Arizona Politics for Conservatives: Sonoran Alliance
Arizona Politics, News, Commentary and Information with a Blatantly Conservative Worldview Presented by an Alliance of Writers, Activists, Consultants and Government Insiders.
Straight from the mouth of “Republican” State Representative bill Konopnicki is the desire to tax Arizonans when they purchase food and stay at the hospital. (If that ain’t adding insult to injury!)
In a year when taxes ARE a dirty word, Konopnicki’s campaign against Conservative Senator Sylvia Allen is doomed before it even gets started. Here’s a little refresher to you BillKo, raising taxes punishes productivity AND crimps revenues.
ARIZONA ENERGY FORUM PRAISES GOVERNOR JAN BREWER FOR OPPOSING EPA REGULATION OF GREEN HOUSE GASSES
PHOENIX, AZ – Feb. 2, 2010: The Arizona Energy Forum (www.azenergyforum.com) praised Governor Jan Brewer this week for opposing President Obama’s attempt to regulate green house gasses (GHG) through the Environmental Protection Agency.
In a letter written January 27th to the EPA, Governor Brewer points out that “in the face of this gauntlet of regulatory activity conducted in one calendar year, Arizona is compelled to make its position clear and unequivocal: it is poor public policy for the US EPA to regulate GHGs using the blunt instrument of the Clean Air Act.”
The Arizona Energy Forum was formed to achieve energy security for the United States and hold the elected officials accountable for shaping energy policies.
Arizona Energy Forum Chairman Troy Hyde said, “We appreciate Governor Brewer’s opposition to the Obama administration’s effort to achieve more control and regulatory powers by using the EPA to regulate green house gasses.”
“Since the Cap & Trade bill has no future, it is a back-door approach to make rules through regulation instead of legislation. At a time when the focus is on the economy, there could be no worse time to add costly, time-consuming and unfair regulations on Arizona business. Since this issue receives so little media attention, it would have been easy for the Governor to forego comment, so we applaud her courage on this subject.”
The Arizona Energy Forum encourages all who share their interest in energy security to contact their website www.azenergyforum.com
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
(PHOENIX, AZ) February 4, 2010 – Republican Gubernatorial candidate John Munger released the following statement:
“Ignoring the basic laws of economics, the Arizona Legislature has referred Governor Brewer’s sales tax increase to the May ballot in a misguided effort to solve our State’s fiscal problems. Fortunately, the voters will have a chance to stop this madness from becoming reality.”
“Raising taxes will kill thousands of jobs at a time when we need them most. Another tax increase will also help ensure that Arizona remains one of the least competitive places to do business. With real leadership, we could be using this crisis to reset our budgetary priorities, restart our economic engine and reduce the size of our government to one we can afford.”
For more information on John Munger’s recent budget proposal Leading Arizona, which includes various non-tax revenue enhancements and other specific budgetary alternatives, please visit www.johnmunger.com or click here.
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PHOENIX–The City of Phoenix refuses to share with the public any records that might reveal details about a proposed tax exemption to help a downtown hotel remodel its rooms and hallways. The Goldwater Institute filed a new lawsuit today to compel Phoenix under the state’s public records law to release documents related to the City’s secret negotiations with the Wyndham Hotel at 50 E. Adams St.
The Arizona Republic reported on Dec. 16, 2009, that Phoenix was offering sizeable tax breaks to the Wyndham through a sale-lease back arrangement that Phoenix has used frequently in deals with favored developers. The Wyndham would use the tax incentive to complete $10 million in construction remodeling, the Republic reported.
On Jan. 5, the Goldwater Institute asked to see the development agreement, and any other public records related to the proposed sale-lease back arrangement. The City responded that no agreement has been reached. The City also said it won’t release any records related to the negotiations until a “development agreement is executed,” claiming this would protect the City’s interests and is allowed under state law.
A Goldwater Institute attorney says this stance is alarming because Phoenix residents won’t have any idea what tax breaks might be involved until after the City has signed a contract, which means residents won’t be able to raise objections or determine if the City is complying with Arizona law until it is too late.
“The public has a right to know if Phoenix will obtain real, tangible benefits in this development agreement and not just give tax breaks to a business that should pay for its own remodeling work,” said Carrie Ann Sitren, an attorney with the Goldwater Institute.
The City of Glendale tried to claim a similar exception to the state public records law during its negotiations with new potential owners of the Phoenix Coyotes hockey team. But in response to a separate Goldwater Institute public records lawsuit, Maricopa County Superior Court Judge Edward O. Burke ruled that Glendale was violating the law, and that the public was entitled to review at least some documents even as talks with the Coyotes continue.
While Glendale initially complied with Judge Burke’s order, the City has refused to release any new documents for months. The Goldwater Institute has asked the judge to hold Glendale in contempt of court, and a hearing is scheduled for Feb. 12, 2010.
By filing this lawsuit, the Goldwater Institute Scharf-Norton Center for Constitutional Litigation seeks to uphold transparency in government policy-making that enables citizens to understand the plans of public officials and to voice any concerns. The complaint is available here.
Read more about this and other Goldwater lawsuits to protect individual rights and keep government within its constitutional limits at www.goldwaterinstitute.org/litigation. The Goldwater Institute is an independent government watchdog supported by people who are committed to expanding free enterprise and liberty.
