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Arzberger running for re-election
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>Photo courtesy of Marsha Arzberger Marsha Arzberger |
By CHRIS DABOVICH/Arizona Range News
District 25 Sen. Marsha Arzberger, D-Willcox, will seek a third term in office, she announced last week.
"Representing southeastern Arizona has been a great honor, and I have had some exceptional successes with bills I have introduced and issues on which I have worked. I intend to continue serving the people of this district and protecting our way of life," she said. "I've been a champion for rural communities all my life. I understand how we as rural people think and feel. Consequently, I humbly believe that I am uniquely qualified to continue to serve these interests in the State Senate," she said.
Les Thompson, a Republican, and currently the District 3 representative on the Cochise County Board of Supervisors, will oppose Arzberger.
Arzberger gained election in 2001, succeeding husband, Gus Arzberger, a 12-year senator and four-year representative.
Arzberger's priorities for the upcoming session, she said, include preserving and increasing education funding, rural health care, water issues, economic development for cities and counties in her district and agriculture and livestock industry issues.
"I will use my experience and background to serve the district. It usually takes a new legislator several years to learn the legislative process and the issues.
"Because more than half of the representatives and senators are new, the historical knowledge held by those of us who have been here longer is vitally important.
Arzberger serves on the Appropriations Committee (she is the ranking minority member); Joint Legislative Budget Committee; and the Commerce Committee. She was vice-chairman of the Commerce Committee in the 2001-2002 session.
District 25 includes most of Cochise and Santa Cruz Counties, rural Pima County outside of Tucson city limits, Avra Valley and half of Marana, the Tohono O'odham Reservation, Ajo, Gila Bend and some small communities in rural Maricopa County.
Arzberger said that during the appropriations process, she strongly supports education funding for K-12, community colleges and universities.
For agriculture, Arzberger has introduced a bill to update the process of approving new pesticides in Arizona.
This bill is the result of one year's collaborative work between the agriculture industry and the Dept. of Environmental Quality.
Another bill for agriculture and construction industries will simplify the method of collecting use taxes for off-highway diesel fuel, eliminating bills from the Dept. of Revenue for past years and waiving penalties, she said.
Senate Bill 1191, sponsored by Arzberger, provides increased payments to rural hospitals for treatment of AHCCCS (Arizona's Medicaid system) inpatients.
Currently, rural hospitals receive an average reimbursement that is only 51 percent of their cost, she said.
Two Arzberger bills would protect health care costs and benefits for rural retirees. Another bill is for antique aircraft owners. Another bill for business owners makes writing a "bad check" (that is not redeemed by the checkwriter) a felony. Arzberger also sponsored a bill for the Veterinarian Board and Association.
Arzberger added, "I will use my experience and background to serve the district. It usually takes a new legislator several years to learn the legislative process and the issues."
"Because more than half of the Representatives and Senators are new, the historical knowledge held by those of us who have been here longer is vitally important," she said.
Arzberger had a short transition when she was first elected due to her involvement with the legislature while working at the Arizona Board of Regents and by closely following issues during the tenure of her husband, Gus Arzberger, who served southeast Arizona as State Senator for 12 years and four years in the House of Representatives.
"Representing southeastern Arizona has been a great honor, and I have had some exceptional successes with bills I have introduced and issues on which I have worked. I intend to continue serving the people of this district and protecting our way of life," she said. "I've been a champion for rural communities all my life. I understand how we as rural people think and feel. Consequently, I humbly believe that I am uniquely qualified to continue to serve these interests in the State Senate," she said.
Les Thompson, a Republican, and currently the District 3 representative on the Cochise County Board of Supervisors, will oppose Arzberger.
Arzberger gained election in 2001, succeeding husband, Gus Arzberger, a 12-year senator and four-year representative.
Arzberger's priorities for the upcoming session, she said, include preserving and increasing education funding, rural health care, water issues, economic development for cities and counties in her district and agriculture and livestock industry issues.
"I will use my experience and background to serve the district. It usually takes a new legislator several years to learn the legislative process and the issues.
"Because more than half of the representatives and senators are new, the historical knowledge held by those of us who have been here longer is vitally important.
Arzberger serves on the Appropriations Committee (she is the ranking minority member); Joint Legislative Budget Committee; and the Commerce Committee. She was vice-chairman of the Commerce Committee in the 2001-2002 session.
District 25 includes most of Cochise and Santa Cruz Counties, rural Pima County outside of Tucson city limits, Avra Valley and half of Marana, the Tohono O'odham Reservation, Ajo, Gila Bend and some small communities in rural Maricopa County.
Arzberger said that during the appropriations process, she strongly supports education funding for K-12, community colleges and universities.
For agriculture, Arzberger has introduced a bill to update the process of approving new pesticides in Arizona.
This bill is the result of one year's collaborative work between the agriculture industry and the Dept. of Environmental Quality.
Another bill for agriculture and construction industries will simplify the method of collecting use taxes for off-highway diesel fuel, eliminating bills from the Dept. of Revenue for past years and waiving penalties, she said.
Senate Bill 1191, sponsored by Arzberger, provides increased payments to rural hospitals for treatment of AHCCCS (Arizona's Medicaid system) inpatients.
Currently, rural hospitals receive an average reimbursement that is only 51 percent of their cost, she said.
Two Arzberger bills would protect health care costs and benefits for rural retirees. Another bill is for antique aircraft owners. Another bill for business owners makes writing a "bad check" (that is not redeemed by the checkwriter) a felony. Arzberger also sponsored a bill for the Veterinarian Board and Association.
Arzberger added, "I will use my experience and background to serve the district. It usually takes a new legislator several years to learn the legislative process and the issues."
"Because more than half of the Representatives and Senators are new, the historical knowledge held by those of us who have been here longer is vitally important," she said.
Arzberger had a short transition when she was first elected due to her involvement with the legislature while working at the Arizona Board of Regents and by closely following issues during the tenure of her husband, Gus Arzberger, who served southeast Arizona as State Senator for 12 years and four years in the House of Representatives.
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