Arizona: ICYMI: Governor Katie Hobbs Focuses on Affordability in 2026 State of the State Address

Phoenix, AZ ~ In her fourth State of the State address, Arizona Governor Katie Hobbs focused on making the state more affordable for working families. She emphasized the need for bipartisan cooperation in order to achieve this goal.

During her speech, Governor Hobbs stated that Arizonans do not care about party affiliation or ideology, but rather want their elected officials to take action to improve their lives. She made affordability her top priority and expressed optimism that it was also a priority for lawmakers.

To address the issue of affordability, Governor Hobbs announced several proposals. These include measures to cut taxes for middle-class individuals, lower utility bills, and create more affordable housing options. One of her initiatives is the Housing Acceleration Fund, which will combine public and private funds to build affordable housing at a faster pace. The governor also highlighted that Arizona has broken ground on more affordable housing units in the past three years than ever before.

In addition to these plans, Governor Hobbs called on state lawmakers to rethink Arizona's approach to data centers. She proposed repealing tax incentives for data centers and implementing a water usage fee for them, with the funds going towards conservation efforts in the Colorado River.

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The governor's focus on affordability was praised by many, including Arizona PBS who stated that if they had to summarize her speech in three words it would be "affordability, affordability, and affordability." However, some critics pointed out that Hobbs had previously voted for tax incentives for data centers when she was a state lawmaker.

Governor Hobbs also urged lawmakers to prioritize her Middle Class Tax Cuts Package which includes an increased standard deduction and additional deductions for seniors over 65. She emphasized that middle-class families deserve a tax cut now and called on legislators to put aside their differences and work together on this issue.

Hobbs' Arizona First Plan also includes the creation of an Arizona Affordability Fund which aims to assist families with utility bills and housing costs. The governor hopes to generate significant financing for housing projects by leveraging both public and private funds.

In her speech, Governor Hobbs spoke about the issue of affordability in personal terms, sharing her own experiences of working at Pizza Hut to put herself through college and taking extra jobs to support her family while serving as a lawmaker. She emphasized that affordability is not a joke or a hoax, but a real challenge that families in Arizona face every day.

As the legislative session begins, it remains to be seen if Governor Hobbs' plans for affordability will come to fruition. However, she has made it clear that she is committed to making life more affordable for Arizonans and is willing to work with both Democrats and Republicans to achieve this goal.

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