Latest news with #JeffWeninger
Yahoo
23-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Stop the insanity. Don't let sports fat cats take school money
Where is my friend and legislative representative, Jeff Weninger, the fiscal conservative? Why is he, of all elected officials, the prime sponsor of legislation to take away tax dollars from cities, counties, the state and schools? Yes, our fiscally conservative Jeff Weninger wants to give tax revenues to a sports franchise owned by billionaires for improving and maintaining a Major League Baseball stadium. I love baseball, I love the Arizona Diamondbacks. I was there at the beginning helping, in my small way, to bring Major League Baseball to the Valley. But, as a former city administrator and school board member, I love our basic necessities much more than to take needed monies from them. Yet, it is our very own, fiscally conservative representative, Jeff Weninger, leading the way. Where are our city leaders and school board members? Where are the parents whose children will be impacted. The Diamondbacks are a vital business for downtown Phoenix. But their value has increased to almost $1.5 billion dollars. Who will profit when that franchise is sold.? Not the taxpayers. It's time to stop this insanity Ron Pies, Chandler Regarding Phil Boas' column 'Arizona lost one of its best senators because lawmaker pay stinks': Sure, I'd support a living wage for lawmakers, subject to a few conditions: 1) Streamline the legislative process. 2) Prohibit and punish actual and apparent conflicts of interest, with ironclad bans on sponsoring, voting or participating in any way on any matter that affects a legislator's private business interests. 3) Mandate that the auditor general annually audit the state's financial performance and compliance. 4) Publish the financial and business interests and affiliations of every legislator. 5) Repeal legislative immunity. 6) Complete mandatory classes on civics. 7) Pass the same test given to those seeking U.S. citizenship. Right? Warren Kotzmann, Gilbert The Department of Defense has weakened itself and created distrust by scrubbing its websites of DEI (Diversity, Equity and Inclusion) materials, that include information about the Navajo Code Talkers. U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has gone too far. Deleting historical facts and eliminating recorded history are actions we see from communist and tyrannical countries. We know the Code Talkers saved thousands of lives and gave the United States an advantage with their selfless actions in WW II. They dealt with prejudice serving in the US military and were begrudged the hero's return they deserved. It is disgusting that DOD is scrubbing its website of the Code Talkers and all the other facts that mention ethnicity or gender under the shady guise of correcting DEI. We, the People, will correct this elimination of history after you are removed from office. In the meantime, I ask all publishing entities to reprint and distribute everything you have on the Code Talkers, Buffalo Soldiers, Woman's Service Air Force pilots and every other group wiped off DOD public platforms so We the People can know who We are. Victoria Caruso Drummond, Phoenix Transgender people are part of our community. Like other Arizonans, they deserve to be healthy and supported. HB 2062 ("sex-based terms") discriminates against our transgender and other gender-diverse neighbors and is harmful to public health. Lawmakers attempting to define "only two genders" will cite historic precedent. However, just as we learned centuries ago that the earth is not flat, we now understand scientifically that gender expression is more nuanced that previously understood. To quote Maya Angelou, '...when you know better, do better.' Family physicians like me see that transgender people have increased risk of suicide, higher rates of mental health diagnoses, and more traumatic life experiences than the general population. Protective factors include family and peer support, legal recognition, and anti-harassment laws. I urge lawmakers to oppose HB 2062 and Governor Hobbs to veto it if necessary. Members of the community need to speak out in support of transgender Arizonans. Full recognition of transgender and gender non-conforming people improves public health and creates a more just society. Steven Brown, M.D., Scottsdale This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Don't let sports fat cats take school money | Letters
Yahoo
27-02-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Arizona lawmakers work to recapture taxes at Chase Field to pay for repairs, upgrades
The Brief Arizona Rep. Jeff Weninger introduced HB 2704 in January, and if passed, would recapture sales and income taxes associated with Chase Field and the Arizona Diamondbacks, and use the money to pay for upgrades and repairs. "Today was a first step victory in this much-needed public/private partnership. It shows the momentum that has been behind this bill …," said Derrick Hall, president and CEO of the Arizona Diamondbacks. PHOENIX - Arizona Lawmakers at the capitol are discussing ways to fund upgrades at Chase Field in downtown Phoenix. What we know HB 2704, introduced by Rep. Jeff Weninger, would recapture sales and income taxes associated with the field and the Arizona Diamondbacks, and direct them to funding repairs and upgrades. Not everyone's on board with the proposed plans. If you're a Diamondbacks fan, you know Chase Field is old and needs a lot of repairs, and in order for this bill to pass, the city, county, and state all have to come to an agreement. The backstory Chase Field is one step closer to getting $500 million worth of repairs after the House passed it 35-25. It now moves on to the Senate. Rep. Weninger introduced the bill in January and has since made revisions after negotiations with the city and county. "Recapture of revenue generated at Chase Field does not go to the team or ownership. These dollars go to the county for critical improvements, repairs and construction at the publicly owned Chase Field," Rep. Weninger explained. Derrick Hall, president and CEO of the Arizona Diamondbacks, is calling this a first step victory in this much-needed public-private partnership. His full statement reads, "Today was a first step victory in this much-needed public/private partnership. It shows the momentum that has been behind this bill and we are grateful to Representative Wenninger and Governor Hobbs for the leadership and encouragement, as well as all House Representatives who supported it. Allowing this proud franchise to remain at Chase Field for continued economic and community impact is in the best interest of the City, County, State, and Major League Baseball." "There's an intent clause in the bill that the team will contribute $250 million of their own to the repairs and construction of the stadium, that again, the stadium that they do not own," Rep. Weninger said. The other side Phoenix Mayor Kate Gallego posted on X on Feb. 25 explaining why she's in opposition. "Today, the State House will consider H.B. 2704, which subsidizes renovations to Chase Field with hundreds of millions hard-earned tax dollars. It takes $200 million from the City of Phoenix alone, which will have a real impact on our ability to pay for police and fire services," she said, in part, before the House ultimately passed the bill. Big picture view Rep. Weninger says he's been working closely with the city. "With the county, we did not touch the .2% county jail portion of the tax and what the city were did not touch the .3% that goes with first responders," he explained. "We're not pulling from the education, but the rest of the tax and income tax from within the envelope of the stadium would go into a fund that then would go back into the maintenance and improvements of that publicly owned asset." If passed, the deal would be good for 30 years. The bill states that if the Diamondbacks leave in the first ten years, the team will have to pay a $10 million penalty and all funds left in the Maricopa County-controlled account revert back to the appropriate government entity. "I support a solution that keeps Major League Baseball and the Diamondbacks here in Arizona, and I am really hopeful that the point of disagreement between the city, county and the state can get worked out so that we can get the deal done," Arizona Gov. Kaite Hobbs said. In a previous commerce committee, those in opposition explained why this bill isn't beneficial to taxpayers. "According to the team's own estimates, the bill would take away 15 to 20 million dollars yearly from state and local general funds, diverting funds away from parks, roads and affordable housing," said Margaret Schultz with Worker Power. Diamondbacks fans say they're ready to see improvements made at Chase Field this upcoming season.
Axios
08-02-2025
- Business
- Axios
Capitol Roundup: Diamondbacks ballpark funding bill gets bipartisan support
Democrats and Republicans found common ground at the ballpark after a bipartisan vote on legislation that would allow the Arizona Diamondbacks to fund Chase Field renovations with team-generated tax revenue. State of play: The House Commerce Committee OK'd a bill sponsored by Rep. Jeff Weninger (R-Chandler) that would allow the team to pay for repairs, maintenance and improvements with sales taxes from transactions at the ballpark and income taxes from its employees. The Diamondbacks estimate the bill will bring in $15 million to $20 million annually, and the team has said it'll pay for up to $300 million in repairs. An amendment on Tuesday added a clawback provision that would require the Diamondbacks to pay a $10 million penalty if they leave Arizona before 2035, $5 million before 2045 and $1 million before 2050. The bill passed 8-1, though three lawmakers said they could change positions if certain changes aren't made. Why it matters: Managing partner Ken Kendrick last year said the Diamondbacks may "run out of time in Phoenix" without public funding for ballpark upkeep. What they're saying: "What other public asset would we just let deteriorate and go down the tubes?" Weninger asked. "Especially one that has a revenue-generating juggernaut attached to it." What's next: The bill now goes to the full House. The City of Phoenix and Maricopa County oppose it, but the county would switch to neutral if it's allowed to keep the revenue it currently uses for transportation and county jails. In other legislative news: Gov. Katie Hobbs and House appropriations chair Rep. David Livingston (R-Peoria) traded barbs over a budget shortfall in the state's developmental disabilities program. Livingston blamed the governor for what he called ballooning program costs, for which Hobbs is seeking more than $100 million. Hobbs told reporters Thursday that supplemental appropriations are a routine part of the budget process, and said GOP lawmakers didn't have the same concerns when additional funding was needed for the school voucher-style Empowerment Scholarship Account program. House Republicans gave preliminary approval to a bill that seeks to speed up vote counting by limiting people's ability to bring early ballots to polling places after 7pm the Friday before the election. Hobbs said the bill would make it harder to vote and she'll veto it if it reaches her desk. A "starter homes" bill supported by the League of Arizona Cities and Towns was introduced by Sen. Vince Leach (R-Tucson). The legislation, a rival to a bipartisan starter homes bill that passed out of a House committee last week, would bar cities from mandating minimum lot sizes of more than 4,000 square feet for single-family homes. The bill would require cities of more than 30,000 to allow starter homes in at least 10% of new developments of more than 10 acres.
