Yet another destructive bill from the Goldwater Institute

Posted by AzBlueMeanie:

The Goldwater Institute has been the single most destructive influence in Arizona politics since its founding. It produces more "bad government" ideas, in partnership with affiliated partners like ALEC, than any other organization in Arizona. It's goal is not good governance but to destroy government.

The latest "bad government" idea comes from GI lawyer Nick Dranias, who came up with the "genius" (sic) idea of a citizen's regulatory tax credit as an incentive to stop "government overregulation." That's right, you dear citizen are now a "government" unto yourself, similar to the "sovereign citizen" movement, and you can file malicious tax claims against actual duly elected governmental etities over regulations for which you do not want to comply — because you're just so damn special. Measure itself is excessive:

A bill to cut government red tape is actually designed to blow up virtually all state and local regulations. Everything from barking-dog ordinances to business licenses would be classified as "excessive regulation" under House Bill 2815.

The measure would let businesses and individuals file tax credits for costs associated with regulations they considered excessive. The breadth of possibilities is staggering: It would include any requirement that doesn't protect individuals from fraud or substantial damage to health and safety.

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It's an ideology that would usurp local control, replacing majority rule with an extreme individualism that has never been practiced in the United States.

The proposal takes aim at noise limits, zoning ordinances of all types, bans on junked vehicles in front of houses, licenses for pest-control businesses, protection for saguaros, historic preservation, restrictions on outdoor lighting, signage requirements … the list goes on and on.

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Businesses put a premium on a predictable regulatory environment. HB 2815 would create massive uncertainty, undermining the work of economic development, as tax-credit challenges raised questions about existing ordinances and zoning.

And, in an ironic twist, the tax credit would be a bureaucratic nightmare.

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The state Department of Revenue — with no additional staff or funding — would have to judge if taxpayers were rightfully claiming excessive regulation from counties, municipalities, special districts and the state. The treasurer would evaluate any denials. Then, the cost of the tax credit would have to be passed on to the appropriate government entity.

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To avoid a financial train wreck, the bill limits total government liability in the early years to several hundred thousand dollars. But that wouldn't prevent an overwhelming onslaught of claims.

The House Commerce Committee approved HB 2815, which contains other provisions, on Thursday. This severely flawed tax credit needs to be removed from the bill.

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Arizona needs regulatory reform, not regulatory Armageddon.

Hasn't the Goldwater Institue inflicted enough damage on the state of Arizona already? It is not government that needs to be destroyed, it is the outsized influence of the Goldwater Institute and its affiliated wingnut organizations that needs to be destoyed.