It is hardly debatable that Phoenix’s decision to get into the hotel business nearly a decade ago has been a costly mistake for taxpayers.  Since opening, the city-owned Sheraton has sustained millions in operating losses and does not anticipate being a profitable...

For Tucson voters, seeing another tax increase on the November ballot probably doesn’t come as a shock. Yet the latest big government spending plan is especially bizarre: a ½ cent sales tax increase to fund a city-wide preschool program. The audacity and complexity of...

Pinal County was notified yesterday by a non-profit watchdog organization that Proposition 417, the proposed $640 Million Transportation tax increase scheduled for the November election, was not lawfully drafted and will likely face litigation in court. In their...

A lot has changed in the economy over the past several decades with the explosion of technology.  The traditional work environment has transformed with more individuals able to stay connected and work from nearly anywhere in the world.  This evolution has made it...

Over the last several years, lobbyists for the movie industry have made multiple attempts to bring back special tax breaks for Hollywood studios in Arizona. After failing to resurrect the unpopular tax credit program that expired in 2010, they pivoted to a new...

Since 1987, Pinal County taxpayers have paid a dedicated ½ cent sales tax to build transportation improvements in the region. More than $350 million dollars later the results have been a failure. Now the County Board of Supervisors and Regional Transportation...

It has been known for over a decade now – the State’s pension system is a sinking ship.  Despite efforts in recent years by the Legislature to bail as much water out of the vessel as possible; it would seem the system has been doomed by the Bermuda Triangle of forces:...

Prescott is at a crossroads.  Due to a crippling pension debt that has the city staring at possible bankruptcy in the next decade, the voters of Prescott will have an important decision to make in the upcoming election for Mayor. Add in critical issues surrounding...

For decades, despite overall decreased levels of service, the Federal Aviation Administration has struggled with bloated operating budgets, expensive personnel and benefits costs, and high unit costs per service. As Congress considers a reauthorization package of the...

If taxpayers had any lingering doubts that Phoenix is a lost cause when it comes to sane financial stewardship, a series of recent votes by the council should wipe them away. First, the City Council voted in May to approve the FY 2018 budget that contains an ongoing...

It has been nine months since Arizona citizens cast their vote in favor of Proposition 206, a measure to increase the State’s minimum wage and mandate businesses provide paid sick time to employees. Since January, employers and the State have felt the pain of the...