AHS lobbyists are currently lobbying against the mineral museum transfer bill (SB1440) and bragging about scattering the contents of the mineral museum across the state. This places the AHS in ovbious defiance of state law..
In 2010, the Allen amendment to the centennial museum bill specifically tasked the AHS with continuing the operation of the mineral museum and its K-12 education programs in the centennial / mineral museum building. The failure of the centennial museum project in no way relieved the AHS from that legal obligation The AHS was at the table when the Allen amendment was drafted. Therefore, the AHS knowingly defied the law when they closed the museum and removed its contents. The AHS has also been accepting state funds to operate the mineral museum each year since, even though they are not. That might be considered misappropriation of state funds.
The AHS is now in the very curious position of lobbying to kill a bill that would extricate it from its illegal position by transferring mineral museum responsibilities to another state agency.
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It has been almost five years since the AZ Historical Society slammed the doors shut on the Mining and Mineral Museum even when schools had field trips scheduled. The AHS still refuses to tell the truth and give a reason. Their excuses range from wanting us to believe that the 2008 recession began in Apr. of 2011 when they suddenly closed the MMM. And we should believe that the recession hit then like a bolt of lightning? (The MMM was surviving the recession with only minor impact and AHS knew that.) And finally,at the hearing on SB1400 AHS lobbyist Norton openly blames it on Governor Brewer. All AHS needed to do was sit down and review their statutes mandating that they keep the MMM, and remind her,if she really was the problem, that she signed the bill that modified those very statutes! We still do not have an explanation and we and they know that they never raised money to even begin remodeling for a new museum. It is truly amazing that this Historical Society seems unable to keep tract of their own history, much less of recent events like a recession. I have to join the chorus of those questioning why AZ taxpayers are spending millions of dollars each year on this agency!
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