NEWS UPDATES
City of Phoenix Fleeces Taxpayers Instead of Living Within Their Means
The Phoenix City Council just doesn’t know how to say ‘no.’ Not to a spend-happy budget, expensive union contracts, the latest and greatest technologies, insanely high pension rates, or new and expanded government programs. And certainly they can’t say no to higher...
Insight Founder Eric Crown on Government Picking Winners and Losers
Earlier this week, Insight Founder and successful entrepreneur Eric Crown published an op-ed on the growing use of taxpayer money to subsidize risky ventures by politically connected businessman. For years the Free Enterprise Club has fought against these types of...
Governor Ducey Signs Bill Ending Subsidy of Newspapers
Wednesday, May 18, 2016…today The Governor signed HB 2447 which eliminates the requirement for new businesses in Maricopa and Pima Counties to purchase advertisements in newspapers to publish their articles of incorporation. This bill has been tried for the last 15...
SB 1268 stops Federal Power Play to Seize Arizona’s Water
Arizona has always been a leader in water planning, and in many respects is decades ahead of our neighboring states in water management. For example, California would be Exhibit A on how NOT to manage your water resources. A major reason that Arizona is so effective...
SB1402 Provides Targeted Tax Break at the Expense of All Others
The Free Enterprise Club consistently opposes legislation that provides special tax breaks for targeted businesses. This session’s “special unicorn” is SB1402, informally known as the Grand Canyon University bill (GCU). SB1402 would create a property tax carve out...
Legislative Alert: SB1282 Dilutes Public Records Laws
Arizona’s public records laws are some of the best in the country for open and transparent government. SB 1282 dilutes those laws, and hinders the public’s ability to access public records to which they are entitled. Unfortunately, this bill is headed to the House...
HB 2501 Streamlines Health Boards and Reduces Regulatory Overreach
State lawmakers are looking to build upon the successes of last session to increase efficiency and reign in regulatory overreach by taking on the multiple boards and commissions that regulate the health professions in the state. HB2501 would make three primary...
Key Vote Alert: SB 1487 Protects Businesses and Taxpayers by Requiring that Cities Follow the Law
A major policy reform is nearing the home stretch and, if passed, will greatly reduce government overreach and lawlessness by local jurisdictions. The measure is Senate Bill 1487, and deals with the problem of local cities and towns passing ordinances and regulations...
More Evidence Incentive-Based Economic Development is a Shell Game
More Evidence Incentive-Based Economic Development is a Shell Game In the midst of ongoing discussions about the purpose and practices of the Arizona Commerce Authority, one of their heralded successes is facing a difficult contraction. Silicon-based...
Shark Tank Bill is Back: Lawmakers Should Reject SB1139
As usual, bad ideas at the legislature just don’t seem to die. For the third year in a row, lawmakers have introduced legislation to bring back the Angel Investment Tax Credit Program (a.k.a. Shark Tank Bill), a scheme designed to subsidize risky venture capital...
Arizona Lawmakers Needs to End Public Notice Subsidy for Newspapers
The Free Enterprise Club is often at the helm of highlighting instances of corporate welfare which often coalesce around developer sweeteners and tax carve outs. However, another form of this has gone on for far too long without the traditional public scrutiny. This...
TIF Schemes Harm Taxpayers (Part II)
Last month the Club shared how Tax Increment Financing (TIF) is a tool used by local governments and city planners to subsidize projects that benefit politically connected developers and landowners. That is not the only problem with this financing scheme: TIFs are...