Author

Jim Small is a native Arizonan and has covered state government, policy and politics since 2004, with a focus on investigative and in-depth policy reporting, first as a reporter for the Arizona Capitol Times, then as editor of the paper and its prestigious sister publications. He has also served as the editor and executive director of the Arizona Center for Investigative Reporting.
O’Halleran joins ranks of impeachment inquiry supporters
By: Jim Small - September 30, 2019
Every Arizona Democratic member of Congress now supports the impeachment inquiry against President Donald Trump for abusing the power of the presidency to benefit his re-election campaign.
Maybe our governor needs a refresher in high school civics
By: Jim Small - September 27, 2019
Ducey can’t be bothered with thinking about impeachment, nor can he imagine why Congress would want to. For our governor, the constitutional check against an abusive executive is “not what (lawmakers) were elected to do.”
Arizona Mirror celebrates 1 year of independent journalism
By: Jim Small - September 25, 2019
This past year has been the most rewarding and fun year I’ve had in journalism in a long, long time. And I have you, dear reader, to thank for that. It's hard to believe, but we launched the Arizona Mirror exactly one year ago today.
O’Halleran alone in failing to stand up to Trump’s flagrant abuses of power
By: Jim Small - September 24, 2019
I shudder to think what it would take to get Rep. Tom O’Halleran to recognize the gravity of our present moment and the consequences that will come if Congress fails to do the job it is constitutionally required to do.
Hoffman to Bowers: Stop spreading conspiracies from hate groups
By: Jim Small - September 19, 2019
Superintendent of Public Instruction Kathy Hoffman is punching back at House Speaker Rusty Bowers, who on Saturday called her “a radical” for wanting to teach medically accurate sex ed in schools and today said her proposal was tantamount to “teaching my kids how to masturbate.”
Corrections Dept. failing to fill vacant prison guard jobs
By: Jim Small - September 19, 2019
The Arizona Department of Corrections is not off to a good start on its plan to slash the number of open correctional officer jobs by two-thirds this fiscal year.
Report: Progressives seeking censure of Sinema over voting record
By: Jim Small - September 17, 2019
Progressives in Arizona want the state Democratic Party to formally censure U.S. Sen. Kyrsten Sinema for failing to support the party platform and siding with President Donald Trump too often.
Jobs grow quickly in Maricopa County, but wages lag slightly
By: Jim Small - September 12, 2019
New figures from the U.S. Bureau of Labor and Statistics show that Arizona’s two largest counties saw a significant year-over-year growth in the number of jobs in the first quarter of 2019, but wage growth lagged behind.
Brandt’s claim that APS is widely loved doesn’t jibe with reality
By: Jim Small - September 4, 2019
“People around this state love APS. I go out and the kudos that are thrown at me are kind of embarrassing,” Don Brandt said in response to another question from Kennedy.
Taking stock: APS’s election spending meant millions for its CEO
By: Jim Small and Jeremy Duda - September 3, 2019
Don Brandt, the CEO of both APS and Pinnacle West, reaped massive personal profits after APS spent $16 million to elect regulators in the 2014 and 2016 elections.
Sinema is most bipartisan Senate Democrat: report
By: Jim Small - August 23, 2019
Arizona’s senior senator is the most bipartisan Democrat in the U.S. Senate so far in the current congressional term, a new analysis finds.
School vouchers awarded up 33% this year, but oversight funding unchanged
By: Jim Small - August 21, 2019
The Arizona Department of Education says a record 8,200 students are expected to receive $110 million in school vouchers this school year.