Hour 1: Schools adapting in Arizona

And he also doesn't want to do anything to protect the Michigan auto industry. He has fought against the Trump tariffs that have saved the Michigan auto industry. So the issue for me with all of this is, you know, I was, I came from a pretty basic beginning, barely a high school education. I worked really hard. I got into a trade. I learned a skill. And it served me very well my entire life. So I started out in a place that was behind many other people, a low-income family, not much of an education, and didn't go to college. But I did learn, and I was a good learner. I went to schools. I went to learn my craft and my trade. And it served me very well for someone that should have been, if you looked at my high school years and my... What would you call it? My study, a skill set. Now, my skill set was good. My discipline was bad. But if you looked at what I was doing, I should have been. It would have been likely that I would have fallen through the cracks and been a statistic. It turned out that in my entire adult life, I have never been unemployed when I didn't choose to be unemployed. Never, not once. And I'm proud of that. Some jobs were better than others, but I had a good career as an electrician, and then when this career happened, I've been blessed with this career for a long time. So there's been an opportunity for me that I've taken advantage of. And I wonder if that's what we get confused, outcomes with opportunities. The jobs market, we lost jobs in the month of July, which surprised people. There was an expectation of job gains, but there were 27,000 jobs lost, some sectors, including manufacturing. seemed to be better. They had some gains in manufacturing, but overall we saw job losses. That for me is a big issue because the job market and a job availability, it gives more power to the employee. I'm not a hater of unions, but I've never been a union member. I'm not a fan of unions either. I'm very neutral on labor unions. I understand how they're supposed to work, and if they worked the way they were supposed to work, I would be a big fan, giving employees of voice and giving employees protection. I think that's a valuable thing. But not getting into negatives about unions or anything else. Union training, as far as the trades are concerned, excellent, excellent. But if you want to give employees some power and employees of voice, what you do is you make them in demand. I've worked for bad employers, not many, but I've worked for employers that I didn't like working for. And fortunately, the market for what I did was good enough that there were other opportunities out there for me. And I very quickly found other opportunities. And that for me is a big lesson. If you want to bolster an economy, if you want an economy to be strong, then what you do is you have the working class control in some way their outcome, their future, their ability to work overtime. And then you let them keep more of it. You don't tax the overtime. They're keeping more of their own money. But more than anything else, opportunities open for them.

If you're, we had, I told this story so many times during the big construction days when I was in my business 20 years ago, we used to do creative things to keep people because the market was so crazy that you could literally walk off of a job site at lunchtime and have another job and start that afternoon on another project right across the street for another contractor. It was the tradesmen and women were in that much demand. So what we did was we would get, you know, $1,000 cash bonuses if you stayed for 90 days and things of that nature. So that you knew you were going to keep somebody at least for a project for three months. And so you didn't have to give pay raises, but you gave incentives and bonuses. And the employees control their destiny. If you're working somewhere and I had the ability and it was a time for me when I was able to do this. that if I would look to work not just in a specific industry, but in a specific place, if you're someone that does residential electrical work, because that was an electrician, but you want to branch out and learn commercial. If you're doing commercial work, but you want to do industrial work, there was a lot of those companies that specialized in those. And if there was a big need, you could go to work and they would teach you. My bosses sent me to schools. My bosses paid for my education in my trade because it benefited them. They knew it benefited me in the long run, but it benefited them in the short term. So there's a lot of different things to be said about the system we have. I understand people are upset when they can't feel like they're getting ahead. The housing market is another one. How much money it takes you have to have your, most people are far under in individual income. are far under what's necessary to buy a home, the average home, and then accumulating the money for a down payment. Interest rates still remain elevated. All of those things hurt the ability to live the American dream. So is it about driving down the cost of housing, which, you know, unless we have some dramatic thing happen, I don't see happening here in Arizona, or do we give people an opportunity to earn more money? Do we tell the industrial world they're going to keep more of their own profits if they're reinvesting in their own businesses? Are they able to depreciate their expanding? Are they able to depreciate the equipment they buy? Are they able to do these things in write-offs? They're not giving as much to the government in taxes, but it's causing them to want to grow and reinvest. And then for employees to be able to excel and go up the ladder in whatever their trade is, whatever their craft is, is their advancement opportunities. And for me, that's a bigger gain. than the arbitrary raising of minimum wages or any of the other things that we're doing, it should be about opportunity and the people that are seeking good opportunities. I think that's the way it goes.

By the way, a new episode of the AZ political podcast, Jim Sharp, sits down with the Andy Biggs running mate for Lieutenant Governor. Sina Kerr joins the podcast. They discuss her plans for water, border policies, the role data centers have in our state. And you can watch that latest episode. It's KTAR's YouTube channel or on the KTAR News app. Coming up in a moment, we're going to talk about schools and how schools are adapting to the needs of the families and the parents. It's a good thing. We'll talk about that next. When we've reached our limits of adulting, it's easy to long for simpler times, like enjoying Saturday morning cartoons without a care in the world, or savoring every last drop of sugary milk at the bottom of your cereal bowl. Well, Kachava's new cinnamon-french toast all-in-one nutrition shake gives you all the nostalgic feels and benefits. Made with real cinnamon bark for the richest, deepest, most authentic flavor. Just two scoops provide the complete nutrition your body craves with protein, fiber, greens, and more. It's an easy upgrade to your daily wellness ritual. No fillers, no nonsense. Just the highest quality ingredients that taste delicious. Adulting may not always be fun, but at least you can stock up on treats without asking your parents for permission. So whether you're kick-starting your morning or fueling your afternoon, treat yourself to a sip of nostalgia. Go to Kachava.com and use Code News for 15% off your first order. That's Kachava, K-A-H-A-V-A-V-A.com Code News. Strong values, strong opinions, the Mike Brumet Show, K-T-A-R News 92-3, and the K-T-A-R News app. Happy Friday we were just talking about about... opportunity and about work and about pay increases and trying to make a living and live the American dream and what people think of the different systems of economics. This is the way I think is the best way is to give people opportunities by giving them an education. I know that sounds very simple. It sounds like a cliche and it is, I guess, to some extent, but it is the absolute truth that the basic education that everybody should have. You should be able to read. You should be able to retain and you should be able to form a thought based on what you learn. It's not just about reading words on a page. It's understanding the meaning. It's able to do a mental book report on the things that you're consuming. That along with math skills and the basics are what we, that's the way you can then do anything else in life. Mesa Public Schools, which is the MPS, which is the largest district in Arizona, is welcome students back yesterday. August 6th, the first day of school. They have two new campuses designed for students that are looking for a different approach. I'm reading from an AZ Central story. Parents had voiced concern with size of district high schools and Mesa Public Schools officials responded with Franklin High School and Shepard College Prep, both with smaller high school footprints. Franklin High, near Southern and Higley in East Mesa, follows the district's Franklin model of education. It emphasizes academic rigor.

and back to basics approach to teaching with significant input from parents on the educational program. Now, the other one, Shepard College Prep is near Brown Road and Alta Mesa Drive in Northeast Mesa, transforms the Shepard junior high into seventh through twelfth grade campus. The students in the curricula will be geared toward college readiness while maintaining the school's emphasis on performing arts. So I bring this story up this morning because I think this is a great response. We have seen school choice, starting with charter schools, and then we saw then the explosion of homeschooling and micro schools and other approaches. We've then seen the massive growth in the ESA program. And I think schools are starting to understand that parents, and I don't think it's a negative thing. Parents are searching for options if they don't feel like the schools are best serving the needs of their children. That parents don't have a long time to fight an extended battle over who has control of the classroom or who has control of the education of these children. Parents will just opt for something different for their kids. And I like the fact that a school district as big as Mesa Public Schools is responding by saying, okay, instead of you choosing a charter school or doing this, we're going to in our district give an option for the families that want this. It is a great way. for them to serve the families in their district and keep families in the district. I think it's a response. It's what parents have been asking for, which is we want the districts to listen to what we need. Any good business listens to their customers. You have to be consistent. And let's use the restaurant analogy and take it out even further. A great restaurant is consistent. You know what your favorite thing is there, and you know that when you go there, it's going to be the same every time you go there. It's consistent. Even for fast food, that's the key to success for McDonald's. It's been the same. You know what it is. You know what you're getting. But it's also, if you're a successful restaurant, you are changing with the desires of the customer base. As the world went away from trans fats and the world's went away from different, you know, more healthier food, smaller portions, GLP1 has got people eating less, so the portions are a bit smaller or giving people smaller options. Restaurants looking at the world and saying, what do the consumers want? Well, the schools are no different now. And this is the positive part of school choice that I talked about for so long. Is that when you have other options.

A smart business adapts to the customer's needs. And Mesa Public Schools seems to be doing that. I don't know what they're doing in other areas, but this seems to be a step in a direction where they know what their customer base is. They know what East Valley families are looking for. They've got a college prep school. If you've got a child that is dead set on a college education, you can get into a college prep public school that's going to get you on that pathway. And you've got other options available, smaller classroom sizes or a smaller footprint, at least, in the school. And you're focused on that curriculum. I just, I think it's a brilliant thing to do. And you're giving other families that want the other options, those other options in the district as well. That to me is a much better approach than what we've heard in the past. This old tired argument that says the districts are in charge and the money has to go there and they should control this and we don't trust the parents. We have to oversee the ESA program and we have to make all these dramatic changes, but you're not going to do that with us in the districts. I would say that for all the people that want this dramatic oversight. of the ESA program. I agree with you, by the way. I think that as a government entity, we as taxpayers have a right to see every dollar that's spent, where it's spent, and make sure it's spent on the right things. But if you're going to accuse this massive amount of fraud from parents and you believe that all of a lot of these parents are not going to do what's in the best interest of their kids, so you have to make sure that they're spending the money on the proper things with ESAs, I would say good for you. I'll hold the flashlight. You look through it. We should be doing the exact same thing to the districts. Whatever oversight you want to place on parents in the ESA program, you should be placing on the districts. They should have to, shouldn't they have to validate their spending? When you see a $300,000 or $400,000 expenditure on a weekend trip to Vegas so that teachers can have professional development training, shouldn't they have to justify that expense? I don't think that's a bad thing. Shouldn't they have to justify that expense? especially since the very same district also cut $400,000 out for busing for students for transportation. So that's my point, that I agree with, in principle, I agree with oversight of the expenditures of tax dollars. But the people that don't like school choice are going after and accusing parents of being cheaters in the ESA program. at this alarmingly high rate, and no one is looking at the district spending and wondering why some school districts find themselves in the red for years to the tunes of millions and millions of dollars, and then the districts go into receivership. Shouldn't we be ultimately concerned about both? But this, Mesa Public Schools saying, okay, if the customers, if our customer base wants this, we're going to give it to them.

We're going to give them a quality product that they're looking for in the district. I think it's a smart response. I just think it's a very smart response. Hey, listen, KTAR.com, just got a major upgrade. If you haven't seen a new website, it is amazing. New design, easier navigation. Arizona's news you trust, now better than ever. Visit it. KTAR.com. Coming up, it's our Big Q poll question of the day. The Gato's Big Q poll question. Brought to by your Valley Toyota dealers. All right, Gatos is out today, which means, of course, Paul is going to give us the question. It's the big Q poll question brought to you by your Valley Toyota dealers. What do you got? All righty. Is the newest member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame, Larry Fitzgerald, the greatest athlete in Arizona history? That's our Gatos Big Q poll question brought to you by our Valley Toyota dealers. Yeah, I can't think of one that's better. I can't either, Mike. I'm looking at a list of some Arizona athletes, famous athletes with deep ties to Arizona. Larry Fitzgerald, who isn't a native to Arizona, but spent his entire career with the Arizona Cardinals. Phil Mickelson, all right. James Harden played basketball at ASU. He's not there yet. Reggie Jackson. Oh, yeah. Barry Bonds. These are some big names, but I still don't see one that I would say as a better athlete than Larry was. I don't think so. If it weren't for... he's got to be arguably, he's top three receivers of all time. Absolutely. Without a doubt. Without a doubt. I think if it weren't for Jerry Rice, he would be arguably the greatest receiver of all time. And there's an argument to be made that Jerry Rice is the goat. But if he's in the argument, he's a, he's something else. I agree. I'm looking at all these. I'm looking at some of the other names, and there's not one. James Harden, Phil Mickelson, Barry Bonds, Reggie Jackson. Yeah, it's got to be Larry. It's just very satisfying to see him in the Hall of Fame now. Yeah, without a doubt. And when you look at him, he's so deserving of what he did on and off the field. I think that's one of the things people admire about him most is his humility in spite of his greatness. He could have been, and, you know, wide receivers are also known every once in a while for being a little, you know, out there. And he wasn't. He's just a down-to-earth guy and it's terrific. I think his story is amazing. So very cool. Great question.

By the way, the BQ poll question today brought to you by your Valley Toyota dealers. We are going to speak with the Pinal County Sheriff Ross Teeple in just a few moments. Sheriff Teeple made the announcement he is not going to renew the contract for his flock cameras. We'll be talking about what those are and what his concerns are about data capturing, who has access to the data and what's happening. All that's coming up. So stick around for it. When we've reached our limits of adulting, it's easy to long for simpler times, like enjoying Saturday morning cartoons without a care in the world, or savoring every last drop of sugary milk at the bottom of your cereal bowl. Well, Kachava's new cinnamon French toast all-in-one nutrition shake gives you all the nostalgic feels and benefits. Made with real cinnamon bark for the richest, deepest, most authentic flavor. Just two scoops provide the complete nutrition your body craves with protein, fiber, greens, and more. It's an easy upgrade to your daily wellness ritual. No fillers, no nonsense. Just the highest quality ingredients that taste delicious. Adulting may not always be fun, but at least you can stock up on treats without asking your parents for permission. So whether you're kick-starting your morning or fueling your afternoon, treat yourself to a sip of nostalgia. Go to kachava.com and use code news for 15% off your first order. That's kachava, k-h-a-va.com code news.