View the latest Arizona Chamber policy commentary from President & CEO Glenn Hamer. Click on the links below to view our collection of Bottom Line columns.
Chris McIsaac With the so-called Buffett Rule making its way through tax policy circles, the question of how and whether to tax capital gains is once again on the front burner in Washington, D.C. A new paper by the Arizona Chamber Foundation, Unchain the Gain: Capital Gains Tax Policy and Arizona’s Investment Climate, finds that…
Read MoreGlenn Hamer Arizona’s senior senator stopped by the offices of the Arizona Chamber of Commerce and Industry last week. Whenever we get a chance to spend an hour or so talking about the tough issues facing our country with John McCain, it’s always a great reminder of how fortunate we are to call him our…
Read MoreGlenn Hamer A few thoughts this week about some important changes happening here and abroad… A new look at the Bush presidency With the fall of Tripoli, the Arab Spring continues to be this year’s most promising story. The region’s bad guys are going away. Moamar Gadhafi is about to join Egypt’s Hosni Mubarak and…
Read MoreGlenn Hamer To say that these are a difficult times for the world economy is like saying that summer in Arizona can be a little on the warm side. Here are a few thoughts as I consider the rough seas we find ourselves in… A Washington wake-up call I hope the downgrade by Standard and…
Read MoreGlenn Hamer Washington has an uncanny habit of passing laws without fully understanding their contents or grasping their long-term consequences. Think of former Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s oft-played sound bite referring to the health care overhaul, “But we have to pass the bill so that you can find out what is in it, away from the…
Read MoreMark Dobbins But keep a steady eye on your back The Congress of the United States and the White House have collectively amazed and frustrated the American public over their many weeks of gridlock related to the national debt ceiling. Every eye has been drawn to today’s debate and tomorrow’s reversal. The news media is…
Read MoreGlenn Hamer There’s a feeling among some in the state Legislature that putting the wheels in motion to establish a health care exchange, as called for by the Affordable Care Act, is somehow tantamount to endorsing the entire federal health care plan. But as this Wall Street Journal editorial makes clear, “A posture of indifference…
Read MoreRebecca Hudson Looking to California for inspiration on public policy usually comes with a big price tag. Thankfully, the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality (ADEQ) has proposed the repeal of such a California-inspired policy: the “Clean Car Standards” rule, also known as the California Low Emission Vehicle Program (CA LEV). The program was adopted by…
Read MoreGlenn Hamer Today is a great day for the First Amendment. On a 5-4 decision, the Supreme Court of the United States struck down the matching funds portion of Arizona’s publicly funded elections scheme. Writing for the majority, Chief Justice John Roberts said, “Arizona’s matching funds scheme substantially burdens political speech and is not sufficiently…
Read MoreKatie Whitchurch The U.S. Chamber of Commerce last month announced its participation in the Discover America Partnership, a broad coalition to advance visa and entry reforms for international travelers and enhance the United States’ position as an international travel destination. The U.S. Chamber is urging companies and chambers from across the nation to get engaged…
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