by Ethan Faverino | Mar 28, 2026 | News
By Ethan Faverino |
The Maricopa County Assessor’s Office announced a significant expansion of public access to property information with the launch of a new online Data Downloads page. Users can now freely download detailed bulk datasets and comprehensive property reports directly from the Assessors website—no formal requests or fees required.
Previously, these extensive reports and datasets were available only through time-consuming formal public records requests or by purchase. With the successful implementation of the AA-GAMA assessment system in October 2022, the Assessor’s Office has automated the generation of these files, dramatically reducing staff time and making the information instantly accessible.
“This is another step forward in our commitment to transparency and exceptional customer service,” explained Maricopa County Assessor Eddie Cook. “Our team has worked hard to modernize our systems so property owners and members of the public can get the information they need without barriers, delays, or unnecessary costs. Making these datasets freely available helps ensure our property tax system remains open, accessible, and easy to understand.”
The new Data Downloads page features more than a dozen different reports and bulk files, including valuable geospatial data. In addition to these bulk options, users can still search for and view detailed information on individual parcels or accounts directly through the Assessor’s Office website.
The initiative reflects the Assessor’s ongoing efforts to leverage technology to serve Maricopa County residents more efficiently while maintaining the highest standards of openness in government operations.
Ethan Faverino is a reporter for AZ Free News. You can send him news tips using this link.
by Ethan Faverino | Mar 26, 2026 | News
By Ethan Faverino |
The Arizona Senate has passed a comprehensive package of transportation bills designed to enhance roadway safety, improve mobility, reduce congestion, and support long-term economic development across the state.
The measures, which advance critical infrastructure projects in both rural and urban areas, were approved this week without raising taxes or imposing new fees on Arizona drivers.
The legislation targets high-priority corridors experiencing pressure from population growth, increased freight traffic, and tourism demand. Key components of the package include targeted safety and capacity improvements on several major routes.
SB 1062, sponsored by Senator Wendy Rogers (R-LD7), appropriates $1,000,000 from the state general fund for FY26-27 to the Arizona Department of Transportation. The funding will support planning, design, construction, and right-of-way acquisition for an additional left-turn lane and related intersection improvements at the busy intersection of U.S. Route 60 and Superstition Mountain Drive in Pinal County. These enhancements aim to ease traffic flow and improve safety along this heavily traveled corridor.
SB 1063, also sponsored by Senator Rogers, allocates $11,100,000 for critical safety improvements on U.S. Route 70 between Mile Post 225 and Mile Post 301. This rural route serves commuters, freight operators, and emergency services in eastern Arizona. The project addresses longstanding roadway deficiencies to enhance travel reliability and safety for users across the region.
SB 1064, another measure sponsored by Senator Rogers, appropriates $3,000,000 from the state general fund in FY26-27 to the Arizona Department of Transportation for distribution to the City of Flagstaff. The funding will support the design and construction of improvements along U.S. Route 66 between I-40 and Milton Road. Under the bill, the Department of Transportation must enter into an intergovernmental agreement with the City of Flagstaff by September 15, 2026, and, if executed, distribute funds to the city by November 1, 2026. The project will help modernize infrastructure along one of northern Arizona’s busiest tourism and business corridors.
“Transportation is about safety, mobility, and economic opportunity,” stated Senator Rogers. “These projects address real pressure points on our highways, keep traffic moving, and support the continued growth of communities across Arizona.”
SB 1204, sponsored by Senator Janae Shamp (R-LD29), provides $5,500,000 for planning and environmental analysis for future interchange improvements at the intersection of U.S. Route 60 and Loop 303 in the rapidly growing West Valley. The area continues to see significant residential expansion and rising freight traffic.
“The West Valley is growing at an incredible pace, and our infrastructure has to keep up,” stated Senator Shamp. “This project prepares one of our most important corridors for the traffic we know is coming, improving daily commutes while supporting job growth and regional commerce, as well as preventing traffic fatalities.”
SB 1455, sponsored by Senate Appropriations, Transportation & Technology Committee Chair David Farnsworth (R-LD10), appropriates $500,000 for surveying, design, and study work on the future extension of State Route 24 east of Ironwood Drive in the East Valley—one of Arizona’s fastest growing regions.
“As families and businesses continue moving into the East Valley, transportation planning has to look ahead, not behind,” stated Senator Farnsworth. “Extending SR 24 will strengthen regional connectivity, reduce future congestion, and ensure infrastructure keeps pace with responsible growth.”
The measures now move to the Arizona House as part of the ongoing state budgeting process.
Ethan Faverino is a reporter for AZ Free News. You can send him news tips using this link.
by Ethan Faverino | Mar 25, 2026 | News
By Ethan Faverino |
Arizona Senate Republicans have moved forward with a targeted plan to strengthen local law enforcement and safeguard vulnerable children, particularly runaway and at-risk youth in the child welfare system.
Senate Bill 1550, sponsored by Senate Appropriations Committee Chairman David Farnsworth (R-LD10), passed the Senate this week and now heads to the House for consideration as part of upcoming FY27 budget negotiations.
The bill appropriates $1,255,500 from the state general fund to the Town of Queen Creek for its Police Department to launch a three-year specialized law enforcement pilot program. The initiative focuses on five key areas: preventing runaway incidents among youth; protecting at-risk children from exploitation; enhancing investigative capabilities; strengthening collaboration with care providers and state agencies; and developing a replicable model framework that could be expanded statewide.
“Protecting our children is crucial and should unite us all, beyond political lines,” stated Senator Farnsworth. “Every moment counts when a child is in danger or in state care, and we must ensure law enforcement has the necessary tools to act swiftly and effectively to prevent exploitation. Our child safety system should be transparent and prioritize placing children in loving, safe environments, ideally with family.”
Queen Creek has emerged as a critical testing ground for these reforms due to a notable concentration of missing-from-care incidents at residential treatment facilities serving some of Arizona’s most vulnerable youth.
The adjacent Canyon State Academy (serving boys) and Desert Lily Academy (serving girls), operated by the Nevada-based Rite of Passage under contract with the Department of Child Safety (DCS), have seen significant police activity since the Queen Creek Police Department’s establishment in 2022.
According to Fox10 Phoenix, officers have responded to more than 2,000 calls for service at the campuses, with annual calls reaching 430 at Canyon State and 306 at Desert Lily by 2024.
Between January 2024 and December 2025, police recorded 208 missing persons reports for boys at Canyon State Academy and 119 for girls at Desert Lily Academy—averaging roughly one child going missing every two days across the two facilities. Many of these runaways have escalated into exploitation and trafficking investigations.
Queen Creek Police Chief Randy Brice emphasized the urgency: “If we don’t find them within that first few hours, our concern is that they’ll be trafficked, and we have to put a lot of resources into solving those quickly.”
A notable case involved Wendell Whyte, who was sentenced in July 2025 to 20 years in prison for trafficking three girls (ages 14, 16, and 17) from Desert Lily Academy. Court records indicate that Whyte has previously exploited one of the victims in Phoenix’s “The Blade” area, a known corridor for prostitution near 27th Avenue and Indian School Road.
The girls reportedly ran from the facility, were provided drugs and alcohol, and were coerced into sex work.
Additional concerns have surfaced regarding facility operations. In September 2025, former Desert Lily Academy Supervisor Christopher Lamont Allen was arrested and later indicted on two counts of sexual conduct with a minor after a 17-year-old resident alleged he had sex with her on two occasions, with surveillance video reportedly capturing the encounters.
Fox 10 Phoenix investigations have also documented prior cases of staff physically assaulting students at both academies, including incidents involving punching, tackling, and pinning youth to the ground.
Senator Farnsworth, who collaborated with group homes and local leaders to develop a three-pillar strategy of prevention, response, and investigation, highlighted the bill’s broader goals.
“This bill enhances support for law enforcement, encourages collaboration among agencies, and underscores our commitment to caring for our most vulnerable,” added Farnsworth. “We aspire to create a model that can be emulated across Arizona, ensuring that every child feels safe and valued. Together, we can guarantee that protecting our children and strengthening law enforcement remain top priorities.”
Ethan Faverino is a reporter for AZ Free News. You can send him news tips using this link.
by Ethan Faverino | Mar 24, 2026 | News
By Ethan Faverino |
The Goldwater Institute put the City of South Tucson on notice for alleged non-compliance with Arizona’s Permit Freedom Act, a 2023 law designed to streamline government permitting processes and protect citizens from arbitrary bureaucratic delays and decisions.
In a formal letter on March 13, 2026, addressed to Mayor Roxanna Valenzuela, Goldwater Institute Staff Attorney Parker Jackson reminded city officials of their obligations under the Act (codified at A.R.S. § 9-843).
The letter highlights the city’s handling of a permit application from businessman Marv Kirchler for a billboard near I-10. Despite initial approval from the city’s Planning and Zoning Commission, the city has refused to grant the permit, prompting the group’s intervention.
The Permit Freedom Act requires municipalities to:
- Specify permit criteria in “clear and unambiguous language” for activities affecting land use, appearance, or density.
- Process complete applications within 60 days, after which the application is deemed approved if no decision is made.
- Provide proper notice of application completeness or deficiencies, adhere to statutory timelines for reviews, and include specific details in denial notices.
The Act also states that cities print notices of these protections on permit applications and comply with related statutes like A.R.S. §§ 9-495, 9-834, and 9-835. Failure to follow these rules can result in automatic permit approval, fee refunds in certain cases, and exposure to litigation.
The Goldwater Institute’s letter points out apparent shortcomings in South Tucson’s processes, including potential non-compliance with notice requirements on its new Permit Portal, which became effective March 2, 2026. It warns that ongoing violations could lead to automatic approval of Mr. Kirchler’s application.
Since its passage, the Permit Freedom Act has been credited with significantly reducing permit timelines, improving objectivity in criteria, and easing backlogs across Arizona. This action underscores broader concerns about government overreach in land-use permitting, which has long frustrated property owners, developers, and businesses. The U.S. Supreme Court has recognized the need to curb “the uncontrolled will of an official” to protect constitutional rights, including property use.
The Goldwater Institute emphasized that the dispute with South Tucson is not isolated but reflects the importance of full statewide compliance nearly three years after the law’s enactment. The organization vowed to continue holding officials accountable and advocating for similar reforms nationwide.
Ethan Faverino is a reporter for AZ Free News. You can send him news tips using this link.
by Ethan Faverino | Mar 21, 2026 | News
By Ethan Faverino |
The Arizona Senate Health and Human Services Committee, chaired by Senator Carine Werner (R-LD4), convened a special oversight hearing earlier this week.
The hearing examined ongoing concerns within Arizona’s Medicaid program, the Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System (AHCCCS), particularly why vulnerable patients—especially those seeking addiction and behavioral health treatment—are being turned away from care despite apparent facility capacity.
The session builds on months of prior testimony from families, treatment providers, and whistleblowers highlighting systemic barriers. Key issues included reimbursement failures that prevent providers serving patients through the American Indian Health Program (AIHP) from scheduling new care, network adequacy shortfalls, audit findings, and deficiencies in monitoring providers and safeguarding public funds.
“Arizona’s Medicaid program serves some of the most vulnerable people in our state, including individuals battling addiction and families seeking lifesaving treatment,” stated Senator Werner. “When patients are being turned away from care, or providers cannot get paid for services already delivered, that is a serious breakdown in the system. These issues did not happen overnight. They developed over many years, and it is the Legislature’s responsibility to conduct oversight, ask tough questions, and ensure the program is working the way taxpayers and patients expect it to.”
In response to findings from her investigation, Senator Werner has introduced a package of reform bills now under consideration in the Arizona House. These measures aim to enhance accountability, protect patients, combat fraud, and improve access to behavioral health services, with particular focus on the AIHP serving Arizona’s Native American communities.
The package of reform bills includes:
- SB 1114: Appropriates $1 million from the state general fund in FY 2026–2027 to the State Treasurer for distribution to the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office to support investigations and prosecutions of behavioral health patient brokering schemes, where vulnerable individuals are illegally trafficked between facilities for profit rather than receiving appropriate care.
- SB 1116: Requires that any denial of behavioral health treatment under the AIHP—based on medical necessity—be reviewed and approved by a qualified clinician with at least two years of relevant experience in similar services before a claim can be rejected.
- SB 1122: Limits excessive 100% prepayment reviews for behavioral health services under the AIHP, prohibiting such requirements beginning January 1, 2027, unless a provider is noncompliant with or disengaged from a corrective action plan, to reduce delays in patient care.
- SB 1173: Strengthens safety standards for behavioral health facilities by mandating, beginning January 1, 2027, that owners, operators, applicants, and licensees of specified facilities be U.S. citizens or lawful permanent residents and hold valid fingerprint clearance cards.
- SB 1233: Provides facilities with a 72-hour cure period to correct minor administrative deficiencies—those not impacting patient physical or psychological well-being—before state agencies can take disciplinary or enforcement action.
- SB 1611: Reforms AIHP administration by requiring AHCCCS, beginning October 1, 2027, to contract with a qualified administrative services organization for functions like program integrity, care management, provider support, quality improvement, data analytics, and claims payment. The bill preserves the fee-for-service option for eligible American Indian members, mandates tribal consultation, includes tribal observers in procurement, establishes an Office of Tribal Relations, and requires quarterly consultations to ensure quality care.
- SB 1814: Establishes the bipartisan Substance Use Disorder Treatment Standards and Oversight Study Committee, comprising legislative members, state officials, clinicians, physicians, and advocates. The committee will assess treatment availability, identify gaps in evidence-based care, review regulatory loopholes enabling fraud or substandard programs, recommend minimum clinical standards, safety requirements, and funding models, and submit a report with proposed changes by December 31, 2027.
“These reforms are about making sure the system works for the people it was designed to serve,” added Werner. “Taxpayers deserve accountability, providers deserve a system that functions properly, and most importantly, patients in crisis deserve timely access to treatment.”
The hearing featured invited testimony from AHCCCS leadership to address outstanding questions from prior sessions and to advance solutions.
Ethan Faverino is a reporter for AZ Free News. You can send him news tips using this link.
