Opinion

Do ESA vouchers really provide a better education for Arizona students?

OPINION — As a retired public-school educator, I have always been interested in the latest trends and challenges that are happening in public schools throughout our country. Most recently, I have been watching what has especially happened here in Arizona.

Opinion

Why Phoenix is resuming water-service disconnections

OPINION — Beginning Nov. 1, Phoenix will resume water-service disconnections for customers with seriously delinquent city-services accounts. Water shutoffs were suspended during the COVID-19 pandemic and delinquent balances have continued to grow.

Opinion

Medicaid’s asset limit punishes Valley residents it is supposed to help

OPINION — My son, Jonathan, needed a new bed, so I bought him a Sleep Number. His room needed a chair, so I bought a La-Z-Boy. I didn’t make these purchases because Jonathan needed the finest furniture. I made them because Medicaid’s rules gave me no choice: Spend down his savings on anything, no matter how extravagant, or risk losing the coverage he depends on to survive.

Opinion

For many Arizonans, happy hour isn’t about alcohol, it’s about connection

OPINION — An 82-year-old Minnesota grandmother recently made national headlines after successfully leading an effort to pass a law allowing happy-hour gatherings at her senior living community. The woman, Anita LeBrun, was not fighting for easier access to alcohol. She was fighting for something deeper.

Opinion

Savor the season of connection

OPINION — Welcome November, the “Month of Connection.” At least that is what I call it, because people tend to get together all month long. Then the culminating event for most of us will be on …

Opinion

Arizonans should have rights when ‘debanked’ by frequent-flier program

OPINION — By all outward appearances, Ari and Shanna Nachison did what airline loyalty programs want their best customers to do. They joined American Airlines’ AAdvantage program, signed up for American-branded credit cards and then started collecting miles. By early 2020, each of them had more than 550,000.

Opinion

Childcare affordability is an issue the Valley can’t ignore

OPINION — Recently, my 2-year-old daughter and I attended Sen. Ruben Gallego’s Childcare Town Hall in Phoenix. As a mom of three, I joined other Arizona parents and childcare providers to speak about a challenge that affects families across our state: the high cost of childcare.

Opinion

Maintaining mobility an investment in Valley residents’ independence

We may all lose just a little bit of the spring in our step as we age, but slowing down a little does not mean we need to give up our independence. Taking time to work on your mobility and balance is a key part of the strategy for aging well and moving confidently into the future.

Opinion

Arizona teachers constantly evaluated; bureaucrats around them, not so much

OPINION — I never expected to become a teacher. After serving in the Navy and spending more than three decades in federal law enforcement and public service, I went back to college and later taught eighth-grade social studies at an Arizona public school.

Opinion

Moving forward on Rio PHX development

OPINION — Phoenix adopted the Rio Salado District Policy Plan, which will guide future development and revitalization efforts in Districts 7 and 8. This long‑term plan covers the area between I‑17 and Broadway Road and from 19th Avenue to 32nd Street, aligning land use and investment strategies to support the Rio PHX vision.

Opinion

Jon Kyl: Remembering a lifelong friend and leader

OPINION — Jon Kyl was a close friend for all of my adult life. Prior to becoming a journalist, I was also part of his political team, serving, for example, as general chairman of his first campaign for the U.S. Senate in 1994.

Take the Civility Pledge

Civility Checklist

How to engage in respectful, honest & civil dialogue about public issues.

Checkmark Take the high road. Respond to the topic — not the person. Refrain from demonizing others for their opinions. Assume those you disagree with are, like you, genuinely interested in improving the community.

Checkmark Be respectful. Bullying, public humiliation, insults, name-calling, harassment, and threats directed at another person — or that person's race, gender, religion, ethnicity, etc. — have no place in civil discussions. Find ways to respectfully disagree without questioning someone's character or motives.

Checkmark Be truthful. Base your opinions/arguments on facts. Value honesty. Make only accurate statements when making your point and avoid exaggeration and stereotypes. When appropriate, cite your sources of information that others may question.

Checkmark Don't misrepresent. Always identify your opinions as opinions (not stating opinions as facts). Never misrepresent the views of others or falsely claim your opinions represent someone else. If quoting the words of others, identify and credit the source.

Checkmark Listen & learn. It's both polite and respectful to listen to those we disagree with (as well as those we support) and be genuine in our attempts to understand their point of view. Expand your mind by thoughtfully seeking out views that don't agree with your own.

Checkmark Look for common ground. When disagreeing with others, look for even small areas of agreement — which can be the gateway to working together for the greater good.

Checkmark Respect privacy. Keep private things private — whether it involves your own information or those with whom you disagree. Revealing private information about someone else is rude, unethical, potentially harmful and, in many cases, illegal.

Checkmark Set a good example. Practice civil behavior online as well as in public and in your interaction with others. Encourage others to practice these civil behaviors. And it's OK to challenge disrespectful behavior — but be courteous, respectful and helpful in your approach.

Now that you've read the checklist, take the Civility Pledge.

Our civility pledge member community

Your Community Your Voice

A call for refugee support

OPINION — In this fraught time when so many freedoms are endangered, this letter calls for support for vetted refugee immigrants. This October, the Department of Homeland Security cut the …

What first responders carry home after the call ends

OPINION — For first responders, what most of us would consider an extraordinary crisis can simply be part of a Tuesday. Law enforcement officers, firefighters, emergency medical personnel, correctional officers and paramedics routinely face circumstances many people may experience only once, if ever, in their lifetime.

Arizona elections are transparent, honest

OPINION — Arizona’s election system doesn’t rely on blind trust. It’s built on transparency. Ballot processing and other activities at the Maricopa County Tabulation & Election Center are livestreamed 24 hours a day. Teams of political observers from the various political parties monitor ballot verification procedures, tabulator checks and other operations.

Phoenix Symphony pausing performances, programs is devastating

OPINION — I’ve watched thousands of children walk into Symphony Hall over the years. Before they hear a single note, the students look up and take in the environment. ... Phoenix needs to understand what we’re losing.

Shouldn’t campaign finance outrage apply to Hamadeh, too?

OPINION — Campaign finance outrage? Apply it to Abe Hamadeh, too. Jacquelyn Loiselle’s October 7 letter asks whether Bernadette Greene-Placentia’s financial reporting problems reflect “incompetence or something worse.” That insinuation outruns the evidence she presents.

Why I believe partisanship is bad for democracy, and what we can do

OPINION — Partisanship is bad for democracy, in my opinion. I have worried about how to teach my children what healthy politics look like when their only experience is the current political landscape.

Politics more important than a baseball game

OPINION — I love the Milwaukee Brewers and even more being from Wisconsin. However, politics must come first. This is especially true for the most vulnerable people in our community and nation. …

Sounds of Autism founder endorses Donna Davis for MCCCD Governing Board

OPINION — I am proud to support Donna Davis’s reelection to the Maricopa County Community College District Governing Board.

Love at first byte: Is your next date human — or is it AI?

OPINION — Online dating used to mean wondering whether someone’s profile photo was 10 years old. Now there’s a more fundamental question: Does this person even exist?

What happens if Democrats win nationwide?

OPINION — The United States is in dire need of rescue. That will happen if Democrats win nationwide. What exactly would that look like? Since 2025, the Executive branch has run virtually everything.

Don't let technical rule thwart delivery of cutting-edge drugs to Valley patients

OPINION — For years, some of the most effective cancer and immune therapies came with a hidden cost: an afternoon in an infusion chair. That is changing ... a proposal pending at the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services could put that progress at risk.

Donna Davis is our choice for MCCCD Governing Board

OPINION — We are writing this letter in support of Donna Davis who is running for re-election to the Maricopa County Community College Governing Board. She has served as an MCCCD board member for four years.

Rock truck noise increasingly a problem on Camelback Road

OPINION — I live on Escondido Drive off North Village Parkway near Camelback Road between Millennium High School and Jackie Robinson Little League Field. I work from home and around noon there are so many rock trucks, many of which engine-brake even though they are not allowed to. The sound is so loud it hurts my children’s eardrums.

Question of the Week: Do you still play games in the Arizona Lottery?

The Arizona Lottery was created when voters approved Proposition 200 in November 1980. The two biggest games are Powerball and Mega Millions, both multi-state games. Odds of winning are just as …

Hamadeh’s $10,000 reward for information on rival’s attackers rings hollow

OPINION — Abe Hamadeh and Bernadette Greene-Placentia are running for the Congressional District 8’s U.S. House seat. Personally, I default to believing women who come forward with news of an assault. Sadly, I am seeing horrific comments online by Hamadeh supporters.

Americans have a grief problem we still call a mental health problem

OPINION — Americans have become much better at talking about mental health. We have learned words such as trauma, post-traumatic stress disorder, depression, anxiety, burnout, compassion fatigue and moral injury. That vocabulary matters.

Reader ponders north Peoria roadway projects

OPINION — The El Mirage Road extension north from Loop 303 to Jomax Road has been a top priority to ease traffic congestion in north Peoria. Certainly, the Happy Valley Parkway and Vistancia Boulevard intersection is in need of change to accommodate rush-hour traffic.

Big snag with GLP-1 program

OPINION — When President Trump and Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services Administrator Mehmet Oz announced the creation of the GLP-1 Bridge Program last year, many Americans might have thought the administration had cut a deal that would drop the price of GLP-1 medications to $50 per month for anyone looking to lose weight.

Midterms are really about who controls the money

OPINION — Less than two weeks from Election Day, every headline is heads down: polls, turnout, which party takes which chamber. That is my disappointment with mainstream media.

Conservation group: US Senate should put brakes on public lands permitting bill

OPINION — A bipartisan permitting bill headed for a Senate vote right after the election would give President Donald Trump and Interior Secretary Doug Burgum two years to approve data centers, nuclear facilities and fossil fuel projects on public lands, then make those approvals nearly impossible to reverse, according to a new analysis from the Center for Western Priorities.

Arizona’s fentanyl overdose statistics are alarming; free Narcan training can help

OPINION — While deaths from drug overdoses across the United States declined during each of the last three years, they have surged in Arizona. From September 2024 to September 2025, our state recorded a 17% increase in overdose deaths — twice the national average — according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Phoenix physical therapist urges Congress to pass SAFE Act

OPINION — Nobody wants to see an older parent, grandparent or loved one suffer the aftermath of a serious fall. Yet for too many families in Arizona, falls happen every day. A simple misstep on a driveway, a loss of balance in the kitchen or a stumble while walking outside can quickly lead to hospitalization, long-term disability and a loss of independence.

Ahead of November, better conversations can lead to a stronger Arizona

OPINION — Republicans, Democrats and Independents disagree on many issues. That is not a weakness of our democracy, but one of its greatest strengths. The ability to bring different perspectives to the table, debate them openly and work through our differences is what has always allowed our communities to grow stronger. Yet too often today, we are told that hostile division is inevitable. The loudest voices make it seem like everyone already hates the other side. That describes a fight. It doesn't describe a country. Many Arizonans feel like politics leaves only two options: Pick a side or check out entirely. The truth is that most Arizonans want something different.

What a coyote might say to its neighbors

OPINION — If a coyote could have a cordial conversation with its neighbors in The Grand, I imagine that this is what it might say: My name is Wyly, and I would like you to know that I have as much right to be here as any of you, perhaps more.

Healthcare shouldn’t be so hard; health literacy can help

OPINION — A visit to the doctor may get you a diagnosis. A trip to the pharmacist fills the needed prescription. Your health plan has all sorts of information about benefits. Healthcare. Straightforward and easy to understand, right? Eye roll. Laugh stifled.

Before you vote, consider the recent past

OPINION — It’s time to vote. Too bad most campaign promises come out of expediency, not honesty. One party attempts to serve and protect the American public; while the opposition’s sole …

Arizona GOP’s path to victory runs through older voters

OPINION — In Arizona, as across the country, the most reliable voting bloc is hiding in plain sight: voters 50 and older. If Republicans are smart, they won’t hand Democrats an easy win by ignoring them.

Enough of GOP from Gilbert, time for legislative change

OPINION — I’ve been a Gilbert resident for 16 years, and I’ve watched our state government go from bad to really bad. Our legislature has been controlled by Republicans for the whole time I’ve lived here, and what do we have to show for it?

Feeling safe again can take time after domestic violence

Safety can change in a moment, but feeling safe again can take much longer. This is something I have come to understand through my work as a therapist in Arizona with individuals who have experienced domestic violence and other forms of trauma.

Pain at Valley pumps, profit at the refineries

OPINION — While crude oil gets most of the blame for today’s sky-high gas and diesel prices, the refiners that turn crude into fuel have quietly been making a killing and driving up costs.

Why isn't the U.S. protecting Arizona airline consumers?

OPINION — As other countries strengthen air passenger rights, the U.S. Transportation Department is dismantling its rules and forgiving airline fines.

Are Gingrich, McConnell and Roberts king-makers?

OPINION — What would a dairy farmer do with a stool that had one or more broken legs? The Constitution established our Democratic Republic like a three-legged stool: Executive, Legislative and Judicial legs to provide a strong foundation for the freedom of all Americans.

Thoughts on a godless heaven

OPINION — New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani recently promised to replace the “frigidity of rugged individualism with the warmth of collectivism.” Warmth certainly sounds inviting on a cold day …

Property owners: Get to know Arizona’s new anti-squatter law

OPINION — Imagine returning home from vacation to discover that the locks have been changed and an unauthorized occupant is living inside your property. For Arizona property owners, removing that occupant has not necessarily been as immediate or straightforward as many people would expect.

Beyond the driving test: Helping Arizona teens become safer drivers

OPINION — Getting a driver’s license means freedom for teenagers, but for parents, it can bring fear and anxiety. In 2024, 2,320 teen drivers ages 15 to 18 died in auto crashes and more than 80,000 were injured.

Washington shouldn’t stand between Arizona families and their financial security

OPINION — Most parents aren’t spending their evenings reading legislation moving through Congress. They’re helping with homework, packing lunches, juggling work schedules and trying to make smart financial decisions for their families.

Question of the Week: Does your family participate in Halloween traditions and fun?

There was a time when nothing signaled the onset of autumn like Halloween, the annual cultural celebration observed on Oct. 31, which features trick-or-treating, wearing costumes and carving …

Patriarchy and machismo are fighting to hang on in an outdated world

OPINION — “They’re bringing drugs, they’re bringing crime. They’re rapists and some, I assume, are good people.” In 2015, then-presidential candidate Donald Trump infamously launched his first campaign with this attack on Mexican immigrants.

Can’t we all come together as Americans?

OPINION — Paul Cahill’s recent letter in the Independent left me feeling sad. I think we want the same things, but I feel like we live in two different worlds.

Holy cow! History — The president’s stuff is missing!

OPINION — Somewhere in America right now, someone may be walking around with LBJ’s class ring on his finger, Abe Lincoln’s telegrams in his pocket, Harry Truman’s swords in one hand and FDR’s portrait in the other. Those items, plus other presidential oddities, are missing. And there’s no clue where they might be.

See more Opinions