by admin | Oct 27, 2022 | Elections, News and Updates, Tax
When groups outside of Arizona have more interest in stopping an initiative reform than groups inside Arizona, that should tell you everything you need to know. And so it is with Will of the People Arizona, a group so concerned with our state that it raised nearly $325,000 in the third quarter of 2022.
That’s impressive, isn’t it? But do you know what’s even more impressive? Only $33 of the money raised by Will of the People came directly from people who actually live in Arizona!
You read that right…$33.
Despite its claim at the bottom of its website that only 20 percent of contributions are “coming from out of state,” the group received 11 payments from the Washington, D.C.-based The Fairness Project totaling more than $254,000. In addition, $70,000 came from the Berkeley-based Every Single Vote, and another D.C.-based group called Ballot Initiative Strategy Center contributed $326.11.
That’s well over 99% of the contributions to Will of the People Arizona coming from groups based in California and D.C. whose primary goal is to ensure our state is susceptible to their big money power plays. Specifically, these groups are trying to stop good initiatives like Props 129 and 132 which are designed to stop these out-of-state special interests from pumping money into Arizona to buy their way onto the ballot.
Currently, in the ballot initiative process, there is a lack of a single subject rule. This often gets exploited by out-of-state groups that want to shove multiple provisions on many different subjects into their ballot initiatives. Prop 129 would require ballot initiatives to pertain to a single subject, which is the same requirement for bills to pass the state legislature.
But stopping Prop 129 isn’t the only target of their big spending.
Prop 132 would require any new tax or tax increase on the ballot to receive at least 60% of the vote to pass. This is a critical initiative in this year’s election. Allowing 51% of the population (which may not have to pay the tax increase) to vote to tax the other 49% is wrong. We saw this most recently with Prop 208 back in 2020. This disastrous piece of legislation, which was pushed by out-of-state special interest groups, passed with only 51% of people voting for it. Had it not been for the court system killing Prop 208 once and for all, Arizona would right now be a high tax state.
The fact that Will of the People—or should we say “Will of Out-Of-State Unions and Special Interests”—is willing to spend big dollars to stop Props 129 and 132 proves exactly why Arizona needs these important initiatives.
It’s time to stop groups in California, Washington, D.C., or any other state from bringing their radical ideas to Arizona’s ballots. As you vote in this November’s election, protect your wallet, our state’s economy, and the future of Arizona by voting YES on Props 129 and 132.
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 | Oct 14, 2022 | Elections, News and Updates, Tax
Proponents of the Prop 310 tax increase tell voters it would cost just a penny when they buy coffee or just 10 cents when buying dinner to help fund “under-resourced” fire districts. But make no mistake, Prop 310 is a big tax hike. A new study by The Commonsense Institute, finds Prop 310 will cost taxpayers $5.5 billion over the next 20 years. On top of the bill footed by taxpayers, the Institute estimates it will result in the loss of thousands of jobs, shrinking our economy by $7.4 billion and reducing personal income by $8.55 billion over the lifetime of the tax.
Those are the consequences all 7 million Arizonans face under Prop 310 to fund fire districts that serve 1.5 million residents. These are the same districts with members who have been convicted of embezzling tens of thousands and even millions of taxpayer dollars for their own benefit, used the taxpayers’ debit card for thousands in personal purchases, and wastefully spent or mismanaged their existing tax dollars, racking up millions in pension debt.
Now they want a bailout from the rest of the state with a one-size-fits-all tax hike—a tax more than half of which will be allocated to just 12 districts that already make up more than half of the current revenue and spending. This means that under Prop 310, the best funded districts will be even better funded, while the worst funded will get the least, as the remaining 132 districts will get whatever is left over.
That’s the wrong approach.
Prop 310 isn’t just bad tax policy, it’s lazy legislating. Despite having a $5 billion surplus in 2022, lawmakers chose to refer a substantial tax increase to the ballot rather than prioritize accordingly. The legislature could have held actual hearings, received testimony, investigated the underlying issues in each of the districts, and worked to craft targeted solutions that don’t result in soaking all taxpayers. Instead, they avoided doing the real work, and punted their problems to the voters.
Voters should demand better from their lawmakers. After all, taxpayers shouldn’t have to pay more because politicians are bad at their jobs.
Instead, they rubber stamped a proposal that gives themselves no oversight and gives taxpayers no representation. The millions of Arizonans who don’t live in a fire district won’t have a vote. And those who do live in one district won’t have a vote in the other 143. Don’t like the way districts are spending your tax dollars? Too bad. With Prop 310, the tax isn’t going anywhere, and there’s nothing you can do about it.
But there were and still are other options. The legislature will likely have another surplus next year, (thanks to prior tax cuts). Saying no to a tax hike doesn’t mean saying no to public safety. It means voters want lawmakers to do their jobs and come up with a plan that doesn’t burden taxpayers further. Arizona voters should do just that and vote no on Prop 310.
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 | Oct 13, 2022 | News and Updates, Tax
In just a few short months, Arizona will officially have the lowest flat income tax rate in the country. Governor Ducey announced last week that the Department of Revenue will be implementing the final stage of individual income tax rate and bracket reductions to a single 2.5% flat rate in 2023, a year sooner than originally planned. This is great news for Arizona taxpayers and job creators as well as the overall economic outlook of the state for years to come.
Given what is coming out of Washington, D.C. these days, this news couldn’t have come at a better time. Joe Biden has declared war on the U.S. economy—raising taxes on job creators, juicing the IRS with 87,000 new agents, and pushing a spending agenda that has resulted in the Phoenix Metro area having the highest inflation in the country. Arizona families are getting crushed by Sleepy Joe, making this tax cut even more significant.
It is amazing to think that it wasn’t that long ago that our economic fortunes looked a lot different than today. Just two years ago, Arizona was facing the prospect of the largest tax increase in state history—a doubling of our state income tax due to Proposition 208. If allowed to go into effect, Prop 208 would have resulted in Arizona having the 9th highest income tax in the country.
Thankfully, through the work of the GOP-controlled legislature, Governor Ducey, and countless organizations and taxpayers throughout the state, Arizona went from having a top income tax rate of 8% (thanks to Prop 208) to our new 2.5% flat tax. This was accomplished with no help from the Democrats who voted in lockstep against the largest tax cut in state history. One member even called it racist.
As with most major reforms, it wasn’t all smooth sailing once the flat tax was passed in 2021. Immediately after it was signed into law, a group that included the teachers’ union Stand for Children and legislative Democrats worked to block implementation of the tax package and refer the measure to the ballot. But just like Prop 208, this effort failed after the Supreme Court determined, in a lawsuit filed by the Arizona Free Enterprise Club, that their referendum was unconstitutional.
Now, Arizona taxpayers will get to enjoy this massive tax cut starting in 2023. And not only will this flat tax result in smaller tax bills, but it will also bolster Arizona’s economy and jobs in the face of rising inflation and a shrinking GDP at the national level. In fact, it is estimated to bring 8,033 jobs and increase Arizona’s GDP by $1.6 billion next year alone.
After defeating the Left’s tax hike in court, passing the largest tax cut in state history, and successfully defending it from being referred to the ballot, Arizona is now back on track. With our state on the verge of electing Kari Lake as Governor and expanding our legislative majorities with more conservatives, even better days of economic prosperity are on the way.
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 | Oct 6, 2022 | Elections, News and Updates, Tax
In between dodging questions about why she won’t debate Kari Lake and holding school choice funds hostage, Katie Hobbs has been making some curious campaign promises lately. And none have been more suspect than what she claims is her current position on tax hikes.
After dragging her feet on the issue, Hobbs finally made her stance known last month when she declared that she has no plans to raise taxes if elected governor. Then, like a good Democrat who promises everything under the sun, she took it one step further, claiming that she would cut taxes for 800,000 Arizona families.
But anyone who has followed Hobbs’ political career knows that this is just another outrageous lie. During her time in the state legislature, Katie Hobbs regularly opposed tax cuts for families while making it a habit to support multiple tax hikes.
In 2015, while serving as Minority Leader of the Arizona Senate, Hobbs opposed HB2001. This bill, which was passed by the legislature and signed by Governor Ducey, protects taxpayers from paying more in taxes due to inflation. Interestingly enough, inflation is the apparent reason for her new “plan” to cut taxes. It’s actually the first word in one of her latest ads. But if cutting taxes because of inflation was so important to Hobbs, maybe she would care to explain why she voted against HB2001.
Of course, this isn’t the only legislation that calls Hobbs’ tax plan into question.
In 2017, she supported a 4/10 of a cent sales tax increase, costing taxpayers around $500 million annually. Then she got really busy going after your wallet in 2018. During that year, Hobbs supported HB2166, a $32 alternative fuel vehicle license tax that was so unpopular it was repealed after Hobbs left the state legislature. But she didn’t stop there. She also sponsored SB1316, legislation that would have DOUBLED the gas tax. Had this bill been passed, it would have been one of the largest tax hikes in Arizona history! And if that’s not enough, she sponsored SB1324 to hire 131 new auditors and tax collectors at the Arizona Department of Revenue.
That sounds a lot like the part of the “Build Back Broke” plan that creates a slush fund for the IRS to hire 87,000 new agents, doesn’t it?
The fact of the matter is that it was a Republican governor and Republican legislature that delivered historic tax cuts to every single Arizona taxpayer. And thankfully, that relief will now be experienced one year earlier than originally planned.
If she’s so concerned about cutting taxes, you would think Katie Hobbs would be celebrating that. But you’ll get nothing of the sort from her. Hobbs has spent her political career trying to squeeze every possible dollar from your bank account. As you prepare to vote this November, the only question you need to ask yourself is: Do you believe what Hobbs is saying now or her 10-year record of screwing Arizona taxpayers?
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 | Aug 20, 2022 | Elections, News and Updates, Tax
It seems nowadays, the only ones who want to raise taxes are the government and far-left elites. That shouldn’t come as a big surprise. They’ll do whatever it takes to further their radical agenda—especially when their bank accounts go unaffected. But in a country that’s supposed to be governed by representation, too many tax increases in America—including right here in Arizona—are coming down to a simple majority.
Of course, we just saw this at the federal level when the so-called “Inflation Reduction Act” passed on a 51-50 vote in the Senate thanks, in large part, to Senators Mark Kelly and Kyrsten Sinema. Now, because of the slimmest majorities along party lines, taxpayers are left with a $700 billion repackaged version of President Biden’s Build Back Broke plan.
But this issue isn’t limited to the federal government, Congress, or even state legislatures. Just look at what happened with Prop 208 in 2020. This disastrous piece of legislation, which was pushed by out-of-state special interest groups, passed with only 51% of people voting for it. And it would’ve turned Arizona into a high tax state had it not been for the court system killing it once and for all.
Allowing 51% of the population (who probably don’t have to pay the tax increase) to vote to tax the other 49% to pay it, is wrong. And while today’s tax increase may not affect you, tomorrow’s most certainly will.
That’s why it’s critical that the people of Arizona vote YES on Proposition 132.
Introduced as HCR2015 by Rep. Tim Dunn (R-LD13), Prop 132 would require a 60% majority vote of the people on any ballot measure that wants to raise your taxes. Requiring broader support like this puts a check on out-of-state special interests who want to increase Arizona’s taxes to fund their schemes. This already happens in our state legislature where any tax increase requires a super majority. It’s only fair that voters have the same safeguard at the ballot box. We’re a representative government, and if we are asking Arizonans to part with more of their paycheck, it needs to be for something that has broad agreement from every part of the state.
After all, the reality is that at some point, you will be on the wrong end of a close vote. You will be in the minority. Crafting tax policy at the ballot box in this manner only creates class warfare and a tax code of winners and losers.
But it’s not even just about your wallet. These policies harm Arizona’s economy too. Thankfully, we avoided the Prop 208 tax that would have crushed small businesses in our state. But there will be more efforts like it to turn Arizona into a high-tax state like New York or California—the latter having driven away thousands of businesses from the state because of its taxes. In fact, California’s taxes and woke policies got so bad, the state actually ran out of one-way U-hauls!
This isn’t what the people of Arizona want. And it’s not what the people of Arizona deserve. Now, you have the opportunity to make your voice heard. Protect your wallet, and protect Arizona’s economy this November. VOTE YES on Proposition 132.
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 | Aug 4, 2022 | News and Updates, Tax
This week could be the most consequential of Senator Kyrsten Sinema’s tenure in Congress.
Right now, she faces immense pressure from both sides to either accept or reject the recent deal Senator Joe Manchin and Majority Leader Chuck Schumer cobbled together. The so-called “Inflation Reduction Act” is the latest iteration of the long-sought-after “Build Back Better” plan that President Joe Biden touted more than a year ago.
While the name sounds like a good idea, it’s a complete disaster. The bill itself continues to push Green New Deal policies that will lead to even higher prices at the gas station and grocery store. That’s not exactly helping with the inflation reduction that they’re hyping.
In addition, it seeks to expand government-run health plans, allow the government to negotiate the cost of drugs, and create a slush fund for the IRS that would allow them to add 87,000 new agents. But perhaps worst of all, the bill is a significant tax increase.
The Joint Committee on Taxation scores the bill as raising taxes on nearly every American worker. This breaks President Biden’s promise that no family earning less than $400,000 would pay more in taxes. On top of that, it raises more than $16 billion from those earning less than $200,000 and another $14 billion on those earning between $200,000 and $500,000.
And they’re trying to do all of this in the midst of a recession!
Naturally, progressives are privately complaining that the bill does not go far enough in advancing their radical agenda, especially as it relates to climate change. But they are happy to have something. Now, that has put the pressure on Sinema to support the deal. And it’s increasing by the minute.
Since being elected, Sinema has remained largely independent on budget and tax issues, including on the Build Back Broke agenda pushed by Biden. And while she has frustrated both Republicans and Democrats, she’s mostly drawn the ire of leftist progressives who have been calling on her to be primaried in 2024.
But if Sinema wants to keep her seat, she should focus on siding with the people of Arizona on these issues. So, what do they say?
Recent polling shows that a majority of Arizona voters would prefer that Sinema reject the Manchin-Schumer package. 53% say she should vote no on the bill while 50% of voters say they would be less likely to vote for her if she supports the deal.
At a time when 58% of Arizonans believe that inflation is the worst in their lifetimes—and a whopping 63% of Arizona voters say they oppose raising taxes in a recession—now is not the time to raise taxes.
But it’s not just the taxes that the people of Arizona are concerned about.
They don’t want the government negotiating the cost of drugs. Only 14% of voters support this idea while 52% prefer point of sale discounts for seniors buying prescription drugs. And who can blame them? They can clearly see who stands to benefit from such a negotiation, and they know it’s not the people.
Now, this whole entire bill may rest on the shoulders of Arizona Senator Kyrsten Sinema. Will she continue to represent Arizona voters? Or will she cave to the progressive special interests in Washington, D.C.? If she wants to see her tenure extended in 2024, Sinema should remember who she signed up to stand for.
Tell Your US Senators to Vote NO on the Inflation Reducation Act
Renaming the Build Back Broke bill the “Inflation Reduction Act” won’t change the fact that it’s a massive tax and spend agenda that will make our economy worse, not better.
Now it’s time to tell your US Senators, Mark Kelly and Kyrsten Sinema, to oppose this deal. Gas prices are high, inflation is soaring, and Arizona families and small businesses are struggling. We can’t afford more DC spending, tax hikes, corporate welfare, and an IRS that will target hardworking Arizonans. Tell your US Senators to vote NO on the “Inflation Reduction Act!”
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