by Ethan Faverino | Dec 11, 2025 | Economy, News
By Ethan Faverino |
Arizona’s childcare system is in crisis, with the number of licensed providers plummeting nearly 50% since 2002, while costs have skyrocketed beyond the reach of many working families, according to a new report from the Common Sense Institute (CSI).
The state’s licensed childcare providers have fallen from 5,126 in 2002 to just 2,779 in 2024—a 46% decline that has driven up prices, lengthened waitlists, and left hundreds to thousands of Arizona children without access to formal care.
The report, Childcare in Arizona: An Economic Opportunity with Wide Implications, warns that without urgent policy action, the shortage will continue to push parents—predominantly mothers—out of the workforce and widen economic disparities across urban and rural communities.
Currently, Arizona ranks 6th in the country for infant care costs relative to median income. The state is behind California, Vermont, Washington, Washington, D.C., and Massachusetts.
Licensed facilities have dropped from 4,660 in 2010 to 2,687 in 2022 before a modest rebound to 2,779 in 2024, with closures accelerating to 9.2% annually between 2018 and 2022 due to COVID-era restrictions, labor shortages, and rising regulatory costs.
Arizona has only 256,267 licensed slots for 460,882 children under age 6. Rural counties like Santa Cruz barely have enough licensed capacity to support 1% of the infant population in the county.
“Even as demand remains high, the number of licensed providers has fallen sharply — limiting supply, driving up costs, and constraining labor force participation,” said Glenn Farley, Director of Policy and Research at CSI. “These pressures ripple through the broader economy, reducing productivity and household income. Based on our analysis, expanding access to affordable, quality care is not only good policy, but a necessary step for sustaining long-term economic growth in the state.”
The median daily cost of infant care now stands at $61.40, a 42.7% increase from $43.03 in 2018, requiring a minimum-wage worker to labor 72.8 hours per month just to afford one infant’s care.
Urban counties like Maricopa and Pima fare better than rural areas, yet shortages remain acute. In Maricopa County, infant slot coverage reaches 13%, and families need 37.6 hours at the average wage to afford care.
Childcare workers earn just $13.67 per hour—57 cents for every dollar the average Arizona worker makes, and per-capita employment in the sector has fallen from 1.5 to 0.8 workers per 1,000 residents since its peak.
CSI estimates that closing the childcare gap could bring 50,000 jobs into the workforce, boosting Arizona’s GDP by up to $17.5 billion and generating $188 million in new income tax revenue under a midpoint scenario.
“Costly, scarce childcare sidelines too many parents,” the report concludes. “Make it more available and affordable, and Arizona wins—more people working, higher incomes, and more state revenue.”
Ethan Faverino is a reporter for AZ Free News. You can send him news tips using this link.
by Jonathan Eberle | Dec 4, 2025 | Economy, News
By Jonathan Eberle |
Arizona State Senator Tim Dunn (LD-25) is pushing back against what he describes as misleading and poorly vetted reporting on agricultural practices in Yuma, after a recent Cronkite News article raised concerns about pesticide use and worker safety. The piece has drawn criticism from Dunn who argues it presented opinion as fact.
Dunn, who is a lifelong farmer, said the article mischaracterized common farming practices—particularly the suggestion that pesticides are applied “under the cover of darkness.” He said nighttime application is widely used because conditions are safer for both workers and the environment, with lower winds and reduced pollinator activity.
“Arizona farmers take enormous pride in the safety of their workers, their fields, and the food they produce,” Dunn said. “Seeing an article built almost entirely from an unvetted activist narrative presented as fact—and circulated statewide—is not just disappointing, it’s harmful to the families who feed this country.”
According to Dunn, the article failed to acknowledge that all pesticide products used in Arizona undergo rigorous federal review. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency requires years of toxicology testing, environmental analysis, and worker-safety evaluations before products reach farms. Applicators must also be licensed and adhere to strict state and federal rules.
“These farmers operate under some of the toughest safety rules in the world,” Dunn said. “The article left that reality out entirely.” Dunn also challenged the story’s health claims, noting that large-scale research such as the federally funded Agricultural Health Study has not established the causal links cited by activist groups featured in the report.
“Yuma farmers feed millions of American families every winter,” he said. “The least the media can do is practice responsible journalism anchored in facts—not activist talking points dressed up as news. It’s time newsrooms, and the public institutions training future journalists, did better.”
Jonathan Eberle is a reporter for AZ Free News. You can send him news tips using this link.
by Ethan Faverino | Nov 29, 2025 | Economy, News
By Ethan Faverino |
As families across the nation prepared for Thanksgiving travel, gas prices provided relief at the pump, holding steady around $3 per gallon and marking the lowest levels in years.
According to data from fuel savings tracker GasBuddy and the American Automobile Association (AAA), the national average for regular unleaded gasoline has fallen significantly in 2025, with some stations even offering prices under $2 per gallon for the first time since 2021.
This year’s average price stands at $3.12 per gallon so far, down from $3.31 in 2024 and $3.52 in 2023. The decline follows a peak above $5 per gallon in June 2022, reflecting a steady downward trend that has eased the financial burdens on drivers around the country.
One year ago, the average was $3.06, matching the price of October 2025, with only minor fluctuations of a few cents this pre-Thanksgiving week.
The Trump administration has highlighted these reductions as a direct result of its energy policies since President Donald Trump’s return to the White House.
In October, the White House issued a statement celebrating GasBuddy’s report that national averages had slipped below $3 per gallon – the lowest in four years.
Head of petroleum analysis at GasBuddy, Patrick De Haan, said, “It’s pretty compelling to see gas prices this low, falling ahead of Thanksgiving, and it signals what more Americans could experience in the coming months. Lower seasonal demand, falling oil prices, and rising OPEC output are all pushing prices down. While a few stations have recently dipped below $2 through temporary offers and promotions, this marks the first time we’ve seen a regular sub-$2 price.”
The lowest gas price in the country is now $1.99, available at four stations in Midwest City, Oklahoma, part of the Oklahoma City metro area. Reported on Monday, November 24, these are the first prices below $2 nationwide without discounts or promotions, marking the lowest U.S. prices since 2021.
In Arizona, gas prices have remained remarkably stable in recent weeks, with the current average for regular unleaded at $3.336 per gallon – just 4 cents below what it was a week ago ($3.380). Compared to October ($3.339), regular prices have essentially held flat, while showing a modest year-over-year increase of 12.2 cents from $3.214.
Ethan Faverino is a reporter for AZ Free News. You can send him news tips using this link.
by Ethan Faverino | Nov 24, 2025 | Economy, News
By Ethan Faverino |
The American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF) released its 40th annual Thanksgiving Dinner Cost Survey, revealing welcoming news for American families. The average cost of a classic Thanksgiving meal for 10 people has fallen to $55.18, or $5.52 per person—a decrease of more than 5% from 2024 and the third straight year of declines.
While the drop provides some relief at the checkout, AFBF cautions that prices remain well above pre-2022 levels, following a record-high average of $64.05.
AFBF Economist Faith Parum, Ph.D., said, “It’s encouraging to see some relief in the price of turkeys, as it is typically the most expensive part of the meal. Farmers are still working to rebuild turkey flocks that were devastated by avian influenza, but overall demand has also fallen. The combination will help ensure turkey will remain an affordable option for families celebrating Thanksgiving.”
2025 Classic Thanksgiving Menu Price Changes (for 10 people)
- 16-lb turkey: $21.50 (−16.3%)
- Stuffing (14 oz): $3.71 (−9%)
- Dinner rolls (1 dozen): $3.56 (−14.6%)
- Sweet potatoes (3 lbs): $4.00 (+37%)
- Veggie tray (1 lb carrots & celery): $1.36 (+61.3%)
- Fresh cranberries (12 oz): $2.28 (−2.8%)
- Pumpkin pie mix (30 oz): $4.16 (+0.1%)
- Whipping cream (½ pint): $1.87 (+3.2%)
- Frozen peas (1 lb): $2.03 (+17.2%)
- Pie crusts (2): $3.37 (−0.8%)
- Milk (1 gal): $3.73 (+16.3%)
- Misc. ingredients: $3.61 (−4.7%)
Thanksgiving dinner costs vary significantly across different regions. Families in the South enjoy the nation’s lowest average price for a classic meal for 10 at $50.01, followed by the Midwest at $54.38, the Northeast at $60.82, and the West at $61.75.
When adding ham, russet potatoes, and green beans to create an expanded menu, the South remains the most affordable at $71.20, while the West is the priciest at $84.97.
“We are blessed to live in a country capable of producing such an abundant food supply, and for that we should be thankful,” said AFBF President Zippy Duvall. “Despite modest declines this Thanksgiving, food prices remain a real concern for many families — including farm families. We lost 15,000 farms last year due to low crop prices, high input costs, and trade uncertainty. Every farm lost moves us closer to greater consolidation and reliance on foreign food sources. We urge Congress to address these challenges so America’s farm families can continue growing the safe, affordable food we all depend on every day of the year.”
The White House also celebrated the lower cost of Thanksgiving this year, noting President Trump’s promise to lower prices and cut inflation. Retailers are stepping up with their cheapest Thanksgiving meals in years:
- Walmart’s feast for 10 is down 25% from last year, with its lowest turkey price since 2019 at under $4 per person.
- Lidl’s Thanksgiving meal is $10 less, clocking in at $3.60 per person for 10.
- Aldi’s Thanksgiving meal is $7 cheaper and at 2019 lows, $4 per person for 10.
- Target’s meal for four is at its lowest price ever, at $5 per person.
- Schnucks, one of the nation’s largest privately held supermarket chains, is selling turkeys at prices not seen in over 15 years.
Ethan Faverino is a reporter for AZ Free News. You can send him news tips using this link.
by Matthew Holloway | Nov 21, 2025 | Economy, News
By Matthew Holloway |
A new report from the Common Sense Institute (CSI) Arizona examines the state’s management of its state trust lands, set aside in 1912. It makes the case that the lands represent a “$140 Billion Missed Opportunity.” CSI Arizona argues that the beneficiaries of the trust, primarily K-12 education, could benefit from developing the land, while potentially addressing Arizona’s growing demand for developable space.
Released by the nonpartisan research organization, the full report, “Building What Was Promised: Correcting the Missed Opportunity of Arizona’s Land Grant While Addressing its Growing Need for Space,” details the history, current status, and projected impacts of the Arizona State Land Department’s (ASLD) administration of approximately 9.2 million acres of trust land.
In a release posted to X on Wednesday, the CSI wrote, “Arizona’s State Land Trust was supposed to be a generational funding engine for K–12 schools. But new research shows how much potential has been left on the table. CSI finds Arizona could have distributed up to $140 billion to K–12 students if trust land had been sold and reinvested more efficiently over the last century — compared to just $5.8 billion distributed to date.”
Arizona received about 10.96 million acres under The Arizona-New Mexico Enabling Act of 1910, with roughly 8 million acres dedicated to K-12 education—one of the largest such grants in the nation. As of 2024, the state retains approximately 84% of its original grant, compared to an average of 36% across other land-grant states. More than 80% of the remaining trust land is used for low-intensity purposes such as grazing or rights-of-way, generating an average annual return of $8.40 per acre for K-12 beneficiaries.
The report estimates that historical delays in selling and developing trust lands have cost beneficiaries approximately $134 billion in lost distributions over the past century. Had lands been sold early (1913–1923) and proceeds invested at market rates, the K-12 Permanent Land Endowment Trust Fund (PLETF) could be worth $163 billion today, compared to its current combined value (distributions plus assets) of approximately $19 billion.
The ASLD has grown the trust’s value from $811 million in 1995 to $8.7 billion today, with the PLETF reaching over $9 billion in 2024. However, only 80,000 acres statewide are under commercial lease, and since 1998, the department has sold 101,600 acres while initiating new commercial leases on just 588 acres.
The report identifies up to 3 million acres of trust land within a 10-mile radius of population centers and argues that even if a portion of this land were sold or leased strategically, Arizona could add more than 1 million new housing units over the next 20 years easing pressure on a market where prices have risen more than 40% since the pandemic.
An econometric model using REMI TaxPI+ projects that an orderly sale of remaining trust lands over the next decade could generate $18.5 billion in direct revenue, $55 billion in new economic activity, and an additional $65 billion in distributions to public schools over 50 years, while reducing housing prices by approximately 10% over two decades.
Arizona remains one of the most land-constrained states in the country. Roughly 83% of all land within its borders is publicly owned, in the form of federal, tribal, or state trust land, leaving comparatively little privately held land for growth.
CSI argues that this structural constraint has pushed up development costs and slowed housing construction, even as the state’s population has more than doubled over the past 30 years.
The study concluded that modernizing ASLD’s statutory framework, improving development timelines, and exploring new leasing and disposition tools could unlock long-untapped value for taxpayers, schools, and communities.
Matthew Holloway is a senior reporter for AZ Free News. Follow him on X for his latest stories, or email tips to Matthew@azfreenews.com.
by Ethan Faverino | Nov 20, 2025 | Economy, News
By Ethan Faverino |
While entrepreneurship is surging across the United States, a new nationwide study by iPostal1, using U.S. Census Bureau data, reveals that not every state is riding the same wave.
Arizona lands solidly in the middle at 24th place, recording 1,275 business applications per 100,000 residents and a total of 121,091 new filings in 2024—a healthy 58.2% increase since 2019.
That positions Arizona just behind regional neighbor Nevada (23rd, 1,695 per 100,000) and ahead of New Mexico (28th, 952 per 100,000), making it a moderate but steady player in the national entrepreneurial boom.
Nationally, New York tops the list with a staggering 39,422 business applications per 100,000 residents and 291,773 total filings in 2024 alone—nearly doubling Florida in second place (20,461 per 100,000). Florida recorded the highest raw total at 631,896 applications in 2024 (up 61.3% since 2019), followed by Georgia with 242,706 (up 41.1% since 2019).
At the opposite end, North Dakota ranked last with only 95 applications per 100,000 residents—less than 0.25% of New York’s rate. Rounding out the bottom five are Delaware (145 per 100,000), Idaho (156 per 100,000), Vermont (170 per 100,000), and South Dakota (191 per 100,000).
While many states remain sluggish, some showed explosive growth. Wyoming led the nation with a 215.8% surge in applications since 2019, followed by Delaware with a 121.6% increase. Alaska, however, saw the smallest growth in the nation at just 12.2%.
“The U.S. has no shortage of ambition, but opportunity isn’t spread evenly,” said Jeff Milgram, CEO and founder of iPostal1. “In states like New York, Florida, and Texas, entrepreneurship is booming – people are starting businesses, taking risks, and finding opportunity. But other states are still catching up. Sometimes it’s access to funding, sometimes local policy, or just the confidence that new ventures will be supported. Those details matter more than most people think.”
“When small businesses can find funding, mentorship, and a clear path through regulation, as well as the tools and resources to set up their businesses which include virtual mailing addresses and digital mailboxes, we see numbers rise fast,” Milgram concluded, “as we’ve seen not just in Wyoming and Delaware, but across much of the South and Northeast.”
Ethan Faverino is a reporter for AZ Free News. You can send him news tips using this link.
