Capitol Media Services
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Chamber President Glenn Hamer said his organization wants a “fair and transparent’’ system of filing complaints against companies which may be hiring undocumented workers. What that means, he said, is not allowing anonymous complaints.
The statute, which took effect Tuesday (eds: Jan. 1) is silent on how complaints must be handled.
Most counties will be using a form that requires the name of th person filing the complaint. And in Pima County, the person actually has to come in, meet with a detective and sign the complaint.
But Maricopa County will accept anonymous complaints.
That, said Hamer, is not fair.
“The federal process for filing complaints requires it to be in writing and there has to be a legal reason,’’ he said. “The
Arizona law, which is pegged to the federal system, should probably just pull that language and use that.’’
Maricopa County Attorney Andrew Thomas has defended accepting anonymous complaints, including tips on his agency’s web site, comparing it to the Silent Witness calls. But he said such complaints are not as likely to lead to actual investigations as those where there is a witness willing to assist.
The chamber also is backing efforts to implement the plan adopted last month by the state Board of Education to double the amount of math required to graduate from high school, to four years, and add a mandate for a third year of science.
Hamer acknowledged that achieving that goal will mean adding perhaps 400 new math and science teachers. But he said that doesn’t necessarily mean having to increase salaries, forgive college loans or place other burdens on the state budget.
For example, he said the state could make it easier to certify people to teach in public schools. He said some people now working for high-tech firms might be willing to enter the classroom.
And then there is the possibility of using foreigners to teach.
Hamer said universities already can use H1-B visas to bring in faculty from other countries. He said there is no reason that should not be extended to fill vacancies teaching kindergarten through 12th grade.
“We should have the best possible people in the classroom teaching kids, period, regardless of where they’re coming from,’’ he said.
The organization also wants more money for road construction. But Hamer said there is no consensus on exactly where the state should find that cash.
He said there is a sense that the money should come from “user fees,’’ which could include higher gasoline taxes and, where appropriate, toll roads.
Some members of the business community already are laying the groundwork to have the Legislature ask voters to hike taxes to raise the estimated $20 billion a year necessary to construct new roads and repaid the ones already constructed. And a key element of that is expected to be a special state sales tax.
Hamer, however, said the chamber remains cool to that idea.
“That certainly would not be the most direct way to fund road construction,’’ he said.
Other priorities for the 2008 session include:
- Increase the size of tax credits for research and developmen done by business in Arizona;
- Impose measures designed to cut the cost of health car provided to injured employees under the state workers compensation system;
- Develop Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport into an internationa cargo hub as alternative to Sky Harbor;
- Protect the areas around public and military airports against development;
- Limit medical malpractice lawsuits and collections;
- Oppose expanding the state sales tax base to cover services and other transactions now exempt;
- Allow police to stop and cite motorists not wearing their seatbelts;
- Require disclosure of who is paying initiative petition circulators;
- Give lawmakers flexibility to alter voter-approved measure without taking the issue back to the ballot;
- Support a “balanced and scientific approach’’ to laws on climate change.
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