Arizona State University-owned land may be the target of a lawsuit over diversion of property taxes, but its massive real estate development designed to fund ASU’s athletics facilities is progressing forward unscathed.

Overall, the Novus corridor just east of Phoenix has nearly $1 billion worth of projects in the works, making it the largest single concentration of construction in the state, possibly in the Southwest, said Charley Freericks, senior vice president of Catellus, the project’s master developer.

Attorney General Mark Brnovich sued the Arizona Board of Regents on Thursday, targeting ASU's practice of leasing tax-exempt public land to private businesses.

Brnovich filed the lawsuit on Thursday morning in Arizona Tax Court, claiming that the real estate deals and the tax breaks they provide are illegal.

The Arizona attorney general has launched another battle against the state's public universities, this time over large Arizona State University real estate projects that he says are illegal.

Attorney General Mark Brnovich sued the Arizona Board of Regents, which oversees the state's universities, in Arizona Tax Court Thursday.

He claims real estate deals approved by the board allow universities to boost favored companies and help them avoid paying taxes. ASU is essentially renting out its tax-exempt status to private businesses, Brnovich said.

http://chamberbusinessnews.com/2018/11/26/local-education-funding-resul…
Elections officials have tabulated all of the ballots and voters across Arizona approved the majority of the nearly $1 billion in additional funding for Arizona school districts through local bonds and overrides.

https://www.azcentral.com/story/news/local/phoenix/2018/10/25/downtown-…

Phoenix has pumped more than $3 billion of taxpayer money into the revitalization of downtown over the past 30 years.

https://www.azcentral.com/story/news/politics/elections/2018/10/28/just…

Longtime legislator Ken Cheuvront, a Democrat vying for justice of the peace in Phoenix, said he’s not running for office because of the money.

Cheuvront, who served in the state Legislature for 16 years and now works in the private sector, said he will take a pay cut if elected.

https://www.nationalreview.com/corner/when-state-universities-and-busin…

In yesterday’s Martin Center article, Sean McCarthy of the Arizona Tax Research Association explains how this has been done in his state, with Arizona State University providing the tax-exempt basis for business development.

https://www.jamesgmartin.center/2018/11/when-a-university-helps-a-busin…

State governments treat public university land as non-taxable because the mission of these institutions is nonprofit education. But when state legislatures aren’t careful, university administrators can take advantage of their non-profit status—at the expense of taxpayers.

https://www.azcentral.com/story/news/local/tempe/2018/09/30/new-arizona…

Arizona State University is breaking ground on a project it hopes will provide hundreds of millions of dollars to renovate and improve Sun Devil Stadium and other athletic facilities.

https://www.nytimes.com/2018/09/11/business/luxury-development-tax-brea…

Twenty years ago, it was unimaginable that a new residential high-rise would ever adorn the modest skyline of downtown Kansas City, Mo. But in the last three years, two luxury apartment towers have opened, and a third is planned.