PHOENIX — There’s wide agreement at the Arizona Capitol that costs are too high. But there’s not much consensus on what to do about it.
Democrats have proposed nine bills to address the high costs of housing, health care and prescription drugs, none of which have had a committee hearing.
“You should not have to make a choice between making your rent payment and buying groceries or getting the medication that you need to keep you healthy,” said Sen. Eva Burch, D-District 9.
Meanwhile, a number of Republican bills to lower taxes have advanced, including House Concurrent Resolution 2021. It’s a ballot measure that would ban sales taxes on essential food bought for home consumption. A House panel approved it Wednesday morning.
Bill sponsor Rep. Leo Biasiucci, a Republican who represents Legislative District 30, said the measure is an example of how the GOP is addressing affordability, saying it could save families $200 to $400 a year.
“When you think about soccer practice for your child or piano lessons, $200, $300 a year is a big deal for families,” he said. “So this to me is a no-brainer.”
Biasiucci, who is also behind a bipartisan bill to encourage the construction of homes for first-time homebuyers, said his party’s focus on tax-cutting will keep Arizona growing.
“And I think when you make that tax-friendly environment, more people move to the state,” he said.
Democrats say it's the wrong approach.
“This Legislature can make Arizona more affordable, but some of our lawmakers are prioritizing the wrong things, like bills on cryptocurrency or tax cuts for the rich and protecting corporate interests, things that don't really resonate with everyday Arizonans,” Burch said.
The group Opportunity Arizona joined Democrats on Wednesday morning to advocate for their bills focused on the costs of housing, prescription drugs and health care.
“We see time and time again that the legislators at this Capitol are just finding ways to lower the tax burden for the richest of people, while then also cutting school funding, cutting necessary health care access for the people that we are advocating for,” said Ben Scheel, the group’s executive director.
The clock is ticking: the bills must have a committee hearing before next Friday to stay alive.
“I call on my colleagues to lower costs by passing legislation like this or at least giving it a committee hearing,” Burch said.
Opportunity Arizona is also launching an outreach campaign to advocate for the bills. Scheel said they will reach out to independents, Republicans and Democrats and ask them to contact the chairs of legislative committees to push for the bills to be heard.
