The legislature is shifting its focus away from hearing new bills in committee and onto the floor of the House and Senate as well as negotiating the state budget. The last committee hearing of the year is this week, while the deadline for completing work on the budget is July 1 -- still months away. That’s good because negotiators are very far apart on a deal. Part of the ‘problem’ is state revenues are up so much, there is little agreement among the majority party regarding what to do with all this money. At its core, the fight is between cutting taxes, paying off existing debt and authorizing new spending.
As for legislation, S1191 union labor; prohibition; prevailing wage has made it most of the way through the process but appears to be in trouble on the House floor. With the vote in the Senate along party lines, every Republican in the House will have to be on board if the bill is going to make it up to the Governor’s desk. But in a meeting among just Republicans this week, Rep. Cook said he is opposed to the bill. He was quite strident saying the bill is nothing more than a waste of time. We are trying to make him understand that political jurisdictions in this state such as the City of Phoenix and some school districts are finding creative ways around the law that prohibit these types of agreements. Stay tuned.
Another important bill, H2822 personal property; additional depreciation which will reduce personal property taxes has made it up to the governor’s desk and is expected to be signed into law.
Background
2) Secondary, which is for bonded indebtedness, voter-approved budget overrides and special taxing districts.
Property is listed as either real (land, buildings and improvements to land) or personal (office furniture, business equipment and tools used for business purposes) and divided into nine legal classes. Current law sets the valuation factor for the first tax year of assessment at 25% for specific personal property in class one, class two (P) and class six. This bill will lower the valuation factor to 2.5% for specific personal property in class one, class two (P) and class six that is acquired and initially classified beginning during or after tax year 2022.
Overview
Prohibits counties, municipalities and political subdivisions from requiring the use of or providing preferential treatment to labor unions in specified circumstances.
History
Counties and municipalities are prohibited from accepting federal monies for construction projects if, as a condition of accepting the federal monies, the county or municipality is required to provide preferential treatment to union labor (A.R.S. §§ 9-500.30 and 11-251.14). Additionally, departments, institutions, boards and commissions are prohibited from accepting federal monies for construction projects if, as a condition of accepting the federal monies, the department, institution, board or commission must give preference to union labor (A.R.S. § 41-4901).
Provisions
2. Prohibits counties from requiring the use of or providing preferential treatment to union labor as a condition for the approval of zoning permits, zooming variances, rezoning applications, general plan amendments or other permits or land use requirements. (Sec. 2)
3. States agencies and political subdivisions, when entering public works contracts, are prohibited from doing the following as a condition of awarding the contract:
a) Providing a wage or salary that is different from the agency or political subdivision required for other contracts or industries within the jurisdiction;
b) Show a labor management agreement, employee grievance policy; or
c) Demonstrate labor organization status. (Sec. 3)