by Staff Reporter | Feb 27, 2025 | News
By Staff Reporter |
With the 2026 election just around the corner, Governor Katie Hobbs is adopting right-leaning policies and stances.
On Tuesday, Hobbs announced the creation of a border task force, Operation Desert Guardian (ODG), to enhance border security. The task force strongly resembles the Border Strike Force (BSF) of Hobbs’ Republican predecessor, Doug Ducey.
This renewed focus on border security and support for a task force marks a significant departure from Hobbs’ initial stance as governor.
Early on in her first months in office in 2023, Hobbs began ending Ducey’s BSF, which included removing shipping containers intended to close off unsealed sections of the southern border. On the campaign trail in the summer of 2022, Hobbs promised to not end the BSF. By November, Hobbs indicated her intent to leave border security and immigration enforcement to the federal government.
Hobbs’ spokesman, Christian Slater, insisted in statements to the media that Hobbs’ task force differed greatly from Ducey’s strike force. However, the two share nearly identical structures and duties.
The BSF launched as an enforcement bureau within the Department of Public Safety’s Criminal Investigations Division. The strike force focused on improvements to addressing border-related crimes (for example: drug trafficking, weapon smuggling, vehicle theft recovery, and violent criminal apprehension) while evaluating and analyzing criminal intelligence and enhancing response capabilities along the border. The BSF combined federal, state, county, tribal, and local law enforcement agencies in the border region to carry out these duties, especially for disruption of transnational criminal organizations (TCOs).
By comparison, ODG also partners with local law enforcement within the border-inclusive counties to disrupt TCO operations and border-related crimes.
Hobbs reversed course on her support for Proposition 123. While still a state senator in 2015, Hobbs opposed the proposition’s arrangement increasing state land trust dollars to fund schools. Last month, Hobbs advocated for the proposition’s renewal as an “essential” means of providing “critical funding” for the state’s public schools and educators.
Hobbs also reversed course on a significant agency pick, Angie Rogers, opting instead to restore Michael Wisehart as director of the Department of Economic Security (DES); her predecessor, Doug Ducey, installed Wisehart.
Last month, Hobbs appointed another Ducey administration veteran, Kathryn “Katie” Ptak, to lead the Department of Child Services.
Some efforts undertaken by the current administration, often seen as red meat right-wing priorities, have backfired recently for the governor. Hobbs created a new six-figure role within DES (chief, or “senior executive consultant,” of the newly-created Office of Veteran & Military Affairs) that mirrors the work already undertaken by the Department of Veterans’ Services (DVS). The position went to Dana Allmond at Hobbs’ behest, the unsuccessful Democratic 2022 legislative candidate and failed gubernatorial nominee. Republican legislative leaders questioned the apparent duplicity of the new DES position and DVS responsibilities.
Per the secretary of state’s office, 11 individuals have filed statements of interest in the governor’s race: Republican candidates Alan White, Karrin Taylor Robinson, George Nicholson, Scott Neely, Donald Mucheck, Christian “Maverick” Grey, Andy Biggs, and Christopher Ames; Green Party candidates William Pounds IV and Lisa Castillo; and Libertarian candidate Barry Hess.
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by Daniel Stefanski | Jan 6, 2025 | News
By Daniel Stefanski |
Arizona’s population has exploded over the past three decades, thanks, in part, to movement from states under the control of leftist politicians.
Recently, the American Enterprise Institute (AEI) shared data from the Internal Revenue Service, showing that almost 1.5 million individuals have migrated to Arizona from other states, between the years of 1990-2021.
The Grand Canyon State’s gain has been due to other left-leaning states’ loss. California, for example, has shed more than 4.6 million people during that timeframe. New York lost over 4.6 million people as well, and Illinois said ‘goodbye’ to another 2 million individuals.
It wasn’t just Arizona that benefited from the migration patterns of people for the past thirty years. More than 3.7 million people made their way to Florida, and another 2.6 million individuals relocated to Texas.
In an op-ed for Newsweek, Edward J. Pinto, the Senior Fellow and Codirector of the AEI Housing Center, wrote, “For the past 30 years, progressive policies have fueled a mass exodus of the citizens of California, Illinois, New Jersey, New York, and Massachusetts, whether with high-, middle-, or blue collar incomes. From 1990 to 2021, net domestic migration fleeing their states has totaled 13 million… Meanwhile, the red states of Florida, Texas, North Carolina, Arizona, Tennessee, Nevada, and South Carolina have had net in-migration of 13 million over the same period.”
Pinto added, “If these blue state governors want to reverse this mass out migration, time is of the essence. They should focus on enacting the kinds of policies that drew their erstwhile residents to Florida and Texas: lowering taxes, getting tough on crime, promoting deregulation, reforming public pensions, enacting school choice, enforcing immigration laws, helping blue-collar workers find good paying jobs, ending rent control where prevalent, and adopting light-touch density (LTD) and livable urban villages(LUV). LTD and LUV legalize homes built by the free market that are affordable and inclusionary.”
Former Arizona Governor Doug Ducey, who served eight years as the state’s chief executive, reacted to a recent article from Fox News about the failure of California’s Gavin Newsom to end homelessness in San Francisco, stating, “The 21st anniversary is coming up… for California residents who are sick of ‘leaders’ who talk big and deliver nothing, there’s a simple solution: UHaul.com.”
Arizona Senate President Warren Petersen told AZ Free News, “Approximately 200 people move to Arizona every day. If you ask why, they will tell you because it is a safe, good place to raise a family and educate your kids. They will also say things like, it is a great place to do business, with low taxes and fewer regulations. What they are really saying is that the state they are fleeing has bad public policy and Arizona has good public policy. This is a direct reflection of the laws passed by the Republican-led legislature.”
Daniel Stefanski is a reporter for AZ Free News. You can send him news tips using this link.
by Daniel Stefanski | Jan 5, 2025 | Economy, News
By Daniel Stefanski |
Arizona Republicans highlighted their state’s low tax rate after a recent signing of a baseball star with the hometown team.
Late last month, Corbin Burnes, a free agent pitching star, decided to sign with the Arizona Diamondbacks, shocking most onlookers, who had predicted that he would likely end up with another Major League Baseball suiter.
One report shared that Burnes made his decision based on Arizona’s lower tax rate. Burnes had been wooed by the Toronto Blue Jays and San Francisco Giants – two jurisdictions with significantly higher taxes than the Grand Canyon State.
Arizona Senate President Warren Petersen said, “Sports players choose AZ over other states because our taxes are lower. Businesses do the same.”
Former Arizona Governor Doug Ducey added, “I’ll be looking forward to watching Corbin Burnes in a Dbacks jersey next year – and very glad to see that Arizona’s lowest flat tax in the nation is what brought him to AZ! Sorry Gavin Newsom [&] Justin Trudeau!”
Burnes had been reportedly offered more money by the aforementioned teams before deciding to ink a deal with the Arizona Diamondbacks.
According to a post on X, the top tax rate in California is 14.4%, and the top federal and provincial tax rate in Toronto, Ontario is 53.53%. Arizona’s tax rate is 2.5% in comparison.
Arizona owes its low tax rate to the work of Governor Ducey and legislative Republicans, who enacted the transformational tax bracket in 2021.
Two staunch free-market advocates, Tim Phillips (President of Americans for Prosperity) and Grover Norquist (President of Americans for Tax Reform), wrote a piece in Newsweek, praising the accomplished feat of the Arizona Legislature, spearheaded by State Senator J.D. Mesnard and Ducey. They stated, “Arizona, on the other hand, provides a good example: lower the tax rates to let people keep more of what they earn and invest in what they care about most. Limit government spending to grow no faster than the incomes of the citizens who pay the taxes. Create a magnet for job-creating investment and hardworking Americans who simply wish to be left alone to work hard, take care of their families and support their communities.”
Phillips and Norquist added, “The Arizona reform is a positive model and one that should be followed by other states and the federal government.”
When the Arizona Supreme Court gave the green light for these tax reforms to go into effect, Arizona Free Enterprise President Scot Mussi said, “Today’s decision from the Arizona Supreme Court is a big win for taxpayers in our state. The legislature passed historic tax cuts last year that benefit all Arizona taxpayers. It’s time for Invest in Arizona and out-of-state special interest groups to accept this reality and stop making a farce of the referendum process.”
Mesnard touted the progress of his historic legislation in a campaign newsletter in January 2023, saying, “The historic tax reform that I championed in 2021 is now in effect for income earned this year – a full year ahead of schedule thanks to strong government revenues. Valued at more than $2 billion, this reform reduced individual tax rates to 2.5%, resulting in a tax cut for every single Arizona family and Arizona having the lowest flat tax in the nation.”
Daniel Stefanski is a reporter for AZ Free News. You can send him news tips using this link.
by Daniel Stefanski | Jan 3, 2025 | News
By Daniel Stefanski |
An Arizona Congressman is cheering on a recent court decision involving the sale of border wall material by the outgoing presidential administration.
U.S. Representative Eli Crane marked a judicial opinion from the United States District Court for the Southern District of Texas in The General Land Office of the State of Texas v. Biden. The case involves a challenge to the Biden administration’s efforts to sell unused border wall materials ahead of President-Elect Donald J. Trump taking office on January 20, 2025. The ruling from Judge Drew B. Tipton granted the plaintiffs’ Motion for Preliminary Injunction.
Crane responded to the legal outcome, writing, “Solid victory. Thanks to President Trump, our border will be secure again. Arizonans can’t wait.”
President-Elect Trump, who had desired the courts to weigh in against the Biden administration’s actions, said, “BREAKING: In a major, crucial WIN for America, and our National Security, a Federal Judge in Texas, based on papers we filed just a few days ago, has PROHIBITED the Biden Administration from selling any materials designated for the Border Wall, that has been wrecked by Biden and his cronies, and which I am going to rebuild in order to protect our Country from violent migrant crime, fentanyl smuggling, sex trafficking, terror attacks, and other heinous, Nation ending disasters.”
Trump added, “The Judge has also ordered an investigation into the illegal selling of the materials, which will expose just how corrupt and anti-American Radical Democrats are. I am honored to be joined in this vital case by the Great States of Texas and Missouri, and applaud Judge Drew Tipton for doing the right thing for our Country. We have to protect our Borders, and Save America. MAGA!”
“We have successfully blocked the Biden Administration from disposing of any further border wall materials before President Trump takes office,” said Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton. “This follows our major victory forcing Biden to build the wall, and we will hold his Administration accountable for illegally subverting our Nation’s border security until their very last day in power, especially where their actions are clearly motivated by a desire to thwart President-elect Trump’s immigration agenda.”
Arizona Senate President Warren Petersen, who has been eyeing a potential run for state Attorney General in 2026, noted the District Court opinion, saying, “Conservative AGs matter.”
The court ruling followed a shocking report by The Daily Wire, which revealed that “Biden is racing to auction off unused border wall materials weeks before Trump takes office.” These materials were left over from the first Trump administration, when President Biden halted construction on the wall spanning parts of the southern border in various border states as one of his earliest actions in the White House in early 2021.
Trump said at the time, “The (Biden) administration is trying to sell it for five cents on the dollar – knowing that we’re getting ready to put it up.” Trump added that “what they’re doing is really an act – it’s almost a criminal act.”
Former Arizona Governor Doug Ducey responded to the news, saying, “Right here in AZ, Joe Biden is attempting a last-ditch effort to keep America’s borders open by selling off materials the Trump Admin will use to finish the wall. This decision from President Biden is reckless, will make Arizonans less safe, and should be reversed – immediately.”
Daniel Stefanski is a reporter for AZ Free News. You can send him news tips using this link.
by Daniel Stefanski | Dec 22, 2024 | News
By Daniel Stefanski |
Arizona Republicans are weighing in against an ongoing effort from the outgoing presidential administration to offload materials at the border ahead of the transfer of power in January.
Last week, The Daily Wire revealed that “Biden is racing to auction off unused border wall materials weeks before Trump takes office.” These materials were left over from the first Trump administration, when President Biden halted construction on the wall spanning parts of the southern border in various border states as one of his earliest actions in the White House in early 2021.
According to President-elect Donald Trump at a recent press conference, “The (Biden) administration is trying to sell it for five cents on the dollar – knowing that we’re getting ready to put it up.” Trump added that “what they’re doing is really an act – it’s almost a criminal act.”
Former Arizona Governor Doug Ducey responded to the news, saying, “Right here in AZ, Joe Biden is attempting a last-ditch effort to keep America’s borders open by selling off materials the Trump Admin will use to finish the wall. This decision from President Biden is reckless, will make Arizonans less safe, and should be reversed – immediately.”
In an interview with The Daily Wire, U.S. Congressman Eli Crane said, “The Biden Administration is well aware they shouldn’t have reversed construction of the border wall. If it’s true, they’re purposefully hamstringing an incoming president, it wouldn’t be shocking. Why would they want to see President Trump succeed with policies they aggressively sabotaged?”
Arizona Senate President Warren Petersen told AZ Free News, “This brazen behavior from Biden is a slap in the face to the law-abiding citizens who voted for a secure border. It’s because of his reckless policies and his administration’s evasion of the law that countless Americans have suffered the dire consequences of criminals pouring across the border into our communities. I’m hopeful the courts will take action against this sale.”
As Petersen mentioned, Republicans around the country are searching for a legal theory to try to stop the Biden administration from continuing with these actions. President Donald Trump takes the oath of office one month from this week on January 20.
Daniel Stefanski is a reporter for AZ Free News. You can send him news tips using this link.
