Taxes

Arizona Ranked Second-to-Last in the Nation in "Bachelor Party Freedom"

Arizonans have less freedom to engage in activities that may be related to bachelor parties than the residents of 48 other states.According to a study from George Washington University, Arizona gets its poor ranking from laws on gambling, victimless crime, tobacco, beer, kegs, fireworks, prostitutio ... More >>

Fiscal Cliff: The Up on the Sun Playlist for Your Financial Woes

If you're not a thumbsucking moron who only cares about which overzealous rapper impregnated which leg-spreading reality star, you might've heard of this thing called the "fiscal cliff." If not, lemme just clue you in via economist Paul Craig Roberts: "The fiscal cliff is automatic spending cuts an ... More >>

Election 2012: Arizona's Full Election Breakdown (Update)

Arizona election results are 99 percent reported this morning, and still the differences between candidates in some key races remain razor thin, including the battle between Democrat Kyrsten Sinema and Republican Vernon Parker for CD 9. Sinema is holding on to about a 1,500 vote lead. The race betwe ... More >>

Tax for Schools, Plan for Open Primaries Shot Down; Voters Limit Property Assessments

Arizona voters have rejected soundly the retention of a one-cent sales tax passed in 2010 that would have provided education funding and scholarships. The state already spends less on a per-student basis than most other states, but voters either don't care or didn't think throwing money at the prob ... More >>

Arizona Ballot Propositions: How to Vote Against (or With) Russell Pearce and His Ilk

Here's the thing about the propositions on the ballot for tomorrow's election: for the most part, they're boring, and at the end of the day, you may not really give a damn.Thankfully, people like ousted state Senate President Russell Pearce, Governor Jan Brewer, and the lobbyists from Center for Ari ... More >>

Center for Arizona Policy Reminds Everyone Its Pathetic Laws Go Into Effect Today

Thanks to Center for Arizona Policy legislative council Josh Kredit, we were reminded today of all the mostly useless laws "supported" by CAP that are going into effect today.Kredit posted the list of CAP's bills that were passed by the Legislature and are going into effect today, which are a great ... More >>

Bill Montgomery Joins the Morality Cops in Hating on Strippers

If you really trust your local politicians (again, we'll pause for laughter), then they're really serious about hating on strippers.The lobbyists at the Center for Arizona Policy released more local candidates' answers to their questionnaires for this year's elections, including county and city offi ... More >>

How Does it Make You Feel That Joe Arpaio Used Tax Dollars to Send a Deputy to Hawaii for "Birther" Purposes?

In case you missed it, it's you, John Q. Taxpayer, who's currently funding a trip for one of Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio's deputies to go on a trip to Hawaii for more "birther" bullshit.Indeed, the investigation once billed as being at "no cost to taxpayers" happens to have some cost to taxpa ... More >>

Amazon.com Plans for Fourth Facility Touted by Governor Brewer, State Revenue Department Says Company Cheats Tax Laws

​ Governor Jan Brewer today celebrates the arrival of Amazon.com's fourth major facility in Arizona today, yet the state's revenue department calls the company a tax cheat.Brewer and the online bookseller's representatives are touting the estimated 3,000 jobs created by the company's other thr ... More >>

Gov. Jan Brewer Rejects Tax Bill Benefiting State Sen. Steve Yarbrough, Says Special Session May Be Necessary

Arizona LegislatureSelf-promotion is the law in Steve Yarbrough's perfect world.​Jan Brewer again rejected a bill increasing the amount of money Arizona taxpayers can write off on their tax bill and give to private scholarship charities yesterday, denying Sen. Steve Yarbrough's second attempt ... More >>

State Sen. Steve Yarbrough Praying For God To Talk Jan Brewer Into Signing Bill Benefiting His Scholarship Business

Arizona LegislatureHe doesn't know when to quit.​State Senator Steve Yarbrough is praying for Jan Brewer to sign an amended bill benefiting his side business, which she originally rejected last week as "unbalanc[ing] the budget." SB 1186, the "2011 tax corrections act," passed the Arizona Hou ... More >>

Sedona Couple Sentenced to Prison in 2009 Tax Evasion, Conspiracy Case

filmsy.com​We never thought we'd say this, but this Sedona couple could have learned a thing or two from Wesley Snipes.William Steiniger and his wife Diane Steiniger were convicted on tax evasion and conspiracy charges in 2009, and were sentenced Thursday to prison terms of a combined 50 mon ... More >>

Moody's Credit-Rating Service Lowers Arizona's Outlook to "Negative," Worries About Expiration of New Sales Tax

  ​Arizona looks like a potential deadbeat to the world-famous Moody's credit-rating service. Citing concerns over a sales-tax increase set to expire in mid-2013 and a budget that relies on the federal government to make changes caused Moody's to downgrade Arizona's outlook this week f ... More >>

Sidebar: Whose Dole Is It, Anyway?

Democratic Congressional Candidate Jon Hulburd's Republican Talking Points Appealing to District 3 GOPers -- Especially His Republican Wife

Democratic Congressional candidate Jon Hulburd​At first glance it would appear there is a Republican and a Democrat running for Congress in Arizona's Third District. However, every time the Democrat in the race, Jon Hulburd, opens his mouth he sounds more like a Democrat trying to get electe ... More >>

Morning Poll: Is Jon Hulburd a Republican?

Democratic (?) Congressional candidate Jon Hulburd​One look at the tax plan of Democratic Congressional candidate Jon Hulburd and you'd think the guy's a Republican.Hulburd's plan includes things like extending the Bush tax cuts through 2012, permanently lowering the corporate tax rate from 35 pe ... More >>

Umm...is Congressional Candidate Jon Hulburd a Republican? He Assures Us, He's Not

Democratic (?) Congressional candidate Jon Hulburd​Congressional candidate Jon Hulburd, who's squaring off with Ben Quayle in the District 3 Congressional race, went On the Record with Greta Van Susteren last night, and he would have looked great -- if he were a Republican.Hulburd's appearan ... More >>

Temple Grandin Latest Movie Set in Arizona Not Filmed Here

www.hollywoodoutbreak.comClaire Danes won an Emmy for her portrayal of Temple Grandin. The movie was set in Arizona, so, obviously, it was filmed somewhere else.​If you watched the Emmys last night you undoubtedly became aware of Temple Grandin -- even if you don't have HBO (like certain lowly New ... More >>

Owen "Buz" Mills "Suspends" Gubernatorial Campaign

Owen "Buz" Mills​Arizona Governor Jan Brewer's life got a little easier today with news that her last remaining opponent in the GOP primary for Governor, Owen "Buz" Mills, is suspending his campaign.Mills announced his decision to suspend his candidacy today saying the focus of the campaign was no ... More >>

Harrison Ford to Star in Latest Arizona-Based Movie Not Being Shot in Arizona

www.boston.comHarrison Ford​John Favreau's futuristic answer to the über-successful Avatar, is a 3-D journey into a Southwestern conflict between settlers in Silver City, Arizona, who must resolve their differences when an alien spaceship crash-lands in their city.The movie is called Cowboys ... More >>

A Statewide Sales Tax Hike for the Arts — In This Economy? Are They Insane?

Next Avatar-esque, 3-D Blockbuster to be Set in Arizona, So, Of Course, They're Filming it in Randsburg, California

​The next 3-D, futuristic, should-be blockbuster is pegged to be set right here in Arizona. However, like many films with an Arizona setting, this one's being filmed somewhere other than the Grand Canyon State. Cowboys and Aliens, John Favreau's futuristic answer to the uber-successful Avatar ... More >>

Legislators Want to Start Taking Donations from Taxpayers to Help Bridge Budget Gap. Good Luck

Representative Judy Burges​Members of the Arizona Legislature are working on a, umm, great idea to help bridge the state's now $1.5 budget gap -- they want to start taking donations from you. As if the taxpayers are the ones who got us into this mess. Legislators are drumming up support for ... More >>

Private School Tax Credit Task Force To Hold First Meeting

Representative David Schapira​The ruse of bipartisanship shall be on display September 21st as the Legislature begins its first talks over private school tax-credit reform.The Bipartisan Task Force on the Private School Tuition Tax Credits, a committee comprised of three Republicans, and five Demo ... More >>

Phoenix Mayor Gordon Won't Support Latest Budget Bill; Governor Brewer "Disappointed" in Some State Senators

Phil Gordon​ Phoenix Mayor Phil Gordon says he can't support the legislature's current budget proposal, despite Governor Jan Brewer's urging to do so. In a news release sent out this evening by the city (see text below), Gordon says changes to property tax collection rates will lower the amoun ... More >>

Glendale Tax Preparer to Serve 21 Months for Bad Filings; Served Vietamese Community

Glendale tax preparer Huy Phuoc Nguyen will serve 21 months in a federal prison for filing fraudulent returns on behalf of his clients and trying to blame the crime on his ex-wife. Nguyen served members of the local Vietnamese community from 2001 to 2005 through his home business, Lucky Immigratio ... More >>

Many Happy Returns

Hot Links: ASU Settles in Rape Case, Lawmakers Ponder Tax Code Overhaul; Tribe Allows Liquor Sales for Loop 101-Area Restaurants

So-called "date rape" cases will be handled differently at the state's three universities because of a lawsuit settlement -- no more sweeping cases under the rug. State lawmakers are considering a change to tax code -- critics say that's code for tax hike. Drink up on Indian land: The Salt ... More >>

Dave Pratt No Longer Behind the Mic -- But He is Behind on Property Tax

Dave Pratt, former "Morning Mayor" of KUPD (97.9 FM), has "parted ways" with the country music station that employed him for five years. Judging from Pratt's property tax statement, it may have been a bad time to lose his job. The legendary local DJ missed a deadline last month to pay more than $1 ... More >>

Free Hot Air Balloon Rides at Event Condemning Costs of Global Warming Solutions

The right-leaning American for Prosperity group is bringing its Hot Air Tour to Phoenix on Saturday, offering tethered hot air balloon rides and speeches on the huge costs of trying to solve global warming. Tom Jenney, director of the AFP's Arizona chapt ... More >>

Designated Drinking

Relatives Can Certainly Be Taxing

And taxes remain relatively certain

Authorities Swarm Polygamists

State and federal law enforcement launches a multifaceted campaign against fugitive fundamentalist Mormon Prophet Warren Jeffs and his followers

Gila Bound

In its way, hellish Gila Bend's in a real estate boom like the rest of the county. Could it be Phoenix's next big bedroom community?

Plundering the Faithful

Polygamists continue to pipe big money to their fugitive prophet as their towns face financial ruin

Sweetheart Deal

Supervisor Mary Rose Wilcox got the bargain of the century. Why?

In God We Trust

Big banks and desperate debtors have made an East Valley ministry millions

Jerry's World

Jerry Colangelo and his pals have gobbled up the lion’s share of public development dollars. If downtown’s to be saved, City Hall’s got to share the wealth.

The "T" Word

State leaders can't stomach the truth -- Arizonans need to be taxed more, and right away!

Speaker Phone

Groscost threats delayed action on alt-fuel debacle

Shafted Again

Mining industry strikes another rich vein in the Legislature

Budget Bonanza or Bust?

Discord between GOP lawmakers and the governor is just one reason the budget battle might get ugly.

Tax Rebels With a Cause

Slummin' in Scottsdale

With his new residence built atop his antique shop, John Mollard thought he was set for life. He couldn't have imagined that the same city that encouraged him to build his home was laying plans to declare his neighborhood a blight, seize his property and

DOR Jam

Department of Revenue won't grant hearing to widow who filed document two days late

Flashes

OUTLETS of Hostility

Egoconsumed developers, lobbyists, flacks, detectives and lawyers generate fear and loathing a la Barbarians at the Gate. The reason? Two proposed outlet malls the Valley doesn't really need.

DEPLORE THE STADIUM TAX? DON'T BUY CARS.FOES OF THE BASEBALL TAX ARE ORGANIZING A BOYCOTT

PITCHING A SHUTOUTTHE PUBLIC WAS CUT OUT OF THE BASEBALL-STADIUM DEBATE BEFORE IT EVEN BEGAN

DOWN THE DRAIN ARE WE HAVING A CRISIS YET?