I pull a number and scan the crowded room for two adjacent chairs, one for my 84-year-old mother who needs a photo I.D. I hear the number 137 called out over the intercom and I check my ticket to get a fix on our wait time; my number is 198. We are at the Department of Motor Vehicles, overcrowded with people trying to take care of various state required tasks.
We find some open seats, settle ourselves in and as we wait, I remember an article I read in my local paper a couple of years ago describing why several DMV offices were going to close throughout the state; it was a “budget crisis” decision. One of those Motor Vehicle offices happened to be close to my home; it served approximately 9,600 people per month and had been open to the public for nearly 30 years. Two years ago, it was an inconvenience made easier to forgive because there really seemed to be a “budget crisis.”
Twelve years ago, a majority of Arizona citizens, just like those of us sitting in the DMV waiting area, voted in favor of an Independent Redistricting Committee. I voted for an Independent Redistricting Committee to remove the legislature’s incentive to gerrymander voting districts in favor of entrenched candidates. Recently I read that the Arizona House of Representatives voted to give themselves an open-ended budget to sue the citizens of Arizona. Our legislature wants to take “we the people” to court to litigate the constitutionality of an Independent Redistricting Committee.
Two years ago we supposedly had a budget crisis that required most of us to sacrifice either our time, as in waiting at the DMV, or through a myriad of other budget cuts that eliminated citizen services. Today, it appears the state has enough tax revenue for the legislature to afford an open bank account to sue us because the lines drawn on a map don’t suit the entrenched lawmakers. Meanwhile we, the taxpayers, continue to wait in turn for an hour or more at an overcrowded Motor Vehicle Department.
I think we need some new legislators.
Suzanne Jones
Mesa
Arizona Willie posted at 9:24 am on Sun, Jul 8, 2012.
Since moving to Arizona, I have always been surprised at the criticism leveled at the DMV.
I have always experienced reasonably fast service.
The way people often describe their experience makes me wonder if they are talking about the same state.
Even after they closed the .. oh so convenient .. office in East Mesa we had occasion to go to another one but, although it was larger, it seemed to be just as efficient.
Our wait times have never been more than 20 minutes.
When people talk about waiting for hours, I wonder if their watch has stopped or if they are those drugs that make time SLLLOOOOOWWWW DOOOOWWWWNNNN :)
Or perhaps they are simply victims of this over-active hyped - up multi-tasking want it NOW culture.
Things can always be better, of course.
But, if any readers think Arizona DMV offices are a pain ... they should try Missouri or Kansas.
The first time I went to an Arizona DMV I wondered if I had died and gone to heaven .. 20 minutes and out!! No way.
Right wingers love to complain about government workers but Arizona DMV's are truly a marvel of efficiency compared to other places I've been.
Arizona Willie posted at 9:27 am on Sun, Jul 8, 2012.
I wonder .... when Legislators are sworn into office they take an oath and swear to do good things for the State.
I wonder if we could sue them for failure to perform.
Hmmmm.
chatmandu002 posted at 10:32 am on Sun, Jul 8, 2012.
Suzanne,
I have no big problem with the DMV. It took me 25 minutes the last time I had to renew my license. No big deal.
I do have a problem with the so-called "independent" redistricting committee. The so-called "independent" on the board (a conveniently placed former democrat) that forced a non-bid contract award to a democrat map redistricting company was wrong. So much for "independent" committees.
fae4now posted at 10:35 am on Sun, Jul 8, 2012.
The true marvel of this whole thing is that, in fact, someone (not me!) keeps voting these types (repubs) into office for fear and loathing of the D word.
Arizona Willie posted at 11:36 am on Sun, Jul 8, 2012.
chatmanduu002 ... what map company < should > have gotten the job?
There are no < independent > political map companies. They are either Republican or Democrat.
So in complaining about the job going to a " democrat map maker " you are essentially saying you are made because they didn't choose a " republican map maker ".
Which pretty much makes your complaint just sour grapes.
Cerulean posted at 12:06 pm on Sun, Jul 8, 2012.
So, you have not had to wait more than 20 min. at DMV? That is amazing to me because I have waited longer than that even with the old offices open. [sad]
Regardless, I also think it disheartening to know that citizen services were cut only to allow some Republicans to believe that we have enough money to litigate the constitutionality of the Redistricting Committee.
Cerulean posted at 12:29 pm on Sun, Jul 8, 2012.
Oh, I wish I had said "Some Republicans believe we have enough money to litigate the constitutionality of the Redistricting Committee twelve years after the law was passed."
Dale Whiting posted at 1:40 pm on Sun, Jul 8, 2012.
Guys, guys,
Although Susan uses the MVD [not DVM] as a back drop to her wonderfully written piece, it's not at all pointed to the MVD. The topic is this insane redistricting suit and our esteemed legislature's current efforts to challenge 'our law', the law we put into place by referrendum. Just about 70% of those of use who responded to the Trib's pole would have it stopped. So - - -
Let's vote the entire lot of them out! Mickey Mouse has more credibility.
Cerulean posted at 4:27 pm on Sun, Jul 8, 2012.
Dale, [smile] I agree with you.
Leon Ceniceros posted at 4:57 pm on Sun, Jul 8, 2012.
FOLKS....HOW MANY TIME DO I HAVE TO KEEP QUOTING THE UNITED STATES CONSTITUTION ON THIS MATTER;
ARTICLE I (1), SECTION IV (4) STATES....."The Times, Places and Manner of holding Elections for Senators and Representatives, shall be prescribed in each State by the....LEGISLATURE...thereof: but Congress may at any time by Law make or alter such Regulations, except as to chusing Senators".
There has been no Constitutional Amendment allowing the Citizens of a State to "regulate" the Manner of Holding Elections....period.
Some States "allow" the Citizens to set up Redistricting Boundaries and some States do not. It is at the discretion of each State's Governor.
WELL, GUESS WHAT FOLKS.......GOVERNOR JAN BREWER SAID...."NO DICE" ...AS PER SECTION 4 OF ARTICLE 1 OF THE UNITED STATES CONSTITUTION.....ONLY THE ...........ARIZONA LEGISLATURE CAN REDISTRICT..............SO THAT IS WHY THE CHIEF EXECUTIVE OF ARIZONA IS ASSERTING HER ...............CONSTITUTIONAL POWERS AS SET FORTH MORE THAN ............2OO YEARS AGO BY OUR FOUNDING FATHERS.
READ THE CONSTITUTION......YOU ALL MIGHT LEARN SOMETHING.
chatmandu002 posted at 5:52 pm on Sun, Jul 8, 2012.
AZ Willie,
Guessed you missed part about they "No bid" contract.
chuckles3 posted at 2:42 pm on Mon, Jul 9, 2012.
Yes, throw them out so we can become a blue state like CA or NY or IL. mmm, crushing taxes and underfunded pensions, runaway deficits, and Big Brother government(no foie gras or large sodas for you!)
Current unemployment(from May): CA 10.8%, IL 8.6%, NY 8.6%, AZ 8.2%
Arizona Willie posted at 1:05 pm on Tue, Jul 10, 2012.
chuckles3 -- put your glasses on and look at those " stats " you spew.
Illinois and NY are so close to Aridzona as to be an insignificant difference.
Jamie0 posted at 11:21 pm on Thu, Aug 2, 2012.
These things are never revealed to public. We don't know what is happening Leather Blazer