Every American should be free to support nonprofit organizations they believe in without being harassed or intimidated. You would think this is obvious. But leave it to California’s former Attorney General, Kamala Harris, to trample on that freedom.
Back in 2010, Harris began ordering nonprofits that fundraise in the State of California to disclose the information of their major donors. Of course, the California government had no real need for this information. And, despite the fact that the state was required to keep donor names private, they were regularly leaked to the public.
You may even remember the name of Brendan Eich. In 2014, Eich, who created JavaScript, became CEO of Mozilla. But soon after, he was forced to step down from his position amid a flurry of backlash when it was made public that he donated money in support of California’s Proposition 8, a ballot initiative that would define marriage as between one man and one woman.
That’s why both organizations filed lawsuits in 2014, challenging California’s rule. And after the cases were granted by the U.S. Supreme Court, they managed to do something nearly impossible. Groups from across the ideological spectrum, some of which never agree on anything, filed amicus briefs in support of Thomas More Law Center and American for Prosperity Foundation. These groups included the ACLU, NAACP, Human Rights Campaign, Southern Poverty Law Center, Alliance Defending Freedom, Becket Fund, PETA, and the Institute for Justice.
This is an important win for people across the country who want to support organizations of their choice. But it particularly hits home here in Arizona. After all, for years now, Arizona’s former Attorney General Terry Goddard has been leading a campaign to “Stop Dark Money.” And you’re probably not surprised to learn that his campaign also supports HR1, a piece of piece of legislation that would be a disaster for our elections and the First Amendment.
Just like in California, Goddard’s effort has one clear purpose: to force organizations to disclose their donors. And who do you think they are planning to target once they gain access to this information?
Conservatives.
They want to dox them. They want to intimidate them into silence. And they want to harass anyone who doesn’t believe what they want them to believe or say what they want them to say.
That’s why the people of Arizona must put a stop to this. If Goddard gets his way, we’ll be dealing with Kamala Harris 2.0 right here in our state. But donors deserve privacy. And last week, the Supreme Court made that clear.
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After raking in cash from taxpayers amounting to a staggering $4 billion surplus, Governor Ducey and Republican legislators have delivered big with a historic tax cut this year. At full implementation, the cuts enshrined in SB1827, SB1828, and SB1783 will total $1.8 billion, and this couldn’t have come at a better time.
While Arizona families and small businesses were struggling during covid shutdowns and trying to make ends meet, the tax collector was still busy collecting. And as all Arizonans were already being overtaxed, on the narrowest margin, Proposition 208 was passed threatening a 77% tax hike on many Arizonans and small businesses. The tax cuts in this year’s budget completely neutralize that threat.
The tax cut package will result in a tax cut for all Arizona taxpayers. At full implementation, the current four rates of 2.59%, 3.34%, 4.17%, and 4.5% (with a fifth Prop 208 rate of 8%) will be collapsed into one single rate of 2.5%.
But since Proposition 208 is voter protected, income above $250,000 ($500,000 for married filing jointly) would still be hit with the 3.5% “surcharge,” resulting in a top rate of 6%, leaving Arizona still uncompetitive. The tax cut package takes care of this, too, by capping the top rate any taxpayer will shoulder at 4.5%, or the current top marginal rate.
Finally, holding the Red4Ed Prop 208 proponents to the promise that their tax hike “legally” could not affect small businesses, SB1783 will create an optional alternative small business tax which will have a rate beginning at 3.5% this year, ratcheting down to match the new single individual income rate of 2.5%. This means that small businesses can bifurcate their business income from their personal income, filing it under the alternative small business tax and paying a rate of 2.5% instead of the capped 4.5% rate. To reiterate, this is small business income that by Prop 208 advocates own words was never supposed to be subject to the surcharge. SB1783 codifies that intent.
This is big, and it will ensure Arizonans can enjoy continued economic growth. After the passage of Prop 208, Arizona was facing a 10-year economic impact of at minimum $2.4 billion in lost revenue and 124,000 jobs. Not anymore. This package not only mitigates that bleak future, it reverses the trend, creating a better tax environment than before.
As residents of high tax states continue to flee from income persecution in states like California, New York, and Illinois to seek shelter in low tax Red states, this tax cut package will ensure entrepreneurs, business owners, and families have Arizona high on their list. These tax cuts alone instantly take Arizona from ranking 13th in economic outlook (the worst Arizona has ever received) to 3rd.
And to the contrary of the alarmists decrying a tax cut for everyone as “welfare for the wealthy,” conservative leaders were able to pass this historic $1.8 billion tax cut while spending a record high amount for education with hundreds of millions in new funding for k-12 and universities, paying down over a billion in debt, and spending hundreds of millions on infrastructure. All while maintaining a billion-dollar rainy day fund and a half billion-dollar structural balance.
As Senator Mesnard, the bill sponsor of SB1783 said in his vote explanation, when the state experiences a surplus as a result of this tax cut deal, let’s remember this day. It’s a day worth celebrating.
Help Protect Freedom in Arizona by Joining Our Grassroots Network
Arizona needs to have a unified voice promoting economic freedom and prosperity, and the Free Enterprise Club is committed to making that happen. But we can’t do it alone. We need YOU!
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They’re still trying to scare us. Apparently, some people in our country just don’t like seeing businesses reopen, people unmasked, and a return to normalcy. So, as the threat to COVID largely dwindles, it should come as no surprise that the media is now pushing a new threat: the Delta variant.
It will be interesting to see how state and local governments across the country respond to this so-called “latest threat.” As you’ll recall, it didn’t go so well the first time around with most seizing the opportunity to abuse emergency powers, even here in Arizona. And although Arizona’s COVID response puts it ahead of most other states in the country, there’s still work to be done.
Thankfully, our state lawmakers haven’t ignored the problem. And with various provisions in a series of Budget Reconciliation Bills, they have taken important steps to protect Arizona from more COVID mandates and government overreach.
Vaccines should always be voluntary and never be forced. SB1819 addresses this fundamental freedom by including a provision that amends the ability of the state to require vaccination during a public health emergency to allow for an individual to refuse vaccination based on their personal beliefs.
Getting back to normal shouldn’t involve vaccine passports or requirements. But that hasn’t stopped the left from pushing this ridiculous concept to go back to our schools, to go back to our offices, or to enjoy the freedoms we should already have access to as American citizens. SB1824 takes this head on.
Section 12 states that vaccines with an emergency use authorization are not allowed to be required for in-person attendance at K-12 schools. Only after a vaccine has been prescribed by an Arizona Department of Health Services rule can it then be required for in-person attendance at K-12 schools.
Section 3 requires that an employer provide reasonable accommodation to an employee whose religious beliefs prevent them from getting a COVID-19 vaccine.
And section 13 prohibits the state and any city, town, or county from establishing a COVID vaccine passport, requiring a COVID vaccine, or requiring businesses to obtain proof of vaccination status from customers.
Just like K-12 students, university students shouldn’t be required to get COVID vaccines. But Arizona State University (ASU) certainly tried. In June, Dr. Joanne Vogel, ASU’s Vice President of Student Services, announced that students who have not received a COVID vaccine would be subjected to daily health checks, testing twice a week, and mandatory face mask use.
Governor Ducey responded swiftly, issuing an executive order that banned Arizona’s universities and community colleges from mandating students to show proof of their COVID vaccination status or be forced to wear masks to participate in learning.
A provision in SB1825 codifies Governor Ducey’s executive order, prohibiting universities from requiring COVID vaccines for attendance and from placing any conditions on attendance or participation based on a lack of vaccination.
Although they’ve been nothing but divisive and lack any data to back them up, the left LOVES mask mandates, especially in our schools. That’s what makes a provision in HB2898 particularly fun.
Section 12 prohibits a city, town, county, school board, or charter school governing body from requiring students or teachers to wear masks. Additionally, it prohibits a school board or charter governing board from requiring COVID vaccines in order to participate in person. (Can you feel the teachers’ unions squirm?)
There’s no doubt that COVID was an issue that warranted some action. But it never should have included trampling on the rights of the people. As the corporate media ramps up its scare tactics with new COVID variants, we cannot make the same mistakes. The government cannot be allowed to overstep its bounds. Thankfully, Arizona’s lawmakers recognize that. And now they’ve taken steps in the right direction to prevent more COVID overreach.
Help Protect Freedom in Arizona by Joining Our Grassroots Network
Arizona needs to have a unified voice promoting economic freedom and prosperity, and the Free Enterprise Club is committed to making that happen. But we can’t do it alone. We need YOU!
Join our FREE Grassroots Action List to stay up to date on the latest battles against big government and how YOU can help influence crucial bills at the Arizona State Legislature.
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