Budget built by bombshells
The Villa news quiz … The weekly Agenda roundup ... And tax the rich and and eat them.
This season, we saw lawmakers strike alliances over the budget, break them and then try to pick up the pieces of their relationships.
The stakes might have been higher, but the behavior was right on par with the bombshells of Love Island.
If you’re looking to play today’s quiz as it was intended, here's a quick guide to Love Island lingo. (For those who haven’t followed along with Love Island, we’ve got “translations.”)
Need an incentive to play? If you can get all five questions right, we'll send you an Agenda sticker.1
Islanders in the Villa
Translation: Which two Republican legislators would complete this sentence written by Caitlin Sievers in the Arizona Mirror?
“While [BLANK] focused on the similarities between the Senate budget plan and the one in the House, [BLANK]’s outlook was more cynical.”
Bombshell left vulnerable
Translation: In a Twitter post, which representative said they were voting “NO”?
“Not because it’s a bipartisan budget, but because I’m philosophically opposed to all the backroom deals that were made to get it passed,” the representative posted.
Villa challenges loyalty
Translation: Who was the representative who stuck with their legislation that aimed to retain the Arizona Diamondbacks, despite pushback from Phoenix Mayor Kate Gallego?
Identify yourself before visiting the Hideaway
Translation: Hobbs signed a bill into law similar to those in Louisiana and Texas, which require proof of ID before accessing pornographic material online. Who was the legislator who wrote the bill, which they said was inspired by Texas’ law?
“Hardcore pornography has been just one click away from kids for too long, and the companies behind it have looked the other way while cashing in. This law forces them to take responsibility and keeps minors off their platforms,” the legislator said in a written statement.
The Casa Amor finale
Translation: Gov. Katie Hobbs signed the budget just days before a government shutdown. What day was it?
The Education Agenda
Ivy League schools have borne the brunt of the Trump administration’s crackdown on higher education.
But that’s no longer the case. Federal education officials are now going after schools as far west as Nebraska. Which raises the question: How long until Arizona’s universities get hit?
In this week’s edition of the Education Agenda, we shine a light on the $221 million price tag to get the Trump administration off your back and give you the skinny on a conservative group that’s taking center stage in the crackdown.
Subscribe to the Education Agenda to get up to date on what’s shaking the higher education world to its core and the local controversies that are top of mind among Arizona school officials.
The A.I. Agenda
The global power struggle over artificial intelligence hit a new stage last week.
Both China and the U.S. unveiled their strategies for winning the AI race. And there are some stark differences to unpack.
In this week’s edition of the A.I. Agenda, we sketch out the Trump administration’s “Build, baby, build!” strategy and what it means for Arizona’s builders, CEOs, and environmentalists.
We also dive into AI-powered price hikes, surprising hiring drives, a news company that’s leaning on AI and much more.
Subscribe to watch the Age of AI unfold in real time.
The Water Agenda
The push by Sedona residents to build an expensive underground water tank is creating quite a dilemma for their neighbors in nearby towns.
To understand the nuances of the situation, you have to look in some unexpected places, like theories of rationality and British game shows.
Good thing our resident water expert has been hitting the books and bingeing “Golden Balls,” so he can lay it all out for you in this week’s edition of the Water Agenda.
But that’s not all you’ll get if you subscribe to the Water Agenda.
We also check in on a water dispute playing out on the Colorado Plateau, a tough report on data centers, and everything else you need to know about Arizona’s water world.
Democratic Secretary of State Adrian Fontes and Republican Sen. John Kavanagh threw down over immigration, education policy and the Jeffrey Epstein files on KTAR’s “Outspoken with Bruce and Gaydos.”
The whole thing was pretty bingeable, but a few of our favorite quotes include Fontes declaring the Republican immigration policy is un-Christian.
“It’s mean, is what it is. It’s mean-spirited. Folks are being picked up by hooded thugs in the street in the most un-American way,” Fontes said.
Or Kavanagh’s contention that there’s nothing in the Epstein files that would link Donald Trump to the pedophile.
“The Epstein files are the biggest nothingburger since Al Capone’s tomb,” Kavanagh said.
But our single favorite line came when Kavanagh baited Fontes into saying rich people should have to pay to send their kids to public schools.
“Hell yes, tax the rich and then eat them,” Fontes said.
To claim your prize, send a screenshot of your answers to info@arizonaagenda.com