Even an Arizona Republic basher would have to admit ....

… that the front page today doesn’t suck.

It’s symptomatic of the design changes so many papers have adopted that only four actual stories begin, or purport to begin, on that page. But they include:

• A long recap of the the legislative shenanigans that created this year’s budget crisis


• A look back at the economic meltdown, one year ago (This was technically a long blurb to an AP story, but it should count.)


• The lede, the first in a series by by reporter Pat Kossan at how some local charter schools are abusing the tuition tax-credit program


• And a splashy intro to the first of another series, this one on the underlying issues of the health-care debate.