Phoenix Mayor Kate Gallego attacked Arizona’s school choice programming in an attempt to sway Governor Katie Hobbs against an Arizona Diamondbacks funding bill.
In a letter submitted to Hobbs on Tuesday, Gallego expressed opposition over the bill to fund the Arizona Diamondbacks facility renovation, HB2704. The legislation dedicates Chase Field sales and employee income taxes to the renovation.
HB2704 has passed the House with bipartisan support and awaits Senate approval.
Gallego argued the legislation was a “boondoggle” for failing to accurately capture the fiscal impact. Gallego said the Joint Legislative Budget Committee (JLBC) model underestimated the predicted cost to taxpayers derived from the city’s actual tax collection data by nearly half, equating the underestimation to the Empowerment Scholarship Account (ESA) Program.
“Just like the state’s Empowerment Scholarship Account Program or the infamous Alt-Fuels bill, there is not a high-end cap on this bill to act as a safeguard for taxpayers,” said Gallego. “I urge that you work with the Legislature to demand responsible and enforceable parameters for the amount of taxpayer dollars spent on an annual and aggregate basis.”
The JLBC model estimated a $471 million cost over 30 years, sans fiscal impact data input from the Department of Revenue. Per Gallego, the city of Phoenix estimated an $825 million cost over 30 years.
“After accounting for lost construction sales tax revenue, additional revenues that can follow a significant renovation to a major league sports facility, and inflation over 30 years, the bill in its current form will certainly cost more than $1 billion in public funds,” said Gallego.
Last month, Gallego also spoke out against HB2704 publicly. Gallego expressed opposition to the diversion of millions of funds that would have gone to the city otherwise.
“Two-thirds of Phoenix’s general fund supports public safety. Phoenix’s tax dollars are best spent supporting our firefighters who respond to emergencies, helping police fight crime, and combating homelessness — not used to pay for subsidies for those at the very top,” said Gallego.
Recently ousted Arizona State Board of Education (ASBE) member and ESA Program advocate Jenny Clark advised Gallego to dedicate her efforts to improving the city’s budget rather than criticizing the budgeting of another program.
“Maybe Mayor Gallego should focus on her own MASSIVE failures with the city of Phoenix budget, instead of taking cheap shots at Arizona families using the widely popular ESA program,” said Clark.
Clark questioned why Gallego’s critique of increased funding for school choice, given the mayor attended an out-of-state private school in her youth.
The city of Phoenix narrowly avoided a reported $39 million budget deficit by the 2026 fiscal year by passing on the cost to taxpayers. The city previously announced an $85 million annual loss following the state legislature’s elimination of the residential rental tax and the implementation of the flat income tax.
On Tuesday, Gallego and the Phoenix City Council voted to increase the sales tax rate from 2.3 percent to 2.8 percent to avoid making cuts to city programs and services. The increase takes effect on July 1. Only Councilman Jim Waring voted against the sales tax increase.
The Goldwater Institute sued the city over the proposed tax increase earlier this month.
In a letter submitted to Gallego and the council, the public policy institute alleged this latest tax increase to be unconstitutional.
The Goldwater Institute also sued the city last year over allegedly illegal tax breaks for developers.
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The White House Office of National Drug Control Policy’s (ONDCP) Hemisphere Project was thrust into the daylight last week in a release responding to a bipartisan letter from Congressman Andy Biggs (R-AZ) and Senator Ron Wyden (D-OR). According to a press release from Biggs’ office, the Department of Justice (DOJ) Office of the Inspector General (OIG) released unclassified information that was previously redacted from a March 2019 report detailing the use of Administrative Subpoenas to Collect or Exploit Bulk Data by the Drug Enforcement Agency.
Biggs has been calling for transparency on the Hemisphere Project since at least November 2023 when he highlighted the program’s use by former DOJ Special Counsel Jack Smith in an interview with Newsmax.
Biggs explained “It’s the feds actually contracting to buy personal data from big telecom companies, anybody who made a call, even if it wasn’t your telecom company. But if you made a switch to somebody who was in that company, they got your data and they were giving it to the federal government.”
He went on to tell Newsmax, “It is so dangerous what is happening now and what Jack Smith’s doing, this is why we wanted to defund him.”
At the time, a bombshell report from WIRED revealed that the Biden White House had provided over $6 million for the program, allowing the targeting of any calls using AT&T infrastructure. As reported by Breitbart at the time, Sen. Wyden expressed “serious concerns about the legality,” of the program.
In a post to X, the Project for Privacy & Surveillance Accountability responding to the 2023 report wrote, “#Hemisphere is larger than a previous @NSAGov program shuttered after continual abuse & declared illegal by 2nd Circuit. Agents were instructed to never discuss Hemisphere in official docs as far back as 2013 – the parallel construction archetype.”
#Hemisphere is larger than a previous @NSAGov program shuttered after continual abuse & declared illegal by 2nd Circuit. Agents were instructed to never discuss Hemisphere in official docs as far back as 2013 – the parallel construction archetype. @nytimeshttps://t.co/GNB5a1tlaBhttps://t.co/1L8ONejemt
— Project for Privacy & Surveillance Accountability (@savingprivacy) November 21, 2023
Biggs wrote in his letter as Chairman of the Subcommittee on Crime and Federal Government Surveillance, “What you failed to disclose in that op-ed is that your office has – for more than a decade – quietly funded another dragnet surveillance program that has swept up information about millions of law-abiding Americans without meaningful Congressional or judicial oversight.”
In his press release last week, Biggs noted, “Last year, the House Oversight Committee considered legislation to reauthorize the ONDCP. The bill included a number of provisions negotiated by Congressman Biggs that were designed to improve Congressional oversight of ONDCP funded programs, and to protect Americans’ privacy. The release of this information underscores the need for similar legislative reforms to be enacted across government programs.
“Additionally, the ONDCP informed Senator Wyden that federal funding for Hemisphere was ended as of September 30, 2024, and the program has been shut down.”
Congressman Biggs and Senator Wyden issued a joint statement saying, “This report contains information that the public has a right to see. The American people demand transparency from their government, and Congress must work to ensure that the federal government is accountable to its citizens. We’re thankful to DOJ OIG for their work to make new information public, and we look forward to further cooperation in the interest of American citizens.”
Congressmen David Schweikert (R-AZ), Tim Burchett (R-TN), and Steve Cohen (R-TN), co-sponsors of the Justice for Kennedy (JFK) Act, hailed the release of over 1,100 PDF files of documents pertinent to the assassination of President John F. Kennedy in a statement released Tuesday.
Social media and news outlets have been abuzz examining the files, many of which are being seen in unredacted form for the first time, having been previously released with key segments withheld.
The files, which total over 80,000 pages, were released with Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard stating, “President Donald J. Trump promised maximum transparency and a commitment to rebuild the trust of the American people in the Intelligence Community (IC) and federal agencies. Part of that promise was to fully release previously-classified records related to the assassinations of President John F. Kennedy, Senator Robert F. Kennedy, and the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.”
One file that has garnered significant attention from July 19, 1967, refers to a CIA employee named Gary Underhill who was reportedly found dead after he claimed that the agency was responsible for the assassination of the president. “The day after the assassination, Gary Underhill left Washington in a hurry. Late in the evening he showed up at the home of friends in New Jersey. He was very agitated,” the document states. “A small clique within the CIA was responsible for the assassination, he confided, and he was afraid for his life and probably would have to leave the country. Less than six months later Underhill was found shot to death in his Washington apartment. The coroner ruled it suicide.”
Newly released JFK files tell a story about how Gary Underhill, who worked for the CIA, was found dead after he revealed to friends that the CIA was responsible for JFK’s assassination.
“The day after the assassination, Gary Underhill left Washington in a hurry. Late in the… pic.twitter.com/psZkYQ5COi
“It’s been 61 years since the tragic murder of President John F. Kennedy. A truly functioning republic ensures Americans have access to information, and this moment symbolizes the long-awaited restoration of the people’s trust in the federal government,” Congressman Schweikert said in a statement.
“I applaud the Trump Administration for following suit with our Justice for Kennedy Act and requiring all assassination records be unclassified and unredacted.”
Jeff Morley, a former Washington Post reporter and Co-Founder & Editor of JFK Facts, commented on the release saying, “Today’s release needs to include removing the many unnecessary redactions in the JFK files current held at the National Archives. I appreciate Congressman Schweikert’s years of work pushing Administrations of both parties to provide more government transparency on the Assassination of President Kennedy, especially from the CIA.”
More records are expected to become available according to the National Archives who wrote on its JFK Assassination webpage, “As of March 18, 2025, the records are available to access either online at this page or in person, via hard copy or on analog media formats, at the National Archives at College Park, Maryland. As the records continue to be digitized, they will be posted to this page.”
“I am happy that after decades of questions from the public and government cover-ups that the American people finally may have answers to the JFK assassination. President Trump is once again showing his commitment to having the most transparent administration this country has ever seen,” said Congressman Burchett.
“It’s too soon to know whether there’s much in the documents released today, but it is a good sign that some progress toward the goal of full disclosure is under way,” said Congressman Cohen. “The assassinations of the 1960s need to be understood in their full historical context and the documents being released may help us get there.”
On Tuesday, House Democrats took to the House floor to recognize their invited families with disabilities to push the passage of HB2816, a bill to provide funding for the Department of Economic Security (DES). The agency runs out of funds in May.
The bill from Assistant Minority Leader Nancy Gutierrez appropriates $122.3 million in state general funds and nearly $403 million in developmental disabilities Medicaid expenditure authority funds to the DES for developmental disabilities program expenses.
House Democrats are shenanigating to try and bring forward for a floor vote Assistant Leader Nancy Gutierrez’s HB2816 to provide the supplemental funding to keep the program for developmentally disabled children and adults, and paid parental caregivers. Rather than support a… pic.twitter.com/lJ1VHS0mRC
HB2816 did not make it past introduction. However, that didn’t stop House Democrats from attempting to bypass regular processes to get it heard on the floor on Tuesday.
“Republicans are blocking needed supplemental funds to keep the program going past May,” said Arizona House Democrats.
At the risk of getting gaveled down if she mentions developmental disability funding or her bill to save the families who need it, Assistant Democratic Leader Nancy Gutierrez artfully argues against the Republican countermove to block her motion to bring her HB2816 to a floor… https://t.co/52V2zpnkJ1pic.twitter.com/nsBByuiyHe
House Minority Leader Oscar De Los Santos accused House Republicans of being against funding children’s disability services.
“Arizona House Republicans just KILLED the bill to fund lifesaving disability services for children with Down syndrome, autism, and other developmental disabilities. All while heartbroken families watched from the gallery,” said De Los Santos.
BREAKING: Arizona House Republicans just KILLED the bill to fund lifesaving disability services for children with Down syndrome, autism, and other developmental disabilities. All while heartbroken families watched from the gallery. pic.twitter.com/dD0BtYCLJA
House Republicans said Governor Katie Hobbs’ mismanagement was to blame for the budget shortfall and constricted timeline. Majority Leader Michael Carbone alleged to ABC15 that Hobbs had stretched disability services beyond their capabilities without the legislature’s consent.
“She expanded the scope and raised rates, all without the consent of the legislature of the necessary funding to meet her policy changes, and it now threatens the viability of the entire program,” said Carbone.
This wouldn’t be the only area of alleged mismanagement by Hobbs. House leaders addressed the pending shutdown of the Department of Child Safety’s Congregate Care program, which Speaker Steve Montenegro attributed to poor budgeting by Hobbs.
“The governor spends beyond her budget. She waits until it fails, and then she declares an emergency. In January, we were told by the governor’s staff that they needed supplemental funding for DCS,” said House Speaker Steve Montenegro in Monday’s press conference.
Hobbs’ spokesman, Christian Slater, said Republican lawmakers were “lying” about the governor’s budget handling. Slater accused Republicans of attempting 50 percent cuts to the Department of Developmental Disabilities.
“Governor Hobbs produced a balanced budget proposal that secures the border, raises pay for State Troopers and firefighters, combats Veterans homelessness and protects Arizonans with autism, cerebral palsy, and Down Syndrome,” said Slater. “Instead of showing Arizonans a budget plan of their own, Republican lawmakers have gone to the press to lie about the Governor’s budget, refused to enter negotiations, and are holding kids in foster care and Arizonans with disabilities hostage to their political games.”
NEW: Republican lawmakers are lying to their constituents instead of negotiating a budget. Today, we called on them to pass the Governor’s budget. And if they don’t like that, then they need to show Arizonans their plan. pic.twitter.com/KhFzrNlMS0
Major General Kerry Muehlenbeck, the Arizona Adjutant General, will step down from commanding the Arizona National Guard and Department of Emergency and Military Affairs in June, according to Governor Katie Hobbs’ office. General Muehlenbeck was appointed to office in 2021 by then-Governor Doug Ducey.
“It has been an honor to serve as Arizona’s Adjutant General,” Major General Muehlenbeck said in a statement. “To be able to work alongside dedicated men and women, both in and out of uniform, in service to Arizona and the nation is a privilege beyond measure. I appreciate the trust of Governor Hobbs, Governor Ducey, and both their teams. I will always value their commitment to protecting the citizens of Arizona.”
Speaking with the Arizona Capitol Times, she explained that the time has come for her to return to her previous vocation: teaching criminal justice studies at Mesa Community College. According to the outlet, federal law requires civilian employers to hold a member of the military’s job for up to five years while they serve. Major General Muehlenbeck’s five years are up this year.
Muehlenbeck described her working relationship with both Republican and Democrat governors, telling the Arizona Capitol Times, “In the military, you don’t take any of the decisions personally. You’re there to provide your best military advice.” Muehlenbeck continued, “And if I don’t agree inside the room where we’re having discussions, as soon as we walk out of the door, then that decision is the best one we could have made.”
Governor Katie Hobbs released a statement on Monday saying, “I am grateful to Major General Muehlenbeck for her service to the people of Arizona. She is a valued member of my cabinet who is dedicated to fostering public safety across the state. Under her leadership, the Arizona National Guard launched Task Force SAFE, a critical ongoing effort that is preventing dangerous drugs from entering our state. In addition, the Division of Emergency Management and Arizona National Guard embarked on one of its largest rescue missions to date, evacuating more than 100 people when devastating floods swept through Havasupai. I wish Major General Muehlenbeck the best in her future endeavors.”
Hobbs musts now nominate a replacement for General Muehlenbeck, but any nomination will face heavy scrutiny from the Republican-led Arizona Senate Committee on Director Nominations led by Arizona Senator Jake Hoffman. Chairman Hoffman was clear that the decision on any nominee would come down to capability.
“We’re in an age where we want our military men and women, whether that’s the Guard or whether that’s the Marines or the Army, we want them to be the most efficient, effective fighting force possible,” Hoffman said. “Woke ideology of the politicization of our men and women will be an automatic death knell for any Hobbs nominee for this important post.”
On Monday, Arizona House Republicans revealed that the Department of Child Safety’s (DCS) Congregate Care program is bound for bankruptcy in a week’s time and announced the creation of a House Ad Hoc Committee to investigate the responsibility of Democrat Governor Katie Hobbs for a series of fiscal failures.
Arizona House Speaker Steve Montenegro, joined by Majority Leader Michael Carbone, Majority Whip Julie Willoughby, Speaker Pro Tempore Neal Carter, and members of the House Republican Majority called out the governor directly. “This is not a simple oversight—it is gross financial mismanagement at the highest level,” said Speaker Montenegro. “Governor Hobbs has made a habit of overspending, ignoring reality, and then sounding the alarm only when disaster strikes. The difference here is that Arizona’s children will be the ones to suffer for her failures. That’s why I’m taking immediate action.”
The Speaker continued, “This is a pattern. Congregate Care is set to go bankrupt next week. The Governor’s mismanaged Developmental Disabilities program will collapse by the end of April. Her administration failed to budget for formula growth in AHCCCS for two years straight—racking up hundreds of millions in unaccounted costs. The list goes on. This is not leadership. This is incompetence.”
“The people of Arizona didn’t elect us to stand by while the Governor manufactures crisis after crisis. House Republicans will ensure accountability and enforce responsible budgeting, but we expect the Governor to take ownership of her failures. That starts with making her staff available to the Legislature so we can fully understand the depth of this mismanagement and pursue the right solutions. Governor Hobbs may be comfortable with chaos, but we are not.”
As reported by AZ Free News in February, Treasurer Kimberly Yee reported on the allegations against the Hobbs administration in a letter to Chairman of the Arizona House Appropriations Committee, Rep. David Livingston.
In a statement at the time, Livingston said, “I appreciate Treasurer Yee’s clarity in addressing the financial mess Governor Hobbs has created. The issue isn’t ‘missing money’—it’s blatant mismanagement.”
“Under the Governor’s feckless leadership, state agencies are making massive spending decisions with zero legislative oversight, ballooning costs, and expecting taxpayers to foot the bill. This kind of incompetence cannot stand.”
The release from Montenegro detailed that the House Ad Hoc Committee on Executive Budget Mismanagement will examine “how the Governor has consistently mismanaged the budget, ignored financial reality, and allowed critical services to reach the brink of collapse before taking action.”
The Speaker also directed the Chairman of the Joint Legislative Budget Committee to summon the Committee to order and instruct Governor Hobbs to redirect existing funds to handle the crisis and prevent harm to the children in DCS custody noting, “The Governor’s administration failed to spend wisely, and it is their responsibility to fix this situation—not the Legislature’s job to bail them out.”
