Many members of the Arizona Automobile Dealers Association spent 2021 struggling to get popular makes and models onto showrooms due to supply chain issues. And it looks like 2022 will hold even more challenges for those buying and selling new cars, although a recent survey provides a suggestion to make the buying experience less costly.
On Dec. 15, the Federal Reserve Board released a policy statement which sets the stage for an interest rate increase next year. In total, three rate hikes are expected in 2022 if a set of fiscal events occur as projected.
As if the increased cost to finance a new vehicle isn’t enough, the rising cost of insurance premiums next year is another economic challenge expected to impact auto sales. In 2022, rates are expected to increase five percent, even among popular “discount” insurers.
This will likely drive some buyers away from a vehicle they could otherwise afford to finance but cannot afford to insure, according to DealerPolicy.
To better understand the role of insurance in the auto-buying process, Vermont-based DealerPolicy recently conducted a survey of auto dealers and car-buyers about the impact premiums have on new car sales, 70 percent of which occur at a dealership.
What DealerPolicy found is that a large majority of car shoppers believe auto insurance is inseparable from the overall car buying experience. In fact, 72 percent of prospective car buyers considered the cost of premiums before signing a sales agreement.
“For most people, insurance consideration begins before the vehicle is purchased,” the survey report states, adding that nearly half of buyers indicated the cost of auto insurance influenced their decision of what vehicle to purchase.
DealerPolicy found that 90 percent of the responding dealerships admitted insurance coverage has at times negatively affected the ability to make a sale. But the survey highlights a window of opportunity for dealerships to address the reality that 70 percent of buyers expect their insurance rates to go up but only 29 percent bothered to shop around ahead of time for a better rate.
According to the survey report, 71 percent of buyers responded in the affirmative about welcoming an opportunity to get assistance with auto insurance at the dealership during the purchase process. Such assistance could be as simple as a referral to a local independent or franchised insurance agent or someone at the dealership connecting the buyer by phone with some insurance companies.
Dealerships could even arrange for an independent or franchised agent to be on-site.
“It’s clear that there is room for improvement for both audiences when it comes to auto insurance,” the survey concluded.
One option is utilizing a digital insurance marketplace where buyers can easily shop for competing car insurance from their smartphone while in the dealership showroom. The survey found dealers and buyers overwhelmingly agreed such an option would improve the purchase experience.
It would also ensure better owner satisfaction by providing drivers with an understanding of how much insurance will cost even before the vehicle is driven off the lot, the survey found.
Tips and information about purchasing a new vehicle can be obtained from any member of the Arizona Automobile Dealers Association. https://www.aada.com/Home/DealerLocator/
Governor Doug Ducey carved out an exemption for hospitals in his renewed executive order addressing COVID-19 vaccine mandates (EO 2021-21), though it banned the state and all counties, cities, and towns from implementing any. Additionally, Ducey issued hospitals $35.2 million in grants to aid in staffing shortages. The $35.2 million meted out to $1.2 million in dialysis center support to Valleywise Health, $6 million for more beds, and $28 million to extend around 300 nursing staff contracts.
According to campaign finance records, Arizona’s hospitals did greatly support Ducey during both of his gubernatorial campaigns: Tenet Healthcare, West Valley Hospital, Carondelet Health, Honor Health, Maricopa Integrated Health System (now Valleywise Health), Banner Health, Dignity Health, and Yuma Regional Medical Center.
Health insurance giants also supported Ducey during his two campaigns: UnitedHealth, WellCare Health Plans, Cigna, and Blue Cross Blue Shield.
Makers and distributors of the COVID-19 vaccine had Ducey’s back as well: Pfizer and McKesson donated thousands to Ducey’s campaigns respectively. McKesson is a major distributor of the COVID-19 vaccine, and Ducey’s special advisor on vaccination efforts, Dr. Richard Carmona, was one of the latest additions to the distributor’s board. Carmona was appointed to the board about two weeks after Ducey announced him as an advisor to the state.
12 News reported Carmona receives approximately $400 an hour from the state to promote the vaccine through Arizona Department of Health Services (ADHS). For about two collective weeks of work, Carmona has earned over $35,000. ADHS spokespersons confirmed that Carmon will remain in his advisory role past the December 31 contract end date — possibly through 2022.
The Arizona Hospital and Healthcare Association (AHA) thanked Ducey for this decision to reaffirm their mandating abilities. The AHA and its former president supported Ducey during both his runs for governor with thousands in donations.
The #AZ healthcare system is under an immense amount of strain right now.
Thank you, Governor @dougducey for listening and taking action – extending nursing support to hospitals and providing funding for additional dialysis treatment and staffing for post-acute care beds.
The funds follow $60 million allocated in September to aid in health care facility staffing for administering treatments to decrease COVID-19 hospitalizations.
Arizona, like many other states, is facing a nursing shortage; their number determines the number of beds available for patients. Earlier this month, ADHS asked the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) for staff who can aid in monoclonal antibody treatments at Banner Health, Carondelet St. Joseph’s Hospital, Banner Health Plus, Banner Estrella Medical Center, Valleywise Health Medical Center, Dignity Health Arizona General Hospital, and Abrazo Central Campus, as well as emergency support at Yuma Regional Medical Center and Canyon Vista Medical Center.
ADHS confirmed the first case of the Omicron variant of COVID-19 last week in Yavapai County.
Corinne Murdock is a reporter for AZ Free News. Follow her latest on Twitter, or email tips to corinne@azfreenews.com.
The final push on Arizona’s redistricting maps is upon us. And for the most part, things are getting better. The maps are reflecting the community input that the Arizona Independent Redistricting Commission has received over the past three months, and that’s important. After all, this process only takes place every 10 years, so whatever maps are drawn will determine your district for the next decade.
On top of that, the maps are also close to fitting the criteria that the commission must follow in the Arizona Constitution. This is good. And this is the direction the maps should be headed.
So, naturally, the Democrats are trying everything they can to game the system. And this time they are doing it through a group called the Arizona Latino Coalition for Fair Redistricting.
The Arizona Corporation Commission (ACC) passed a motion to prohibit utility companies from mandating the COVID-19 vaccine for their employees, 3-2. Commissioners Lea Márquez Peterson, Justin Olson, and Jim O’Connor voted for a policy prohibiting COVID-19 vaccine mandates; Commissioners Sandra Kennedy and Anna Tovar voted against it. If utility companies do impose a mandate down the road, they will be subject to fines.
O’Connor insisted that it wasn’t good for employment or individual choice to allow utilities to mandate the COVID-19 vaccine. He reminded the commissioners that all of President Joe Biden’s vaccine mandates have been halted by federal courts.
“I think this is our good way of taking care of Arizona’s citizens, workers, and voters,” said O’Connor. “If you force-vaccinate everybody and either having a lot of people leave or fire a lot of people — how do you keep the lights on? How do you keep the water flowing? How do you keep running the business? […] And then, how are you going to treat these employees on their way out the door, after their ten, twenty, thirty years of insurance?”
Olson added to O’Connor’s remarks with a more pointed criticism of Biden’s mandate.
“The unconstitutional overreach of the Biden Administration needs to be challenged,” said Olson. “It is absolutely inappropriate for the government to require anyone to be vaccinated against their will. Anybody has the right to receive the vaccination, but we as the government do not have the right to be requiring folks to make a choice between receiving a vaccine against their will or losing their employment.”
None of the utility companies present at the meeting reported having a vaccine mandate. The companies all noted that they would comply with federal law and regulations.
Kennedy criticized the commission, saying that mandatory vaccinations aren’t new concepts and that those opposed to vaccine mandates are making the pandemic a partisan issue. She added that the vaccine didn’t fall under the question of freedoms.
“It is not responsible for a commission without a single expert in health care or medicine to weigh in on this issue,” said Kennedy. “It is also not responsible for commissioners to make statements spreading unfounded rumors which confuse and endanger the public. I would ask commissioners, before you take a stance possibly geared towards political ambition, to consider the Arizonans filling our hospitals and in ICU beds right now. Many hooked onto ventilators, dying alone.”
Olson responded by reiterating the ACC’s constitutional responsibility to protect employees’ freedom to choose.
Tovar said she felt it was premature to vote on something barring vaccine mandates when there aren’t any in place currently.
The policy to bar vaccine mandates was introduced by Olson and O’Connor last month.
Corinne Murdock is a reporter for AZ Free News. Follow her latest on Twitter, or email tips to corinne@azfreenews.com.
Arizona Secretary of State Katie Hobbs introduced four pages of election reform suggestions for the legislature on Wednesday. Suggestions included same-day voter registration using provisional ballots, early voting expansion to include the weekend before Election Day, automatic felon voting rights restoration, removal of state ID requirements for online voter registration, a ban on foreign contributions to ballot initiatives, expansion of allowed campaign fund expenditures for “things like child care,” and requiring political action committees (PACs) to disclose any spending in the ten days before registering as a PAC and seventeen days before an election.
Additionally, Hobbs proposed new types of post-election audits, like risk-limiting audits, as well as mandating and streamlining hand count audits. She also suggested adopting Colorado’s practice of using a monthly National Change of Address (NCOA) report to update voter mailing addresses automatically and notify the voter of the change at their old and new address for corrections, as well as allowing Electronic Registration Information Center (ERIC) data as a first notice of a person moving.
Hobbs noted that her list of proposals wasn’t exhaustive.
In the letter to Senator Karen Fann (R-Prescott), Hobbs cited the need for these election reforms based on lack of closure with the 2020 election.
“It’s no secret that election-related legislation will be a top priority during the upcoming legislative session, and as you know, far too many people seem to believe that the 2020 election has not yet ended,” wrote Hobbs. “Indeed, it’s December 15, 2021, and media reports indicate that Cyber Ninjas have still not completed their ‘audit.’ It’s my fear that our lawmakers will waste time and resources this session trying to pass legislation that accomplishes little more than making it more difficult for election officials to administer elections and more difficult to vote.”
Hobbs characterized her suggested reforms, some of which related to policies in other states that sowed controversy and mistrust in the 2020 election, as the “real solutions.”
“These reforms will make our elections more secure, inclusive, and transparent. Let’s focus on real solutions instead of chasing conspiracies and the favor of those who spread them,” tweeted Hobbs.
Today, I sent legislative leaders a list of election reforms to consider in the upcoming session.
These reforms will make our elections more secure, inclusive, and transparent. Let’s focus on real solutions instead of chasing conspiracies and the favor of those who spread them. pic.twitter.com/vA3me7EUdn
In the September draft of the Election Procedures Manual, Hobbs proposed to require counties with precinct-based polling places to count votes by out-of-precinct voters.
Hobbs also urged the Senate last month to establish more protections for federal workers, in the wake of harassment and threats to her and other election officials concerning the 2020 election.
In a CNN opinion piece last month, Hobbs insisted that “battling misinformation” was the only means of protecting elections. However, the secretary of state has insisted that she has limited ability to address speculation and “conspiracies” surrounding the 2020 election. Hobbs claimed to Axios that the state legislature doesn’t want her office to use funds for educating the public on election issues and laws.
“[They have] made it clear that they don’t want our office to use funds for public education,” claimed Hobbs.
Corinne Murdock is a reporter for AZ Free News. Follow her latest on Twitter, or email tips to corinne@azfreenews.com.
