Arizona Budget Discussions:
Alternative Policies for State Business Taxes
This policy discussion really asks one question, “Should we try to stimulate the economy (and create new jobs) through an across the board tax cut or through targeted investments to attract new industries to Arizona?"
Political Discussion of Business Tax Cuts
Click to See the Full Political Discussion Including Questions and Responses
Policy Proposal #3A:
28% Reduction in Corporate Taxes
It Is All About Creating New Jobs
Kirk Adams (R), Mesa
Speaker of the House
"Arizona trails other states in its efforts to attract new businesses and encourage business growth within the state. The traditional overreliance on population growth and housing starts, a relatively uncompetitive business tax code and a lack of targeted and proven economic-development programs have resulted in Arizona falling to 50th in the country in job growth last year.
The Economic and Job Recovery Act, HB 2250, provides broad and permanent tax relief to every employer in the state and a limited set of performance-based incentives to attract and retain export or "base industry" companies."
March 23, 2010
"Combined with the proposal to increase the sales tax, should Arizona have a more regressive or less regressive tax structure?"
March 27, 2010
Investing in Long Term Success
Randy Pullen
Chairman, Arizona Republican Party
"Arizona must continue to attract new businesses and new talent to the state, as well as support our existing small businesses throughout the state. With new business, future tax cuts for individuals and businesses will help attract investment and grow our future economy.
Making Arizona as business friendly as possible is the key to our long-term economic success."
February 25, 2010
"How does the Republican Party balance the need to build long term economic success with the need to provide immediate social services?"
March 29, 2010
Policy Proposal #3B:
Target Jobs in Selected Industries
Tax Cuts Don’t Create Jobs
Robert Robb
Arizona Republic
"House Republicans have passed a bill to get Arizona into the incentives game, dangling cash before companies to get them to locate here.
The House bill would give base industries easier access to even more favorable property tax treatment than Arizona homeowners receive and the ability to keep a large share of their employees' state income taxes for job training. And it would set up a "deal-closing" fund to give base-industry companies grants for anything they want."
Incentives Game Doesn’t Work
February 7, 2010
"Should the State of Arizona attempt to use tax policy to create more and better paying jobs?"
March 10, 2010
Tax Cuts Are A Bad Investment
Marshall Vest
University of Arizona
"Tax cuts do not pay for themselves. You cut a dollar out of taxes, you might get a nickel back. In fact, our tax burden is not too high. The state doesn’t ask too much of its taxpayers. We’re not going to ruin the economy by raising taxes here. It will take us years for us to repair the damage that has already been done and is about to be done to the public sector."
January 21, 2010
"Should the State of Arizona attempt to use tax policy to create a better economy?"
March 10, 2010
Economic Discussion of Business Tax Cuts
Click to See the Full Economic Discussion Including Questions and Responses
Policy Proposal #3A:
28% Reduction in Corporate Taxes
Corporate Tax Cuts Starts Tax Reform
Glenn Hamer
Arizona Chamber of Commerce
"The house version of Arizona’s Job Recovery Act has given the Senate a great start to begin its consideration of this badly needed tax reform and job creation bill. It is time for Arizona to get back to work."
February 10, 2010
"Should the State of Arizona attempt to use tax policy to encourage the creations of jobs?"
March 13, 2010
Policy Proposal #3B:
Target Jobs in Selected Industries
Targeting Industries for Investment
Elliott D. Pollack
Scottsdale Economist
"Arizona’s competitive disadvantage regarding its economic development programs lies in three primary areas: 1) the lack of strategic focus within its economic incentive programs; 2) the marketing of those programs and location successes; and 3) the perceived lack of leadership and overall economic governing strategies."
Report, December 2009
"Should we create a portfolio of targeted industries to try to attract to Arizona? How would we manage this portfolio?"
March 20, 2010
Social Discussion of Business Tax Cuts
Click to See the Full Social Discussion Including Questions and Responses
Policy Proposal #3A:
28% Reduction in Corporate Taxes
The TEA Part Movement: No New Taxes
Grover Norquist:
Americans for Tax Reform
"There is no need for his group to direct money to work against those who voted for the sales tax. Again, the voters will take care of that.” (Commenting on the Republicans who claim that simply referring the sales tax increase is not the same as voting for a tax increase."
February 7, 2010
"Does the “No New Taxes” pledge most Republican legislators have taken place an unnecessary constraint on the state?"
March 13, 2010
Policy Proposal #3B:
Target Jobs in Selected Industries
Citizens Want Government Services
AzBlueMeanie
Blog for Arizona
"Grover Norquist will release his minions from their no tax pledge if the sales tax increase is off-set by a even larger tax cut to corporations and the wealthy.
This bill does nothing to close the current FY 2010 budget gap and will only worsen revenue in each succeeding year.
Tax cuts never pay for themselves or boost future revenues. This is the great lie of supply-side Republican economics."
Report, December 2009
"Is it good politics to link the request for a sales tax increase with a legislative movement to reduce business taxes?"
March 13, 2010