by Staff Reporter | Mar 6, 2026 | News
By Staff Reporter |
Arizonans are among the top three in the country when it comes to spending the highest proportion of their income on housing and utilities.
Arizonans spend nearly 18 percent of their income on housing and utilities according to a new study. That makes Arizona rank second in the nation, after Florida and before Hawaii.
Although Arizona had lower per capita spending on housing, Arizonans were found to spend more when considering their lower average personal income (about $65,800).
The ranking came from a study conducted by What Are The Best, a product comparison platform. The study relied on per capita housing and utility expenditure data from the Bureau of Economic Analysis.
After Hawaii, the states with the highest percent of income spent on housing were, in order: South Carolina, Delaware, Maine, Colorado, Idaho, Nevada, and Vermont.
What Are The Best founder Albert Richer said in a press release that Arizona lacked the high incomes to offset the higher housing costs, unlike certain other states.
“For residents in states like Florida and Arizona, nearly a fifth of their income goes toward keeping a roof over their heads,” said Richer. “Some states with high housing costs, like Colorado, have high enough incomes to offset the impact, while other states with more modest housing costs still see residents struggling because of lower incomes.”
Arizona’s neighbors all rank far lower in terms of percent of income spent on housing. Colorado ranked 7th (16.3 percent), Nevada ranked 9th (15.7 percent) New Mexico ranked 12th (15.2 percent), California ranked 15th (14.8 percent of income), and Utah ranked 17th (14.7 percent).
Housing costs in Arizona hit record highs last year. An analysis by Redfin Real Estate of median sale prices earlier this year found that prices ranged from $218,500 for bottom tier, to $463,500 for mid-tier, and $2.5 million for luxury tier. These price ranges were higher than housing costs nationwide: $125,300 for bottom tier, $375,000 for mid-tier, and $1.3 million for luxury tier.
Redfin’s estimate of the median household income for home buyers in Arizona was $96,300 — higher than the median household income nationwide of around $88,000.
Data from real estate marketplace company Zillow, compiled by Stacker, found that homes in the many of the main cities concentrated in the Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler metro area often run higher than those medians provided by Redfin. This dataset covered 30 cities, towns, and communities across areas within or near Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler area, Flagstaff, Tucson, Prescott Valley and Prescott, Nogales, and Show Low.
The town of Paradise Valley, which sits in the Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler metro area, ranks as having the highest typical home value in the state: over $3.3 million. The lowest typical home value in the Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler metro area was Wickenburg, with a typical home value of $508,400.
The lowest-ranking town on that list overall was in the Flagstaff area, Happy Jack, which had a typical home value of over $493,000.
Lawmakers have proposed several approaches to mitigating housing availability and affordability.
A bill to cap corporate ownership of homes (HB 2325) in the state died on Monday after Republican leadership tabled it instead of giving it a committee hearing.
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by Staff Reporter | Mar 4, 2026 | News
By Staff Reporter |
The Maricopa County Board of Supervisors and Recorder are at odds over plans to establish early voting locations.
Maricopa County Supervisor Mark Stewart, who has been an independent voice within the board, addressed two public concerns with this dispute in a press release issued on Monday.
The concerns relate to the delegation of early voting responsibilities under Arizona law, and the timeline for finalizing early voting locations, staffing, and logistics. Stewart disclosed that conversations between the board and recorder’s officer were underway, even with the very public back-and-forth between the two bodies.
“Regardless of the back-and-forth or expressed frustrations from the Recorder’s office and the Board Chair, we are making progress and working together. It may not be perfect, but it is happening,” said Stewart.
The final week of February marked a particularly fraught period in a long-standing dispute between the board and recorder over election duties. At the center of it all was the disputed existence of a spreadsheet containing alternative early voting locations.
Last week Recorder Justin Heap publicly disparaged the proposed early voting location sites delivered to him by the board. His criticisms accused the board of potentially disenfranchising voters, prompting an immediate response from Board Chair Kate Brophy McGee and Vice Chair Debbie Lesko. The pair said Heap had misinterpreted and failed to adequately review the materials given to him.
Heap disputed this narrative of his review. He accused the board of “lying to voters yet again,” in addition to demanding that he approve their early voting proposal.
According to Stewart’s press release from Monday, none of the early voting locations have been approved yet. The sites under discussion remain proposals.
Early voting locations were approved and released by mid-June during the 2024 election cycle.
This year, the election schedule is slightly more condensed. The governor and legislature approved a modification of the election dates to accommodate military and overseas voters.
Voter registration ends June 22, early voting begins June 24, and the primary election day is scheduled for the end of July.
Even with this adjusted timeline, Stewart says Heap has “ample time” to provide feedback on the proposed voting locations.
“We have a reasonable window of time to gather the Recorder’s feedback and a commitment to work collaboratively to refine location recommendations and ensure the selections are operationally sound and accessible to voters,” said Stewart.
While the rest of the supervisors have operated virtually in lockstep in their approach to the recorder, Stewart has generally taken a position independent of the rest of the board.
Lately, the supervisor is urging his colleagues to review the proposed early voting locations in an open public session to gather constituent input. Stewart advised he would be recommending a public discussion date in which Heap may participate.
“Voters deserve to see the decision-making process, understand the rationale behind site selection, and hear directly from both the Board and the Recorder,” said Stewart. “Transparency strengthens trust and improves outcomes.”
AZ Free News is your #1 source for Arizona news and politics. You can send us news tips using this link.
by Staff Reporter | Mar 4, 2026 | News
By Staff Reporter |
The Arizona Senate passed legislation to allow voters to decide whether or not they have photo radar.
SCR 1004 would allow voters to decide whether they should be the ones to decide on photo radar installations in their communities. If passed and approved, jurisdictions with photo radar would need to receive voter approval or shut that form of automated policing down within 90 days. The bill passed with all Republicans in support and all Democrats against.
Sen. Wendy Rogers (R-LD7), who is behind the bill, says Arizonans should have the final say on installations of photo radar in their communities.
“Arizonans deserve a direct voice in whether automated ticketing systems operate in their communities,” said Rogers. “This measure restores accountability and makes sure enforcement decisions are made by voters specific to each town or city, not outsourced systems that many residents believe prioritize fines over fairness. If these programs truly have public support, they should be able to earn it at the ballot box.”
Rogers previously got a bill through the legislature to ban photo radar. Gov. Katie Hobbs vetoed that bill.
Several citizens spoke in favor of the bill.
Among them was Shawn Dow, who referenced in his testimony an investigative report that $140 million went to political candidates from the 11 percent cut of photo radar tickets, and that in one case the city of Mesa was forging judge signatures on photo radar tickets.
In the latter instance, the city continued using autopen signatures for judges who retired months before.
“This is unconscionable that you are taking $140 million and taking it and putting it into your campaign coffers,” said Dow.
Mesa issued a notification that they wouldn’t issue notices to the recipients of forged autopen tickets, nor would they dismiss them. Mesa’s assistant city manager, Ken Cost, told AZ Family last month that the judges’ signatures were ornamental.
“It’s legally valid. The name is inconsequential. Totally understand where people are coming with their concern, but people need to understand their tickets were valid in the city of Mesa,” said Cost. “It was a process error, not a legal error.”
Not all were on board with how the original form of the bill would have empowered voters to decide on photo radar statewide. An approved amendment to the bill does allow local authorities and state agencies to implement photo enforcement systems by December 2026, but would require local voter approval every 10 years.
Police leadership from Phoenix, Paradise Valley, Mesa, and Scottsdale urged lawmakers to allow more room for voter input.
Commander Nick Diponzio with the Phoenix Police Department explained to the committee that law enforcement relies on photo radar due to the ongoing officer shortage.
“Ideally, I would have a motor officer on every corner. However, during these challenging times technology can serve as an effective tool to reduce collisions and enhance roadway safety,” said DiPonzio.
Chief Freeman Carney with the Paradise Valley Police Department said photo radars assist with reducing fatalities, citing their low rates of road fatalities despite getting tens of millions of drivers on their roads a year.
Commander Stephanie Derivan with the Mesa Police Department emphasized their local community support for photo radar. Derivan shared city statistics reflecting low recidivism among drivers who received photo radar tickets.
“This is an important tool that we need to slow people down near our children,” said Derivan.
Should the House approve the bill, the resolution would be referred to the ballot for Arizona voters to decide.
AZ Free News is your #1 source for Arizona news and politics. You can send us news tips using this link.
by Staff Reporter | Mar 2, 2026 | News
By Staff Reporter |
The Maricopa County Board of Supervisors (MCBOS) issued its polling place map for early voting, but the Maricopa County Recorder says its uneven distribution may disenfranchise voters.
Recorder Justin Heap issued a letter on Thursday to the MCBOS expressing these concerns. Heap said he doesn’t support the plan.
“I have serious concerns that the proposed early voting plan [the Board] provided makes voting inconvenient and inaccessible for a large number of Maricopa County voters,” said Heap. “I cannot support a plan that does not provide all voters a reasonably equal opportunity to vote. I remain willing to work in good faith. But cooperation does not mean rubber-stamping a plan my office had no role in building, and which fails to adequately protect the voters.”
According to the map, areas with higher population counts have significantly less early voting sites compared to areas with lower population counts. As an example, Tempe (population 180,000) has three designated early voting sites while Mesa (population 500,000) has one.
That Mesa voting site is not in the center of the city; it is located in the southeast corner, meaning most voters would have to travel over 10 miles to reach the location.
“That kind of imbalance makes voting more difficult in large portions of the county and risks leaving a substantial percentage of county voters without reasonable access to early voting,” said Heap. “Elections should be fair and accessible for everyone, regardless of where they live.”
In addition to those alleged troubles, Recorder Heap said that “no staff, funding, equipment, or planning authority” has been transferred to him by MCBOS as of the letter. Per Heap, the MCBOS Elections Director, Scott Jarrett, delivered to him an early voting plan on Monday developed without the involvement of his office and asked for an approval by Friday.
“Maricopa County voters made clear they seek us to have collaboration based on the statutory division of duties, rather than artificial deadlines or public narratives that obscure the facts and cause voter confusion,” said Heap.
Arizona law requires the board to provide funds and resources to the recorder’s office.
In response, Chair Kate Brophy McGee and Vice Chair Debbie Lesko issued a joint statement dismissing his claims as “misleading and disappointing.” McGee and Lesko said the board would continue to plan for Election Day regardless of Heap’s rejection of the plan.
“We offered to help him because he’s never done [early in-person voting] before, and time is of the essence,” read the joint statement. “We even gave him a list of more than 160 voting centers he could use or modify, but we can’t force him to accept our assistance.”
The board issued a letter on Tuesday to Heap asking whether he would accept Jarrett’s plan for early in-person voting. According to their letter, the plan opposed by Heap maintained consistency with practices implemented by Heap’s predecessors.
“The Board of Supervisors strongly supports maintaining a comprehensive early in-person program consistent with prior practices,” stated the letter.
AZ Free News is your #1 source for Arizona news and politics. You can send us news tips using this link.
by Staff Reporter | Mar 1, 2026 | News
By Staff Reporter |
Arizona’s elected leaders reacted along a partisan divide to the U.S. attack to liberate Iran from the Islamic regime.
Arizona’s Republican congressional officials have signaled support for President Donald Trump’s decision to launch a joint military operation against Iran, and called for an end to the partial government shutdown to ensure full funding for this military venture.
Arizona’s Democratic officials oppose the attack. They are looking to compel a vote on the War Powers Resolution, though all conceded their opposition to the continued existence of the Iranian regime.
Early Saturday morning, the U.S. and Israel attacked over a dozen areas across Iran, at least, including the capital Tehran. The attacks resulted from Iran’s failures to meet nuclear negotiations. Iran retaliated with missile strikes without success.
Key fatalities include several senior Iranian officials. The fate of Iran’s longtime supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, remains disputed as of this report. A spokesman for Iran’s foreign ministry claimed Khamenei was alive. However, President Donald Trump announced on Saturday afternoon that Khamenei was dead.
“[Khamenei] was unable to avoid our Intelligence and Highly Sophisticated Tracking Systems and, working closely with Israel, there was not a thing he, or the other leaders that have been killed along with him, could do. This is the single greatest chance for the Iranian people to take back their Country,” said Trump.
Trump said the bombings would continue until peace was achieved in the Middle East.
Trump urged Iranians to conduct a regime change in an address shared to social media early Saturday morning. Trump said the U.S. attacked Iran to eliminate threats to the American regime.
“I say tonight that the hour of freedom is at hand,” said Trump. “When we are finished, take over your government, it will be yours to take. This will be probably your only chance for generations. For many years you have asked for America’s help but you never got it. No president was willing to do what I am willing to do tonight.”
To the Islamic Revolutionary Guard, armed forces, and police, Trump advised them to cease their resistance.
“Lay down your arms and you will be treated fairly with total immunity, or you will face certain death,” said Trump.
Rep. Abe Hamadeh (R-AZ08) called on Democrats in Congress to end the partial government shutdown in order to provide full funding to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).
Rep. Juan Ciscomani (R-AZ06) said Iran chose this escalation, not the U.S.
“Today’s action by President Trump sends a clear message: the Iranian regime’s aggression and destabilizing threats will not go unanswered,” said Ciscomani. “For decades, the Iranian regime has funded terror, attacked our allies, and threatened American servicemembers.”
Rep. Yassamin Ansari (D-AZ03) expressed reluctance to recognize Trump’s authority to launch a war without congressional authorization. Ansari’s parents came to the U.S. as Iranian refugees of the Islamic regime.
“Consistent with my previous votes, public statements, and the consensus in my district, I believe no president — Republican or Democrat — has the authority to launch military strikes of this magnitude without Congressional approval,” said Ansari. “I want a free Iran and a future of democracy and dignity for the Iranian people. Those goals must be part of a coherent strategy that does not risk chaos or another endless war in the Middle East and require seriousness and leadership equal to the stakes.”
Rep. Greg Stanton (D-AZ04) said none would mourn the collapse of the Islamic Republic, but that Trump was wrong for launching such an attack.
“[T]he United States cannot be dragged into another open-ended foreign war. Americans know the cost of conflicts with no clear strategy, no defined objectives, and no end in sight, and they do not want to repeat those mistakes,” said Stanton.
Rep. Adelita Grijalva (D-AZ07) accused Trump of entering the U.S. into another “forever war,” characterizing this latest attack as both reckless and needless.
“Taking the United States into a major military conflict without debate or the consent of the people’s representatives is a clear violation of Congress’s constitutional war powers,” said Grijalva.
Sen. Ruben Gallego claimed there was another pathway for the U.S. supporting Iranian regime change without going to war.
“Young working-class kids should not pay the ultimate price for regime change and a war that hasn’t been explained or justified to the American people,” said Gallego. “Strikes are underway and Congress hasn’t voted. No President gets to drag working-class Americans into another war without authorization.”
Sen. Mark Kelly, like Grijalva, questioned Trump’s promise of keeping the U.S. out of war.
“The Iranian people deserve freedom. They deserve the right to choose their own leaders. So, what’s the plan for what comes next?” said Kelly. “I don’t think Donald Trump knows the answer, and that’s dangerous when American lives are on the line.”
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