A longtime Arizona state legislator is highlighting the financial distress of many of his constituents.
Last week, State Senator J.D. Mesnard commented on the misery inflicted on Arizonans by inflation over the past four years of the Biden-Harris Administration. In the Senate Republicans’ weekly newsletter, Mesnard said, “I’ve heard from citizens across Arizona just how difficult it’s become to make ends meet over the past four years, and a new report reveals the financial pain families are enduring under the Harris-Biden Administration. According to the Common Sense Institute’s Arizona Inflation Misery Index, the average Arizonan must spend $9,996 more per year, while the average household must spend $24,972 more per year just to maintain the same quality of life enjoyed in 2019.”
Mesnard added, “I, along with my Republican colleagues at the Legislature, fundamentally believe government should not tax our citizens more than necessary to support core services. This notion is even more important during massive inflation, which is why I’m pleased Arizona Republicans banded together to implement the largest tax cut in state history for our citizens. Every income taxpayer is currently benefiting from a 2.5% flat tax, and I’m looking forward to doing more for our taxpayers next session.”
The Republican lawmaker is running for re-election to Arizona Legislative District 13, which covers Chandler, Gilbert, and Sun Lakes in the East Valley of the Phoenix-metro area. Mesnard first entered the state legislature in January 2011 in the Arizona House of Representatives, and he served eight years in that chamber, including two years as the Speaker of the House. In November 2018, after being termed out of the House, Mesnard won his election to the state Senate.
According to the Arizona Independent Redistricting Commission, Legislative District 13 is one of the most competitive in the state, with a 1.6% vote spread between Republicans and Democrats in the past nine statewide elections. In those contests, Republicans have won five times, compared to four for Democrats.
Mesnard is facing a tough challenge from Democrat nominee, Sharon Winters, in the upcoming election. On his website, Mesnard asks voters to give him another term in the state senate, writing, “Now we face historic economic challenges that require someone with the right experience and a track record of success to navigate. That’s why I need your vote. Let me continue using my diverse background, which includes husband (to a registered nurse), father, professor and small business owner, with master’s degrees in business and public administration, to keep delivering results for you.”
The winner of the state legislative contest could be vital to determining party control of the chamber in the next session. Arizona Republicans enjoy very narrow margins in both the state House and Senate.
Daniel Stefanski is a reporter for AZ Free News. You can send him news tips using this link.
A new report from the Common Sense Institute Arizona (CSI) titled the “Inflation Misery Index” was released last week. The report illustrates how unsustainably expensive it has become to live and raise a family in Arizona due to ballooning inflation under the Biden-Harris Administration. The report also breaks down the cost of living increase that has battered Arizona families since 2019 and demonstrates irrefutably that the cost of maintaining the same standard of living has risen 24% since before COVID.
In a press release from CSI, Zachary Milne, Senior Economist and Research Analyst explained, “The prolonged period of high inflation has taken a serious toll on the financial stability of Arizona’s households. Our findings highlight not only the immediate increase in costs for essential goods and services but also the long-term decline in purchasing power. As inflation continues to outpace income growth, many Arizonans are facing tough financial choices to maintain their standard of living.”
Over the past 43 months, inflation in Arizona has caused the average household to lose 24% of their purchasing power. That’s nearly $25,000 in lost income!
— Common Sense Institute Arizona (@CSInstituteAZ) October 9, 2024
Sharing the report in a post to X, CSI wrote, “Over the past 43 months, inflation in Arizona has caused the average household to lose 24% of their purchasing power. That’s nearly $25,000 in lost income!”
According to the report’s key findings, the Inflation Misery Index “holds constant consumption preferences through time,” and mathematically accounts for “normal” levels of inflation and personal income growth. The index uses 2019 as a baseline “because it precedes both the recent inflationary surge and the stimulus income received from the government in response to the pandemic in 2020.”
With these parameters in mind, CSI reported that the average person living in Arizona is compelled to spend $9,996 more per year in order to purchase the same quantity of goods and services as they did in 2019.
The report also clearly defines the increase per household: “Excess inflation over the last 43 months means the average household in Arizona must spend $24,972 more per year to consume at 2019 levels. This means that the average household has effectively lost 24% of their income to inflation.”
Broken down categorically, the inflation has impacted Arizona families in the following amounts:
$6,900 increase for housing and utilities.
$4,371 increase in food expenses.
$1,189 increase in recreational spending.
$772 increase in fuel/gasoline.
The report concluded, “It will take a prolonged period of normal or below-average (sub 2%) inflation coupled with strong income growth to recover the purchasing power lost by the post-covid inflationary crisis.” In stark contrast to the White House narrative extolling alleged slowing of inflation, the CSI wrote, “The slowing rate of inflation alone is insufficient to undo the damage caused by the rapid rise in the price level.”
For Arizonans, the dollar doesn’t go as far as it used to.
In fact, Personal Consumption Expenditures per capita increased 7.2% ($27.1 billion) in 2023, spending – 12.1% more on rent, & – 9.5% more for health care.
Just one day prior, Congressman David Schweikert (R-AZ) posted the findings of the Congressional Joint Economic Committee Republicans noting, “For Arizonans, the dollar doesn’t go as far as it used to. In fact, Personal Consumption Expenditures per capita increased 7.2% ($27.1 billion) in 2023, spending 12.1% more on rent, & 9.5% more for health care.” Schweikert noted that Arizona had the fifth highest increase.
