by AZ Free Enterprise Club | Mar 24, 2024 | Opinion
By the Arizona Free Enterprise Club |
The Biden administration and his liberal allies have been moving at warp speed to impose their radical agenda on the American people. From banning gas cars and gas stoves to adopting race-based DEI programs in our schools, proposals that would have seemed preposterous just 5 years ago have now become mainstream positions within the Democrat party.
Nothing appears to be off limits, and that even includes our ability to travel in our automobiles without having the government monitor, limit, and tax our vehicle miles traveled (VMT).
All throughout the country, there are efforts by government bureaucrats and climate change zealots to adopt these authoritarian VMT tax schemes. They are all motivated to eliminate carbon emissions and create a new revenue stream for expensive and rarely used transit projects.
For instance, tucked in the Inflation Reduction Act passed by the Biden administration was a pilot program for a VMT tax that would monitor your miles traveled in your vehicle while charging you a fee for any miles you do travel. And if you’re driving a gas-powered car, buckle up because now you’ll get to pay two taxes…
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by Elizabeth Troutman | Jan 26, 2024 | News
By Elizabeth Troutman |
A bill proposed by state Sen. Warren Petersen, R-Gilbert, to require cities and counties to have a 2/3 vote to increase taxes passed out of the Senate Government committee.
Every Republican voted yes, while every state Senate Democrat voted no.
Senate Bill 1056 “Prohibits the common council of a municipality from increasing an assessment, tax or fee without a two-thirds vote of the common council of the municipality and “Prohibits the board of supervisors of a county from increasing an assessment, tax or fee without a two-thirds vote of the board of supervisors of the county.”
“Basically, if you want to increase taxes or fees, you need to have a supermajority, or a two-thirds vote, I should say,” Petersen said in summation of the bill during the state Senate Committee On Government meeting.
Taxes are often the biggest expense people face in their lifetime, Petersen said.
“Right now, our citizens are reeling from inflation, which has been caused by a large part by Washington, D.C. and our printing of money and overspending,” Petersen said. “The last thing we need to do right now is increase taxes and fees on our citizens.”
Governments need to find more efficient solutions, according to Petersen.
“I saw one study,” Petersen said, “It shows over your lifetime. You spend over one out of every three dollars of your money on taxes, whether you’ve got income tax when you receive money. When you spend money, sales tax, you’ve got property tax. You have utility taxes. I could go on and on and on.”
Government is very well represented while the taxpayer is limited, Petersen continued.
“I think this levels the playing field a little more between the taxpayer and the government,” Petersen said.
Elizabeth Troutman is a reporter for AZ Free News. You can send her news tips using this link.
by Jeff Caldwell | Oct 3, 2023 | Opinion
By Jeff Caldwell |
The City of Phoenix posted on X today asking the public to come to their council meeting tomorrow.
On Wednesday, October 4 at 2:30pm, the City is going to vote on Agenda Item 37, which states that the City has the ability to tax its citizens $180 million if it doesn’t have the money elsewhere.
Now, it’s up to the public to put a stop to this.
Earlier this year, the City passed a $6 billion budget that includes a $137 million surplus. Also, in November, the City is asking Phoenicians to approve 4 different Bond Propositions that equate to half a billion dollars.
Now, the City wants to have the ability to go into $180 million in debt “to fund or refinance the costs of acquiring, constructing, expanding and improving real and personal property for technology upgrades, solid waste facilities and equipment, public safety property, systems and equipment, and other municipal facilities for the City of Phoenix. The debt will be supported by a pledge of excise taxes or other available funds for such purposes, and to pay financing costs granting an exemption to Phoenix City Code section 42-18 to include indemnification and legal remedy limitations. Further this request authorizes the City Controller to receive and expend all necessary funds related to this item.”
The City is leveraging its ability to implement a $180 million tax to move forward without a vote by the public. Phoenicians have the ability to let the City know whether or not to pass it through public comment.
To review the history of excessive spending in Phoenix, what has the City of Phoenix done when they get extra money?
- Implemented a city-wide COVID lockdown without consulting with the Medical Director for Disease Control of the Maricopa County Department of Public Health who recommended to not lock down at that time and to only wear a mask if you are sick and absolutely must go out. – SOURCE
- The City of Phoenix Parks and Recreation Department closed playgrounds, basketball courts, volleyball courts, and fitness areas because of COVID. – SOURCE
- Implemented mask mandates – SOURCE
- Implementing the 15-minute city framework
- “Our goal by 2050 is to make walking, cycling, and transit commonly used and enjoyed in every Phoenix neighborhood. This goal will result in 90% of the population living within one-half mile of transit and 40% of the population choosing to commute by walking, biking, or transit. Currently, 86% of the population lives within one-half mile of transit, while less than 10% of the population currently commutes by walking, biking or transit.” To do this one action, the City is planning is to “[Develop] 15 vibrant compact complete centers throughout the city to provide the majority of services residents need within their local community.” – SOURCE – SOURCE
- Implementing road diets – reducing the amount of traffic to slow traffic, altering driving experiences, implementing bike lanes, bus rapid transit, and/or light rail. – SOURCE
- Implementing Meat Consumption Mitigation – Policies that will lead to future reduction of meat consumption – SOURCE
- Sold $60 million of water rights to the federal government and stated that it will have no impact on City water customers. – SOURCE
- Increased water rates – SOURCE
- Implementing housing first homeless policies – SOURCE – SOURCE
- Teamed up with ASU to implement global policies to obtain the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals – SOURCE
- Dedicated the Office of Arts & Culture to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. – SOURCE
- Equity teaches people and has policies based on the belief that there is systemic racism, and that they are entitled to reparations and more because of the color of their skin. – SOURCE
- Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion teaches students and people that white people are oppressors. – SOURCE
- Phoenix has its highest rate of inflation dating back to at least 2002. – SOURCE
- The unemployment rate in Phoenix has skyrocketed nearly 38% in 4 months. – SOURCE
- Phoenix air ranks among the most polluted. – SOURCE
- Homelessness has increased every year since 2017 and is the highest it’s been since at least 2016. – SOURCE
- Tried to house homeless people on a site the City knew was previously used for illegal dumping. – SOURCE
- History of failed homeless shelter programs. – SOURCE
- The City has spent $12 million to install cool pavement over the last four years. It actually makes people hotter. – SOURCE
- Created the Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. The office is meant to ensure equitable distribution of City services. – SOURCE – SOURCE
- Created the Equal Opportunity Department. It can give people money if they believe they are a victim of housing discrimination because of gender expression or gender identity. – SOURCE
- The Office of Arts and Culture hosted the Racial Equity Learning Cohort Program. – SOURCE
It’s critical for the people of Phoenix to stand up, speak up, give public comments, or submit written public comments. You can find out more about how to make your voice heard here. But don’t wait. The meeting is tomorrow, and it’s up to the public to put a stop to this radical tax.
Jeff Caldwell currently helps with operations at EZAZ.org. He is also a Precinct Captain, State Committeeman, and Precinct Committeeman in Legislative District 2. Jeff is a huge baseball fan who enjoys camping and exploring new, tasty restaurants! You can follow him on X here.
by Daniel Stefanski | Mar 23, 2023 | Economy, News
By Daniel Stefanski |
Another Republican-led proposal to stimulate and incentivize business development in Arizona is moving through the legislature – though it is unsurprisingly meeting serious resistance from the other side of the aisle.
Senator Steve Kaiser sponsored SB 1559, which deals with a reduction in the income tax and fees for new businesses across the state. According to the purpose of the legislation provided by the State Senate, the bill “prescribes a threshold of five percent of state contracts the Arizona Department of Administration (ADOA) is encouraged to award to new businesses each year and exempts a new business and a person who is establishing a new business from filing fees to establish the new business.” It also “establishes an individual and corporate income tax subtraction in prescribed amounts for a new business’s first three years of operation.”
The prescribed amounts for individuals (income received from the new business) and corporations (Arizona gross income) are 100 percent for the first year of operation, 50 percent for the second year, and 25 percent for the third.
Earlier this week, Senator Kaiser’s piece of legislation passed the chamber with a party-line 16-12 vote – with two Democrat Senators not voting (Burch and Gonzales). This action followed two, prior partisan votes in Senate Committees– first in the Finance Committee back in February, where SB 1559 cleared 4-3; and in the Rules Committee, 4-3.
The Joint Legislative Budget Committee (JLBC) previously published data from the U.S. Census Bureau’s Business Formation Statistics, showing that there were 7,919 business formations in Arizona in 2022. The JLBC also projected that “the number of new businesses will grow to 8,523 in 2023, 9,173 in 2024, 9,872 in 2025, and 17,561 in 2026.”
Earlier in the Senate Finance Committee, Democrat Senator Mitzi Epstein explained why she was voting against the transmission of the bill to the full chamber, saying that though she was a small business owner and understood the need for these businesses to receive help and access to resources, she believed the provisions of this legislation would be “ripe for abuse.” She feared that SB 1559 would “create a whole new industry” of entrepreneurs helping small businesses take advantage of the tax and fee incentives provided by this proposal (if enacted).
In the committee, Senator Kaiser, the bill’s sponsor, touted his previous experience as a business owner and empathized with young business owners (especially those businesses under five years old) trying to keep their operation afloat and financed in the early years. He stated that “we need to really support our young businesses as much as possible. They do produce the most new jobs compared to existing small businesses and large businesses, and whatever we can do to help them survive and thrive is going to be helpful.”
Another Democrat Senator, Brian Fernandez, told the Finance Committee that he was a no, but he possibly could be swayed to flip his position if there were changes to the bill, inferring that his suggested tweaks mirrored the concerns expressed by his colleague, Senator Epstein.
Representatives from the Arizona Firearms Industry Trade Association and North Phoenix Chamber of Commerce supported this legislation through the Senate process, while a representative for the Arizona Center for Economic Progress registered opposition to the bill.
Before the vote on the Senate floor, the Arizona Senate Democrats Caucus tweeted that “SB 1559 is another handout for businesses,” and warned that “a new business income tax subtraction could cost Arizona’s General Fund an estimated $34.3M in FY25, $36.5M in FY26, and $38.9M in FY27.”
SB 1559 now heads to the Arizona House of Representatives for consideration.
Daniel Stefanski is a reporter for AZ Free News. You can send him news tips using this link.
