Latest news with #SB1543
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Axon says it's no longer in talks with Scottsdale to expand its HQ
The Brief Tech company, Axon, known for its body cams and Tasers, is no longer working with the city of Scottsdale to expand its headquarters. Earlier this year, Arizona Gov. Katie Hobbs signed a bill that allowed for the company's expansion, but the city and residents fought back. The project, Axon says, will move forward, but won't be negotiating with the city to amend part of its plan. SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. - Axon ended its talks with Scottsdale regarding plans to expand its headquarters, citing a "toxic environment." Axon President Josh Isner met with Scottsdale Mayor Lisa Borowsky on Monday, June 9 and released a statement, saying, "Unfortunately, Axon is withdrawing from negotiations with the City of Scottsdale. The internal politics of the City Council currently make it impossible to reach an agreement. I have never seen such a toxic environment in my life. We put a great deal on the table and we tried our best." Mayor Borowsky responded by saying, "I appreciate Axon's efforts to come to the table and engage in meaningful dialogue regarding the future of their development. Their team was willing to make concessions to their existing plan, which I appreciate. Unfortunately, there were too many hurdles to overcome in order to move an agreement forward successfully. I remain hopeful that future negotiations result in a win-win agreement that work for the community and keeps this vital employer right where it belongs — in Scottsdale." Axon will stay in Scottsdale, and it will expand its HQ. It had been trying to come to some sort of agreement with the city to reduce the number of housing units it planned to build for its employees. But now, Axon says it will go back to its initial plan, which included nearly 2,000 units. The backstory In April, Arizona Gov. Katie Hobbs approved SB1543, giving the tech giant the go ahead to expand its headquarters. She said it would provide more than 5,500 jobs and is projected to generate an estimated $38 billion in economic impact in the next decade. On April 19, Mayor Borowsky posted to X, "I am disappointed with the way the Axon Bill has played out, culminating with the Governor signing this awful legislation—-without any discussion with representatives of #Scottsdale, knowing the impact it will have exclusively on our communities. I stand with the people of Scottsdale in opposition to the legislature's unconstitutional overreach. The city is evaluating all legal remedies in response. We must protect the character of our community and our voters' right to the legally obtained referendum process." When Gov. Hobbs approved the bill, it meant major companies that build corporate headquarters in Arizona would be entitled to build housing for its employees. Axon CEO Rick Smith said he wanted to build 1,900 new apartments for its employees. A group named Taxpayers Against Awful Apartment Zoning Exemptions (TAAAZE) were against the expansion from the very beginning. "It's not necessary for him to override the will of the Scottsdale voters and to basically put a thumb in their eye, when they have made it clear over the last couple of elections, both by who they elected, and by the referendums, that they don't want another 2,000 apartments," TAAAZE's Bob Littlefield previous told FOX 10.
Epoch Times
15-05-2025
- Politics
- Epoch Times
Oregon Lawmakers Debate Legal Aid to Immigrants as Public Defense Crisis Spirals
Oregon lawmakers are considering two bills that would provide $21 million to provide free legal aid to noncitizens and illegal immigrants. Separately, Meanwhile, the state faces a severe public defender crisis. More than 5,500 criminal defendants are now waiting for a court-appointed attorney, according to the Oregon Judicial Department's Some people facing criminal charges have waited months for a public defender to be appointed, including, in some cases, being held in jail without counsel, The Due Process Argument Oregon's Universal Representation Fund aims to ensure that illegal immigrants receive due process. Related Stories 1/9/2024 12/20/2023 'Unlike in criminal court, immigrants facing deportation in civil immigration court are not guaranteed access to an attorney,' Senate Democrats said when advocating for SB 1543. Access to an attorney is one of the most important factors in determining whether an immigrant will be deported, they said. 'Without legal representation, immigrants are unfairly disadvantaged during immigration court proceedings,' said Sen. Kayse Jama (D), calling it a matter of 'equity and human rights.' 'Everyone deserves due process,' she said. Now advocating to replenish the program under SB 2543, the Oregon Legislative BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, People of Color) Caucus argues in its Use of Taxpayer Funds Monique DeSpain, executive director and general counsel for the nonprofit The Sixth Amendment of the U.S. Constitution specifically guarantees the rights of the accused in criminal prosecutions, she told The Epoch Times. 'It doesn't apply to providing assistance of counsel for defense of every person embroiled in any legal proceeding,' DeSpain said. Immigrants who are trying to address their legal status are not criminal defendants, she said. 'At a time when [the state] can't even meet its basic constitutional requirement to provide lawyers for criminal defendants, we should not be providing them for the civil matter of an immigrant working on their legal status,' said DeSpain. 'Leaving legal citizens who are criminal defendants waiting while millions are spent on those who are not entitled is a fraud on the taxpayers and an abuse of our criminal justice system.' Is Public Funding Necessary? Senate Bill 703 would direct the state Department of Human Services to provide $6 million in grants to nonprofit service providers to help eligible individuals apply for lawful permanent resident status. The bill's authors have declared the issue an 'emergency,' meaning that it would go into effect immediately after being signed by the governor. 'Now more than ever, we must work together to protect some of our most vulnerable populations in Oregon,' wrote the bill's sponsor, Ricki Ruiz (D), cochair of the BIPOC Caucus on Instagram. Rep. Ed Diehl, a Republican, said he appreciates that the $6 million request is narrowly focused on helping DACA recipients and Special Immigrant Visa holders from Iraq and Afghanistan. These groups, he said, have 'deep ties to our communities and, in many cases, have contributed meaningfully to our country.' But Diehl is concerned about fiscal priorities. 'This bill directs taxpayer money—intended to serve our state's most vulnerable citizens—toward helping noncitizens adjust their immigration status,' Diehl told The Epoch Times. 'Those funds would be better spent on pressing needs like elderly care, services for individuals with disabilities, foster care support, and mental health treatment.' In addition, he said, there are many nonprofit organizations—both local and national—already dedicated to supporting immigrants. 'It's worth asking whether public dollars are necessary here when private and philanthropic resources could fulfill this role.' It's also worth asking if Oregon's legal landscape can accommodate more cases, he said. Public Defense Crisis The state finds itself in the midst of a decade-long public defense crisis caused, in part, by a shortage of defense attorneys. In 2019, the nonpartisan, nonprofit Sixth Amendment Center (6AC) found the state's public defense system so flawed that it was out of compliance with the U.S. and Oregon constitutions. The state's 'compensation plan creates an incentive for attorneys to handle as many cases as possible and to do so as quickly as possible, rather than focusing on their ethical duty of achieving the client's case-related goals,' The American Bar Association's In 2023, Gov. Tina Kotek signed sweeping legislation that overhauled public defender services in Oregon. The new law adopted many of the recommendations from However, the backlog of cases continues to grow. In 2022, there were fewer than 1,000 defendants waiting for a court-appointed attorney, according to the Oregon Judicial Department Today, there are more than 5,500. According to the Oregon Justice Resource Center, The governor's current budget proposal recommends spending $720 million on attorney services for the 2025–27 budget cycle, representing nearly a 20 percent increase. The budget calls for 40 new state public defenders. Meanwhile, the number of public-defense related cases is projected to increase by 22 percent statewide by 2027, according to the Oregon Judicial Department.
Business Journals
02-05-2025
- Business
- Business Journals
Gov. Hobbs defends 'Axon bill' at ceremonial signing ceremony in Scottsdale
At a May 1, 2025 press conference, Governor Katie Hobbs takes part in the ceremonial signing of SB1543, which allows Taser maker Axon to bypass a voter referendum on its proposed massive headquarters construction project in Scottsdale. Axon CEO Rick Smith stands directly behind the governor, joined by several Arizona lawmakers at the ceremony at Axon's existing headquarters building.
Yahoo
19-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Hobbs sides with Axon over Scottsdale voters, signs bill to cancel election challenging HQ project
Axon brought a mobile tactical simulator to the Arizona Capitol on March 4, 2025, as part of its effort to back legislation that would stop a ballot referendum in Scottsdale brought by residents opposed to the company's plans to build a 74-acre campus near the Loop 101 and Hayden Road. Photo by Jerod MacDonald-Evoy | Arizona Mirror Gov. Katie Hobbs has signed legislation to give law enforcement technology company Axon a carve-out in state law that will let it avoid voter review of its planned massive headquarters and housing project in north Scottsdale. Axon came to the Capitol in 2025 aiming to bar voters in every city and town in Arizona from being able to challenge zoning and development decisions. But that bill failed to garner enough support, so the company and its allies pivoted instead to merely stripping away the right of Scottsdale voters to challenge the police weapons manufacturer's HQ project near Hayden Road and the Loop 101. In addition to the firm's international headquarters, the project will include a luxury hotel and roughly 1,900 apartments. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX With Axon pledging to leave Arizona if the election was allowed to stand — Scottsdale voters are notoriously anti-development — their bill earned support from a bipartisan coalition of lawmakers who feared the homegrown firm would leave for another state. The Scottsdale City Council and every legislator from the city vociferously opposed the bill — and there are concerns the measure is unconstitutional — but Hobbs signed Senate Bill 1543 late Friday, along with a slew of other bills. The Scottsdale City Council had been urging residents to reach out to Hobbs asking her to veto the bill and had previously stated on social media that Hobbs had refused to meet with them after the bill passed out of the Senate. The Arizona Constitution gives residents the right to refer matters to the ballot. 'Today marks a defining moment for Axon, for Scottsdale, and for the state of Arizona. I am incredibly grateful to Gov. Katie Hobbs for signing SB1543 into law, and to the many Arizona legislators, business leaders, and community members who stood behind this important measure,' Axon CEO Rick Smith said in a written statement. 'The hundreds of Axon team members and Scottsdale residents who made their voices heard played a critical role in shaping this outcome — and I offer my thanks to each of them.' Axon has been lobbying aggressively for lawmakers to scrap the local election. Last month, the company held a large press conference outside the House of Representatives that included a large number of employees, technology, food and more, as lawmakers rubbed elbows with Axon's C-suite and team of lobbyists. Local activists, backed by a signature-gathering effort linked to a California labor union, gathered more than 25,000 signatures to send the rezoning decision made by a lame-duck city council — the votes for the project came from councilors who had been voted out of office — to the ballot in a voter referendum, which must happen by November 2026. With the legislation that was signed by Hobbs, even if voters overwhelmingly disapprove of the project, it would be protected by the legislation. The measure says that any municipality with between 200,000 and 500,000 residents — Scottsdale had 241,000 residents in the 2020 census — must 'allow hotel use and multifamily residential housing' for land zoned like the Axon parcel 'without requiring any type of application that will require a public hearing' if certain criteria is met. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE
Yahoo
16-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Axon wins legislative battle to scrap Scottsdale vote on controversial headquarter project
Photo by Bayne Froney | Cronkite News With a single signature, Gov. Katie Hobbs could give law enforcement technology company Axon a carve-out in state law that would let it avoid voter review of its planned massive headquarters and housing project in north Scottsdale. Axon came to the Capitol aiming to bar voters in every city and town in Arizona from being able to challenge zoning and development decisions, but settled instead for merely stripping away the right of Scottsdale voters to challenge the police weapons manufacturer's HQ project near Hayden Road and the Loop 101. With Axon pledging to leave the state if the election was allowed to stand — Scottsdale voters are notoriously anti-development — their bill earned support from a bipartisan coalition of lawmakers who feared the firm would depart. The Scottsdale City Council and every legislator from the city vociferously opposed the bill, and there are concerns the measure is unconstitutional, but the state Senate gave final approval to Senate Bill 1543 on April 15, and it now awaits a decision from Hobbs. The Arizona Constitution gives residents the right to refer matters to the ballot. Local activists, backed by a signature-gathering effort linked to a California labor union, gathered more than 25,000 signatures to send the rezoning decision made by a lame-duck city council — the votes for the project came from councilors who had been voted out of office — to the ballot in a voter referendum, which must happen by November 2026. The measure that lawmakers advanced to Gov. Katie Hobbs' desk would cancel that election. It says that any municipality with between 200,000 and 500,000 residents — Scottsdale had 241,000 residents in the 2020 census — must 'allow hotel use and multifamily residential housing' for land zoned like the Axon parcel 'without requiring any type of application that will require a public hearing' if certain criteria is met. Hobbs seems likely to sign the bill. 'Governor Hobbs is committed to keeping and bringing in businesses that create jobs and boost our economy,' Hobbs spokesman Christian Slater said in a statement to the Arizona Mirror. 'We are closely watching SB 1543 and are actively working with stakeholders and legislators to ensure the best outcomes for all Arizonans.' Slater did not respond to questions about whether the governor believes legislation benefiting Axon outweighs the constitutional rights of Scottsdale voters. A representative for Arizona Secretary of State Adrian Fontes said they had 'no comment' on the legislation, and responded to follow-up questions by 'pointing out' recent awards the office had won for election administration. Scottsdale City Councilman Barry Graham said that he and other city councilors have requested meetings with Hobbs and have sent her a 'veto request letter' signed by the full city council. 'All options are on the table to protect Scottsdale residents from dangerous legislation that threatens their constitutional rights and freedom to locally zone and plan their community,' Graham said in an email to the Arizona Mirror. 'This legislation is not just about one city. It is about preserving the rights of all Arizona communities to govern themselves in ways that reflect their unique identities and aspirations,' the letter sent to Hobbs and shared with the Mirror said. 'Scottsdale's residents deserve to have a meaningful voice in shaping the future of their city — not to have that voice silenced by sweeping state legislation.' The city in a press release Wednesday is also urging Scottsdale residents to contact the Governor's Office about the legislation, calling it a 'serious threat to local democracy.' 'It could be and very likely is a violation of what is called the 'special law provision' of the Arizona Constitution,' constitutional law attorney Paul Eckstein told the Mirror. The special law provision of the Arizona constitution prohibits laws from being enacted that impact certain things including 'granting to any corporation, association, or individual, any special or exclusive privileges, immunities, or franchises.' However, Eckstein said that the bill could be 'elastic' enough that it may not be in violation. Ultimately, he said, it will take a legal challenge to determine whether the legislation is constitutional. 'It is a shame, I would say, that we would sell our souls and make a Faustian bargain with a company at the expense of probably the premiere provision in the Arizona Constitution. We wouldn't have a constitution, we wouldn't be a state, if the right to referendum hadn't been included as a broad right in our state,' Eckstein said. In 1910, Arizona voters ratified what would become the state's constitution, including in it the right to referendum. In 1912, the year Arizona became a state, voters used that right to approve the first ballot initiative, which gave women the right to vote. Senators opposing SB1543 brought up similar concerns when voting on the legislation. 'This is voter suppression on steroids,' Sen. John Kavanagh, R-Fountain Hills, said. 'This bill also appears to be special legislation, which violates the Arizona Constitution.' Kavanagh, whose district includes much of Scottsdale, also criticized the declaration in the bill that catering to Axon is a matter of 'statewide concern.' 'Could anyone explain to me why a bill that only affects four cities is a matter of statewide concern? Is there something special I don't see?' Kavanah said while explaining his no vote. For supporters of the bill, keeping Axon in Arizona was more important than disenfranchising voters in Scottsdale. 'At the end of the day, we have a homegrown business that was established here, that became worldwide, and we have other states that are looking to take them,' said Sen. David Gowan, R-Sierra Vista, who sponsored the earlier failed Axon legislation. Some Democratic members said their support came down to 'affordable housing' — Axon says it will build 1,900 apartments, with one-third of them reserved for company employees and law enforcement — and pushing back against 'NIMBY' culture in Scottsdale. But that rationale fell short for Sen. Lauren Kuby, D-Tempe, who urged her colleagues that the 'affordable housing' was not enough to disenfranchise voters. 'Lets make no mistake about this: This is special interest legislation that undermines the will of the voters,' Kuby said. 'It's not about apartments, it is not about how we grow our cities, it is about the will of the voters and how we can take away the express will of the voters.' Axon celebrated the passage of the legislation, and in a press release thanked the bill's supporters and the Arizona Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the state's largest business advocacy group and a major contributor to political campaigns across the political spectrum. 'It helps ensure that Arizona remains competitive for valuable economic development opportunities,' Axon's statement read. 'And this legislation brings real solutions to the state's housing supply crisis, creating more places to live in the Valley at a time when affordability and availability are out of reach for too many Arizonans.' SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE
