by AZ Free Enterprise Club | Jul 23, 2025 | Opinion
By the Arizona Free Enterprise Club |
15 months. That is how much time we have left until Arizona can elect a new governor, and it couldn’t come soon enough.
Since taking office in 2023, Katie Hobbs has been a complete disaster. The heights of her corruption have certainly been well documented. From her illegal use of public resources to solicit money for her inauguration, to an alleged pay-to-play scheme between Hobbs and an Arizona group home that donated to her inauguration, to shelling out $700,000 to a company owned by the brother of the now-former Office of Tourism Director to create a new state logo, Hobbs has proven that the people of Arizona are her lowest priority. And there are no signs that will change any time soon.
In the latest reveal of her efforts to turn her office into a jobs program for her political friends, it was discovered that Hobbs handed out nearly $600,000 in taxpayer money to a former Democrat politician and her assistant for two newly created jobs. These just add to the long line of other phony baloney jobs Hobbs has created so that her buddies can get paid six-figure salaries to sit around and do nothing on your dime. In fact, just last year, she added six new jobs in the newly created Office of Resiliency (whatever that is), four new employees in the Office of Tribal Relations, and three new in-house attorneys, to name a few. All total, Hobbs has increased executive employment costs by over 50%!
With all these new government jobs, you would think Arizona must be leading the way in the nation for job creation, but no. It’s just the opposite…
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by Jonathan Eberle | Mar 26, 2025 | News
By Jonathan Eberle |
The Arizona State Senate is considering a bill that would prohibit Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) recipients from using their benefits to purchase soda. House Bill 2165 (H.B. 2165) directs the state’s Department of Economic Security (DES) to seek a waiver from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to implement the restriction.
The measure, which has already passed in the Arizona House of Representatives by a vote of 32-27-1, would require the DES Director to request the waiver. If granted, the purchase of carbonated beverages containing more than one gram of added sugar or artificial sweeteners would be banned for SNAP recipients. If the waiver is denied, the bill mandates that Arizona reapply annually until it is approved.
SNAP, formerly known as the Food Stamp Program, is a federally funded initiative that assists low-income households in purchasing groceries. The program currently allows for the purchase of a variety of food products, including bread, meat, dairy, and infant formula, but excludes items such as alcohol, tobacco, vitamins, and non-food goods.
Supporters of the bill argue that it promotes healthier choices for low-income families and ensures that taxpayer-funded benefits are used for nutritious food. Critics, however, contend that the restriction unfairly targets SNAP recipients and could create logistical challenges in enforcing the ban.
The bill was assigned to the Senate’s Health and Human Services (HHS) Committee for further consideration. If passed and signed into law, the restriction would take effect following the USDA’s approval of the waiver.
The financial impact of the legislation is expected to be minimal, as no additional costs to the state’s General Fund have been identified. The debate over the bill is expected to continue as lawmakers weigh the balance between nutritional policy and personal choice.
Jonathan Eberle is a reporter for AZ Free News. You can send him news tips using this link.
