by Jonathan Eberle | Dec 17, 2025 | News
By Jonathan Eberle |
Arizona Senate Republicans released their 2026 Majority Plan on Monday, outlining policy priorities aimed at reducing the cost of living, strengthening public safety, supporting economic growth, and increasing oversight of state government.
The plan follows several years of divided government at the Capitol and builds on what Republicans describe as recent legislative accomplishments, including balanced budgets and multiple tax cuts passed without raising overall taxes. Caucus leaders say the 2026 agenda is intended to address challenges facing Arizona families, particularly rising housing costs, inflation, and concerns about government accountability.
“Arizonans want affordable living, safe neighborhoods, and a government that strengthens — not weakens — our economy,” Senate President Warren Petersen said in a statement. “While the Governor’s vetoes stall progress, Senate Republicans remain focused on protecting taxpayers, upholding Arizona’s freedoms, and preventing the radical left from turning our state into California.”
A central component of the plan is a proposed tax and budget framework aimed at providing relief from rising prices. Senate Republicans say they are pursuing reductions in state taxes on tips and overtime, expanded deductions for seniors, and policies to support small businesses. Caucus leaders estimate the proposals would return more than $1 billion to taxpayers over three years while pairing tax relief with restrained government spending.
Housing affordability is another major focus. The plan cites regulatory barriers, slow permitting processes, and executive-level actions as factors contributing to Arizona’s housing shortage. Republicans say they support reforms to speed up construction, reduce fees, and limit local restrictions on new housing, while aligning development decisions with water availability data.
“Arizonans can’t afford policies that stall development, inflate housing prices, or jeopardize our water security,” Senate President Pro Tempore T.J. Shope said. “Senate Republicans are advancing practical, data-driven solutions that support responsible growth and keep Arizona livable for the next generation.”
Water policy is addressed alongside housing, particularly as negotiations over the Colorado River continue. The plan emphasizes the Legislature’s statutory role in those talks and calls for shared conservation efforts among basin states to avoid placing disproportionate burdens on Arizona.
Public safety proposals include addressing staffing shortages in correctional facilities, increasing oversight of state agencies, and strengthening accountability for violent offenders and probation violators. The plan also reiterates support for Second Amendment protections and public safety pension stability.
Senate Majority Leader John Kavanagh criticized the current administration’s record, saying, “Arizonans deserve leadership that solves problems, not a wolf in sheep’s clothing who blocks solutions and hopes voters won’t notice.”
Additional priorities outlined in the plan include border security enforcement, election integrity measures, education policy, transportation and infrastructure investment, emergency preparedness, artificial intelligence safeguards, family court reform, veterans’ services, and oversight of agencies such as AHCCCS and the Department of Child Safety. Opening day of the second regular session of the 57th Legislature is scheduled for January 12, when many of the proposals are expected to be introduced.
Jonathan Eberle is a reporter for AZ Free News. You can send him news tips using this link.
by Jonathan Eberle | Dec 9, 2025 | News
By Jonathan Eberle |
Arizona Senate Republicans are raising alarms over potential budget cuts that could jeopardize long-planned safety and expansion projects along State Route 347, a vital corridor connecting the fast-growing city of Maricopa to the Phoenix metropolitan area.
Sen. David Farnsworth (R-LD10), who chairs the Senate Appropriations & Transportation Committee, and Senate President Pro Tempore T.J. Shope (R-LD16) said Friday that they are working to ensure the Legislature preserves funding for the highway in the upcoming session. The push comes as SR 347 faces increasing traffic demands and a long history of serious crashes, including more than 300 collisions at the Riggs Road intersection alone.
More than three-quarters of Maricopa households depend on SR 347 for daily commutes. Yet the roadway has not been significantly widened since the late 1990s, despite dramatic population growth. Maricopa, which had roughly 1,500 residents in 2003, now exceeds 80,000.
Plans for the corridor include widening the entire highway, building a new overpass at Riggs Road, and upgrading key intersections. The projects are backed by a combination of legislative appropriations, local contributions totaling $50 million, and revenues approved by voters through Proposition 479. Construction on the Pinal County widening segment is expected to begin in late 2026.
Farnsworth said delaying construction is not an option. “SR 347 is essential for daily life in Maricopa; we cannot afford any delays when lives are at stake,” he said. “Every improvement we make on this corridor brings us closer to preventing tragedies, supporting economic growth, and ensuring Arizona families can travel safely for generations to come.”
Shope described the funding as “a lifeline,” arguing that cuts would undermine both public safety and regional economic stability. “Every dollar represents a commitment to saving lives and strengthening our economy,” Shope said. “Protecting this funding is not only sensible fiscal policy; it is a moral obligation to every driver who relies on this corridor to get home safely.”
City of Maricopa Mayor Nancy Smith said work is already moving forward, with design nearing completion and the project out for bid. “It is critical to keep all funding in place to allow this safety and capacity project to stay on track,” Smith said. “We are incredibly appreciative of Senator Farnsworth’s attention to the importance of this project.”
Jonathan Eberle is a reporter for AZ Free News. You can send him news tips using this link.
by Jonathan Eberle | Nov 17, 2025 | News
By Jonathan Eberle |
Newly surfaced documents and internal communications are raising new questions about political influence inside the Arizona Department of Child Safety (DCS), prompting calls for accountability from legislative leaders. Senate President Pro Tempore T.J. Shope is urging state and county prosecutors to provide an immediate update on whether investigations into the matter remain active.
The controversy centers on Sunshine Residential Homes, a group home provider that recently received a 30% rate increase from DCS. The company has been a significant donor to Governor Katie Hobbs and multiple Democratic political groups—connections that agency employees reportedly flagged as a source of concern.
According to internal messages and financial records reviewed by lawmakers, DCS staff expressed discomfort with the approval process for the rate hike. Employees referenced Sunshine Residential’s political ties to the Governor and suggested the situation placed agency leaders in an “uncomfortable position,” particularly after the provider allegedly pressured the state by threatening to shift services to the federal system unless the increase was approved.
Despite warnings that the higher rate would deepen an already-projected $13 million budget shortfall, DCS moved forward with the decision. Documents also show Sunshine Residential cited a substantial financial deficit to justify its request. However, financial records reportedly indicate the provider had $440,000 in operating income—figures that independent accounting experts said appeared inconsistent with the claimed shortfall.
These discrepancies have intensified questions about whether political considerations influenced decisions affecting vulnerable children in state care. In a letter sent Thursday to Attorney General Kris Mayes and Maricopa County Attorney Rachel Mitchell, Shope requested confirmation that any investigations into the potential “pay-to-play” conduct are ongoing. He also asked prosecutors to update the Legislature on the status of their reviews.
“These revelations are deeply disturbing,” Shope said. “If a provider donating hundreds of thousands of dollars to the Governor then pressures the state for a massive rate increase—and receives it—Arizonans deserve to know whether political influence played a role.”
Shope emphasized that the issue extends beyond partisan lines. “This is not a partisan issue—it’s a public trust issue,” he said. “If political donations influenced decisions inside DCS, especially decisions involving vulnerable children, that is unacceptable. We intend to get to the bottom of this.”
Jonathan Eberle is a reporter for AZ Free News. You can send him news tips using this link.
by Jonathan Eberle | Oct 2, 2025 | News
By Jonathan Eberle |
Two Arizona lawmakers are raising concerns over what they describe as a failure by the Governor’s Residential Utility Consumer Office (RUCO) to assist local families facing steep water and sewer rate hikes.
Representatives Teresa Martinez and Chris Lopez, both Republicans representing Legislative District 16, sent a letter to RUCO Director Cynthia Zwick questioning the agency’s handling of constituent requests tied to two pending Picacho Water & Sewer Company rate cases. The utility, which is foreign-owned, has sought increases that residents say are excessive and unfair.
According to the lawmakers, multiple constituents reached out to RUCO for support but received delayed responses—or, in some cases, no intervention at all.
“RUCO exists to stand up for utility consumers, not ignore them,” Rep. Martinez said. “Our constituents are understandably frustrated. They’re facing steep hikes from a foreign-owned utility, and when they turned to the Governor’s office for help, they got silence and a refusal. They deserve better.”
The letter from Martinez and Lopez asks RUCO to provide detailed information about how the office logs and tracks consumer complaints, its response timelines, and who within the agency handled calls regarding the Picacho cases. It specifically requests the dates those calls were received and when responses were issued
Rep. Lopez emphasized the need for accountability: “We’re pressing for answers because these families deserve accountability. Ratepayers shouldn’t be left in the dark when they turn to the very office meant to advocate for them.”
The lawmakers, joined by Senator T.J. Shope of the same district, also requested an in-person meeting with RUCO to review its consumer response practices.
The dispute centers on Docket Nos. W-03528A-25-0056 and SW-03709A-25-0057, in which Picacho Water & Sewer Company has asked regulators to approve rate increases. Residents have argued the proposals would impose unfair financial burdens, particularly given the utility’s ownership outside the United States.
Jonathan Eberle is a reporter for AZ Free News. You can send him news tips using this link.
by Matthew Holloway | Sep 23, 2025 | News
By Matthew Holloway |
Arizona Republican and conservative leaders gathered at State Farm Stadium in Glendale on Sunday for the Charlie Kirk Memorial, describing a unified scene filled with worship music and a spirit of revival.
In a radio appearance with James T. Harris of the Conservative Circus on 550 KFYI, Congressman Abe Hamadeh (R-AZ08) set the scene, telling the host, “James, the energy and the atmosphere was incredible. You know, Charlie was this 31-year-old man. His life was taken so short. Yet, you see so many people coming in, and there’s a sense of revival there, right? I mean the whole service was perfectly executed by Turning Point, especially given the quick turn around. I mean my God, they filled State Farm Stadium plus Desert Financial Credit Union Arena or Desert Diamond Area, rather, just across the street. So, you have almost 100,000 or over 100,000 people celebrat[ing] the life of Charlie Kirk. And it wasn’t just a political rally, James. I mean there was a prayer, there was worship music. I mean…the energy was different than any other rally I’ve been to.”
In an interview with Piers Morgan on Monday, Acting CEO of the U.S. Agency for Global Media Kari Lake said the feeling at the event was, “Definitely unity.”
She explained, “We were there to remember a friend, a great patriot, a great American, a great Christian, and it was extraordinary. I mean, the whole event started with hours of worship music by the biggest, you know, performers in Christian music…Getting there… was… it was almost impossible. I mean, every road going in was filled with standstill traffic, and people were walking from miles away.”
Lake added, “This was a group of Americans who love this country, a patriotic group, many of whom were Christians, all of whom love Charlie Kirk for the strong message he shared, for the peaceful way that he spread the word of our Constitution and our freedoms. And even the politicians that were there were talking about that. We’ve got to start coming together as a country, and that doesn’t mean we give up what we believe in, but we can no longer tolerate the crime, the violence that is coming at us, and we’ve sat down and taken it for a long time. Now we’re standing up, and we refuse to take it.”
Congressman Juan Ciscomani (R-AZ06) shared images to X from the event and wrote, “Charlie lived by prioritizing his faith — and he did so without hesitation while inspiring many. This allowed our youth the courage to lead with their faith and have a political position based on who you are as a person and what you believe in your heart. It’s a very important message. Today’s service is a reflection of who Charlie was — centered on his beliefs with strong conservative values.”
During the memorial, Congressman Eli Crane (R-AZ02) shared a personal anecdote about his friendship with Kirk, writing, “Darkness will never be able to overcome light. There may be moments where it appears that all is lost. This story we live in will have many more dark moments, and I can promise you this, light will ultimately overcome it all.”
He added, “I’m grateful to have been able to call Charlie a friend. He inspired me and so many others. He showed us that places like academia weren’t lost but void of light. He became that light and started a movement that will eclipse in his death what he built in life. Though we will miss our friend and true patriot. We will never forget him, and we will carry on the work that fueled him. To be bold, speak truth, and point others to Christ.”
Arizona Senate President Warren Petersen shared photos from the memorial, commenting, “With tens of thousands ready to remember, honor, and celebrate the life of Charlie Kirk. Never seen anything like this.”
State Senator T.J. Shope (R-LD16) shared them as well and wrote, “Truly amazing sights coming out of State Farm Stadium today! We’re watching at home like millions of others but am glad @votewarren and thousands of others are in the building to pay respects to the great @charliekirk11!”
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.
