Don’t think entry level jobs are at risk as government-mandated minimum wages climb higher and higher? Read this column by former McDonald’s USA President and CEO Ed Rensi. When the Chamber was campaigning against Proposition 206, the recently passed ballot measure that will hike the minimum wage in Arizona by nearly 50 percent and institute…
Read MoreAs we enter the end of a tumultuous election season, this is why I am confident our country’s best days are ahead: If you spend some time getting to know the men and women in the U.S. Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, and Coast Guard, as I had an opportunity to do recently through the…
Read MoreTomorrow’s election is an extremely important one. I know you hear that all the time, but in Arizona’s case, it is very true. While this has felt like the longest election cycle in all of history, it is imperative that we give it our all leading up to tomorrow’s election. In particular, we need to…
Read MoreNational Education Association President Lily Eskelsen Garcia is in town today to talk politics ahead of Hillary Clinton’s rally. Here are some questions we hope she gets asked: WHY IS THE NEA FUNDING AN ARIZONA BALLOT INITIATIVE THAT WILL HURT SCHOOLS? The NEA on October 3 contributed $250,000 to the effort to pass Proposition 206,…
Read MoreWhen former Arizona Manufacturers Council Chairman Steve Macias works the overnight shift, inspiration strikes. Almost like a certain presidential candidate’s late night Twitter storms. Economic meltdown and manufacturing job losses in Arizona during Great Recession was total disaster. So sad! BIG comeback now. Best state ever! Feds could take cues from Arizona economic development stakeholders –…
Read MoreGlenn Hamer looks back at Gov. Ducey’s trade mission to Canada in this edition of The Hamer Times. Before Gov. Ducey’s trade mission to Canada, the last time I visited Montreal was when the Expos were still playing in Olympic Stadium. As a native New Yorker I visited Montreal and Quebec a number of times…
Read MoreWhen the Arizona Chamber of Commerce and Industry formed a committee under the leadership of Lea Marquez Peterson to oppose Proposition 206, we knew the trend lines weren’t in our favor. Across the country, minimum wage hikes appearing on ballots at the state and local level have been passing. But the proposed minimum wage hike that…
Read MoreSOMEWHERE ABOVE ONTARIO – Greetings from what has been an outstanding trade mission to Canada led by Gov. Doug Ducey. As is always the case, the governor has been a first class ambassador for Arizona, has been warmly received and has made it clear to everyone he’s met that Arizona is one of the finest…
Read MoreThanks to Wi-Fi, I’m writing this from 37,000 feet in the air on my way back from a Southwest Airlines celebration in Mexico City commemorating the airline’s one-year anniversary for international travel. It is so gratifying to see the ties between our nations deepen. Thank you, Southwest, for inviting me and my colleague from the…
Read MorePinal County recently earned the unenviable distinction of becoming the first county in the country to be left without a single provider in its healthcare exchange. These exchanges were a central pillar of the Affordable Care Act, and their demise means that for Pinal residents relying on subsidies that are provided only in the exchanges,…
Read More