On a party-line 4-3 vote, with all three Democratic members opposing the proposal, the Arizona Senate Government Committee approved Senate Bill 1198, which prohibits cities, towns, counties, school districts and other political subdivisions of the state from hiring outside lobbyists. ... Read more»
Arizona Democrats urged their Republican colleagues to support legislation that would ensure paid family and medical leave and greater access to affordable housing at a Tuesday press conference in front of the state Capitol. ... Read more»
Mayors would no longer be able to order businesses to close during a state of emergency under a GOP-backed proposal fueled by anger stemming from the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic, when Arizona cities ordered many businesses to temporarily close.... Read more»
Arizonan businesses would be on the hook for half a million dollars in damages if they refuse a religious exemption from an employee who later experiences significant injury as a result of getting vaccinated under a proposal advancing in the GOP-controlled legislature. ... Read more»
The Senate approved all budget bills, nearly all on 16-14 party-line votes throughout Tuesday and into the early morning hours of Wednesday.... Read more»
Sen. Paul Boyer - one of the two GOP holdouts blocking the proposed budget and tax cut plan forged by Republican leaders and Gov. Doug Ducey - is working on a compromise plan, while threat from the Telegraph Fire has delayed plans by second holdout David Cook, R-Globe, to put forth his own proposal.... Read more»
Arizona House Republicans’ effort to force through a budget fell short again as GOP Rep. David Cook continued his opposition over a massive income tax cut package, arguing that the small cities in his largely rural district can’t afford the revenue losses they’ll incur from the proposed flat tax. ... Read more»
The House of Representatives is back in session and will take another shot at passing a budget, including a massive income tax cut that would replace Arizona’s graduated income tax brackets with a flat 2.5% rate, but it still doesn’t appear to have the unanimous support from Republicans that it needs to pass.... Read more»
Local governments in Arizona are anxiously watching state budget negotiations that they fear could end up delivering a “huge hit” to city and town finances, as the current proposal to lower the state income tax to an across-the-board 2.5% would result in about a $1.5 billion reduction in tax revenues next year.... Read more»
Pima County's prohibition on its employees contributing money to candidates for county office violates both the U.S. and Arizona constitutions, according to Attorney General Mark Brnovich.... Read more»
The Secretary of State’s Office found reasonable cause that the Goldwater Institute, a Phoenix libertarian think tank and litigation center, violated a law requiring lobbyists to register with the state.... Read more»1
If you want to see a mesmerizing combination of desperation and ineptitude on display, just take a look at Sen. Martha McSally. Her absurd (and wildly untrue) response to a column about COVID-19 aid is "You weren't supposed to hear that!"... Read more»
Martha McSally has the solution for Arizona cities that have seen a gaping hole blown in their budgets because of the coronavirus pandemic: Sit tight and hope that the federal government loosens the strings on a too-small pot of money that you can't access.... Read more»
President Donald Trump and U.S. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell have questioned whether the federal government should provide aid to state and local governments that are facing massive fiscal problems as they grapple with the COVID-19 crisis, dimming the hopes of governors and mayors who have asked Congress and the White House for financial lifelines.... Read more»
A bill that would move up the date of the Arizona primary election passed through the House Elections Committee on a party-line vote last week.... Read more»
Bisbee has banned single-use plastic bags and added a fee for paper bags, and Tempe and Flagstaff are considering following suit. But a bill before the state Legislature would bar cities, towns and counties from doing so. ... Read more»5
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