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.
AP: Ducey, GOP leaders strike deal on budget
By: Jim Small - May 19, 2019
The Associated Press reported Sunday afternoon that Gov. Doug Ducey and Republican legislative leaders have reached a deal for a spending plan in the upcoming year, which begins July 1.
US governors proposed $2.9B in new spending on early childhood, Ducey proposed $0 in Arizona
By: Jim Small - May 15, 2019
In Arizona, Gov. Doug Ducey is one of 17 governors – two Democrats, 15 Republicans – to propose no new state spending on early childhood programs.
Maricopa County is particularly vulnerable to a measles outbreak, researchers say
By: Jim Small - May 13, 2019
A new study published by The Lancet Infectious Diseases, a prominent medical journal, lists Maricopa County as one of the U.S. counties most likely to experience a measles outbreak. The study, produced by the team of researchers that in 2015 correctly predicted where the Zika outbreak would strike, ranked Maricopa County No. 6, behind two […]
Special interests take note: There’s still time to curry legislative favor
By: Jim Small - May 3, 2019
I’m curious to see if the money that the vaping industry pumped into electing legislative Republicans last year will earn its proposal the support of enough Republicans to become law.
AG can’t prosecute UA students who protested Border Patrol agents
By: Jim Small - April 29, 2019
The Arizona Attorney General’s Office has no plans to follow through on the calls from two GOP legislators that it prosecute three University of Arizona students who disrupted an event last month while protesting U.S. Border Patrol agents who were guest speakers.
AZ teachers face worst ‘pay penalty’ in the nation
By: Jim Small - April 25, 2019
The weekly pay of teachers in Arizona is barely two-thirds what other college-educated workers in the Grand Canyon State are paid, the worst rate in the United States.
The AZGOP chair is calling on Democrats to roll GOP legislative leaders
By: Jim Small - April 24, 2019
Hell, it’s difficult to imagine a scenario where even half of the GOP lawmakers support asking voters to increase the sales tax.
DPS answers questions for KTAR, but not Arizona Mirror
By: Jerod MacDonald-Evoy and Jim Small - April 24, 2019
Arizona Department of Public Safety spokesman Trooper Kameron Lee told KTAR on Tuesday that all of the agency’s pistols with major flaws had been fixed by Fabrique Nationale Herstal, the company that manufactured the guns That came as a surprise to us, as we had specifically asked DPS in November 2018 what had been done […]
As a public health crisis looms, anti-government beliefs fuel counterproductive vaccination policies
By: Jim Small - April 17, 2019
The dramatic uptick in unvaccinated students in Arizona is what the beginning of a public health crisis looks like. Unfortunately, it’s entirely unclear what policymakers will do about it.
Fireworks salesman backs bill to expand fireworks sale. Why isn’t it a conflict?
By: Jim Small - April 8, 2019
There are a few certainties in a legislative session: Fights over the budget will be centered on education funding, Democrats will get upset that moderate Republican peers vote like Republicans, and David Gowan will push legislation to expand the use and sales of fireworks in Arizona.
Arizona’s internationally poor standing on teachers demands action, not a victory lap
By: Jim Small - April 5, 2019
New data that shows just how pitifully Arizona stacks up in education, both nationally and globally.
Documents: Stringer voiced ugly views on child sex, minorities, poor people
By: Jim Small and Jeremy Duda - April 3, 2019
Summaries of interviews and documents provided to the House Ethics Committee that were made public Wednesday paint a vivid picture of former Rep. David Stringer as someone who frequently made comments denigrating minorities and poor people, disliked Mormons and didn’t believe child sex-trafficking either existed or damaged the victims.