by AZ Free Enterprise Club | Jun 14, 2025 | Opinion
By the Arizona Free Enterprise Club |
Earlier this year, President Trump signed a trio of executive orders aimed at keeping our nation’s vital coal power plants online. In fact, at the signing ceremony, the President explicitly called out one of Arizona’s coal plants by name. He directed Department of Energy Secretary Chris Wright to keep the Cholla Power Plant online and told the workers to remain calm because they are going to have that plant “opening and burning…coal in a very short period of time.”
The Cholla Power Plant is one of many Arizona coal plants that have either been mothballed or slated for retirement in the near future. In 2019, SRP and the other utilities shut down the Navajo Generating Station, resulting in a loss of 2,250 MW of reliable capacity. Earlier this year, an additional 425 MW of generating capacity was taken offline at Cholla. And over the next 6 years, Arizona’s public utilities, as outlined in Integrated Resource Plans recently approved by the Arizona Corporation Commission, plan to shutter every last bit of coal generation in Arizona by 2032. Most alarming is that according to those same Resource Plans, the replacement fuel for this reliable source of energy will be solar, wind, and battery storage, all to meet carbon free “Net Zero” goals that will cost Arizona ratepayers billions and destabilize the grid.
On the same day President Trump signed the coal orders, the Arizona legislature, led by Representative David Marshall, sent a letter to the Department of the Interior urging the Administration to help keep Cholla, and every other coal plant in the state, online. Last month, every Republican in the legislature voted to send HCM2014 to the Corporation Commission, urging them to protect our grid, fight to keep these plants online, and support the Trump Energy Agenda.
What Arizona ratepayers got instead was a late Friday afternoon news dump from Kevin Thompson, Chairman of the Corporation Commission, blasting the idea of reopening Cholla…
>>> CONTINUE READING >>>
by Matthew Holloway | May 27, 2025 | News
By Matthew Holloway |
An investigation by Republican Reps. David Marshall, Walt Blackman, and Quang Nguyen found that the City of Phoenix has distributed over $28.5 million of taxpayer funding to more than 100 private organizations with a shocking lack of oversight. Now, the Goldwater Institute is asking Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes to intervene and stop what it termed an “unlawful spending spree.”
Citing the legislative findings, the Goldwater Institute alleges that “Organizations like the Phoenix Film Foundation, Phoenix Pride Inc, Mexican Baseball Fiesta LLC, the Arizona Science Center’s Galaxy Gala, and many others received subsidies—sometimes simultaneously by multiple departments—under questionable labels like ‘Sponsorships,’ ‘Grants and Subsidies,’ ‘Emerg[ency] Assist[ance],’ or ‘Miscellaneous.’ The city has no lawful authority to spend public money in this way.”
Parker Jackson, a staff attorney at the Goldwater Institute, said in a statement, “This effectively turns large portions of the city’s budget into a patchwork of slush funds that special interests can access in the sole discretion of a single city employee. Amazingly, the city ‘does not track donations by nonprofit status,’ so it does not know exactly how much taxpayer money has been funneled out through this opaque process.”
The reported “Sponsorships,” “Grants and Subsidies,” “Emerg[ency] Assist[ance],” or “Miscellaneous” donations run afoul of the Arizona State Constitution’s Gift Clause according to Jackson in a letter to the Attorney General co-signed by Jon Riches, the Goldwater’s Vice President for Litigation.
Riches wrote, “Most—if not all—of these expenditures appear to violate the Arizona Constitution’s Gift Clause, which strictly prohibits use of public funds to benefit private, special interests. Not only is it doubtful that these allocations serve a legitimate public purpose, but there also appears to be no direct or measurable consideration received in return for this use of public resources.”
The Arizona Constitution under Article 9 Section 7 states, “Neither the state, nor any county, city, town, municipality, or other subdivision of the state shall ever give or loan its credit in the aid of, or make any donation or grant, by subsidy or otherwise, to any individual, association, or corporation, or become a subscriber to, or a shareholder in, any company or corporation, or become a joint owner with any person, company, or corporation, except as to such ownerships as may accrue to the state by operation or provision of law or as authorized by law solely for investment of the monies in the various funds of the state.”
The Goldwater attorneys have called on Mayes to “[e]njoin the illegal payment of public monies” and to “[r]ecover illegally paid public monies,” under A.R.S. § 41-194.01 and A.R.S. § 35-212 respectively.
Jackson wrote in a Goldwater Institute press release that the finding by the Arizona legislature may seem familiar to keen observers: “If treating taxpayers as financiers for private entities—even controversial and ideological ones—sounds familiar, that’s because it mirrors what has been exposed throughout the federal government this year. For example, the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) was aptly described as ‘a slush fund for leftist priorities’ after the White House exposed decades of waste and abuse in that agency.”
In a video posted to X, Jackson said, “At the end of the day, public dollars should be used for public purposes… not to enrich special interests at a bureaucrat’s whim.”
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 Matthew Holloway | Mar 6, 2025 | Economy, News
By Matthew Holloway |
The Arizona Corporation Commission (ACC) is urging caution from the public in the use of Crypto ATMs with a warning that they are being utilized to facilitate cryptocurrency scams in a bigger way “than ever before.” Reporting from the FBI has indicated losses to consumers in Arizona of over $325 million.
According to a press release by the ACC Securities Division, national data from the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has shown American consumers reporting losses in excess of $110 million through scams linked to cryptocurrency ATMs documented in 2023, a drastic escalation at ten-times the 2020 figure.
As explained by the ACC, Crypto ATMs, kiosks that allow users to purchase cryptocurrencies using a credit or debit card, have become more ubiquitous and are visually similar to traditional ATMs. They are often located at gas stations, convenience stores, malls, and other places where an ATM would typically be present. However, unlike a typical ATM, these kiosks convert dollars to cryptocurrency held in an electronic wallet… for a fee.
Portal scamming, an already common issue at ATMs, fuel pumps, and cash registers poses an added danger with the advent of Crypto ATMs as the ACC explains:
“The scams typically start through online chats, social media, emails, texts, pop-up messages and phone calls from strangers. The lies told by scammers vary, but they create some urgent justification for consumers to take cash out of their bank accounts and put it into a crypto ATM.
“Often, the scammers fabricate an investment that promises great returns with limited risk. When consumers put their money into the crypto ATM, the ATM converts the money to cryptocurrency. The consumer types in the scammer’s electronic wallet address, or the consumer is given a QR code to scan which points to the scammer’s electronic wallet address. The ATM then transfers the crypto to the scammer’s electronic wallet. Once in their control the scammers quickly move the crypto making it very difficult to trace and recover.”
The commission offered a series of proactive recommendations to consumers to avoid becoming a victim to scam artists employing these tactics:
- Never click on links or respond directly to unexpected calls, messages, or computer pop-ups. If you think it could be legitimate, contact the company or agency, but look up their number or website yourself. Don’t use the phone number the caller or message gave you.
- Slow down. Scammers want to rush you, so stop and check it out. Before you do anything else, talk with someone you trust.
- Never withdraw cash in response to an unexpected call or message. Only scammers will tell you to do that.
- Don’t believe anyone who says you need to use a crypto ATM to protect your money or to fix a problem or to get in a great investment. Real businesses and government agencies will never do that—and anyone who asks is a scammer.
One victim identified as Tamara Glerum by AZFamily, reportedly lost $28,000 to a scammer, with the FBI stating that Arizonans overall lost about $325 million in reported Crypto ATM fraud.
As reported by ABC15, a Peoria woman reportedly lost $17,000 to such as scam, and AZ State Rep. David Marshall has introduced House Bill 2387 to crack down on Crypto ATM fraud by imposing a $1,000 daily transaction limit on the devices, requiring state operator licensing and refund policy options as well.
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 | Feb 25, 2025 | News
By Daniel Stefanksi |
A bill to support the efforts of law enforcement on the streets of Arizona is progressing through the state legislature.
Last week, HB 2733 was approved by the Arizona House of Representatives Public Safety & Law Enforcement Committee. The bill, which was sponsored by State Representative David Marshall, “protects law enforcement officers from civil liability when taking down unmanned aircraft suspected of being used for criminal activities within 15 miles of the international border.”
In a statement released in conjunction with the bill’s progress, Representative Marshall said, “Arizona’s law enforcement officers are on the front lines of the fight against cartels and traffickers exploiting our border, and they need the ability to act decisively against criminal drone activity. These drones aren’t toys – they’re tools of organized crime, used to scout for weak points in our security and to smuggle fentanyl and other deadly drugs into our communities. HB 2733 makes sure that our officers can neutralize these threats without the fear of frivolous lawsuits.”
Marshall added, “This bill is a no-brainer. Law enforcement shouldn’t have to second-guess their ability to stop cartel drones from carrying drugs across the border. Our Majority is standing firm on securing Arizona, backing law enforcement, and taking action to keep dangerous criminals out of our communities.”
According to the press release issued by the Arizona House Republicans on the bill, “The rise in cartel drone activity has put additional pressure on Arizona’s law enforcement agencies, forcing officers to make quick decisions in real-time to prevent smuggling operations.” The proposal would give these law enforcement officials “the legal certainty they need to act without hesitation, protecting Arizona’s communities from the devastating consequences of cartel operations.”
The bill was passed by the House committee with a bipartisan vote of 10-0, though three members were absent and two voted ‘Present.’
On the Arizona Legislature’s Request to Speak system, representatives from the Arizona Attorney General’s Office and the Arizona Association of Chiefs of Police signed in to support the bill, while a representative of the American Civil Liberties Union of Arizona indicated the organization’s opposition to the legislation. A representative from the Arizona Trial Lawyers Association signed in as neutral.
HB 2733 will now be considered by the full state House of Representatives in the near future.
Daniel Stefanski is a reporter for AZ Free News. You can send him news tips using this link.
by Daniel Stefanski | Feb 22, 2025 | News
By Daniel Stefanski |
Arizona Republican legislators continue to take action to prepare their state for another dangerous fire season.
This week, the Arizona House Republicans announced the formation of the Fire Preparedness Ad Hoc Committee “to bring the Legislature to the people and assess issues related to Arizona’s readiness for catastrophic fires and insurance policy coverage across rural and urban Arizona.”
The chairman of the new committee is State Representative David Marshall, who was selected by Arizona House Speaker Steve Montenegro.
In a statement accompanying the announcement from the Arizona House Republicans, Representative Marshall said, “I’m honored that Speaker Montenegro has entrusted me to chair this committee because this issue couldn’t be more urgent for Arizona. The devastation caused by wildfires is staggering – homes lost, businesses wiped out, communities shattered. We’ve seen the warning signs in our state and the catastrophic disasters unfolding in places like California. It’s our job to make sure we are as prepared as possible to prevent and respond to these fires before they destroy previous lives and priceless property.”
Speaker Montenegro stated, “House Republicans have made public safety one of our highest priorities – whether that’s tackling violent crime, securing the border, or preparing for the next wildfire season. The people of Arizona deserve leadership that takes action, not excuses, and that’s exactly what we intend to deliver.”
Marshall added, “Firefighters do some of the toughest, most selfless work out there. They put themselves in harm’s way to save lives, homes, and entire communities. Yet, they’re often underpaid, overworked, and asked to do more with less. This committee will take a hard look at what’s needed to ensure they have the tools and support to do their jobs safely and effectively.”
The press release revealed that State Representatives John Gillette, Gail Griffin, Walter Blackman, Myron Tsosie, and Stephanie Stahl Hamilton would be added to the ad hoc committee. This panel will finalize a report and recommendations by the end of the year.
According to the information provided by House Republicans, the committee will look to do the following through the hearings this upcoming year:
- “Research and uncover any weaknesses in our current fire prevention system. Make recommendations on ways to address these areas.
- “Develop strategies to reduce nonrenewal of homeowners insurance policies across the state with an emphasis on high-risk areas.
- “Evaluate current building codes to make sure they allow for maximum fire protection without increasing costs to new home buyers.
- “Review and make recommendations on water supply needed for fire suppression.
- “Evaluate and make recommendations on current forestry practices regarding wildland fires.”
Daniel Stefanski is a reporter for AZ Free News. You can send him news tips using this link.
