As a member of Legislative District 19 and a Precinct Committee - the LD19 monthly meetings are always interesting. Pat Oldroyd has been quite active for some time in the district, recently Vice Chair, now in her new role as Chair.What a demonstration of great leadership as I witnessed how the evening unfolded. Pat’s ability to involve the community in various ways was a clear gift of her abilities to lead, connect, encourage, and involve others in order to bring awareness of what is going on around us - and hearing from our Senator and Representatives!Debra Miller, elementary school teacher, Mesa Public Schools, shared about a project "Adopt a Platoon" made possible through a grant; teaching children how to serve their community. Eighty kindergarten and elementary children wrote cards to soldiers in Iraq - next, sending valentines. The predominately Hispanic children also learn who they are as U.S. citizens.Meagan McGinnity, ASU Political Science and World Economic major gave us an excellent slide presentation of her investigation of human trafficking. Receiving a grant enabled her to visit 10 countries in 10 weeks which started in Romania, Ghana, Rwanda, India, Asian Countries, Cambodia, Thailand, and Latin America. The extent of child labor, child soldiers, adult & child bonded labor/debt servitude, commercial sexual exploitation, and agricultural laborers, is incredible. About 17,000 are brought into the U.S. each year. Mexico a growing and obvious entry not readily recognized as human trafficking but as illegal immigrants. It’s possible non-English speaking workers could be victims of human rights violation - a crime. Awareness is key, contact law enforcement if you suspect such activity.Senator Chuck Gray, Chair, Judicial Committee - immediately invited Meagan to the next meeting of the Judiciary Advisory Group - taking steps to raise awareness now! He is also working on child prostitution penalties, DNA collected for anyone arrested & booked - not just criminal arrests, regulation on payday loan stores, and bogus auto-theft.Representative Kirk Adams, Chair, Government Committee, is working on initiative reform. AZ #1 permissive state, other states come here to test out their policy. He shared that we control only 60% of the budget because of initiatives that can’t be touched. Example: prop 202. AZ the only state that won’t exempt the handicapped from the minimum wage increase. He’s also working on tax reform & health insurance reform.Representative Rich Crandall, spoke in general about this new experience for him; and enjoying all he is learning. Encouraged overall that Republicans are working toward unity along with many of the new moderate Democrats while the few senior Democratic legislators tend to want to be separate. He looked forward to his first meeting with the Governor along with other new legislators.Gary Pierce, Arizona Corporation Commission expressed missing his old job but very much enjoying his new post. He told us about the great job the attorneys in his office diligently worked on and completed on the Baptist Foundation , turning it over to the Attorney General.LD19’s new web master was introduced and welcomed, Rex Griswold, Councilmember, Janie Thom, Central Arizona Project, plus many dedicated individuals in attendance made for an interesting and productive evening.Pat Oldroyd, Chair, LD19 - thanks and we wish you well in your service!
Leave a Reply |
