Wanted: Good housing in Phoenix; Mine safety

Arizona Capitol, west downtown PHX.

Update, Dec 17: I found a good place. Thanks.

PHOENIX -- I'm looking for a decent house, condo, apartment or room to rent somewhere near downtown and the capitol for Jan-June 2010. Furnished a plus.

The upcoming regular legislative session starts Jan 11. Please let me know if you can help. Thanks.

As pro-labor State Representative & advocate, I'm in the Arizona Republic today on mine safety: Penalties vs. mines are often reduced.

Comments

Eli Blake said…
One of the biggest problems in Arizona regarding mines is that we have an elected state mine inspector who, according to the manual sent out by the secretary of state, has to have certain qualifications that in fact eliminate about 99% of the population of Arizona from even being able to run.

If I had the time and money, I'd go to court and challenge the constitutionality of the law (as too restrictive) because its net effect has been to hand the position to advocates for the mining industry (for example the qualifications that the candidate must have experience in both underground and open pit mining.) It almost seems written to exclude anyone else, especially an environmentalist from running.

The net effect has been to get a guy like Joe Hart, who was unopposed his last run (because virtually every potential opponent is legally disqualified from running) who is derelict in even the basic duties of the job. For example, it's been over a year since two girls tragically fell into an abandoned mine shaft near Kingman, but Mr. Hart, who should take the lead in creating a catalogue of these hazards and at least getting a chain link fence with a 'danger' sign put up around each one, has done nothing at all to address the problem.

If there is really a need to exclude almost everyone from serving as state mine inspector then I think it should be an appointed, rather than an elected position.

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