Goldwater Institute

Enough already. The battle for public-records access between Glendale and the Goldwater Institute is nearing three years. The city continues to dig in its heels.

Clint Bolick looks like any other high-powered lawyer, for the most part. But glance down at his index finger, which sports a scorpion tattoo, for first-hand evidence of his unconventional streak.

Goldwater Institute's latest investigative report, "Money for Nothing: Phoenix Taxpayers Foot the Bill for Union Work," found that Phoenix spends 
$3.7 million a year on salary and benefits for city employees to work exclusively for labor unions. The report was a central issue in a contested mayor's race, with both candidates saying the practice of "release time" must be stopped. This practice is common in union contracts nationwide and is ripe for investigative reporters to examine. Voters in Cave Creek, Ariz., thought they had a deal when they approved school bonds for new buildings. But a few years later, the school district tried to spend the money on something else. Goldwater challenged the move as a violation of the contracts clause and a judge agreed. Arizona now joins four other states in recognizing bond elections create contracts between governments and voters.

Rep. Barney Frank announced he is pushing for the repeal of the federal health care law's Independent Payment Advisory Board. Appearing on Fox News, columnist Michelle Malkin praised the Goldwater Institute for leading the fight against IPAB.

Nothing against the practice of advertising your product, mind you -- institutionally speaking, we strongly endorse it -- but perhaps you too have wondered, as we have: Why in the world is a public agency like the Arizona Citizens Clean Elections Commission spending what looks like a healthy fortune on promoting itself in advertising?