by Daniel Stefanski | Sep 23, 2024 | Economy, News
By Daniel Stefanski |
Dozens of Arizona Republicans running for the state legislature received endorsements from a key organization for their support of small businesses.
Late last month, the National Federation for Independent Business Arizona PAC endorsed 51 individuals for their General Election races in the upcoming November contests.
“Locally-owned businesses are the foundation of our state’s economy, creating good-paying jobs and thriving communities,” NFIB State Director Chad Heinrich said. “A recent NFIB survey found that inflation and health care costs are taking a serious toll on our small business owners. These candidates understand the challenges small business owners face and support policies that will make it easier to do business in our state.
Heinrich added, “On behalf of our small business owner members, I’m proud to announce these endorsements for the 2024 general election, and ask all Arizonans to support these pro-small business candidates.”
Senator J.D. Mesnard, one of the Republicans who received an endorsement, said, “I’m proud to have been among a small group of Arizona legislators to receive the Guardian of Small Business Award from the National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB), the state’s leading small business advocacy organization. My colleagues, President Petersen and Senator Shope, also received this award for their work. NFIB holds legislators accountable for the way they vote on important small business issues. I believe that state government should follow the same financial guidelines that any responsible individual or family would follow: spend only what’s necessary, don’t rack up debt, invest in your learning, save for the future, and when times get tough, find responsible ways to trim. We should also create and protect policies that allow small businesses to thrive in our state. I have always voted on legislation with those beliefs in mind. This session, I received a 100% on the NFIB Arizona voting record.”
The NFIB endorsements are as follows:
Endorsed candidates:
Senate
District 01 Mark Finchem
District 02 Shawnna Bolick
District 03 John Kavanagh
District 04 Carine Werner
District 07 Wendy Rogers
District 10 David Farnsworth
District 13 J.D. Mesnard
District 14 Warren Petersen
District 15 Jake Hoffman
District 16 T.J. Shope
District 17 Vince Leach
District 19 David Gowan
District 25 Tim Dunn
District 27 Kevin Payne
District 28 Frank Carroll
District 29 Janae Shamp
House
District 01 Selina Bliss
District 01 Quang Nguyen
District 02 Ari Bradshaw
District 02 Justin Wilmeth
District 03 Joseph Chaplik
District 03 Alexander Kolodin
District 04 Pamela Carter
District 04 Matt Gress
District 07 Walt Blackman
District 07 David Marshall
District 09 Kylie Barber
District 10 Justin Olson
District 13 Jeff Weninger
District 13 Julie Willoughby
District 14 Laurin Hendrix
District 14 Khyl Powell
District 15 Neal Carter
District 15 Michael Way
District 16 Chris Lopez
District 16 Teresa Martinez
District 17 Rachel Jones
District 17 Cory McGarr
District 19 Lupe Diaz
District 19 Gail Griffin
District 23 Michele Peña
District 25 Michael Carbone
District 25 Nick Kupper
District 27 Lisa Fink
District 27 Tony Rivero
District 28 Beverly Pingerelli
District 28 David Livingston
District 29 Steve Montenegro
District 29 James Taylor
District 30 Leo Biasiucci
District 30 John Gillette
Daniel Stefanski is a reporter for AZ Free News. You can send him news tips using this link.
by Daniel Stefanski | Sep 23, 2024 | News
By Daniel Stefanski |
Maricopa County voters appear to be locked in with their support of a sales tax renewal for the November General Election.
Earlier this month, Noble Predictive Insights (NPI) released a poll to show that Maricopa County voters were overwhelmingly in support of Proposition 479.
Proposition 479 is a result of SB 1102, which was passed in 2023, requiring “that the Maricopa County Board of Supervisors call a countywide election for the continuation of the county transportation tax at least two years before the expiration of the tax, and shall conduct that election on a consolidated election date no less than one year before the expiration of the tax.”
The official title of the measure is the “Regional Strategic Transportation Infrastructure Investment Plan.”
If passed by Maricopa County voters, the revenues would be allocated in the following manner: “(a) 40.5 percent to freeways and other routes in the state highway system; (b) 37 percent to public transportation; and (c) 22.5 percent to arterial streets, intersection improvements and regional transportation infrastructure.”
According to the September survey released from NPI, Proposition 479 had 64 percent support from voters in August, compared to 18 percent opposition. Nineteen percent of voters were undecided about the question at hand.
The numbers for Proposition 479 are largely unchanged from two previous polls, dating back to July 2023. Opposition to the measure has only increased by a single percentage point since July 2023, while support has increased by eight percent during that same time frame.
“Maricopa County voters have had their minds made up for a year on this proposition – campaigns for it have clearly worked, and Prop 479 is on the fast track to victory in November,” said Mike Noble, NPI Founder & CEO.
After the Arizona Legislature passed a compromise for this proposal in July 2023, Republican Senate President Warren Petersen claimed victory, calling SB 1102 “the most conservative transportation plan in our state’s history.” He added, “The guardrails, taxpayer protections and funding allocations in the text of this bill reflect the priorities of voters, to reinvest their tax dollars in the transportation modes they use most.”
Democrat Governor Katie Hobbs, who signed the compromise, was diplomatic in her statement, saying, “Today, bipartisan leaders invested in the future of Arizona families, businesses, and communities. The passage of the Prop 400 ballot measure will secure the economic future of our state and create hundreds of thousands of good-paying jobs for Arizonans. I am glad we were able to put politics aside and do what is right for Arizona.”
Members of the Arizona Freedom Caucus were adamantly opposed to the bill as it was released and approved. After the Prop 400 plan passed through the Arizona Legislature, the Freedom Caucus tweeted, “Legislative conservatives near unanimously opposed this horrible bill. Conservative watchdog groups unanimously opposed it. The bill may have been better than the communists at @MAGregion’s horrific plan, but that’s a ludicrously low bar for success. This bill was antithetical to conservatism.”
The breakthrough on the Prop 400 compromise between Republicans and Democrats in Arizona’s divided government took place after Governor Hobbs vetoed a Republican proposal earlier that summer. At that time, Hobbs stated, “I just vetoed the partisan Prop 400 bill that fails to adequately support Arizona’s economic growth and does nothing to attract new business or create good-paying jobs.”
In May 2023, the governor had created unrest over ongoing negotiations, allegedly sending out a tweet that highlighted her fight with Republicans at the Legislature at the same time she was meeting with Senate President Warren Petersen.
Petersen stressed the importance of the agreed-upon bill, asserting that officials had “secured a good, responsible product for the citizens of Arizona to consider in 2024, giving voters the option to enhance critical infrastructure that our entire state relies upon.”
This NPI poll took place between August 12-16 with just over 1,000 registered Arizona voters, including 595 individuals in Maricopa County.
Daniel Stefanski is a reporter for AZ Free News. You can send him news tips using this link.
by Daniel Stefanski | Sep 23, 2024 | Economy, News
By Daniel Stefanski |
The Arizona House of Representatives continues to make inroads across the world.
Last week, members of the Arizona House of Representatives hosted a delegation from the Republic of Indonesia at the state capitol. According to the press release from the state House, the delegation from the foreign nation was comprised of 12 individuals and consisted of “elected officials, government representatives, and business leaders.” The release revealed that Rahayu Saraswati Dhirakanya Djojohadikusumo, “a recently elected member of the People’s Representative Council, Indonesia’s House of Representatives, and the Deputy Chairperson of the Great Indonesia Movement Party (GERINDRA),” led the delegation to Arizona.
House Speaker Ben Toma, Majority Leader Leo Biasiucci, Representative Justin Wilmeth, and other legislators met the Indonesian delegation. Wilmeth, the Vice Chairman of the House International Trade Committee, issued a statement after the visit from the overseas group. He said, “It was a privilege to meet with the Indonesian delegation and exchange insights on potential trade and investment opportunities between Arizona and Indonesia. Through our discussions, it was evident that Arizona and Indonesia share a strong interest in fostering new opportunities in education, mining, and technology manufacturing. We look forward to exploring ways to strengthen our economic ties and foster mutually beneficial partnerships in the future.”
The Indonesian delegation’s visit to Arizona is another episode in a growing list of relationships that have been cultivated by the Arizona Legislature – particularly through this trade committee. The Committee has been active in traveling outside of the United States and welcoming delegations to its house (no pun intended).
Daniel Stefanski is a reporter for AZ Free News. You can send him news tips using this link.
by Matthew Holloway | Sep 22, 2024 | News
By Matthew Holloway |
Republican Congressman Andy Biggs carried on the well-worn tradition of symbolic and sometimes whimsical naming conventions for congressional bills last week. On Tuesday, Biggs introduced the Keeping Aid for Municipalities and Localities Accountable Act, abbreviated as the KAMALA Act, in a bid to withhold federal funding from states and municipalities providing housing assistance to illegal immigrants.
The obviously pejorative nature of the bill’s name aside, Biggs and his co-sponsors identified the necessity of the bill by pointing to the “Dream for All program” passed in the California legislature last month. That bill would have allowed illegal immimgrants residing in the state to receive a mortgage down payment handout of up to $150,000 bankrolled by California taxpayers, and given that a 14.5% of the state’s budget comes from federal funding, the American people as a whole.
As Biggs’ office noted in a press release, this California bill was vetoed by Democrat Gov. Gavin Newsom, but not based on an issue with the policy, but rather purely on funding grounds, “not a recognition that the policy creates new incentives for illegal immigration and would drive housing prices further out of reach of middle-class Americans.”
In his veto, Newsom wrote, “This bill seeks to prohibit the disqualification of applicants from one of California Housing Finance Agency’s (CalHFA) home-purchase assistance programs based solely on their immigration status. Given the finite funding available for CalHFA programs, expanding program eligibility must be carefully considered within the broader context of the annual state budget to ensure we manage our resources effectively. For this reason, I am unable to sign this bill.”
In response the KAMALA Act, if adopted, would add new legal language to the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program which would prohibit funds from CDBG funded programs to be used to benefit “illegal aliens, parolees, or asylees,” and only benefit American citizens. It would further prohibit the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) from allowing the same funds to be allocated to “states or localities allowing noncitizens to participate in housing assistance programs.”
Biggs said in a statement, “Americans are outraged at the Biden-Harris Administration’s refusal to put the needs of citizens over the comfort of illegal aliens. Democrats across the country are coddling illegal aliens, providing them with housing assistance while hundreds of thousands of Americans live on the streets. Congress must step in and use the power of the purse to ensure that taxpayers aren’t subsidizing these foolish priorities.”
From the text of the KAMALA Act, the bill states, “Notwithstanding any other provision of law, no amount from a grant under section 106 made in fiscal year 2024 or any succeeding fiscal year may be used to assist persons who are neither a national of the United States nor lawfully admitted for permanent residence under section 101(a)(20) of the Immigration and Nationality Act.”
The act is cosponsored by fellow Arizona Congressmen Paul Gosar (R-AZ), Elijah Crane (R-AZ), as well as Reps. Andy Ogles (R-TN), Matt Rosendale (R-MT), Bob Good (R-VA), Jeff Duncan (R-SC), Andy Harris (R-MD), Lauren Boebert (R-CO), Andrew Clyde (R-GA), and Tim Burchett (R-TN).
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 Daniel Stefanski | Sep 22, 2024 | Economy, News
By Daniel Stefanski |
Many Arizona energy consumers are about to see some savings in their bills in time for the holidays.
This month, the Southwest Gas Corporation sent a notice to the Arizona Corporation Commission about a rate decrease to consumers effective at the start of October.
The statement from Doran A. Miller, a Regulator Manager, said, “Pursuant to Decision Nos 74595 and 79038, Southwest Gas is providing notice that the Gas Cost Balancing Account rate will decrease from $0.30911 per therm to $0.00 per therm effective October 1, 2024. This results in a decrease of approximately $7 per month for the average single-family residential customer.”
In an exclusive comment to AZ Free News, Republican Commissioner Kevin Thompson responded to the notice from Southwest Gas, saying, “Any significant savings for the ratepayer should be welcomed, particularly in this economy. The cost of natural gas fuel is required to be passed along to ratepayers as a monthly surcharge that the Commission regularly reviews to make sure customers are paying the actual cost. This helps ensure utilities don’t over collect or earn a profit on this necessary resource.”
Thompson added, “As volatility in domestic and international markets have subsided, and the cost of natural gas dramatically decreases, most Southwest Gas customers will see a noticeable decrease in their monthly gas bill beginning in October.”
Earlier this year, the Corporation Commission shared a report from WalletHub, which showed that Arizona had the second-lowest energy cost out of the 50 states in the North American union with a $400 bill.
According to the Corporation Commission, there were a handful of factors separating Arizona from other states:
- “Diverse generation sources – Arizona relies on a mix of generation sources, from nuclear, natural gas, hydropower, renewables, and battery storage.
- “Self-Sufficiency – Arizona is not dependent on imported power. We tap into the market if needed, but our utilities’ focus is providing Integrated Resource Plans to guarantee future readiness. The Commission diligently oversees upgrades and construction.
- “Proactive maintenance to ensure reliability – The Commission prioritizes daily maintenance and line work leading up to the summer to ensure the grid is ready for the extreme heat and high load.”
Republican Commissioner Lea Marquez Peterson reacted to the report from WalletHub, writing, “The data released in the report reflects the priorities of our Commission – reliable energy at the most affordable rates. I’m proud of the service and affordable rates we work hard to provide to ratepayers throughout the state.”
Daniel Stefanski is a reporter for AZ Free News. You can send him news tips using this link.
by Daniel Stefanski | Sep 22, 2024 | Economy, News
By Daniel Stefanski |
President Donald J. Trump saved a major policy proposal rollout for his trip to Arizona last week.
Earlier this month, President Donald J. Trump visited Tucson, Arizona, and announced the latest installment of his economic plan should voters return him to the White House in the upcoming November General Election.
Trump stated that his administration would “end all taxes on overtime.”
The former president went into further detail about this plank, saying, “Think of that. That gives people more of an incentive to work. It gives the companies a lot. It’s a lot easier to get the people. You know, I went to some economists, great ones, and I said, ‘What do you think?’ They said, ‘It would be unbelievable. You’ll get a whole new workforce by doing that.’ No taxes on overtime! The people who work overtime are among the hardest working citizens in our country, and for too long no one in Washington has been looking out for them.”
Trump added, “Those are the people. They really work. They’re police officers, nurses, factory workers, construction workers, truck drivers, and machine operators. It’s time for the working man and women to finally catch a break, and that’s what we’re doing because this is a good one. And I think it’s going to be great for the country. So that’s why we will be saying that if you’re an overtime worker when you’re past 40 hours a week, your overtime hours will be tax-free.”
After the announcement, the Trump campaign rolled out an endorsement of this proposal from the National Fraternal Order of Police. Patrick Yoes, its president, said, “This would be incredibly impactful for law enforcement officers and their families. SO many officers and their families depend on overtime pay just to get by, so eliminating taxes on this income will actually help these families get ahead. This is just one of the many reasons FOP members voted to endorse President Trump – he understands the needs of working families like ours.”
Former Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich chimed in on his X account, writing, “Trump announced a great new policy yesterday. NO TAXES FOR OVERTIME! When I was growing up & my working parents scrimped & saved, ‘Time & a half over 40 & double time on Sundays’ meant a college education for me. Donald Trump – Champion of working people and the American Dream.”
This latest economic policy proposal follows others from Trump over the past year as the race for the White House has heated up across the country, including ‘no taxes on tips’ and ‘no taxes on Social Security for seniors.’
Daniel Stefanski is a reporter for AZ Free News. You can send him news tips using this link.
