A joint Arizona legislative committee hearing made some discoveries about the state governor’s water policies in juxtaposition with the reality of housing affordability and supply.
Last week, both the House Natural Resources, Energy & Water Committee (NREW) and the House Commerce Committee held a joint hearing “to hear testimony from experts on the current state of water policy and its impact on housing supply and affordability in Arizona.”
🚨FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE🚨 Joint House Hearing Finds Governor’s Water Policy Directly Conflicts with Housing Affordability and Supply
“Good news! Updated groundwater modeling conducted in 2024 shows Arizona has water.” -NREW Chairwoman Gail Griffin
— Arizona House Republicans (@AZHouseGOP) April 3, 2024
State Representative Gail Griffin, the Chairwoman of the House NREW Committee issued a statement following the hearing, saying, “Good news! Updated groundwater modeling conducted in 2024 shows Arizona has water. According to independent hydrologists at Matrix New World, the comprehensive groundwater model that was released in June 2023 does not actually describe the amount of groundwater that is available in the basin. The Arizona Department of Water Resources decided unilaterally to model certain wells under the assumption that they would be placed on the side of a mountain rather than in the heart of the aquifer. In addition, the June 2023 model substantially over-estimated groundwater demand while substantially under-estimating future supply to reflect current best practices in water management or the fact that it is currently illegal to build residential subdivisions in the Phoenix metropolitan area without replenishing groundwater.”
“Clearly, this administration is targeting single-family homes and the American way of life,” said NREW Vice Chairman Austin Smith. “Some members of the Governor’s Water Policy Council have an issue with single-family homes and want to see future suburban development come to an end across the state. Governor Hobbs’s water policy and moratorium on new housing development has effectively put urban growth boundaries around the largest cities in our state. These policies didn’t work in states like Oregon and Washington and have only made housing affordability worse. What we’re seeing is a rogue administration that is attempting to use the power of the executive branch to circumvent the legislature and implement illegal housing and population control in Arizona.”
“Arizona is one of the fastest growing states in the nation and relies on new home construction to maintain an affordable housing supply and low-cost standard of living for millions of people,” added Commerce Committee Chairman Justin Wilmeth. “Home ownership is also one of the most effective ways to build generational wealth and lift future generations out of poverty. Bad water policies that prevent the development of new homes directly conflicts with our ability to ensure that first-time homebuyers can purchase at a price that they can afford. If the Department doesn’t change course, millions of people will be excluded from the opportunity to experience home ownership and be forced to pay rent forever.”
“Arizona’s regulatory environment is premised on the foundation that a person who submits an application for a regulatory approval under one set of rules will be entitled to have their application reviewed under that same set of rules,” said Commerce Committee Vice Chairman Michael Carbone. “Arizona water policy under the current administration, however, is the only place where the government has said that the rules can change at any time without notice, even if a developer has already submitted an application under the old set of rules. This is simply irresponsible – no matter how laudable the cause – and has impacted several major housing developers in Arizona who had invested hundreds of millions of dollars in capital improvements to bring thousands of new single-family homes online. These developers played by the rules and did everything they were supposed to do, yet they were denied due process of law in the handling of their applications. The Department must update the June 2023 groundwater model with the latest science and well placement data and lift the moratorium on new housing development without further delay.”
Daniel Stefanski is a reporter for AZ Free News. You can send him news tips using this link.
Rep. Eli Crane, R-Ariz., honored Vietnam War Veterans last week.
Crane partnered with the America Vietnam War Veterans Commemoration to hold an inaugural pinning ceremony for local Vietnam War veterans at VFW Post 9907 in Show Low, Arizona.
The United States of America Vietnam War Commemoration program is a national 50th anniversary commemoration authorized by Congress. Thousands of organizations have joined the program.
Crane himself is a veteran. After 9/11, he enlisted in the Navy, eventually becoming a member of SEAL Team 3. The representative went on five wartime deployments, three of which were to Iraq. He served for a total of 13 years.
“As a veteran myself, it’s heartbreaking to know that many of these heroes who sacrificed so much for this country never received the appreciation and recognition they courageously earned,” Crane said in a news release. “This is a long overdue honor, and I’m humbled to have held the first in a series of Vietnam Veterans pinning ceremonies in Arizona’s Second Congressional District.”
Around 184,000 Vietnam War veterans live in the Grand Canyon state, and many have never been honored for their sacrifice. Crane said he hopes the commemoration changes that.
In his opening remarks at the commemoration, Crane said it was one of the best events he had been part of.
“This is one of the coolest events I have gotten to do since I became a congressman,” he said, “and it is a pleasure to be in the presence of so many of my brothers and sisters, even though I came from a different generation.”
Crane thanked the veterans for their efforts in changing the tone of the nation for returning veterans.
“I got treated better when I came home from Afghanistan than you did returning from Vietnam,” he said. “It is a shame that you got treated that way, and it is a stain upon our country.”
The men and women pinned included Douglas Anglemeyer, U.S. Navy; James Barden, U.S. Army; Joseph Castaldo, U.S. Marine Corps; Lee Crocker, U.S. Army: Jon Dahl, U.S. Navy; Kenneth Dominguez, U.S. Army; Loel Garrison, Jr., U.S. Marine Corps; Douglas Hixson, U.S. Army; Gary Josey, U.S. Marine Corps; Frederick Krieser, U.S. Army; John Lindsey, Jr., U.S. Air Force; Curtis Reed, U.S. Air Force; Richard Robinson, U.S. Army; Robert Schenfeld, U.S. Navy; Richard Thompson, U.S. Navy; Charles Tomlinson, U.S. Navy/Army; David Wright, U.S. Air Force; David Jones with his service dog, Charlie Brown, U.S. Marine Corps; Timothy Smith, U.S. Army; Mary Freeman, Army Reserve/National Guard; Richard Spies, U.S. Marine Corps Mark Reynolds, U.S. Air Force and on Crane’s Veterans Advisory Committee; Charles Baldwin, U.S. Army; Philip Cox, U.S. Army; Debra Anglemeyer, Civil Service; Jeff Denny, U.S. Army; Bruce Walton, U.S. Marine Corps; and John Jenkins, U.S. Army posthumously.
Elizabeth Troutman is a reporter for AZ Free News. You can send her news tips using this link.
Arizona State University plans to use taxpayer dollars to host a talk by former Democratic congresswoman Nancy Pelosi on Monday.
Pelosi will have a conversation with Obama administration strategist David Axelrod as part of the ASU College of Liberal Arts and Sciences’ “Democracy at Work” series. The event is only open to ASU faculty, staff, and students.
Pelosi served as speaker of the house from 2007 to 2011 and from 2019 to 2023.
The talk comes as Pelosi has been actively campaigning for President Joe Biden’s reelection. In March, Biden, former President Barack Obama, and Pelosi held a virtual rally to celebrate the anniversary of the Affordable Care Act (ACA). They touted the ACA for lowering the cost of healthcare, and warned against former President Donald Trump’s efforts to repeal the ACA.
Pelosi has a history of championing left-wing causes. Despite claiming to be Catholic, Pelosi has said it is a “sin” to restrict access to abortion. As a congresswoman, she supported abortion on demand up to the moment of birth.
Other speakers in the “Democracy at Work” series include former Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey, a Republican, journalist Karl Rove, Obama adviser David Plouff, former Republican New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, ASU President Michael Crow, and Rep. Pete Aguilar, D-Calif.
Axelrod is professor of practice at Arizona State University and senior political commentator for CNN. He is the host of the “Axe Files” and is the founding director of the University of Chicago’s non-partisan Institute of Politics.
Patrick Kenney, the Dean of ASU’s College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, did not immediately respond to AZ Free News’ request for comment.
Elizabeth Troutman is a reporter for AZ Free News. You can send her news tips using this link.
Rep. Andy Biggs (R-AZ) says “Bidenomics” is to blame for the surging gas prices in his district, the fifth congressional district.
According to Biggs, “Bidenomics” includes a “war on domestic energy,” meaning the oil and gas industry.
The average gas price in Arizona, per AAA, sits at about $4 per gallon, a steady rise from prices over the last month but a slight decline from the average last year, when prices hit about $4.30 a gallon.
Arizona’s averages have consistently sat higher than the national averages over the past year.
“Biden’s war on domestic energy hits Americans in the pocketbook. Gas is over $4.00/gallon in my district!” said Biggs. “Arizonans are suffering thanks to Bidenomics.”
Biden's war on domestic energy hits Americans in the pocketbook.
The highest-ever recorded average for gas prices in Arizona was nearly $5.40 in the summer of 2022.
AAA has attributed the recent steady rise in gas prices to the increase in oil prices. Crude oil hit over $10 per barrel earlier this year, attributed to Ukrainian attacks on Russian oil infrastructure and increased conflicts in the Middle East.
The Biden administration has reportedly urged Ukraine to cease its attacks on Russian oil refineries, out of concern for rising gas prices. However, Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky has dismissed those requests from U.S. officials, telling The Washington Post that the U.S. lacks authority to dictate his military strategy.
“We used our drones. Nobody can say to us you can’t,” said Zelensky.
Mapping of gas prices nationwide reflects a trend for prices to be highest around the West Coast, lowest around the midsection of the country, and slightly higher again around the East Coast.
Another factor for the upward surge in gas prices relates to the Biden administration’s increased pressures on oil and gas production — such as the plan announced last fall to scale back leasing for offshore oil and gas drilling — in an attempt to increase American reliance and support for “clean energy” alternatives.
Biden campaigned on the promise to abolish the oil industry, and “end fossil fuel.” His first executive order laid some of the framework to fulfill that promise, such as imposing a moratorium on certain oil and natural gas leasing activities, and directing agencies to revise fuel and emissions standards for vehicles.
On Thursday, the Biden administration announced $20 billion in grants to private companies for clean energy initiatives.
On Wednesday, the Department of Energy canceled two purchases to refill the Strategic Petroleum Reserve (SPR). Agency officials indicated a desire to avoid buying back oil above its target price of $79 per barrel, since the cost per barrel is around $87.
The Biden administration has depleted the SPR by about 45 percent.
Last month, the Biden administration announced stricter emissions standards for heavy-duty vehicles such as freight trucks and buses. Available technologies to meet their new emissions standards include the advanced internal combustion engine vehicles, hybrid vehicles, plug-in hybrid electric vehicles, battery electric vehicles, and hydrogen fuel cell vehicles.
In January, the White House paused permitting on liquified natural gas (LNG) exports.
AZ Free News is your #1 source for Arizona news and politics. You can send us news tips using this link.
The Arizona House of Representatives has a new member.
On Wednesday, the Maricopa County Board of Supervisors selected Deborah Nardozzi for the vacancy in the State House for Legislative District 8. Nardozzi was the second appointment in the district this year from the Board after two resignations.
Today, the Maricopa County Board of Supervisors appointed Deborah Nardozzi to fill the Arizona House of Representatives vacancy in Legislative District 8. Read more about Representative Nardozzi and the appointment process here: https://t.co/XR87fHIzqipic.twitter.com/nghdmN6Xen
“Arizona law requires us to appoint a person from the same political party as the person who previously vacated the office. We did so today,” said Vice Chairman Thomas Galvin. “I wish Deborah Nardozzi well in her endeavor to represent Legislative District 8 at the State Capitol.”
In a statement following her appointment from the Board, Nardozzi said, “It is an honor to be chosen as the next Representative for Arizona Legislative District 8, and I am committed to serving our community with integrity and an unwavering dedication to advocating for the needs of our constituents.”
Previously, Nardozzi served as the Democrats’ Chair for Legislative District 24, and she has been a small business owner for 15 years.
— Arizona House Democrats (@AZHouseDems) April 3, 2024
State Representative Lupe Contreras, the House Democratic Leader, added, “Deborah Nardozzi has been committed to the success of other Democratic candidates and issues for several years, in addition to her impressive small business career. Now we are thrilled to have her deep well of experience as part of our team for the remainder of the year, and for a very important part of our session. Our caucus is 29 strong as we head into budget negotiations that will impact the lives of everyone in our state.”
Representative Nardozzi was sworn into the Arizona House of Representatives on Thursday.
Welcome to the House Representative Deborah Nardozzi! Sworn in and hitting the ground running! pic.twitter.com/CCXSGGY5Cd
— Arizona House Democrats (@AZHouseDems) April 4, 2024
Daniel Stefanski is a reporter for AZ Free News. You can send him news tips using this link.
A bill to improve health care in Arizona is on its way to the Governor’s Office.
On Thursday, the Arizona House of Representatives passed HB 2764, which would “require the Director of the Arizona Department of Health Services to establish rules for a licensure subclass for assisted living facilities wishing to provide memory care services” – according to the overview from the chamber. The bill was sponsored by State Representative Tim Dunn.
✅FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE✅ Arizona Legislature Passes Representative @TimDunn_AZ's #HB2764 to Enhance Memory Care Services
“The memory care patient population continues to rise in Arizona, and our state needs to be a leader in providing high-quality services. HB 2764 ensures that… pic.twitter.com/nRP1I0OZz9
— Arizona House Republicans (@AZHouseGOP) April 4, 2024
“The memory care patient population continues to rise in Arizona, and our state needs to be a leader in providing high-quality services,” said Representative Dunn. “HB 2764 ensures that individuals with memory care needs receive the highest standard of compassionate and competent care. It establishes training requirements for memory care services and, importantly, will help cut down on bad actors in the industry. I look forward to Governor Hobbs signing the bill so we can implement these necessary reforms and improvements and raise the standard of care and protection that our most vulnerable citizens deserve.”
In February, the proposal passed the House with a 49-10 vote (with one vacant seat). On Wednesday, the Senate passed an amended version of the bill with a 18-7 vote (with five members not voting). After the legislation was transmitted back for concurrence, the House approved the final piece with a 59-0 vote (with one member not voting).
According to the press release from the Arizona House of Representatives, the bill included the following key provisions:
The establishment of minimum memory care services training standards for staff and contractors, ensuring they are well-equipped to provide specialized care to residents with dementia and other memory-related conditions.
The creation of the Vulnerable Adult System Study Committee to evaluate and recommend improvements in care.
An increase in civil penalties for non-compliance with health care statutes.
Prohibits bad actor facilities from hiding or erasing violation history.
Requires employers to ensure staff isn’t on the Adult Protective Services registry which lists persons who have abused or neglected a vulnerable adult.
On the Arizona Legislature’s Request to Speak system, representatives from the Professional Fire Fighters of Arizona, Alzheimer’s Association Desert Southwest Chapter, Arizona Department of Health Services, Arizona Public Health Association, Arizona Hospital & Healthcare Association, Health System Alliance of Arizona, Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System, Arizona Department of Economic Security, Vitalyst Health Foundation, Arizona Chronic Care Together, and Right Care Foundation, Inc., indicated their support for the bill. Representatives from the Arizona Assisted Living Federation of America, Arizona Assisted Living Homes Association, Arizona Health Care Association, and LeadingAge Association signed in as neutral on the proposal.
The Arizona House Democrats’ Caucus “X” account shared a picture of former State Representative Jennifer Longdon in the chamber to watch the bill receive its final stamp of approval. The account added that “this reform to standards and requirements for licensing health care institutions was borne out of the Ad Hoc Committee on Abuse and Neglect of Vulnerable Adults [that Dunn and Longdon] both shared,” and “that committee was formed after the Hacienda Healthcare abuse scandal of 2019.”
Former Representative @JenLongdon returned to the chamber to witness the passage of HB 2764, along with GOP sponsor Tim Dunn. This reform to standards and requirements for licensing health care institutions was borne out of the Ad Hoc Committee on Abuse and Neglect of Vulnerable… pic.twitter.com/TBwUlvpgR8
— Arizona House Democrats (@AZHouseDems) April 4, 2024
HB 2764 now awaits action from Governor Katie Hobbs.
Daniel Stefanski is a reporter for AZ Free News. You can send him news tips using this link.
