by Staff Reporter | Nov 25, 2025 | News
By Staff Reporter |
The Arizona Supreme Court held a hearing on Monday to decide whether the city of Phoenix can hide certain public records.
The city is being sued by the Goldwater Institute, a Phoenix-based public policy and litigation organization, over its hiding of records concerning union negotiations.
In Goldwater v. Phoenix, the Goldwater Institute argued the city of Phoenix has a duty to disclose those records in order to allow the public to have an informed decision, and because they serve as the entity negotiating on behalf of the public.
The organization filed their lawsuit in March of 2023 after the Phoenix Law Enforcement Association (PLEA) declined to provide a draft memoranda of understanding (MOU) for public input at the end of 2022. PLEA had provided its MOU drafts in preceding years.
Per the city’s “Meet and Confer” ordinance, unions must submit MOUs by Dec. 1 in the year before the expiration of an operative agreement so that the public may provide input prior to negotiations between the union and city.
Despite not having a draft MOU available for the public to review, the Phoenix City Council moved forward with a meeting to collect public comment on an unsubmitted draft.
The city then began negotiations in January 2023.
The city of Phoenix refused to give PLEA’s draft MOU to the Goldwater Institute upon request, claiming the records were exempt from public records disclosure because public scrutiny would burden negotiations.
The city claimed they were protected under the state’s public records law exemption allowing the withholding of records should they prove detrimental to a government’s best interest.
“Releasing those types of materials would create a chilling effect on the parties’ willingness to candidly engage with each other and it would hinder the negotiations process,” said the city in their denial message.
The city also expressed concerns that public access to MOUs would politicize union negotiations.
Parker Jackson, Goldwater Institute staff attorney, disagreed that these records were covered by the best interests exemption.
“With few exceptions, public records must be made available to the public,” said Jackson in a press release. “When there’s a need to protect things like personal privacy or public safety, the government must be able to show that specific and significant harm is likely to result from public disclosure. It cannot simply withhold information based on self-interested speculation that some minimal inconvenience ‘might’ occur.”
In January, the Arizona Court of Appeals remanded the case to the Arizona Superior Court so that court could privately review unredacted and redacted versions of the contested MOU documents, and determine whether the documents deserved exemption from public disclosure according to the best interests of the state.
The Arizona Supreme Court is considering two issues in this case:
- Did the Court of Appeals err by not requiring the City, after it invoked the “best interests of the state” exception, to establish a probability that specific, material harm will result from disclosure, as Mitchell v. Superior Court requires?
- Did the Court of Appeals err by not applying the Carlson v. Pima County balancing test de novo to independently determine whether the City’s purported interests in nondisclosure outweigh the presumption in favor of disclosure?
The public may watch the archived video of Goldwater v. Phoenix here.
AZ Free News is your #1 source for Arizona news and politics. You can send us news tips using this link.
by Jonathan Eberle | Nov 25, 2025 | News
By Jonathan Eberle |
A new analysis from the Reason Foundation places Arizona 17th in the nation for unfunded pension liabilities, marking another chapter in the state’s long-running effort to stabilize its public retirement systems. According to the report, Arizona carried $27.3 billion in unfunded pension debt in fiscal year 2024. That figure represents a roughly $10 billion increase over the past decade—a rise that analysts say was expected as part of the state’s transition to reformed retirement plans.
Leonard Gilroy, senior managing director of the Reason Foundation’s Pension Integrity Project, told The Center Square that Arizona anticipated higher unfunded liabilities in the early years after adopting major pension reforms.
Arizona operates four major public pension systems: Arizona State Retirement System (ASRS), Public Safety Personnel Retirement System (PSPRS), Correctional Officer Retirement Plan (CORP), and Elected Officials Retirement Plan (EORP). While PSPRS, CORP, and EORP underwent substantial structural changes, ASRS—the state’s largest pension system—did not. As a result, ASRS now accounts for 70% of the state’s total pension liabilities and is the only major system whose funded status declined from 2014 to 2024.
Gilroy noted that taxpayers are responsible for about two-thirds of the state’s pension debt, with active employees covering the remaining one-third. However, he emphasized that recent reforms have led to a more equitable cost-sharing model between workers and taxpayers. Between 2014 and 2024, Arizona’s overall pension funded ratio improved slightly—from 72% to 74.3%. That means the state has roughly three-quarters of the assets needed to cover its estimated $106.6 billion in future pension obligations.
The improvement, Gilroy said, reflects a decade of “difficult reforms and difficult decisions,” including reducing investment return assumptions, paying down existing debt, and creating new retirement options for incoming public employees. A major turning point came in 2016, when lawmakers approved Senate Bill 1428, giving government employees hired after July 1, 2017, a choice between a traditional defined benefit pension and a defined contribution plan similar to a 401(k). The shift was designed to better match the modern workforce, which is less likely to stay in a single job for an entire career.
Arizona’s pension trajectory is improving, he added, but the state will need to maintain its reforms and continue meeting its investment return targets to keep progress on track. “If you put in the money now,” Gilroy said, “you save that money in the long run because you’re not trying to chase the problems of the past.”
While challenges remain—particularly within ASRS—experts say Arizona has a realistic path to achieving full funding if the state’s current course continues.
Jonathan Eberle is a reporter for AZ Free News. You can send him news tips using this link.
by Matthew Holloway | Nov 24, 2025 | News
By Matthew Holloway |
Congressman Andy Biggs has called out Arizona Gov. Katie Hobbs for “blatant hypocrisy” after she publicly pitched the benefits of the federal Working Families Tax Cut, a policy she previously denounced as a “betrayal.”
In a statement released Thursday, Biggs said Hobbs is “shamelessly” attempting to attach herself to a Republican-driven tax package that she vocally opposed earlier this year.
“After calling the Working Families Tax Cut a ‘betrayal,’ Katie Hobbs now shamelessly wants to take credit for the tax cuts passed by President Trump and Congressional Republicans,” Biggs said. The congressman provided links to her July comments to Fox10 in which the Governor stated:
“This bill is a betrayal of working families, children, and seniors in Arizona who will lose their healthcare, their ability to put food on the table, and good-paying jobs, all to give tax cuts to the people who are already billionaires while ballooning our national debt by $3.4 trillion.”
Biggs argued that despite Hobbs’ prior opposition, Republicans “successfully delivered tax relief to working-class Arizonans and seniors who are being hurt by the rising energy costs of Hobbs’ progressive, green energy agenda.”
On X, Biggs highlighted Hobbs’ recent promotion of her own “Middle Class Tax Cuts Package,” which includes bigger deductions, tax relief for seniors, and exemptions on taxes for tips, overtime, and new car loan interest.
Hobbs, who recently launched her 2026 reelection bid, has highlighted the tax cut in campaign messaging and controversially billed her events as “Arizona First” rallies, as noted by Capitol Media. Biggs asserted that the move reflects political weakness within her own party.
“Even her fellow Democrats are calling her ‘weak’ because they know the truth just like Arizonans do: Katie Hobbs has failed our state, and now she’s trying to cover it up by taking credit for Republican victories,” he said citing an op-ed from AZ Mirror.
The Working Families Tax Cut, a component of the “One Big Beautiful Bill” championed by President Donald Trump, Biggs, and other House Republicans, expanded credits for lower- and middle-income households and included relief provisions for seniors. Hobbs criticized the measure during negotiations, calling it fiscally irresponsible and siding with Democrats who argued it favored Republican priorities.
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 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 Jonathan Eberle | Nov 23, 2025 | News
By Jonathan Eberle |
A new dispute erupted at the Arizona State Capitol on Thursday after Senator J.D. Mesnard (R-LD13), chair of the Senate Committee on Finance, accused Governor Katie Hobbs of misleading the public with an executive order tied to federal tax changes enacted earlier this year.
In a press release, Mesnard said Hobbs’ order directing the Arizona Department of Revenue to update state tax forms “blatantly misleads the public” by implying that her administration was delivering new tax relief. According to Mesnard, the changes she referenced were already established under H.R. 1, a federal tax reform package advanced by former President Donald Trump and congressional Republicans.
Hobbs’ order, he argued, does not create any new state-level reductions. “Middle-class families deserve honesty, not last-minute attempts to steal credit for others’ hard work,” Mesnard said, asserting that Hobbs was attempting to claim political ownership of reforms she opposed. He noted that Democrats in Congress uniformly voted against the federal tax package and that—despite the governor’s framing—the adjustments she cited are already federal law.
Mesnard also criticized the order on procedural grounds, calling it inappropriate for a governor to “direct” the Department of Revenue’s handling of state tax policy. He said such authority rests with the Legislature.
The senator added that Republicans plan to advance legislation next session to formally align Arizona’s tax code with the federal reforms and expand on them where possible. But he warned that Hobbs’ order could create “uncertainty and chaos” for taxpayers in the meantime.
Jonathan Eberle is a reporter for AZ Free News. You can send him news tips using this link.
by Staff Reporter | Nov 23, 2025 | News
By Staff Reporter |
Maricopa County leadership is dissatisfied with the rejection rate of ballot signatures.
Following Wednesday’s canvass of this month’s election, Board of Supervisors Chairman Thomas Galvin said the new signature verification policy was problematic for having yielded a much higher rejection rate compared to years past.
“At this rate, 15,269 ballots would’ve been rejected in ‘24 prez election,” said Galvin. “Only 7,220 were rejected in ‘24.”
About 30,000 ballots were subject to further review, and of those 15,000 went through the curing process. Altogether, about 5,900 ballots were rejected following the curing process out of about 700,000 total cast ballots. An additional 1,000 ballots were rejected for having no signatures and the voter failing to respond to the county’s curing attempts by deadline.
The rejection rate rose to .8 percent this go around. Last year and in 2023, the rejection rate was .3 percent. It was .1 percent in 2022.
The recorder’s office also clarified that this was the first election in decades to send mailed ballots to all voters, which they say also contributed to the higher rejection rate.
Heap responded to Galvin’s criticism by accusing the chairman of deflecting from the county’s election bungles with fabricated, nonexistent issues in his office.
“Instead of holding his own staff accountable for misplacing thousands of Election Day ballots and illegally seizing control of the Recorder’s statutory responsibilities, Chairman Galvin chose to attack the only part of the process that worked flawlessly,” said Heap.
Heap was referencing the misplacement of two sealed transport boxes with nearly 2,300 ballots by election workers this month. The ballots were discovered several days after the election occurred, on the day of the ballot curing deadline. This forced the recorder’s office to complete ballot processing in record time, and attempt to cure ballots in a matter of hours.
Galvin acknowledged the 2022 election was a disaster in private, sources say, but publicly he defended the county’s administration.
The Heap administration implemented certain changes to ease and strengthen signature verification efforts: side-by-side screen viewing of a voter’s on-file signature and their cast ballot signature, rather than having a worker scroll up and down; and requiring three separate levels of review rather than relying on the same person double-checking their work.
During Wednesday’s board of supervisors meeting, Heap repeatedly defended his position that the signature on the cast ballot must match the voter’s historic signatures on file in their record.
“In the end, if we have a signature, and the signature on the envelope does not match the signatures we have on file, and it’s now been reviewed through multiple phases, we cannot accept that signature unless that person calls,” said Heap. “We can make all diligent efforts to reach out but, in the end, the signatures either match or they don’t.”
The supervisors were divided on Heap’s approach — and whether the changes were worth it — although they did agree that the bipartisan review was a good step.
Supervisor Debbie Lesko approved of Heap’s signature verification process.
“I’ll give you credit when credit’s due, and I think if you’ve done it faster and it’s still accurate and you’re able to make it easier for the people, it sounds like a good thing,” said Lesko.
Supervisor Steve Gallardo questioned how time-consuming the process was in comparison to Heap’s predecessor, Stephen Richer. Heap responded that the signature verification has sped up due to the bipartisan team setup, and that they concluded their work the day after the election.
Some familiar voices chimed into the social media chatter over the bristling interactions between select supervisors and Heap.
Maricopa County’s former recorder, Stephen Richer, said Heap’s approach went against the state’s signature verification law.
“That’s not even how statute works,” said Richer.
Richer told KJZZ that election fraud through stolen mail-in ballots in an off-year election was so far-fetched as to be humorous.
“It’s laughable to think 5,000-plus people stole ballot envelopes and forged signatures so they could cast one more vote in a school bond election,” said Richer.
ABC15’s Garrett Archer said Heap’s multiple levels of review was problematic because matching signatures has a certain level of subjectivity that can cause individuals to disagree on what they’re seeing.
“In the old process, private information was on screen that could be used as a second check. This has been stripped to allow observers to be closer to the process,” said Archer. “If they so choose to proceed this way, there will likely be 80,000+ signature elevations in 2026. They need to staff accordingly or this could become a major problem.”
An elections advocate, Merissa Hamilton, countered that signature verification is “ultimately subjective,” and that the elimination of the private information component allows for a more unbiased review of the ballot.
AZ Free News is your #1 source for Arizona news and politics. You can send us news tips using this link.
