Arizona Tax Research Association
Arizona Capitol Times
Critics of the state’s 1-cent sales tax initiative argued today that its passage would make it all but impossible to simplify the state’s sales tax code.
That means losing out on the chance to tax Internet sales, said Kevin McCarthy, president of the Arizona Tax Research Association, which is opposed to Proposition 204.
But the chairwoman of Quality Jobs and Education, the group behind the ballot measure, said nothing prevents lawmakers from going after Internet sales taxes or broadening the sales tax base.
That means losing out on the chance to tax Internet sales, said Kevin McCarthy, president of the Arizona Tax Research Association, which is opposed to Proposition 204.
But the chairwoman of Quality Jobs and Education, the group behind the ballot measure, said nothing prevents lawmakers from going after Internet sales taxes or broadening the sales tax base.
Arizona Capitol Times
The coalition organizing against a new sales tax initiative is far cry from the anemic opposition to Proposition 100 two years ago.
Some of the key figures from the yes-on-100 effort are now in the opposition camp for Proposition 204. Even Gov. Jan Brewer, who lined up many of Arizona’s biggest interest groups behind her temporary sales tax hike and brought in millions of dollars to pass it in a May 2010 special election, stands against the proposal to make the 1-cent tax increase permanent.
Some of the key figures from the yes-on-100 effort are now in the opposition camp for Proposition 204. Even Gov. Jan Brewer, who lined up many of Arizona’s biggest interest groups behind her temporary sales tax hike and brought in millions of dollars to pass it in a May 2010 special election, stands against the proposal to make the 1-cent tax increase permanent.
The Arizona Republic
From the political notebook:
I don't know whether the courts will allow the initiative enacting a permanent 1 percent sales tax and divvying up the spoils between educators and contractors to make it to the ballot. But in addition to the procedural screw-up, the initiative is a drafting mess. It deserves to be tossed from the ballot for incompetence.
I don't know whether the courts will allow the initiative enacting a permanent 1 percent sales tax and divvying up the spoils between educators and contractors to make it to the ballot. But in addition to the procedural screw-up, the initiative is a drafting mess. It deserves to be tossed from the ballot for incompetence.
Arizona Capitol Reports
A JLBC analysis of the Quality Education and Jobs initiative shows that, in its sixth year, the sales tax money earmarked for the “Quality Education and Performance Fund” would dry up. The analysis is based on one interpretation of how revenues from the tax increase are distributed. The proposal sets aside $500 million of the first $1 billion in revenues for the Quality Education and Performance Fund. In FY14, the first year of its implementation, that money is intact, according to the analysis. The initiative also sets aside $125 million each year to pay for inflation in the K-12 system.
Arizona Republic
A Tea Party activist asks Secretary of State Ken Bennett to check into Barack Obama’s birth certificate and Bennett springs into action, launching an investigation.
"This,” he said, “is a constituent from Arizona, whom I work for.”
Nearly 300,000 constituents ask Bennett to put a sales tax initiative on the ballot and once again Bennett springs into action, launching all 19,071 petitions into the trash.
"This,” he said, “is a constituent from Arizona, whom I work for.”
Nearly 300,000 constituents ask Bennett to put a sales tax initiative on the ballot and once again Bennett springs into action, launching all 19,071 petitions into the trash.
Green Valley News and Sun
This editorial was written and originally appeared in the Sierra Vista Herald.
Sometimes the law has to be the law. It’s black and white, not gray.
That is the situation for Secretary of State Ken Bennett, who on Tuesday rejected petitions with more than 290,000 signatures from supporters of the Quality Education and Jobs initiative.
The petitions sought to put a question on the Nov. 6 ballot asking Arizonans if they want to continue the 1-cent sales tax set to expire this year.
Sometimes the law has to be the law. It’s black and white, not gray.
That is the situation for Secretary of State Ken Bennett, who on Tuesday rejected petitions with more than 290,000 signatures from supporters of the Quality Education and Jobs initiative.
The petitions sought to put a question on the Nov. 6 ballot asking Arizonans if they want to continue the 1-cent sales tax set to expire this year.
Arizona Capitol Reports
The Quality Education and Jobs Committee described its filing of two versions of its one-cent sales tax initiative as a “clerical error” and a “hyper-technicality” that shouldn’t thwart the will of nearly 300,000 voters who want to see the measure on the November ballot. But Kevin McCarthy, president of the Arizona Tax Research Assn and a critic of the initiative, scoffed at the characterization, arguing the funding difference for K-12 education between the two versions is more than $600 million.
Arizona Daily Star
Supporters of a sales-tax initiative that could go to voters in November plan to file suit today against the Arizona secretary of state to ensure that it does.
On Tuesday, Secretary of State Ken Bennett rejected the approximately 290,000 signatures filed Monday by the Quality Education and Jobs campaign, led by Tucsonan Ann-Eve Pedersen.
On Tuesday, Secretary of State Ken Bennett rejected the approximately 290,000 signatures filed Monday by the Quality Education and Jobs campaign, led by Tucsonan Ann-Eve Pedersen.
AZ Capitol Times
The Secretary of State today rejected the signatures of more than 290,000 voters who signed petitions to let the public decide in November whether the state’s sales tax should be increased by one cent to pay for education and construction projects.
In a letter to the Quality Education and Jobs Committee, which is backing the initiative drive, Secretary of State Ken Bennett said its petition sheets weren’t attached to a full and correct copy of the initiative that was earlier filed with the state election office, as required by state law.
In a letter to the Quality Education and Jobs Committee, which is backing the initiative drive, Secretary of State Ken Bennett said its petition sheets weren’t attached to a full and correct copy of the initiative that was earlier filed with the state election office, as required by state law.
CBS 5 Arizona
PHOENIX (CBS5) -
The push for a permanent 1-cent sales tax in Arizona has hit a roadblock.
The secretary of state's office threw out more than 290,000 petition signatures Tuesday that would put the issue on this November's ballot.
The initiative is intended to extend the 1-cent sales tax and specifically earmark funds to public education programs hit hard by recent budget cuts.
Secretary of State Ken Bennett said that the signatures were rejected because a couple paragraphs from the original version didn't match the petition people signed.
The push for a permanent 1-cent sales tax in Arizona has hit a roadblock.
The secretary of state's office threw out more than 290,000 petition signatures Tuesday that would put the issue on this November's ballot.
The initiative is intended to extend the 1-cent sales tax and specifically earmark funds to public education programs hit hard by recent budget cuts.
Secretary of State Ken Bennett said that the signatures were rejected because a couple paragraphs from the original version didn't match the petition people signed.