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GOP candidates discuss sustainability ........................................ Page 32 BY PAUL MARYNIAK AFN Executive Editor
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ducation funding and taxes dominated the only public debate involving seven candidates vying for the two House seats in Legislative District 18 before the Aug. 28 primary. And it produced a couple of surprises. One came when incumbent Republican Jill Norgaard said she might not vote for Proposition 305, which would expand school vouchers. Expressing concern that the language of
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the measure – first approved in the 2017 legislative session – would adversely impact special needs students, Norgaard said, “I will have to look at the language, but at this point, I will probably not be supporting 305.” Meanwhile, Democrat Jennifer Jermaine and Republican Greg Patterson agreed that voters should decide whether taxes should be raised to put more money into education. However, Patterson sharply rebuked the move to impose an income tax surcharge on Arizonans earning more than $250,000, calling it “demagoguery” by socialist elements in the teachers movement. Sponsored by the Arizona Citizens Clean Elections Commission, the debate drew a standing-room-only crowd of more than 100 people last week as the four Republican and
three Democratic candidates answered written questions about private school vouchers, Red for Ed and whether the state income tax should be eliminated. Also in the debate were GOP candidates Donald Hawker and Farhana Shifa as well as Democratic incumbent Rep. Denise “Mitzi” Epstein and LaDawn Stuben. The seven candidates are running in the Aug. 28 primary election for two Democratic and two GOP slots that will face off in November. There is no primary in the Senate race, which will see a repeat of the 2016 contest between Democrat Sean Bowie and Republican challenger Frank Schmuck. People who have not yet registered to vote See
DEBATE on page 8
Ahwatukee set to welcome Thunder yoga home MLB’s Scott Kingery BY LEE SHAPPELL AFN Managing Editor
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@AhwatukeeFN
Taxes, school funding and some surprises mark debate See also inside
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@AhwatukeeFN |
hen you’re making as many millions as you are years old, you’re going good. That’s Ahwatukee’s $24 million man, Scott Kingery, who 12 years ago was a 4-foot-9, 79-pound shortstop on his way to Williamsport, Pennsylvania, to play in the Little League World Series with his fellow Ahwatukee All-Stars. Today, he’s still playing baseball in Pennsylvania. Kingery, a Mountain Pointe High and University of Arizona product, returns to the Valley next week with the Philadelphia Phillies, where he has broken into the lineup as a rookie. It didn’t take Kingery long to make a splash in major league baseball. The 24-year-old signed a six-year, $24 million contract in
March. It was the largest guarantee in MLB history to a player who had yet to play a game. In his eighth game, Kingery, now 5-10, 180, hit his first big-league home run. The very next night, he smashed his first grand slam. Ahwatukee is ready to welcome home Kingery like a conquering hero for a three-game series against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Chase Field. Games are 6:40 p.m. on Aug. 6 and 7 and a 12:40 p.m. on Aug. 8. The Diamondbacks helped several Ahwatukee moms of players from Kingery’s Little League team put together a block of tickets. According to See
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(Edmond Baker/Special to AFN)
Thanks to physical education yoga teacher Amanda Goe, Desert Vista High School is the first high school in the nation certified for yoga training by an association that sets standards for it. See the story on page 18.
School starts August 2. Meet the Teacher Nights: July 30 Elementary Schools; and July 31 Middle Schools www.kyrene.org • 480-541-1000 • Follow us on social media.
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