Word today that USTR Robert Lighthizer has informed Capitol Hill of the Trump administration’s opening of a 90-day consultation period with Congress that will set the stage for a formal renegotiation of the North American Free Trade Agreement should be viewed as an opportunity, especially for Arizona. We’ve known since the president was sworn in…
Read MoreThis opinion piece from The Wall Street Journal sums up the positive direction land use policymaking appears to be headed: “Federal land grabs have hampered resource development, and Mr. Trump could advance his pro-growth agenda by unlocking millions of acres.” The Arizona Chamber Foundation has produced two papers on this topic that are worth revisiting…
Read MoreArizona Chamber of Commerce and Industry President and CEO Glenn Hamer released the following statement following the State Board of Education’s new A-F grading system for K-12 schools: “Kudos to the Arizona State Board of Education for its adoption today of a new A-F grading system for K-12 schools. “Thanks to this new system, parents…
Read MoreAs part of the tireless work of Governor Doug Ducey to attract innovative companies from around the country to grow and expand in our great state, the Governor’s Office, the Arizona Chamber of Commerce and Industry, and the Arizona Commerce Authority hosted the inaugural Arizona Tech Innovation Summit in Scottsdale last month. Tech leaders and…
Read MoreFeeling pessimistic about the future of North American cooperation? Worried NAFTA is going to collapse under a tidal wave of protectionism? A development courtesy of the soccer world should give us all hope for the future of tri-national cooperation. The NAFTA of World Cup bids The U.S., Canada and Mexico are submitting a joint bid…
Read MoreI’ve had the privilege to visit several times recently with Matthew Earl Jones, the new head of the Arizona Office of Film & Media, also known as Studio 48. Matthew has deep roots in all aspects of the film industry and is taking a practical approach to running an office that was shuttered for six…
Read MoreAs budget negotiations over the Fiscal Year 2018 spending plan begin in earnest, the Arizona Chamber of Commerce and Industry has shared its Fiscal Policy Task Force budget recommendations with Gov. Ducey and the Legislature. As we do each year, the Chamber has assembled this document to give the governor and lawmakers a sense of where…
Read MoreArizona Chamber of Commerce and Industry President and CEO Glenn Hamer takes a look at his recent trip to Hermosillo, Sonora as part of a trade delegation led by Phoenix Mayor Greg Stanton. Pacific Paper is a successful Mexican small business based in Sonora that manufacturers paper products. Included in its line of products is…
Read MoreSen. Jeff Flake’s Boots on the Border Act takes a major step toward reducing the consistent staffing challenges plaguing our land border ports of entry. I’m pleased to share this column by my friends from across the state who are so appreciative of Sen. Flake’s work in this space. Earlier this month, Senators Jeff Flake…
Read MoreA bill making its way through the legislative process that is touted as a way to increase transparency over tax credits won’t do much to inform the debate over tax policy, but it will negatively impact Arizona’s economic development efforts. The only question is by how much. HB 2422 would have the state Department of…
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