The Arizona Statesman, bringing you all the Arizona news and events from the week you need. Hosted by 3 free market friendly Gen Z’s speaking on today’s current issues with expert guest commentary. In last week’s inaugural episode Joe Pitts, Program Director for the Arizona Junior Fellows program at the Arizona Â鶹´«Ã½Ó³»­ Foundation joined us to talk about the Â鶹´«Ã½Ó³»­’s new programs.

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Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey joined Glenn Hamer, Arizona Â鶹´«Ã½Ó³»­ of Commerce and Industry president and CEO, on stage for a Fireside Chat at the Â鶹´«Ã½Ó³»­’s Legislative Forecast Luncheon last Friday. Ducey gave an exclusive preview of Monday’s State of the State address, confirming his commitment to keep taxes and regulations low in Arizona and make it easier for people to open, operate and expand their businesses in the state.

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With a new decade comes one of the oldest American customs still in existence: The decennial census.

The United States Census has taken place every 10^th year since it was inaugurated Aug. 2, 1790, under then-Secretary of State Thomas Jefferson; there have been 22 federal censuses since then.

Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey signed an executive order in April 2019 establishing the Arizona Complete Count Committee and since then has appointed 23 Arizonans from across the state to lead Arizona’s census effort.

According to Alec Thomson, the committee’s executive director, this effort is vitally important to Arizona’s economic, political and infrastructural future.

“We have really, over the last few months, been building a really comprehensive and robust statewide campaign that is reaching out to traditionally undercounted communities,� Thomson said. “[There is] a large focus on reaching rural Arizonans and to ensure that they’re included in the 2020 Census.�

But what makes the U.S. Census so consequential?

“Data from the census is used for everything from planning for transportation infrastructure to medical services,� Thomson said.

Specifically, information about the American populace determines how big a piece of the $675 billion federal pie is distributed to each state.

“We get a share of that based on our census counts,� Thomson said. “Just a 1 percent undercount of Arizonans in the census could lead to a loss of about $620 million over the next decade for Arizona, and that’s a really conservative estimate. It clearly matters, from a funding perspective.�

The decennial census also has an impact on Arizona’s political representation in Washington as well as locally, he said.

“We potentially could receive a 10^th congressional seat based on our population increases that result from the 2020 Census,� Thomson said.

He said he thinks Arizonans can be optimistic the state will gain at least one new congressional seat; two seats are possible but less likely.

“The other factor is that Census data is used to draw Arizona’s political lines, from both the state level and local and county levels as well,� Thomson said.

For the past 23 federal decennial censuses, surveys have been conducted on paper and mailed with the U.S. Postal Service. But this year is unique.

“For the first time ever, you will be able to respond by phone, online and through the traditional method by mail — a paper form,� Thomson said. “Beginning March 12, every Arizonan should receive an invitation to respond to the Census.�

Arizonans will be sent an invitation code, which they can use to respond to the U.S. Census online or over the phone. If they don’t respond, they will eventually receive a paper copy.

On Arizona’s Tribal lands and in certain rural areas — some of which don’t have mail service — some Arizona residents may receive what the Census Bureau calls “update leave,� which is when a Census representative delivers a physical copy of the survey to a citizen’s home.

And how does the Census Bureau determine where to send its survey?

Thomson said the system is “really complex,� but essentially the Census Bureau performs address canvassing using data from county assessors’ offices, satellite maps such as Google Maps and physical visits to communities to ensure the bureau has the most up-to-date information about where people live.

“That means new apartments that are popping up throughout downtown Phoenix; that means a city like El Mirage that has a new housing development in it; that all of those houses which have popped up in the last 10 years — which is a substantial amount, especially in a place like Arizona — that those addresses are on record with the U.S. Census Bureau to make sure that they are getting a Census invitation,� he said.

Thomson said it is also important to note that previous censuses provide an incredible amount of data on where undercounted areas might be. “Census tracts� are defined by local communities, where municipalities can predict how likely their own communities are to respond to the census.

There is another important use for census data: Business.

“The Census matters to Arizona business,� Thomson said. “Businesses in Arizona and across the country use this data to make strategic decisions about where to locate their businesses, where to open new stores, where to open a distribution center.�

Those decisions are often based on population and growth, workforce and other data.

So, what is the Arizona Complete Count Committee doing to ensure Arizonans respond to the 2020 Census?

“This campaign is built on a very robust community effort that’s really being led by a diverse group of Arizonans that includes members of Arizona’s business community, and our priority is to make sure that Arizonans know that the Census is safe, easy and important, and that they’re hearing that message from people that they trust,� Thomson said.

That person might be a pastor, a chamber of commerce president or an employer, but the only objective is awareness followed by participation.

“We just want to make sure that every Arizonan knows the importance of the Census, and that when they respond, that information is protected,� Thomson said.

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The Arizona Â鶹´«Ã½Ó³»­ of Commerce and Industry hosted its annual Legislative Forecast Luncheon on Friday, offering members of the business community the chance to meet with and hear from the governor and state legislators about the most pressing issues for the state.

Susan Anable, chair of the Arizona Â鶹´«Ã½Ó³»­ executive board of directors and vice president of public affairs for Cox Communications, welcomed 1,200 guests during the event at the Arizona Biltmore hotel in Phoenix.

“As I stand here reflecting today on the year ahead, as we kick off 2020 as a state, it strikes me that there’s some irony — the irony of the frustrations that we as a business community face today — and they are truly indicators of how successful our economy is, and how strong our growth is right now,� Anable said.

“As businesses, we have an ever-tightening labor market, low unemployment, more-than-ever jobs to be filled to keep up with a booming economy; it’s harder than ever,� she said.

New businesses and new residents — including employees, students and retirees — are entering the state at a rapid pace, tightening the labor market and making it more challenging to get building and construction permits, she said.

“And there’s money to fight over: I don’t envy the job of the governor and the legislators who have to figure out how to spend those surplus revenues that we haven’t seen in a very long time,� Anable said. “But don’t get me wrong; these are good problems to have, and I’m grateful for them.�

The highlight of the luncheon was a fireside chat with Gov. Doug Ducey hosted by Glenn Hamer, president and CEO of the Arizona Â鶹´«Ã½Ó³»­.

“How’s the economy?� Hamer asked to start off the discussion.

“It’s pretty good; it’s pretty good,� Ducey said. “It’s booming, and in addition to the growth that we’re seeing, I would say the biggest difference is our economy is diversified.

“We’ve got more manufacturing jobs in the state of Arizona today than construction jobs, so this is all very positive,� he said. “And I think the future is bright — blue skies ahead.�

Ducey said he’s not losing any sleep about a possible recession, because the Arizona state government is prepared for it.

“The first time [I spoke at the Legislative Forecast Luncheon] we had a $1 billion deficit, and our state was still coming through the Great Recession,� he said. “Today, we’re in a completely different position. We’ve planned ahead.�

Ducey said an eventual economic downturn is inevitable and often unexpected.

“We’ve been able to repeal a lot of regulations; we have not been able to repeal the law of economics,� he said.

But $1 billion in the state’s Rainy Day Fund, lower debt and a balanced budget will make any future recession easier to navigate, he said.

Ducey said the state’s reputation has also improved since the Great Recession, turning Arizona State University from “the No. 1 party school in the country� into “the No. 1 most innovative university in the nation.�

The state economy has contributed to that as well, he said.

“If you look at Arizona when the Recession did come, and we were so dependent on homebuilding and construction, it was seen as an economic basket case,� Ducey said. “Today, we’re seen as a jobs juggernaut, and we’re locking down companies and cutting ribbons and making announcements like never before. So, that reputation and brand of the state really matters.�

The governor said he is looking forward to a productive legislative session in 2020 that is “brisker� than normal.

“We want to give the appropriate time to conduct the people’s business, but I don’t think we have to spend more time than is necessary,� he said.

Public education for kindergarten through 12^th grade is another major topic for the upcoming session.

“We’re always going to talk K-12 education, and of course we’re going to complete the teacher pay raise — the 20×2020 teacher pay raise will be completed in this next budget,â€� Ducey said. “I think we can also talk about how we have some targeted spending where it’s needed most. We have such great examples in the state of Arizona of public schools — both district and charter — that are excelling, and we’re doing this in all parts of our state — not just Maricopa and Pima, but our rural areas and lower-income areas — and taking those best practices and finding the right way to structure the funds so that we can replicate that.â€�

Ducey said he made a promise when he was first elected that he would lower or simplify taxes every year he is in office, and he said he remains committed to that pledge.

When asked about his legacy after office, the governor said he has too much to do in his remaining days — 1,085 as of the State of the State address — to have “the legacy discussion.�

“If you think these first five years have been transformative to our state, you should have the same expectation for what happens in these next three years, and that’s what we’re going to kick off on Monday afternoon,� he said.

The luncheon ended with a panel discussion between four Arizona legislators, hosted by Arizona 360’s Lorraine Rivera. All four panelists noted education as a pivotal issue for 2020.

House Minority Leader Charlene Fernandez, D-Yuma, said House Democrats would like to see a raise in pay for public school teachers and support staff.

“This is an issue that, when we’re knocking on doors throughout Arizona, the people that we talk to, no matter who they are — whether it be a mom with a child in a play pen right behind her or a 75-year-old man that comes to the door — they tell us that they want to see significant investments in public education, and that is the message we’re taking back,� Fernandez said.

Speaker of the House Rusty Bowers, R-Mesa, said the state’s Career and Technical Education (CTE) programs across the state have provided a very important function by increasing graduation rates and helping kids focus on the important aspects of school, both academically and socially.

“But CTED is supposed to bring us something at the end, that these kids can be ready to plug into a working economy, which we all in the room have expressed interest in having, and more employees,� he said. “So, getting the jump on that is always important to us.�

Bowers said the way additional CTE funding is structured is “very critical� but that he will look at outcomes to determine how to proceed.

There are 14 CTE Districts, or CTEDs, across Arizona.

Senate Minority Leader David Bradley, D-Tucson, warned that any budget surplus could quickly be eaten up by paying off the capital needs of K-12 and higher education institutions. Instead, he proposed the Legislature stop making tax cuts that could damage long-term education goals.

“There are needs that are enormous, and we have to stop the cuts in order to start to attend to those needs,� Bradley said.

Senate President Karen Fann, R-Prescott, said her one-on-one conversations with members of the state Senate of all parties revealed that education is the No. 1 priority for 2020 — especially K-12 — and right behind that is infrastructure.

“We know that for goods to move, for us to have a good economy, that means we have to have a good infrastructure system with our highways. So, I think those two are going to be right at the top of the agenda,� Fann said.

In response to a question from Rivera about higher education funding, Fann said state legislators had met with the Arizona Board of Regents and lobbyists for higher education to learn more about their request for additional funding for state universities.

“I think the number was somewhere close to $200 million that they want, and we know that investing in education is huge; it’s very important,� Fann said.

One thing to watch out for, though, is separating ongoing funding with one-time funding in order to protect the state’s robust economy, she said.

“We cannot afford to be put in the position where we allow too much ongoing funding, and then that recession hits and we cannot sustain it,� Fann said. “We’re going to be very, very careful about figuring out how to spend that money.�

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A top staff member of the U.S.-China Business Council visited Arizona this week to offer her expertise on trade relations between the United States and China, partly in reaction to disputes over tariffs between the two countries.

Arizona exported about $1.2 billion worth of goods to China in 2018, and about $1.1 billion worth of services in 2017, according to a , an organization that advocates for U.S.-China trade.

“Our mission, broadly, is to encourage policies both in the United States and China that are good for U.S. companies that do business with China,� said Anna Ashton, senior vice president of government affairs at the .

The national trade association has 225 member companies with business interests in China, most of which are large companies that have been operating in the country for about 20 years.

“China is a much more powerful country, both economically and militarily, than it used to be,� Ashton said. “It’s not inappropriate for us to be going through a process of rethinking exactly what that relationship should look like.�

But current policy being proposed by the Trump administration is worrying USCBC and its members, Ashton said.

“Even if were removed tomorrow — all of them — we would have a lot of other policies and proposed policies in the works that would make it much more difficult for American companies to continue doing business with China and in China, because there’s a ton of policy being promulgated to deal with perceived national security issues as well as human rights issues in China,� she said.

Those policies have that might not be considered by the people proposing the legislation, she said.

In response, the USCBC has been reaching out to states and business associations, including state chambers of commerce, to make them more aware of the issues in Washington and to ensure their voices are heard when it comes to foreign trade policy.

“We feel like it’s really important for states and state chambers to be aware of what’s going on in Washington and also to make sure that they are contributing their voice to the policy conversation in Washington, that they’re making sure that their own states’ interests — commercial interests, economic interests — are being looked after as these policies are being promulgated,� Ashton said.

Arizona’s own interests are significant in that regard. According to Ashton, when considering both exports and imports, China edges out Canada as the state’s second-largest trading partner .

Arizona’s biggest exports to China include semiconductors, aerospace products and navigational and measuring instruments, while the most lucrative services include travel, education and industrial processes.

The state’s export of goods to China has grown by 45 percent since 2009. More notably, the export of services has grown by 260 percent since 2008.

Ashton said she hopes the phase one deal preliminarily reached between the U.S. and China will improve the outlook for this trade relationship.

“We know that there is a large purchase agreement for China to buy U.S. goods, and the figure that the U.S. has cited is at least $200 billion more over the next two years than the annual purchase amount in 2017, which was $128 billion — almost doubling the purchases of U.S. goods each year for the next two years,� she said.

That might not be possible, though, Ashton said.

“I’m interested to see how that’s going to happen, because I think the easiest way for us to reach that figure would be for China to be able to buy a lot of high-value, high-tech goods, but those are the kinds of goods that we’re actually increasing restrictions on [the Chinese] buying,� she said.

China has yet to confirm that number.

Ashton said, even if the bulk of the phase one agreement is focused on purchase mandates, “that’s okay,� because it has stopped the tariffs enacted in December 2019 and reduced the tariffs enacted in September 2019.

“If it greases the wheels for both sides to be more regularly at the table with each other, talking about the issues that the United States trade representative [Robert Lighthizer] identified in the first place in their — things like tech transfer, IP [intellectual property] protection and enforcement, subsidies to state-owned enterprises, and other things that make the playing field un-level for foreign companies in China — then that’s a good thing,� Ashton said.

Overall, USCBC members believe there needs to be a greater focus by the Trump administration on working with U.S. allies, including the European Union and Canada, to put pressure on China to make the changes that need to be made, she said.

“The steel and aluminum tariffs that affect a lot of our trading partners — many of those trading partners are countries that we used to be working together with to address challenges in China,� she said. “We’re hoping that there will be a more multi-lateral approach.�

Ashton said she thinks increased awareness could help ensure polices are crafted more carefully with regard to U.S. trade interests.

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The Arizona Â鶹´«Ã½Ó³»­ Foundation released a new policy brief Monday that indicates the new decade is likely to see substantial growth in Arizona’s autonomous vehicle industry.

“Economic Impacts of Advancing Arizona’s Competitive Position in the Autonomous Vehicle Industry,� the analysis authored by economist Jim Rounds and his team at Rounds Consulting Group, said Arizona is well positioned to capture a disproportionate percentage of the long-term economic benefits of the industry.

“Autonomous vehicle technology and testing has been growing in Arizona because of a strategic effort by the governor and other state and local lawmakers,” Rounds said. “When new technology is being developed such as AV, those early entries into the development process tend to earn a higher share of future economic activity.”

The national AV industry is expected to grow to $557 billion by 2026, and the automotive and tech sectors will have invested about $61 billion in development by 2023.

Rounds’ analysis also found that Arizona could increase its state and local tax collections by approximately $500 million by 2030, a number he said is conservative.

“We calculated the impact of the autonomous vehicle industry in Â鶹´«Ã½Ó³»­sing various models and assumptions, and any way you cut it, it’s clear that Arizona’s policies have positioned our state to reap a disproportionate share of the benefit from this growing industry,â€� Rounds said.

Glenn Hamer, chairman of the Arizona Â鶹´«Ã½Ó³»­ Foundation, said the data makes it clear that Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey and the state Legislature are making a conscious decision to welcome new and growing business into the state, leading to the development of “the most exciting technological advancement in the 21^st century’s third decade.â€�

“Since 2015 when Gov. Ducey issued an executive order establishing the state’s support for AV technology, research and development, manufacturing and testing have all taken off,� he said. “That doesn’t happen without a regulatory environment that is encouraging this burgeoning sector to get off the ground.�

Arizona is one of just 11 states whose governors have issued executive orders specifically encouraging growth in the AV tech sector.

Ducey issued a second executive order in 2018 updating guidelines to meet technological developments and creating the Institute of Automated Mobility under the Arizona Commerce Authority, a public-private consortium of businesses, higher education institutions and government officials to promote greater collaboration in the AV industry.

According to the analysis, if Arizona companies invest just $6.1 billion in AV-related research and development, it would lead to nearly 40,000 direct new jobs and $4.3 billion in economic output, with another 35,000 new indirect jobs.

“The ideal situation is for the state to be the Southwest hub for not just testing, but for R&D and manufacturing of related products,” Rounds said. “This industry is going to be very large, and even a small share of the economic and fiscal benefits will be sizable.”

Rounds said the return on investment for the AV industry is among the highest he’s ever seen for a policy-related issue.

The policy brief also addressed road safety, a widespread issue in Arizona, where more than 1,000 people die each year due to auto accidents. Automation could dramatically reduce the danger of vehicular travel if used more broadly, according to estimates from national consulting firms.

“As the father of a teen driver and two more who will be behind the wheel very soon, the positive effect this technology has on driver safety can’t be ignored,� Hamer said. “Safer roads, lower insurance costs, and more jobs is a sort of triple crown of transportation public policy.�

To read the full analysis,

Banner photo source: Waymo

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Hawaiian Airlines celebrated its new IT Center in Tempe with a traditional Hawaiian blessing ceremony Monday.

The 15,000-square-foot facility first opened its doors at the Hayden Ferry Lakeside multi-use development at Tempe Town Lake on July 1, 2019.

The formal Hawaiian blessing of the airline’s first tech-centric office space outside of Honolulu was preceded by words from corporate and local leaders.

‘Ohana’ means family

“This is very much a tradition for us,â€� said Peter Ingram, president and CEO of Hawaiian Airlines. “One of the things that’s really important for us as we branch out to this new facility is to make sure that all of you that have joined our ´Ç³ó²¹²Ô²¹Ìýknow that you are very much a part of the Hawaiian Airlines team.â€�

Ohana is the Hawaiian word for “family.�

The airline has more than 7,300 employees, about 90 percent of whom work in or around the corporate headquarters in Honolulu, according to Ingram.

Ingram told his Tempe employees he wants them to feel just as comfortable working for Hawaiian Airlines as their counterparts in the Pacific, and “part of that is bringing the tradition of the blessing.�

“I’ve had the pleasure in my going-on-15 years at Hawaiian of being a part of a lot of blessings as we’ve brought in new facilities and new aircraft and started new ventures,� he said.

John Jacobi, senior vice president of information technology (IT) for Hawaiian Airlines, spoke next, remarking about how quickly the office had grown since opening in its current space.

“Now, we’re about 60 strong, so we’ve created ohana of 60 great individuals here,� he said. “And I’ll tell you, every time I come here the energy of this place just gets me fired up, and it’s such a pleasure to be a part of this.�

Tempe Mayor Mark Mitchell, also in attendance, said Tempe is a city of choice and that he was glad Hawaiian Airlines chose his city.

“You could have picked anywhere to locate,� he said. “ is the No. 1 job creator and industry, not only in this state but in Maricopa County, so having your IT office here for Hawaiian Airlines really does make sense.�

Ingram credited Mitchell and Kevin Sullivan, executive vice president of sales and client services for the Arizona Commerce Authority, for their help opening the new office.

“As the mayor mentioned, you have choices,� Sullivan said. “The location, the amenities and the accessibility to ASU is tremendous.�

The blessing

Keoni Martin from the Hawaiian Airlines community relations team introduced the formal Hawaiian blessing.

“The first thing in the blessing is the chant, and the one thing I want to recognize is the native people of this place in Arizona and say ‘a±ô´Ç³ó²¹â€™ to the natives and thank you for your hookipa, your hospitality here on this land,â€� Martin said.

Martin pointed to a large wooden bowl:

“In the koa bowl, we have water, and we all need water to survive; it sustains life,� he said. “We have Hawaiian salt — paakai — and that’s to preserve: To preserve everything about the blessing, to preserve… all of the mana, or the energy that we’re all sharing with each other today.�

Simple, yet elegant

After the blessing, employees and visitors were led into the IT Center itself — a clean, modern, open workspace with panoramic views of Tempe Town Lake and a cafeteria that looks out across the lake at Papago Park and Camelback Mountain beyond it.

Ingram said the proximity of the offices to reminds him of downtown Honolulu, where the buildings overlook the airport (and the airline’s headquarters) and onlookers can see planes taking off before banking out over the ocean.

He said the idea of an IT office in another state has been a topic of conversation, especially because robust tech talent is difficult to come by in Hawaii, where Hawaiian Airlines is already one of the largest private employers.

“We’ve supplemented that by bringing in a lot of contractors through third-party developers and different service providers,� he said.

But outside contractors are expensive; talented, in-house employees are much more valuable to a company looking to completely modernize and integrate its tech platforms. Ingram and his team decided to finally take the plunge.

“We looked at a lot of things, including livability, access to technology talent, places where there might be some people with airline experience,� he said. “And as we stacked up all of those and started to build a relationship with Arizona State University, the Greater Phoenix area really rose to the top of the list.�

Tempe’s proximity to ASU sealed the deal, and Ingram said he “couldn’t be happier.�

‘The high-tech stuff’

Jacobi said the company needed specific technology talent — “some of the high-tech stuff.�

Hawaiian Airlines has been revamping its customer interfaces to create a better user experience and stay competitive with other airlines.

“Most of it’s been around integrations — getting unlike systems to talk to each other,� Jacobi said. “And then, too, our customer touch points: The mobile, the kiosks, the web, and those kinds of things, to improve the guest experience.�

But the company needed “different ponds to fish in,� according to Ingram.

Jacobi said Hawaiian Airlines hired , an Irish-owned multinational professional services company, to help analyze what city would work best for an IT Center in terms of cost of living, skill sets of workers, local government, community, universities and more — and Tempe rose to the top.

“We get some really good technical talent that are employees instead of contractors,� Jacobi said. “Basically, our development arm and our technical kind of skill sets are going to be located here — developers, testers and stuff like that — the people that interface with the business are going to primarily be in Honolulu.�

Hawaiian [Airlines] culture

Ingram said Hawaiian Airlines has “a strong culture and a tightknit sense of ohana.�

“That is something that we’ve recognized over the last couple of years as we expand and grow and add new people to the organization and expand geographically,� he said.

The company went through an exercise last year to seek out some of its best employees who exemplify the airline at its optimal standards. The findings helped determine the company’s key values, Ingram said.

Moving forward, the company will be focused on four ideals: ²ÑÄå±ô²¹³¾²¹, which means caring; hookipa, which means hospitality; ±ôÅ�°ì²¹³ó¾±, or togetherness and unity; and ±è´Ç’o°ì±ð±ô²¹, which is about striving for excellence.

“The four of those, when we do those, and we’re all focused on that as our core values — I think we’ve got an unstoppable team and we can really do great things together,� Ingram said.

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Carondelet Neurological Institute at St. Joseph’s Hospital in Tucson recently acquired new GPS-guided surgical robot technology to help surgeons perform complex spinal fusion surgeries.

The computer-guided, robot-assisted platform is the first of its kind in Tucson.

“Robotic guidance is an assistant for the surgeon,� said Dr. Matthew Wilson, a surgeon at CNI. “The robotic arm aligns tools along a planned pathway to place screw implants to stabilize the spine. Navigation is a way for the surgeon to see the tools in relation to a patient’s body on a screen as the tools are being used.�

According to CNI, the system acts “like a car’s GPS navigation system� by following an individualized map based on images of the patient’s anatomy imported into the computerized robot, guiding the robotic arm to specific areas of the spine.

All this helps the surgeon calculate the accurate size and placement of screws and implants during spine surgery.

“Much like a GPS in your car, the surgeon plans the route to place screw implants in the spine and the robotic system helps aligns that pathway to accurately place the screws,� Wilson said. “The surgical tools and implant are visible on the GPS screen throughout the entire procedure.�

CNI is in Arizona investing in state-of-the-art, minimally invasive surgery equipment.

“Minimally invasive surgery combines a surgeon’s understanding of anatomy with x-ray imaging to treat spine conditions using small incisions,� allowing the surgeon to separate the muscles surrounding the spine rather than cut through them, according to CNI.

The GPS-guided system at CNI is approved to place in the cervical, thoracic and lumbar spine.

Common procedure options that may involve pedicle screw placement include:

• Posterior Fusion
• Anterior Lumbar Interbody Fusion
• Lateral Lumbar Interbody Fusion
• Transforaminal Lumbar Interbody Fusion
• Posterior Lumbar Interbody Fusion

Carondelet Neurological Institute, part of the Carondelet Health Network, is located at St. Joseph’s Hospital at 350 N. Wilmot Road in Tucson.

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Arizona Corporation Commissioner Lea Márquez Peterson wrote identical letters to United States Sens. Kyrsten Sinema, D-Ariz., and Martha McSally, R-Ariz., requesting they work with their colleagues to ratify the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement as soon as possible.

Gov. Doug Ducey appointed Márquez Peterson to the Arizona Corporation Commission, which regulates public utilities statewide, in May 2019. She is the first Latina to serve in a statewide office in Arizona.

“As a member of the Arizona Corporation Commission, I have the unique opportunity to comment on the USMCA from the perspective of a public utility regulator and the utilities and utility customers we represent,� Márquez Peterson wrote in the letters.

“From this perspective, I see the USMCA as providing net benefits for all signatories in the areas of energy, water, and telecommunications policy, which complement and support our push for a cleaner and more interconnected economy.�

Márquez Peterson said she specifically supported the USMCA’s promotion of:

• Energy, including zero-tariff energy trade and the ability to share electricity across the border;
• Telecommunications, including full access to public and major suppliers’ networks;
• Electric vehicles, with incentives to encourage companies to build in Arizona;
• Utility infrastructure;
• Air quality, including enforcement of existing environmental laws to improve air quality in major metropolitan and rural areas across North America; and
• Water, including addressing land- and sea-based pollution, promoting waste management infrastructure and protecting Arizona’s natural water resources.

“As we begin to discuss building a more robust and interconnected regional grid in the west, we will necessarily need to consider how we connect and interact with our clean energy customers and suppliers on both sides of the Arizona-Sonora border,� Márquez Peterson said.

“More access to [electric] transmission infrastructure between these two partners will provide benefits and clean energy opportunities for everyone, while promotion of electric vehicles charging and production by manufacturers and suppliers will help both neighbors as they strive to achieve shared air quality goals across the region,� she said.

Before her appointment, Márquez Peterson served as president and CEO of the Tucson Hispanic Â鶹´«Ã½Ó³»­ of Commerce for almost a decade. The U.S. Â鶹´«Ã½Ó³»­ of Commerce recognized the Tucson Hispanic Â鶹´«Ã½Ó³»­ as the “Hispanic Â鶹´«Ã½Ó³»­ of the Yearâ€� in 2013, under Márquez Peterson’s leadership.

To view the letter to Sinema, .

To view the letter to McSally, .

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All members of Arizona’s U.S. House delegation Thursday voted in favor of legislation to implement the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement — called USMCA — a decision cheered by Arizona’s business community.

“We are deeply appreciative of the members of the Arizona congressional delegation — Republican and Democrat — who voted to strengthen Arizona’s ties between our leading trade partners Mexico and Canada,â€� said Glenn Hamer, president and CEO of the Arizona Â鶹´«Ã½Ó³»­ of Commerce and Industry.

The state’s congressional delegation in 1993 also voted as a unified bipartisan bloc when Congress voted to implement the North American Free Trade Agreement, the precursor to USMCA, something Hamer urged the 2019 delegation to repeat.

“We thought it was very important for the state of Arizona to maintain that type of record,� Hamer said.

The House vote to implement USMCA was overwhelming: 385-41.

The Senate vote, which is anticipated to take place next month, is also expected to be definitive.

Members of the Arizona congressional delegation spoke out after the vote, calling it a “major win” for Arizona.

“Today, I am proud to finally vote ‘yes’ on USMCA,” said Rep. David Schweikert, R-Ariz., a member of the House Ways and Means Committee. “We have worked tirelessly to get this modernized trade agreement across the finish line, and while it took longer than we all expected, I am pleased to see the USMCA finally be passed to help strengthen our trading relationships a cross North America.”

Rep. Greg Stanton, D-Ariz., who has been a vocal proponent of USMCA, spoke on the House floor in favor of USMCA on Thursday.

“Those of us in border states understand the value of trading with our neighbors, and I can tell you that growing trade relationships with Mexico and Canada is essential to Arizona — and this new agreement will offer a big lift to our local companies,â€� Stanton said. “Today we have a real opportunity to cement certainty for job creators. From multinational companies to mid-sized and small businesses, from tech workers to farm workers, there’s no doubt that the new USMCA is a win for all Arizonans.â€�

Following the vote, Rep. Debbie Lesko, R-Ariz., released a statement:

“The USMCA is a big win for the state of Arizona. Although I am disappointed it took Speaker Pelosi over a year to bring the USMCA to the floor for a vote, I am glad we could finally secure this victory for Arizona and the United States. Implementing the USMCA puts American workers first with 176,000 jobs, higher wages, and $68 billion in economic growth. I am proud to have supported the USMCA since before I was elected to Congress and today on the House floor.�

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