American small business owners are not becoming more optimistic with the trends of the nation’s economy.
This week, the National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB) released its Small Business Optimism Index for August 2023, showing a decrease that month, marking twenty straight months that the index has been under the 49-year average of 98.
NFIB revealed that “twenty-three percent of small business owners reported that inflation was their single most important business problem, up two points from last month,” and that “the net percent of owners raising average selling prices increased two points to a net 27% (seasonally adjusted), still at an inflationary level.”
In a statement, NFIB State Director Chad Heinrich said, “For Main Street, inflation has yet to be tamed. Between the pressure on prices and the worker shortage, the challenges of this economy continue to make it difficult to own and operate a small business.”
NFIB Chief Economist Bill Dunkelberg added, “With small business owners’ views about future sales growth and business conditions discouraging, owners want to hire and make money now from strong consumer spending. Inflation and the worker shortage continue to be the biggest obstacles for Main Street.”
The press release issued by NFIB Arizona noted key findings from the Index, including:
Small business owners expecting better business conditions over the next six months deteriorated seven points from July to a net negative 37%, however, 24 percentage points better than last June’s reading of a net negative 61% but still at recession levels.
Forty percent of owners reported job openings that were hard to fill, down two points from July but remain historically high.
The net percent of owners who expect real sales to be higher decreased two points from July to a net negative 14%.
NFIB’s unveiling of its Small Business Optimism Index for August preceded the release of the U.S. Bureau of Labor’s Consumer Price Index, which was published Wednesday. The U.S. Bureau of Labor reported that its Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U) “rose 0.6 percent in August on a seasonally adjusted basis, after increasing 0.2 percent in July,” and that “over the last 12 months, the all items index increased 3.7 percent before seasonal adjustment.”
The U.S. Bureau of Labor wrote that “the index for gasoline was the largest contributor to the monthly all items increase, accounting for over half of the increase” – as well as “continued advancement in the shelter index, which rose for the 40th consecutive month.” According to the Bureau, “the energy index rose 5.6 percent in August as all the major energy component indexes increased.”
In addition to its Consumer Price Index, the Bureau of Labor also published its Real Earnings Summary on Wednesday, which showed that “real average hourly earnings for all employees decreased 0.5 percent from July to August, seasonally adjusted.”
Arizona Senate President Pro Tempore T.J. Shope reposted a reaction to this week’s economic update, which summarized the August inflation and wages reports. The post, from a Senior Fellow of the Manhattan Institute, said, “I am legitimately baffled by fellow economists who seem to think that a few months of lower inflation negate the 17% price hike since 2021 that continues to outstrip wage growth. Until wages fully catch up, the higher prices will remain a family burden.”
I am legitimately baffled by fellow economists who seem to think that a few months of lower inflation negate the 17% price hike since 2021 that continues to outstrip wage growth.
Until wages fully catch up, the higher prices will remain a family burden. https://t.co/B8rL2Y9aX5
Another legal fight is brewing in the State of Arizona.
Last week, Senate President Warren Petersen announced that he had “given the greenlight for the Senate to file a lawsuit against the Biden administration for their unconstitutional land grab in Arizona.”
I've given the greenlight for the Senate to file a lawsuit against the Biden administration for their unconstitional land grab in Arizona.
The legislative leader followed up his newsworthy tweet with an in-depth press release on Monday, explaining his reasoning and plan of action for contesting the recent move from the White House. The release asserted that “the blatantly unconstitutional move of confiscating nearly a million acres of land within Coconino and Mohave Counties to designate as a ‘national monument’ is nothing more than a publicity stunt to appeal to his radical environmental base, while in tandem creating dire consequences for the livelihoods of our citizens, Arizona’s economy, as well as our nation’s energy supply.”
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: President @votewarren Gives the Green Light for Arizona Senate to File Lawsuit Against Biden Administration for Unconstitutional Land Grab ⬇️ pic.twitter.com/5fwkuVVbww
In a statement, Petersen said, “Our nation as a whole is suffering under the incompetence of the Biden Administration, and I will not sit back while he issues another unlawful executive order harming Arizonans. It’s clear he has declared war on American energy production, as our citizens continue to feel the pain of $5 a gallon gas under his radical agenda. Now, he wants to cripple mining across the U.S. and further exacerbate our dependency on dangerous foreign nations for our energy supply, which will continue to drive up costs for taxpayers amid historic inflation.”
Petersen added, “Using the guise of creating a ‘Grand Canyon’ national monument in a remote area that is not even connected to the Grand Canyon is completely disingenuous. This move has nothing to do with protecting the Grand Canyon. It has everything to do with fulfilling his tyrannic desires to block responsible mining and agriculture production in an effort to cater to the extremists who elected him into office. I look forward to fighting on behalf of Arizona in court.”
The Senate President is “directing attorneys to identify all citizens, industries and local governments impacted by this gross overreach and to create a coalition to further examine the detrimental effects President Biden’s land grab is imposing on our state.” He shared that a “fact-finding phase is currently underway, with a goal of filing suit against the Biden Administration by the end of 2023 or early 2024.”
During his visit to Arizona last month, President Joe Biden established the Baaj Nwaavjo I’tah Kukveni – Ancestral Footprints of the Grand Canyon National Monument. In his signed proclamation, Biden wrote, “Protecting the areas to the northeast, northwest, and south of the Grand Canyon will preserve an important spiritual, cultural, prehistoric, and historic legacy; maintain a diverse array of natural and scientific resources; and help ensure that the prehistoric, historic, and scientific value of the areas endures for the benefit of all Americans.”
Daniel Stefanski is a reporter for AZ Free News. You can send him news tips using this link.
The top prosecutor for Arizona’s largest county continues to take a tough stand against organized retail theft in her jurisdiction.
Last week, Maricopa County Attorney Rachel Mitchell announced that charges were being filed against an individual who allegedly robbed a jewelry store in Old Town Scottsdale.
The crime occurred in the late morning of September 1 at Marina Jewelers. People outside the store were alerted to the fact that a man running out of the store had purportedly stolen jewelry from the store, and acted to detain him until police arrived to make the arrest.
Mitchell revealed that the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office would be charging this individual with Class 2 Theft – in addition to other charges – because of the amount he tried to take from the store. The primary charge, she informed reporters, came with a mandatory prison sentence.
In her opening statement to the press, Mitchell explained that organized retail theft prosecutions have been a priority for her office – not only because of the impact on the businesses experiencing the direct heists – but because of the impact to the community, which includes empty buildings, and loss of jobs, services, or goods. She pointed out that the consequences of these crimes often affect poorer parts of town before trickling to more affluent neighborhoods, making it more difficult for consumers to acquire the goods and services they need for their everyday lives.
The County Attorney highlighted how other states and jurisdictions handle organized retail thefts – especially where prosecutors have set a threshold of $1,000 to activate charges. She emphasized to any potential or current criminals who may be watching: “in Arizona that has not been done.” Her office is willing to prosecute some cases, when appropriate, as felonies.
During her opening remarks, Mitchell twice stated that “this is not the state you want to be in to mimic the behavior you see on the news in other parts of the country, such as Los Angeles.” She referred to Los Angeles as a “hellscape,” in part, due to its lax standards for holding criminals accountable for their organized retail theft offenses.
From County Attorney @Rachel1Mitchell: "This is not the state you want to be in to mimic the behavior that you are seeing on the news in other parts of the country, such as Los Angeles." pic.twitter.com/Bhgl8GpOmY
— Maricopa County Attorney's Office (@marcoattorney) September 7, 2023
Later in her press conference, Mitchell returned to this issue of organized retail theft due to a reporter’s question. Mitchell shared that when she took office, she “felt like our specialized retail theft prosecutors were limited to too high of a dollar amount before they could get involved,” noting that some of these lawbreakers commit smaller offenses at place after place. She informed her audience that upon taking office, one of her initial acts was to lower the value threshold to allow her prosecutors to get involved in the cases earlier, and the second was to create a task force within the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office and link their efforts with those of the Arizona Retailers Association.
Mitchell promised that her office is continuing to look at ways to reduce the instances of organized retail theft in the county and to make sure that her jurisdiction does not become like Los Angeles.
In July 2022, the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office formed an organized retail theft taskforce, featuring “a group of specialized prosecutors and detectives who will work with local law enforcement and the Arizona Retailer’s Association to address criminal acts involving organized retail theft.” Mitchell at that time said, “Retail stores are being devasted by groups who recklessly and intentionally take what they want and leave destruction in their wake. Many are organized gangs who have found new funding sources with stolen merchandise and the impact of this affects everyone of us.”
Daniel Stefanski is a reporter for AZ Free News. You can send him news tips using this link.
Arizonans may have gained valuable insight into the future direction of their state – thanks to a surprising action from a neighboring state.
Last week, New Mexico Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham signed an Executive Order to declare a State of Public Health Emergency due to gun violence. According to the New Mexico Governor’s Office, Grisham’s action plan “includes a suspension of open and concealed carry laws in Bernalillo County, temporarily prohibiting the carrying of guns on public property with certain exceptions.”
Today, I signed an executive order declaring gun violence a public health emergency. To my fellow citizens: get loud. Step up. Demand change: from your neighbors, from your friends, from your communities, from your elected leaders. Enough is enough. More coming from me tomorrow. pic.twitter.com/jOt4fv4YDC
The move from the New Mexico Governor was met with both support and opposition, with even members of her own party taking issues with what or how the governor was using her executive powers in this situation.
While Grisham’s order was controversial enough, the Arizona House Democrats Caucus created news of its own by appearing to post an endorsement of the action.
Arizona Republicans currently hold slim majorities in both the state’s House and Senate chambers, but both political parties are vying for control of the Legislature in the next election. With a Democrat Governor at the helm of the state, a Democrat takeover of the state legislature would likely have serious repercussions from a policy standpoint, which would undoubtedly include some proposal or action against Second Amendment freedoms.
Republican Maricopa County Attorney Rachel Mitchell was quick to respond to the House Democrats’ post, vowing to see them in court if it ever came to that point on this issue of restricting Arizonans’ constitutional freedoms.
— County Attorney Rachel Mitchell (@Rachel1Mitchell) September 9, 2023
The General Counsel for the Arizona House Republicans, Linley Wilson, added, “Who’s going to tell them? Or maybe they already know that in addition to the AZ & U.S. constitutions, ARS 26-303(L) has been on the books in Arizona since 2007. Fun fact: the AZ House vote on SB 1258 to protect 2A rights during an ‘emergency’ was 55-0-5.”
Who’s going to tell them? Or maybe they already know that in addition to the AZ & U.S. constitutions, ARS 26-303(L) has been on the books in Arizona since 2007. Fun fact: the AZ House vote on SB 1258 to protect 2A rights during an “emergency” was 55-0-5. https://t.co/ZKcqj0C3UBpic.twitter.com/lnElXTaWv1
Jonathan Turley, a legal analyst and national columnist, opined on the latest from New Mexico, writing, “The order, in my view, is flagrantly unconstitutional under existing Second Amendment precedent. It could also be a calculated effort to evade a ruling by making the period of suspension so short. Many will of course celebrate the boldness of Grisham in taking away an individual right under a cleaver measure. It is, however, too cleaver by half. If not found moot at the end of the period, New Mexico could supply a vehicle to curtail future public health rationales.”
The order, in my view, is flagrantly unconstitutional under existing Second Amendment precedent. It could also be a calculated effort to evade a ruling by making the period of suspension so short…https://t.co/aURAa8Ict9
Arizona Senator Frank Carroll also weighed in on the New Mexico Governor’s decision, saying, “I’m appalled at what has transpired in the great state of New Mexico. Their radical Democrat Governor is setting a dangerous precedent by violating their law-abiding citizens’ constitutional right to protect themselves, their family, and their property against dangerous criminals. Every single American should be outraged at the reckless political agenda that continues to be forced by the Left to control you and undo the principles of freedom, liberty and democracy established by our nation’s Founding Fathers.”
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: @RepFrankCarroll Condemns New Mexico's Ban on Guns, Vows to Protect Arizonans from Deliberate Violation of Constitutional Rights ⬇️ pic.twitter.com/VoVMjOyfAd
The state’s Senate President, Warren Petersen, made it abundantly clear that a Republican-led Legislature would not stand for such a measure from the governor, stating, “Criminals will be emboldened by the executive order issued by New Mexico’s governor. Law abiding citizens will be left unarmed as criminals ignore the law and paper executive orders. Takes a good guy with a gun to stop a bad guy with a gun. Takes good force to stop evil force.”
Criminals will be emboldened by the executive order issued by New Mexicos governor. Law abiding citizens will be left unarmed as criminals ignore the law and paper executive orders. Takes a good guy with a gun to stop a bad guy with a gun. Takes good force to stop evil force.
An internet search engine giant is making a significant investment in the Grand Canyon State.
Last week, Google unleashed a significant announcement, revealing that it would soon be constructing a $600 million data center in Mesa, marking the first time the company has put down physical roots in Arizona.
Governor Katie Hobbs, who attended the event with Google executives and other local leaders, issued the following statement to commemorate the news for her state: “Google’s investment in Arizona will be critical for the Mesa community and our state’s economy. Arizona continues to attract global technology leaders due to our skilled workforce, dynamic economy and focus on innovation. We are proud to welcome Google to Arizona and look forward to the many opportunities this partnership will bring.”
Google's $600 million investment in a new Mesa data center is a great example of how Arizona is leading the way in sustainable growth while creating good paying jobs in the process. There is no better time or place to invest in technology and innovation than right here and right… pic.twitter.com/ouUEMto0DT
Mesa Mayor John Giles added, “The City of Mesa is thrilled to welcome Google to our community. Google’s decision to designate Mesa as the home for its first facility in Arizona underscores its profound confidence in our city and residents.”
Mesa will be home to @Google's first facility in AZ, with an over $600 million investment into our community. Our city is a great place to locate a business and we continue to compete on a global scale. We look forward to a strong relationship with Google. https://t.co/rq9Nk76AHJpic.twitter.com/7k2bMyaf0R
According to a release published by the City of Mesa, “the new Mesa data center will help power popular digital services – like Google Search, Gmail, Maps, Google Cloud, and others – for people and organizations worldwide.”
The Vice President for Google’s Data Centers, Joe Kava, said, “We are proud to put down roots in Arizona with both the data center in Mesa and the Phoenix cloud region. Not only do data centers help keep digital services up and running for people and businesses, they are economic anchors in the communities where we operate. We are appreciative of the continued partnership with the local leadership across the state.”
In addition to the multi-million-dollar infrastructure project, Google revealed that the Phoenix area would soon be welcoming “a new Google Cloud region to complement its existing network of regions around the world, bringing Google Cloud technologies closer to local customers – ranging from small, medium and large businesses to public sector entities and other organizations – to help them deliver digital services to their own users more reliably and at higher speeds.”
The Arizona Governor’s Office stated that “Google’s Mesa facility is the first data center in the United States to use zero-water cooling and has announced plans to be completely carbon-free and pursue net-zero emissions across its operations by 2030.”
Per an internal economic report, Google “helped provide $11.43 billion of economic activity for tens of thousands of Arizona businesses, publishers, nonprofits, creators and developers in 2022,” and “more than 367,000 Arizona businesses used Google’s free tools to receive phone calls, bookings, reviews, requests for directions and other direct connections to their customers.” Google also “provided $15.55 million of free search advertising to Arizona nonprofits through the Google Ad Grants program in 2022.”
Daniel Stefanski is a reporter for AZ Free News. You can send him news tips using this link.
