent redistricting. This is a historic abuse of power without parallel in modern American history.

This week, Republicans turned the Arizona state Legislature into a kangaroo court. Their supermajority illegally removed the independent chair of an independent commission. In their rush to judgment, they did not follow a proper constitutional process, unfairly denying the chairwoman sufficient time to defend herself.

TeaParty politicians know the only way they can stay in power in a closely divided state is to break the law and drag the reputation of an honorable independent citizen volunteer through the mud.

This baseless, unfair vote to impeach a volunteer citizen commissioner was the culmination of nearly a year of bullying and interference. Every honest person in the state agrees that this is not about ‘substantial neglect of duty’ or ‘gross misconduct in office.’ It was about protecting the careers of Republican congressmen like Ben Quayle. These GOP congressmen conspired with the governor to strong-arm state lawmakers to ‘blow up’ this independent commission.

This breathtaking abuse of power came at the expense of good government and fair elections. It trampled over the Constitution and mocked the will of the voters.

Over a decade ago, those voters took redistricting out of the hands of self-interested politicians. But Tuesday, politicians yanked it right back. Overthrowing a voter-driven process is the ultimate partisan overreach.

Republicans control nearly every statewide office, and they hold a a supermajority in the Legislature. But all that power still isn’t enough: They won’t stop until they own the next 10 years of Arizona elections. But the stench from this attack on independent redistricting will trail them into next year's elections where every Arizonan will know what they did to silence the voices of Arizona's growing ranks of independents.

The people of Arizona want competitive districts and fair elections. Arizonans are angry and fighting back against these abuses from reckless Brewer and her mad TeaParty Legislature. (Nov. 4)

(Nov. 1) "This special session is the height of hypocrisy," said Representative Daniel Patterson of Tucson. "It's the partisan incumbent politicians like Brewer, Bennett, Pearce and Tobin pushing for this session who are guilty of all the things they accuse the Independent Redistricting Commission of: no transparency, abuse of power and back room deals designed to keep the public, even other Legislators, in the dark."

Much more on-going coverage of AIRC and AZ politics @RepPatterson & Rep. Daniel R. Patterson page

I & 200+ state leaders across USA: Pass jobs bill

noreply@blogger.com (Daniel R. Patterson) — Thu, 20 Oct 2011 18:10:00 +0000

Hundreds of Legislators From 46 States Tell D.C.: Pass Jobs Bill, Include State Aid

As Senate Considers “Teachers & First Responders Back to Work Act,” 211 State Lawmakers Demand Action on Jobs

STATE CAPITOL, PHOENIX -- Hundreds of state lawmakers representing every corner of the nation joined together today to send a single message to Washington, D.C.: pass a meaningful jobs bill, and pass it now.

In an open letter released today by Progressive States Network, 211 legislators representing 46 states voiced their strong support for the American Jobs Act and warned of “devastating” economic consequences to their states if jobs legislation was not passed by Congress. The lawmakers also urged the inclusion of critical measures to support states in any legislation emerging from Congress – including the $35 billion in aid to states that would create and protect hundreds of thousands of jobs, and which is currently being debated in the U.S. Senate as part of the “Teachers & First Responders Back to Work Act.”

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