These measures are vital to promoting business interests, protecting jobs, and maintaing a strong economy.

VOTE YES ON: 

• Proposition 134, ensuring all Arizonans have a voice in the citizens initiative process
• Proposition 138, protecting tips of Arizona’s service industry workers
• Proposition 312, ensuring safe neighborhoods, curbing increased homelessness & holding government accountable
• Proposition 479 (Maricopa County voters only), ensuring transportation infrastructure investments in order to increase safety, reduce congestion, and sustain growth
• Proposition 486 (Maricopa County voters only), expanding our workforce, driving economic development & maintaining a competitve edge

VOTE NO ON (City of Glendale voters only): 

• Proposition 499, backed by out-of-state Big Labor interests, would increase costs and reduce jobs.

 

 

Why should you YES on Prop. 134? 
Ensure all Arizonans have a voice in the citizens’ initiative process, vote yes on Proposition 134.

Currently there are no requirements for initiative backers to gather signatures from across the state, so petition circulators can concentrate their efforts in densely populated urban areas like Phoenix and Tucson with no need to pitch their ideas to voters in more rural and exurban areas. Prop. 134 will make Arizona’s initiative process fairer and more equitable by ensuring that signatures be gathered proportionally across each legislative district.

Prop. 134 represents a much-needed reform to Arizona’s initiative process. Due to our state’s Voter Protection Law, initiatives are extremely difficult to repeal or fix once enacted by voters – meaning that if there are unintended consequences, lawmakers will be left nearly powerless to address them. This measure will require initiative proponents to engage with communities across the state to secure widespread support for a measure before it goes to voters. This will lead to more thoughtful and broadly-backed policies making it to the statewide ballot – the way it should be.

By spreading the signature requirement across all legislative districts, Prop. 134 also prevents outside special interest groups from disproportionately influencing the initiative process, ensuring that proposed measures have genuine grassroots support rather than being driven by narrow, localized agendas.

About half the states that have a citizen initiative process have a geographic distribution requirement. That’s because it’s a good idea, and a commonsense one. If significant changes are going to be made to our state’s statutes or constitution, they should be backed by a broad and representative cross-section of the electorate.

Prop. 134 is a necessary step toward protecting and improving the fairness and integrity of Arizona’s initiative process by giving all Arizonans a voice. We urge you to join us in voting YES.

 

 

Why should you vote YES on Prop. 138? The Arizona Chamber of Commerce & Industry strongly supports Proposition 138, Tipped Workers Protection Act. This measure provides a balanced approach to wage management that protects tipped workers income, ensures fair compensation for employees while supporting the economic health of our local businesses.

Prop. 138 ensures that employees who regularly receive tips are guaranteed to earn at least the minimum wage plus an additional $2 per hour, while holding onto the tips they’ve earned. This measure provides a clear framework for fair compensation, giving tipped workers financial stability and recognizing the significant role that tips play in their earnings.

The proposal is good for our small businesses, too. By allowing employers to count tips as part of the wage calculation, Prop. XXX helps businesses manage labor costs effectively, promoting job retention and growth. The hospitality and service industries, which heavily rely on tipped employees, can better sustain their operations and continue providing jobs that are vital to our local economy.

This measure strikes the right balance between fair wages for employees and economic viability for businesses. Voting YES on this measure will ensure that tipped workers receive fair compensation while supporting the continued growth and success of our local economy.

In testimony before a legislative committee earlier this year, a local server, Sultan Stipho, said earning tips is his profession’s “upside,” allowing service workers to earn a significant paycheck in a short period of time. “I urge you all to think about the people here who are actually working in the industry,” he told lawmakers.

By approving Prop. 138, we can protect the tip earnings of Mr. Stipho and other employees who rely on this important source of income. Join us in voting YES to support tipped workers, promote fair wages, protect jobs, and sustain our vital service industry.

 

 

Why you should vote YES onb Prop. 312?

Without public safety, we cannot have prosperity.

Safe neighborhoods and law and order are vital to our quality of life and our economy in Arizona. Proposition 312 helps keep things that way and aims to stem the tide of increased homelessness.

Under Prop. 312, a property owner can apply for a tax refund if the government fails to enforce basic laws regarding illegal camping, obstructing public thoroughfares, loitering, panhandling, public urination, and possessions of illegal substances. The fact is, if these laws are not enforced, property owners pay the price in the form of increased security and upkeep costs and, ultimately, lower property values.

Over the last several years, we’ve seen a dramatic spike in homelessness. This is both a humanitarian and a public safety crisis. A recent study by the non-partisan Common Sense Institute found that over the last three years, Arizona’s homeless population has increased nearly 30%. In total, we are spending more than $1 billion a year as a state addressing it, according to the study.

Prop. 312 adds accountability. Unfortunately, too often basic laws are not being enforced. In other cities, this has led to increased homelessness and crime spiraling out of control.

We can’t let that happen in Arizona.

Prop. 312 helps ensure we don’t face some of the problems major cities like Portland, San Francisco and Los Angeles have experienced, and I encourage you to join us in voting “Yes.”

 

Why you should vote YES onb Prop. 479?

The Arizona Chamber of Commerce & Industry supports the passage of Proposition 479, a measure to extend a longstanding transportation funding stream that has been instrumental in Maricopa County’s development.

Maricopa County is currently the fastest-growing county in the nation and Arizona’s population has grown by more than 2 million in the past 20 years. Thanks to voter-approved funding, we have been able to invest in the construction of new freeway miles and new streets during this period of incredible growth.

Passing Prop. 479 is imperative to ensure that these infrastructure investments continue, keeping our region at the forefront of economic growth and prosperity. Safeguards have been put in place to allow taxpayers to use their preferred modes of transportation, ensuring no single modality gets a disproportionate share of public resources.

For decades, Arizona’s businesses and residents have depended on this funding source, which has enabled the completion of various transportation projects including freeways, roads, and transit systems. These investments have been vital in maintaining a strong and diversified economy.

The passage of Prop. 479 will sustain our growth, reduce congestion, keep roadways safe, and enhance economic development, while relieving pressure on state-level transportation funds that other counties rely on.

Please join us and vote YES on Prop. 479.

 

Why you should vote YES on Prop. 486? 

The Arizona Chamber of Commerce & Industry urges you to support the passage of Proposition 486.

Since 1974, The Chamber has been the leader in statewide business advocacy. It is part of our mission to support a strong, quality workforce with opportunities for our entire community to thrive.

The Maricopa Community College District (MCCCD) plays a crucial role in meeting the needs of our diverse and growing workforce. As one of the top employers in the region, MCCCD supported 108,295 jobs in the 2021-2022 fiscal year alone. It also contributed $7.9 billion in income to the Maricopa County economy, equivalent to 2.3% of the county’s total gross regional product.The Arizona Chamber believes in supporting the growth of the economy through robust education systems like MCCCD. Prop. 486 will allow Maricopa County’s community colleges to access the necessary funds needed to meet growing demand without imposing additional taxes on residents.

By voting YES on Prop. 486, we can help sustain and expand our workforce, driving economic development and maintaining our competitive edge. Please join us in voting YES on Prop. 486.

 

Why you should vote NO on Prop. 499?

The Arizona Chamber of Commerce & Industry urges you to vote NO on this initiative that is backed by a California labor union. It will hurt Glendale workers and the businesses in the city that depend on tourists, and taxpayers will get stuck with the bill.

The proposal will force Glendale hoteliers either to raise room rates or cut jobs. Either choice is bad news for Glendale, which will lose out on the revenue generated by tourists that funds essential city services. Not only does the initiative call for stiff wage mandates, but also limits on the square footage staff can clean, recordkeeping requirements, and much more.

This isn’t just rhetoric. Even the union knows their plan will cost jobs. The ordinance text says that if complying with the proposed ordinance would lead to a hotel or event center’s bankruptcy or shutdown, or a staff reduction of more than 20%, or a cut in staff hours of more than 30%, then a one-year waiver could be granted.

Another way to be exempted from the ordinance would be to unionize your business.

So, according to the California union behind this proposition, a business can either face bankruptcy or let the union control the workplace.

The measure also requires the City of Glendale to open and staff a new department. But the ordinance fails to say how the department should be funded. The choices for Glendale leaders are rotten ones: cut city services or raise taxes.

This is a bad deal for Glendale’s tourism industry, its workers, and its taxpayers. The Arizona Chamber strongly urges Glendale voters to reject this California union boondoggle and vote NO.