Arizona has always been a leader in water planning, and in many respects is decades ahead of our neighboring states in water management. For example, California would be Exhibit A on how NOT to manage your water resources. A major reason that Arizona is so effective...

The Free Enterprise Club consistently opposes legislation that provides special tax breaks for targeted businesses.  This session’s “special unicorn” is SB1402, informally known as the Grand Canyon University bill (GCU). SB1402 would create a property tax carve out...

Arizona’s public records laws are some of the best in the country for open and transparent government.  SB 1282 dilutes those laws, and hinders the public’s ability to access public records to which they are entitled. Unfortunately, this bill is headed to the House...

State lawmakers are looking to build upon the successes of last session to increase efficiency and reign in regulatory overreach by taking on the multiple boards and commissions that regulate the health professions in the state. HB2501 would make three primary...

A major policy reform is nearing the home stretch and, if passed, will greatly reduce government overreach and lawlessness by local jurisdictions. The measure is Senate Bill 1487, and deals with the problem of local cities and towns passing ordinances and regulations...

More Evidence Incentive-Based Economic Development is a Shell Game In the midst of ongoing discussions about the purpose and practices of the Arizona Commerce Authority, one of their heralded successes is facing a difficult contraction.  Silicon-based...

As usual, bad ideas at the legislature just don’t seem to die. For the third year in a row, lawmakers have introduced legislation to bring back the Angel Investment Tax Credit Program (a.k.a. Shark Tank Bill), a scheme designed to subsidize risky venture capital...

Last month the Club shared how Tax Increment Financing (TIF) is a tool used by local governments and city planners to subsidize projects that benefit politically connected developers and landowners. That is not the only problem with this financing scheme: TIFs are...

Examining the results of the November elections, it was a mixed bag for Arizona taxpayers. Specifically, there was a lot of debate surrounding the numerous bonds and override requests being pursued by school districts, the most controversial of which being spending...