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>>> Coming up next on
"Arizona Horizon," our weekly
update on statehouse issues
with the "Arizona Capitol
Times."
Also tonight we'll hear
about the state's long-term
water needs.
And we'll learn about an
app competition for Arizona
high school students.
Those stories next on
"Arizona Horizon."
>>> "Arizona Horizon" is made
possible by contributions from
the friends of eight, members
of your Arizona PBS station.
Thank you.
>>> Good evening and welcome
to "Arizona Horizon."
I'm Ted Simons.
Every week we update the
latest on state politics with
the "Arizona Capitol Times."
And joining us now from the cap
times, is Jim Small.
Jim, good to have you here.
Thanks for joining us.
We have a lot to talk about.
I have to tell you about this
story released Friday, republic
ran it today, and you guys have
been working in bits and pieces
through much of this for quite
awhile.
Deals with the Koch brothers,
deals with -- what kind of
reaction is the story getting
among lawmakers and folks at
the capitol?
>> It is interesting.
This is a story, I didn't do a
word count on it.
A very dense read, long read.
You block out maybe an hour of
time almost to get through the
thing.
It had a lot of information, a
lot of really intricate
financial dealings from these
campaigns, national campaigns
coming into Arizona and
funneled back out to other
national groups.
At the core, I mean, a lot of
it is stuff that was already
known.
A group based in Arizona, run
by a Phoenix political
consultant that was essentially
the clearing house for money
that came from the
conservative -- from the Koch
brothers network.
And they acted as kind of the
weigh-station for the money.
Money came in and got sent out
to other groups.
>> Sean Noble.
>> Yes, the political
consultant.
The details and scope of how
much money we were talking
about and how it was spent.
The nuances about the whole
very, very intricate system.
>> Give us an example of some
nuances that raised your
eyebrows.
>> One thing that stood out in
the whole thing, and it was a
major point of the pro publica
piece, was how much money was
given to the consultant, the
consulting firm.
I think about one in every five
or six dollars that came in.
And we're talking you know,
well over $100 million that
came in over the course of a
couple of years went to pay his
firm some kind of -- for some
kind of work that was done.
And it -- it is listed with a
vague term, just like
reimbursement for consulting
services, which is kind of odd.
This group didn't actually do
anything.
They didn't do any work.
They didn't do any education.
They didn't -- they existed
merely as a -- a way -- kind of
a pass through for money, to
add an extra layer of anonymity
and security under the federal
tax laws.
It kind of raised eyebrows.
Okay.
Why are they getting paid $25
million, $24 million?
What did they do to earn this?
What kind of services were
provided?
The author of the piece spoke
to several tax experts,
nonprofit experts who said that
this was definitely something
that raised red flags and
raised some eyebrows, and even
looked at a number of
politically active nonprofits
to see how much money they
spent on consulting fees and
services and, I mean, it was a
pittance certainly compared to
even proportionally compared to
what was spent.
>> This money comes in,
funneled through an absolute
intricate web of this, that,
good luck trying to follow the
stuff.
We do know that the top new
primary initiative that was on
the ballot, the sales tax
extension or expansion, however
you want to describe it, both
lost, both lost big.
Those losing campaigns, the
campaigns to defeat both of
those initiatives, funneled by
these particular groups along
with the independent
redistricting commission.
There is money going against
that as well, correct?
>> Yes, back in 2011, when the
redistricting commission was
meeting and doing its work to
draw new political boundaries
for the state.
A group emerged in the middle
of the air, fair trust, FAIR,
an acronym.
Election law attorneys showed
up at the meetings, a mapping
consultant, and they would
never answer questions directly
about what, even what the
acronym stood for, for one, and
who was funding them.
It was a constant -- everyone
knew that they were
representing republican
interests, and that there was
some kind of republican money
behind them, but they would
never disclose who it was, and
then we still don't know the
totality of who was funding the
effort, but what we do know now
thanks to this tax filing that
pro publica based their story
on is that this center to
protect -- this clearing house
entity gave $150,000 of money
from the Koch brothers network
to the redistricting fight to
the effort to basically lobby
for districts that more
represented republicans' wishes
as opposed to democrats.
>> All of this dark money
flowing around, all on the up
and up, after citizens united,
but here in Arizona, a move,
Michelle Reagan looking to
shine a light, debate on how
much good this would actually
do her bill, how far is this
bill to shine a light going to
go?
>> Well, the bill got out of
Michelle Reagan's committee
yesterday.
Passed out with some
reservations.
Some senators voted for it, I
will vote for it to move along
but have some reservations.
Would like to see some things
fixed.
The bill was signed to two
committees.
This is the final week to hear
bills of committee in Senate
and the other Senate committee
it was assigned to met on
Monday and didn't hear it.
So, it is up to the Senate
president Andy Biggs.
He can withdraw it if he
chooses.
He has never done that before.
One of the things he made a
strong point of last year that
he would not withdraw bills
from committees.
He told a colleague that he
that is no plans to withdraw it
from this committee, if asked
to do so.
He has serious reservations
about constitutionality of some
of the revisions.
Right now it looks like the
bill is as dead as anything can
be in the middle of February in
the legislature, which means it
is dead for now but could
possibly come back later in the
form of an amendment.
>> It is on life support, if
you will, because people say
that anonymous speech is free
speech, and if you force people
to tell who they are and what
they want to donate to, that
would have a chilling effect.
>> That is one of the
arguments, you know, for the
folks who believe that the --
the anonymous free speech --
the anonymous speech is
something that everyone has the
right to.
>> The pro publica piece, it is
long and indeed dense, but
there is so much in there.
Sean Noble, major piece, player
in the story, certainly a
big-time guy for awhile.
Doesn't seem to be a big-time
guy with the Koch brothers
right now.
Is he still a player in Arizona
politics?
>> In Arizona politics I think
absolutely.
His firm does a lot of work in
Arizona.
I think we will see them
involved.
They will be involved in the
attorney general campaign in
one form other another.
They are going to be involved
in helping Doug Ducey win the
office -- whether it is through
a campaign or -- remains to be
seen.
Definitely involved in that
effort.
No doubt they are going to be
involved in Arizona politics.
>> Kirk Adams mentioned into
the piece as well, as being
another focal point for
funneling -- is he still a
player in terms of money
fundraising in Arizona
politics?
>> That remains to be seen.
I think it remains to be seen
for both gentlemen what they
can do in this dark money,
nonprofit world.
If it is true that the Koch
brother network ties have been
severed or greatly diminished,
it remains to be seen exactly
what kind of fundraising
abilities they would have.
You would have to imagine that
any effort on that end would
have to be largely focused on
local first and then moving on
to national.
>> This is the new normal,
isn't it, as far as fundraising
is concerned?
Try and find something, good
luck --
>> It has seen this year than
more years in the past.
How much money raised on his
behalf by outside groups?
>> Great stuff.
So much to cover.
Good to have you here.
Thanks for joining us.
>>> Tonight's focus on
sustainability looks at a
new report from the Arizona
department of water resources
on the state's long-term
water supplies and demands.
Here now is Michael LACEY,
the newly-appointed director
of the water resources
department.
Good to have you here.
>> Good to be here.
Thank you, Ted.
>> Arizona current water
demands --
>> The latest numbers we have
2011, we use as a state, across
the state from all sources
roughly 6.9 million acre feet.
>> What does that mean?
Are we in good shape?
>> It's actually a number that
is consistent with the amount
of water we used back in 1957.
In 1957, we used roughly 7
million acre feet.
That peaked in 1980 at over 10
million acre feet and it is now
down to 6.9 million acre feet.
>> That is encouraging news.
I'm guessing projected supplies
and demands, decade, two, three
out there, things are going to
go like this.
>> We are seeing increased
demands, the projections will
outstrip what supplies we have
available to us.
We are looking at demands, if
we look 100 years out, those
numbers are quite large more
than double what we use today.
>> I saw in the record
imbalance could hit by 2030?
>> We are looking at imbalances
in about 25 years, we see an
imbalance growing where new
supplies may need to be brought
to the state.
>> With that in mind, how best
do you address that imbalance?
What do you do?
>> We put together a list of
strategic priorities for the
state.
The state has been, you know,
we have done great things in
accomplishing what demand
reductions through
conservation.
It's really -- Arizona is a
leader in the state.
We are -- we need to continue
those efforts across the state.
We also are a leader in the
reuse of reclaimed water and
those efforts need to continue.
These projected imbalances that
we see, we think we can reduce
those by as much as half with
an aggressive reclaimed water,
reuse program.
>> An aggressive program in
development that we have now
that needs to be developed?
>> It is in development right
now.
We are -- we are recharging and
recovering reclaimed water
across the state.
We also directly reuse it for
industry, nuclear generation
for example.
Largest producer of electricity
100% cooled with reclaimed
water.
>> As far as future supplies,
are there new water suppliers
out there?
Is that even possible?
>> There are efforts looking at
new supplies.
We think there are some
supplies within the state that
can be further developed.
There are some brackish water
supplies that might be
developed through
desalination -- it will be
expensive to develop, but
ultimately as we look at the
numbers, we feel as though
importation from outside the
state's boundaries are -- it is
in our future.
>> Explain that.
Because it seems to me that --
and I don't know.
It doesn't look like there is a
CAP or an SRP or a water bank
on the horizon.
Are these things out there?
I mean, they define our state
in the past.
What is going to define our
water usage in the future?
>> They have.
And really, as we have been
taking this vision around the
state, one of the answers and
one of the stories we're
telling, Arizona's history is
really our future.
This state has aggressively
pursued water supplies to be
able to sustainably live in the
desert.
We need to go out and do that
again.
What we're proposing,
desalination --
>> Is it feasible, viable?
>> There are -- there are large
scale desalination facilities,
we have to get access to a
coast and get permission to
build such a facility.
That will either be along the
Pacific in Mexico or in
California or in the sea of
Cortez with a cooperative
agreement with the state of
Mexico.
>> You mentioned relatively
encouraging situation as far as
the current water demands and
supplies.
Is -- is the lack of a crisis
right now, is that a problem in
and of itself?
There is no motivation to do
anything.
>> That is one of the stories
we're telling as well.
In some degree, a victim of our
own success.
What is happening in
California, not to say they
haven't done their planning,
but they've had difficult
circumstances collide on them.
Spurring action for the
investment that will be
necessary to bring additional
supplies to the state, we'll
take action and take earnest
and -- it is going to be a long
battle to make it happen.
>> It sounds like it is going
to be a long battle, if it
happens.
I mean, are you encouraged?
Are people listening?
Do they understand what is
going on out there or, again,
are they waiting for the crisis
to hit?
>> I think people are
interested in acting.
I don't know that -- and this
kind of program, we can't wait
for the crisis to hit.
If you look at what it took to
bring Colorado river water to
central Arizona and CAP, that
was an effort that took 60
years.
Originally settlers in the
valley, in the 1860s, Roosevelt
dam begun in 1903.
40 some years in preparation
for that.
This project will take a time
scale on that scale to make
happen.
If we don't start today, we run
the risk of having demands in
excess of available supplies if
we don't begin the process.
>> The reports,
recommendations, what you
released, anything surprise
you?
>> I -- not really.
Not surprised me.
But it is in the business I'm
in.
And it is how I spent my entire
career.
So, it's -- and it is really
not necessarily anything new.
It is really just gathering it
in a way and packaging it for a
broader audience than we
typically address.
So -- tend to speak in language
that water -- understand and
converse in and we are trying
to broaden that to business
leaders, community leaders, and
try to create a dialogue where
the folks that can begin to
think about how you finance
these things can come to the
table and gather around this
idea.
>> With that in mind, last
question, what do we take from
this report?
>> I think we take away from
this that Arizona is in fine
shape today, but we need to
begin working on actions that
will keep us in that state and
it is going to take investment
and it is going to cost money
and we need to be prepared to
make those investments.
>> Good to have you here.
Thank you for joining us.
>> Thank you, Ted.
>>> Our focus on Arizona
technology and innovation
deals with a competition to
sharpen the app-creating
skills of state high school
students.
The three-month competition
challenges students to build
a mobile application for
Gilbert fire and rescue.
Ashish Amresh, an assistant
professor at ASU, is here to
talk about the event.
Good to have you here.
>> Good to be here, yeah.
>> This is the spark app
league.
Give me a definition of what
this is.
>> Spark stands for schools
participate in app creation
resource and knowledge.
So, it's -- it came about as a
way how we could tie ASU, as
well as the town of Gilbert and
our high schools today, and
sparkie, which is our mascot,
kind of came to mind.
We said we have to make
something that stands out.
And so we said we are going to
call this spark app league and
see if all of the high school
students in the valley, and
actually even sort of outside
of Phoenix, come in and
participate and try to create a
meaningful apps for our
communities.
>> Talk about that competition.
We're talking about a team of
kids.
Do they come from a school?
Do they pick their own
teammates?
How does this work?
>> They all have to belong to
the same school.
A mentor who could be their
teacher.
Could be anyone, math teacher,
technology teacher, mentor from
outside of the school as well.
It is open.
And there are some mentors who
could be from industry.
We have a list of people who
participate with us.
They could be faculty from ASU.
The team of students come from
a particular high school and
they have to design an app in
the period that they are
participating in this
competition.
>> And the app has to be
specific to Gilbert fire and
rescue.
>> This year, yes.
>> This year.
>> We launched it last year.
And we had an about 70 students
participate in it and the team
was parks and recreation.
And, so, we got some amazing
apps out of that.
And we said how could we push
that envelope further this
year?
We said, okay, one of the
things we never see is fire
safety and, you know, if you
look at the app stores you
don't find much information
about how to be safe.
This just came about as a
natural progression seeing how
could we involve the town of
Gilbert can leverage today and
what the students can create
that can help our communities
and so the team of fire safety
came about for this year.
>> And it sounds to me like the
prizes are for best overall
app, correct?
And best code implementation,
best design and usability, and
there is a lot of bests in
there.
A lot of chance to win a prize.
>> This year for the first
time, we have added an all
girls competition.
A team that is all women has a
chance to win a prize on their
own.
>> And they can also win some
of the other prizes, too.
>> They can also win some of
the other prizes.
>> The winners, a $200 Visa
card.
>> There is varying prizes.
But prizes are in the hundreds
and 200s, depending on what
prize they win.
And some prizes are also for
scholarships when they come to
college.
>> And you mentioned teachers
and mentors and sponsors and
such.
How much are they allowed to
get involved?
>> I mean, as much as they want
to.
We saw last year that the
mentor for -- were a huge, you
know, participant in the
student teams, development
through the different stages of
the competition.
A lot of times, students are,
you know, have the habit of
going off tangent, as we all
know.
>> Sure.
>> The mentors play an amazing
role in keeping the focus to
what is achievable, what's
doable, what can be something
that has a shot of winning.
They come up with that
expertise and knowledge --
>> But you don't want them --
>> No, no, they're not
contributing in any way to the
design or the implementation.
They are there as facilitators
who make sure that their teams
are making the milestones and
hitting the goals.
>> Do the kids learn as they go
in something like this?
Or is this a competition to
display what you either already
know or -- you know what I'm
saying?
You could go in there knowing
nothing, and you could put
together a pretty nice app.
It may not be the best app.
But the level of learning curve
is the biggest.
Is that looked at at all?
>> Yeah, I mean, so that's why
we have many prizes.
So, the code implementation,
the technical depth is going to
be looked at with a microscope,
right?
But the design, the design, it
doesn't have to be that
technically complete.
But the idea is on the
creative -- the form factor,
the messaging that they're
trying to deliver through that
is going to be looked at much,
you know, at a much heavier
detail.
So, if you feel like you're
just getting into technology,
it should not be something to
be disheartened by because
there are all of these
different avenues where you can
shine in this competition.
And of course, the best overall
app tries to do all of these
things really well.
In general, though, that
schools today are doing great
compared to what they were 10
years ago.
I think there has been a
tremendous effort in the
Arizona schooling system to try
to get technology into schools.
We need technologies like these
to take it to the next level,
showcase their schools at a
competitive arena like none
other.
>> And I guess educators,
parents, kids, good reaction
from all involved?
>> Oh, excellent.
We started at 70 and we have
gone over 250 in a year.
So, there has been tremendous
response.
Response is one thing we're not
worried about.
>> Very good.
It sounds like it should be
interesting.
In three months we will find
out who the winning app is.
>> Yes, May 4th.
>> Good stuff.
Good luck.
Thank you for being here.
>> Thank you.
>>> Thursday on "Arizona
Horizon," the Phoenix area
is named one of the nation's
top intergenerational regions.
And we'll hear from the
authors of a book on Arizona
national monuments.
Those stories and more
and 10:00
Right here on "Arizona
Horizon."
That is it for now.
I'm Ted Simons.
Thank you for joining us.
You have a great evening.
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