NEWS UPDATES
Glendale’s Light Rail is a Fast-Track to Disaster
August 25th, City of Phoenix voters passed a ballot initiative to raise their sales tax for transit three cents to support a transportation plan that predominantly expands light rail. An aggressive one-million-dollar-campaign led by the Mayor and transit groups...
If You Can’t Use A Hatchet, Opt for a Scalpel: Reformations to AHCCCS
Governor Doug Ducey continues to live up to his campaign promise of bold reform and better government with his proposed modifications to Arizona’s Health Care Cost Containment System (AHCCCS), also known as Medicaid. The proposal, which requires federal approval,...
Uncorking Consumer Choice: a Case for Direct Wine Sales
Last legislative session the Governor signed a bill raising the production cap for craft breweries and allowing these manufacturers up to seven retail locations to sell their product directly to the consumer. This was a win for the growing craft beer industry and...
Putting Government Waste On the Chopping Block
The Club has long been a proponent of finding ways to shrink government. Unfortunately, among our political class this concept has often been nothing more than a campaign slogan than an actual policy goal. The good news is that state leaders appear to be serious...
2013 Free Market Champion Award Winners Announced
The Arizona Free Enterprise Club today announced our 2013 Free Market Champion Award recipients. The Free Market Champion Award is given to members of the Legislature that demonstrate leadership and a commitment to free market, pro growth policies in Arizona. The...
Club Releases 2013 Legislative Scorecard
The Arizona Free Enterprise Club today released our 2013 Legislative Scorecard, grading each member on their votes and actions during the past legislative session. Over two dozens votes were included in the scorecard, covering a wide range of issues from tax policy,...
Commission Fails to Address Net Metering Subsidies
The Arizona Free Enterprise Club today released the following statement following the 3-2 vote against meaningful net metering reform: “The vote by the Commission today codifies that non-solar customers will continue to subsidize solar ratepayers,” Executive Director...
Why No Ceremonies for the Other 35,000 Jobs Created?
Last week it was announced with great fanfare that Apple is moving to Arizona, buying the abandoned First Solar factory plant in east Mesa. And just like the First Solar project in 2011 that produced similar jubilation, politicians and special interest groups seem...
Delay is not an Option with Fixing Net Metering Program
We are nearing a decision by the Corporation Commission on whether or not they will finally end the solar subsidies under the current Net Metering program, a policy at the Commission that provides credits to ratepayers that put energy back on the utility grid. While...
Council Should Reject Sham Pension Spiking Reforms
The Arizona Free Enterprise Club today released the following statement on the efforts by the Phoenix City Council to address the ongoing pension spiking abuse: “The council is expected today to try to approve meaningless reforms that do not address the issue of...
Thanks to Our Supporters
Since our first session in 2006, the Club has successfully lobbied to reduce personal income taxes (10% cut for all brackets), cut the corporate tax rate (from 7% to 4.9%), reduce both residential and commercial property taxes, and now cut the capital gains tax rate...
Session Ends with Capital Gains Tax Cuts
The House and Senate sent to Gov. Brewer a bill to cut Arizona's capital gain tax. Brewer is expected to sign the bill this week. The capital gains tax cut would allow taxpayers a 25% subtraction from how capital gains are currently taxed (as regular wages). So if...