AZ Center

Arizona lawmakers debate tax breaks ahead of filing deadline

AZCenter director Joseph Palomino discusses the Arizona Legislature's tax conformity bill. Lawmakers have yet to decide on tax breaks, meaning some people may hold off on filing returns until the deadline.

Wave of Tax Cuts Has Left Many States Vulnerable to Trump SNAP and Medicaid Crisis

Instead, to help pay for their tax cuts, many states have already raided their various cash funds. “We’ve sort of maxed out on gimmicks,” said Geraldine Miranda, assistant director of fiscal policy at the Arizona Center for Economic Progress. “There’s nothing left in the couch cushions.”

¿Aumenta el costo de vivienda debido a la inmigración?

"Mass deportation is going to ultimately result in job loses for everyone in the US" - Joseph Palomino 

Arizona ranks 20th among states vulnerable to federal control

Arizona is the 20th most dependent state that relies on the federal government, according to a new report. ... The Arizona Center for Economic Progress said in fiscal year 2025, 45% of the state’s revenue came from federal funds.

Arizona Food Bank warns Republican budget would cause families to go hungry

The Arizona Food Bank Network and a coalition of advocacy organizations held a press conference on Wednesday to warn about the impacts of President Trump’s “One Big Beautiful Bill,” which will cut roughly $300 billion from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP.

Donald Trump’s mass deportations could mean higher costs and labor shortages in Arizona

Geraldine Miranda, an economic policy analyst at the Arizona Center for Economic Progress, expects higher housing prices as the construction industry struggles to find workers. That, she said, would far outweigh any reduction in demand for housing as immigrants leave.

“Arizona’s economy has been booming,” Miranda said. “There are lots of other people that are coming into Arizona from other states.”

How to pay for Chase Field repairs? Arizona bill would repurpose Diamondbacks income, sales tax revenue

Joseph Palomino of the Arizona Center for Economic Progress also told lawmakers that research shows that sports stadium subsidies have limited economic impact.

How Prop. 138 would change tipped workers' pay in Arizona

“When we look at the data of tip workers, we know that 70% are women and tip workers don’t make very much,” said Geraldine Miranda, an economic policy analyst with the Arizona Center for Economic Progress. “You look at their real median wage, they make about $15.78 (hourly) and when you look at the cost of if living, it’s very high. This proposition is an automatic wage cut for tip workers.”