by admin | May 16, 2025 | Misc, News and Updates
Joe Biden caused a lot of damage in just four years as president. He undermined national security, cratered the economy, and weaponized the deep state against ordinary Americans and civil liberties. Considering these monstrous failures, the devastation he caused in transportation and infrastructure is largely overlooked. But shockingly, Biden’s USDOT director Pete Buttigieg made it pretty far down the road implementing a woke transportation agenda across the country.
In the past decade, environmentalists and central planners have linked arms with woke evangelists to radicalize transportation policy across the country. This was super-charged under Biden’s administration that pushed propaganda about roads being racist, rewrote rules and policies to force the Green New Deal, and made billions in grants to states and localities contingent on them adopting this woke agenda.
Now, Trump is hitting the brakes on the Left’s anti-car agenda, and in just 100 days Secretary of USDOT Sean Duffy has begun reversing course, cleansing the agency of DEI, environmental red tape, and wasteful and damaging spending.
Taxes on Driving & Subsidizing Transit Boondoggles
Only four weeks after being sworn in as Secretary of Transportation, Duffy sent a letter to New York Governor Kathy Hochul informing her he was shutting down the congestion pricing pilot program, which charges most drivers a $9 toll for entering NY’s “congestion relief zone.” The “pilot program” is estimated to generate a half billion dollars a year, not for road improvements to benefit the drivers paying the toll, but to bail out the Metropolitan Transit Authority, which supposedly needs $15 billion in infrastructure improvements.
It isn’t just New York that needs a bailout for “Big Transit.” Billions every year get shelled out by the federal government to fund transit projects with embarrassingly low ridership. On February 20th, the USDOT announced they were launching a probe into California’s bullet train boondoggle, a pipedream of the Obama Era that has gobbled up over $16 billion in taxpayer subsidies and failed to lay one track in 16 years. Similarly, Duffy cut funding to another expensive train project in the state of Texas, cancelling the remaining $60M of a federal grant and telling project leaders that if they think the project is feasible, they should shoulder the cost and not expect the American taxpayer to bail them out.
Transportation Green New Grift
Sec. Duffy also immediately began eliminating the Green New Deal nonsense plaguing the USDOT under Buttigieg. Duffy rescinded the Federal Highway Administration GHG rule that forces states and Metropolitan Planning Organizations to establish targets to reduce emissions. And he reopened the CAFE standards to reverse Biden’s effective ban on gas cars and provide the choice consumers want. From top to bottom, Biden’s USDOT was forcing a radical environmental agenda, mostly through granting and withholding of federal monies. Billions of dollars were allocated to local city projects that ripped up perfectly good roads to narrow or eliminate them and replace that space with bike lanes and bicycle infrastructure. No more.
It is obvious to see Duffy is over the target when radically liberal transportation publications like “Streetsblog” have a new lamenting post every day. They even commented on the USDOT’s “purge” of various links on the agency’s website supporting “Complete Streets” that were clearly put together by Left activist organizations and provided the justification for thousands of cities to redesign their roads to force people out of their cars. Lest you think complete streets sound like an innocuous, non-political design feature, Streetsblog explains it as, “a powerful tool to reduce racial and social inequities, as well as making cities more green and accessible.”
Transportation Gone Woke
Lastly, this administration has been quick and bold in their attack on the unamerican cult of DEI, embedded at every level of government. Sec. Duffy immediately began rescinding Biden DEI policies at the USDOT, including cutting the strings to federal monies contingent on DEI, “social cost of carbon,” or “disparate impact” findings. In fact, he has made it clear that states can expect not to receive funds if they break the law, including sanctuary jurisdictions that do not comply with immigration enforcement. And Duffy announced they would strip funding for pointless woke research projects such as the $6M spent on “intermodal inequities, particularly how improvements to auto travel can benefit higher income, often white drivers, while depressing transit ridership potential and depriving it of revenues necessary to provide comprehensive services to lower income, often BIPOC people and research… to address safety concerns of women and gender non-conforming people using public transportation.”
The Root Problem – Vision Zero
But what lies at the bottom of all of this – congestion pricing schemes and other taxes on driving, emission standards to ban gas cars altogether, rip out roads and replace them with bike lanes, and siphon transportation dollars to bailout transit – is the ideological rot that is the Vision Zero initiative.
In Arizona we identified the Vision Zero initiative as the most effective injection of woke ideology into transportation planning in the country. After all, who doesn’t want to end traffic fatalities? The initiative itself started in the states as a non-profit funded by a liberal Bay Area clearinghouse for leftist causes adopting an ideology founded in Sweden. It has since penetrated the educational institutions of transportation professions and gained saturation in 2016 when it was officially adopted by the USDOT and became central to planning and funding requirements. In the name of making streets safer, Vision Zero has been the vehicle accelerating the wokeification of transportation planning.
Arizona and Sec. Duffy Can Permanently Save our Roads
In Arizona, we have been the tip of the spear fighting all these issues. At the top of the list is our “Freedom to Move” referral which would enshrine in the Constitution a ban on the government tracking, taxing, or limiting our miles of travel. This measure is currently one vote in the Arizona House away from being on the 2026 ballot. But we have also introduced a host of bills, fought the extension of the half cent sales tax in Maricopa County that subsidizes transit to the tune of billions of dollars, and worked in local communities to stop road diet projects.
But all this will continue if Sec. Duffy doesn’t completely eradicate Vision Zero from the USDOT, which is why we sent a memorial to the Trump Administration and Congress to educate the agency about it.
It has only been a little more than 100 days since Trump has taken office. The breadth and speed of the actions taken by the USDOT in that short time is breath-taking. Secretary Duffy arrived just in time to start the reversal of the corrosive woke transportation trends in our country. Yet there is still a lot more work to be done, and we are hopeful, given the performance thus far, and with groups like ours, the administration will get around to it.
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by admin | May 13, 2025 | Misc, News and Updates
Since becoming Governor of Arizona in 2023, Katie Hobbs’ name has been synonymous with corruption. Now, one of her latest vetoes shows the lengths she is willing to go to protect her own schemes.
Buried on the afternoon of Friday, May 2, Hobbs vetoed SB 1612, along with 21 other bills. Sponsored by Arizona State Senator TJ Shope, SB 1612 would have required anyone applying for grants to various state agencies to disclose gifts, donations, or other support provided to the sitting governor. That sort of transparency should be something that every Arizonan can get behind—Republicans, Democrats, Independents, you name it—unless, of course, your agenda doesn’t involve the best interests of Arizona citizens, right Katie Hobbs?
This whole story starts at the very beginning of Hobbs’ tenure as governor. If you’ll recall, at the time, Hobbs set up a shady slush fund to provide donors with a conduit to buy political favor from her administration. While setting up and managing the fund, Hobbs illegally used public resources—like the state’s website—to solicit money for her inauguration. And she also tried to stop the disclosure of the names of those who donated to her inaugural fund.
But after immense political pressure and public records requests filed by groups like the Arizona Freedom Foundation (who operates AZ Free News), Hobbs finally released the names of the donors. One of the names of the groups on the list was Sunshine Residential Homes Inc., a for-profit company that contracts with the State of Arizona to provide some child welfare services. At the time, Sunshine Residential Homes made a donation of $100,000. But in June 2024, an eye-opening report revealed a deeper level of corruption—an alleged pay-to-play scheme between Hobbs and the group home.
According to the report, Sunshine Residential Homes donated approximately $400,000 toward the Arizona Democratic Party, Hobbs’ gubernatorial campaign, and her aforementioned inaugural fund. How generous! Surely there couldn’t be anything else behind this. Oh…wait a minute. The report revealed that Sunshine Residential Homes was granted a 60 percent increase at a time when the Arizona Department of Child Safety (DCS) cut loose 16 providers! On top of that, no other standard group home provider received a rate increase. This arrangement set up Sunshine Residential Homes to potentially receive millions of dollars more at the taxpayers’ expense. Are donations supposed to yield that kind of return?
While the scheme is still under investigation from both Attorney General Kris Mayes and Maricopa County Attorney Rachel Mitchell, Hobbs could’ve given the people of Arizona greater confidence in the government by signing SB 1612. Instead, she dropped a two-sentence veto letter saying that AHCCCS’ procurement and award processes are “consistent with Medicaid best practices.”
That’s right. Hobbs dodged the issue and attempted to bury it because she knows she has no good reason to oppose this bill. And that just about sums up Katie Hobbs. Her entire tenure has been filled with corruption. We’ve seen it when she diverted millions for an unauthorized program that has blown a hole in our state’s budget. We’ve seen it when she broke the law to take credit for the Republican tax rebate. We’ve seen it when she approved a $700,000 contract for Urias Communications, owned by the brother of the now-former Office of Tourism Director Lisa Urias, to create a new state logo. And now we’ve seen it once again as she tries to hide from her pay-to-play scandal through her veto pen.
SB 1612 would’ve brought some much-needed transparency and accountability, no matter who is in the governor’s office. That’s something all Arizonans deserve. But as long as Katie Hobbs is governor, we’ll get neither.
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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by admin | May 9, 2025 | Misc, News and Updates
PHOENIX, ARIZONA – This week the Arizona Supreme Court granted review of a critical 1st Amendment lawsuit, Center for AZ v. AZ Secretary of State. The case deals with Proposition 211, which established onerous and unconstitutional disclosure requirements on private organizations and donors that could lead to harassment, censorship, and chill free speech. The Arizona Free Enterprise Club is a plaintiff in the lawsuit.
The Arizona Supreme Court granted review on the following issues:
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- “Is the Voters’ Right to Know Act facially unconstitutional under the Arizona Constitution?”
- “If not, did the court of appeals properly dismiss Plaintiffs-Appellants’ as-applied challenge?
“We are thankful that the Arizona Supreme Court accepted review of this vital case for our First Amendment liberties,” said Scot Mussi, President of the Arizona Free Enterprise Club. “Both the U.S. Constitution and the Arizona Constitution guarantee citizens the right to speak freely, which includes the right to not be forced to speak. Prop 211 not only violates this right for donors by silencing them from supporting causes they believe in but impairs the speech of nonprofits like ours as well. We are hopeful that the Arizona Supreme Court will rule in favor of the Constitution after considering the merits of the case.”
Joining the Arizona Free Enterprise Club on this challenge are the Center for Arizona Policy, with the Goldwater Institute serving as counsel.
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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by admin | Apr 29, 2025 | Misc, News and Updates
PHOENIX, ARIZONA – This week, the Arizona House of Representatives passed SCM 1002, which “urges the President, and the Congress of the United States to eliminate Vision Zero and instead promote transportation solutions that prioritize sound engineering methods, reliable safety outcomes, flexibility and engineering innovation.”
Vision Zero is an ideology, not transportation engineering. The ideology has one set of prescriptions for every perceived problem – narrow lanes, remove lanes, lower speed limits, add bike lanes and sidewalks, and other mandates that increase congestion to get people out of their personal vehicles. It first appeared in Sweden at the end of the 20th Century and has spread all throughout Europe and, unfortunately, most American communities.
Thankfully, the Trump administration has already taken steps to eliminate Vision Zero, DEI, and the Green New Deal from the federal government, including blocking New York City congestion pricing, uprooting emission reduction requirements, and removing the Complete Streets page from the Federal Highway Administration’s website. More of these actions are forthcoming under President Trump and Secretary Sean Duffy’s leadership.
“In recent years, radical leftists have hijacked our government to impose their woke transportation-related dreams across our country and world,” said Scot Mussi, President of the Arizona Free Enterprise Club. “We witnessed those dreams rapidly become reality over the past four years under the Biden administration and Pete Buttigieg. Thankfully, President Trump and Arizona Republicans realize the importance of stopping the un-American war on cars, replacing these with rational, tested, and true actions in our communities that prioritize freedom of choice and prosperity for all. We are grateful for the members of the Arizona Legislature who supported SCM 1002 and who stand as a check against Governor Hobbs’ radical schemes to fundamentally transform our state’s transportation policies.”
The Arizona House passed SCM 1002 with a vote of 32-23 (with five members not voting). Earlier this session, it was approved by the Senate 17-12 (with one member not voting).
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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by admin | Apr 8, 2025 | Misc, News and Updates
PHOENIX, ARIZONA – Yesterday, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced that it would be reversing the Biden administration’s Guidance on the Preparation of Clean Air Act Section (CAA) 179B Demonstrations for Nonattainment Areas Affected by International Transport of Emissions.
This regulation, as interpreted and enforced by the previous administration, held Arizona accountable for the eighty percent of emissions in the Maricopa County nonattainment area that emanated from outside of the state – primarily from China and Mexico. These incoming international emissions made it impossible for Arizona to adhere to its State Implementation Plan in the federal government’s eyes no matter what policies it implemented to lower local ozone levels.
“This announcement from the EPA is welcome news to our state, which had been oppressed by the environmental policies of the previous administration,” said Scot Mussi, President of the Arizona Free Enterprise Club. “Due to this regulation from the Biden administration, Arizona was being forced to adopt radical control measures, like banning gasoline-powered vehicles, which still would have left our state short of meeting the ozone standard. Yet again, the left’s environmental policies have proven to be disastrous and unworkable. For the good of our state and country, we must never repeat these mandates.”
The Arizona Free Enterprise Club is spearheading the effort to pass HCM 2010, which urges the EPA to take actions just like the one Administrator Lee Zeldin took yesterday, clearing the path for Arizona to submit an updated State Implementation Plan without the radical control measures that had been previously contemplated to protect businesses and families.
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.
by admin | Mar 27, 2025 | Misc, News and Updates
Arizona Governor Katie Hobbs and the Radical Left have made it clear that they want to dismantle school choice in our state. Despite getting trounced in November’s election where teachers’ unions and other anti-school choice groups made it a referendum on educational freedom, Hobbs has doubled down on her same tired and out-of-touch efforts since the start of this year.
Once again, it hasn’t worked. Arizona’s Empowerment Scholarship Account (ESA) program continues to grow—with enrollment now over 87,000 students. So, Hobbs and her buddies in the teachers’ unions have resorted to employing one of their favorite tricks: relying on activist reporters in the corporate media to give their anti-school choice messaging an extra boost.
In early March, a coordinated attack was launched against Primavera, an online charter school serving thousands of K-12 students across the state. It began with a story from Craig Harris, a Red4ED activist that calls himself a reporter, who claimed that Primavera received a ‘D’ letter grade from the Arizona Department of Education for the past three years. According to the report, the school failed to meet the minimum academic requirements for a traditional charter school. Harris’ column then went on to complain about the owner of Primavera and how much money he has made while operating the school.
After the story was published, the Arizona Charter School Board convened a hearing to review the allegations against Primavera. In a span of just a few hours, the board imposed the most severe punishment at their disposal, revoking the schools’ charter and setting them up for eventual closure. In effect, Primavera was given the charter school death penalty after one meeting.
On the surface, this might make sense. After all, if a school is failing its students, it deserves proper accountability. But as so often happens with today’s corporate media, an important fact was omitted from this manufactured takedown. It turns out that Primavera was being graded as a traditional school even though it operates as an “alternative” school. And this is an important distinction. In an alternative school, a large portion of the student population is either struggling with performance or trying to catch up on their requirements in order to graduate. Because of this, alternative schools are graded differently.
For years, Primavera was given the designation as an alternative school from the Arizona Department of Education with the school receiving a ‘B’ grade. But in 2021, their alternative school designation lapsed, which resulted in them being graded as a traditional school for three years. When the administrators at Primavera realized the mistake, they reapplied and were once again approved as an alternative school for this current school year.
So yes, this big saga over a “failing” charter school that was given the harshest punishment imaginable by the charter school board is literally due to a paperwork error. It’s one big nothing-burger that was all triggered by an activist reporter who has an endless supply of axes to grind with charter and private schools.
It does look like Primavera failed to file the correct paperwork, and if the charter school board sees fit to punish Primavera for this mistake, fine. Go for it. But to go from offering no warning to the school to giving it the death penalty is obvious overkill—especially since the Arizona Department of Education granted Primavera’s application to be redesignated as an alternative school.
The reality is that none of this would have happened if Primavera was a district school. Just look at Isaac Elementary School District, which has been mismanaging funds for years and currently faces a budget shortfall of over $12 million! Or Mesa Public Schools, which failed to explain where $32.3 million of their federal emergency funds slated for COVID expenses went. None of these district schools have ever faced the sort of consequences imposed on Primavera. And they also seem to conveniently avoid the attention of these same activist reporters.
It’s time for the charter school board to make the situation right. They should rescind their action against Primavera and come up with a more appropriate remedy that doesn’t displace thousands of students because of a paperwork error.
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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