Arizona

The Arizona Supreme Court upheld an appeals court ruling that allows voters in Glendale the opportunity to repeal the city's recent sales tax increase.

Faced with a $14.8 million deficit to operate its six golf courses, Phoenix is considering selling or closing the public links, citing the sport's declining popularity amid growing competition.

Glendale, Ariz., officials are developing a five-year plan to deal with the end of a 0.7% sales tax set to expire in 2017.

Amid protests and falling incarceration rates, Arizona plans to name the winning bid for a private prison Friday. The state will pay a 9.5% premium to go the for-profit route, according to one study.

The $747.8 million of state general fund collections in July was more than $16 million above what was expected in the first month of fiscal 2013 when the state budget was adopted in May and $18 million more than in July 2011.

A new 330-acre district designed to raise revenue for a $300 million renovation of Arizona State University's Sun Devil Stadium is facing some resistance as the college town and Phoenix suburb of Tempe recovers from recession.

The Arizona Supreme Court said last week that a referendum on making permanent a temporary 1% state sales tax should go onto the November ballot.

Maricopa County Attorney Bill Montgomery filed a brief last week in support of an effort to force a November referendum on Glendale, Ariz.’s 0.7% sales tax increase.

Tribal casinos in Arizona made a $25.1 million payment to the state in the second quarter of 2012, the Department of Gaming said last week.

Supporters of a plan to overturn Glendale's new 0.7% sales tax have appealed a court ruling that would keep the referendum off the November ballot.

Valley Metro will build an 11-mile extension of its light rail network from downtown Phoenix after last week's approval of the project by the Maricopa Association of Governments.

A lawsuit filed by a group seeking an election to overturn Glendale, Ariz.'s recent sales tax increase will be heard Aug. 14 in Maricopa County Superior Court

Tucson residents who want to put in their two cents worth on the city’s $100 million general obligation bond referendum must pay $240 to have their opinions printed in the official voter pamphlet.

Phoenix wants to put $50 million of city funds into federally insured accounts at local banks and credit unions that are chartered in Arizona or have a physical presence in Maricopa County.

Phoenix collected $355 million in sales taxes in the first 11 months of fiscal 2012, up from $342.8 million in the same period of fiscal 2011.

A constitutional amendment authorizing up to $1.3 billion of state highway construction bonds will be Issue 1 on the Arkansas Nov. 6 ballot.

Work will begin Wednesday on Mesa, Ariz.'s bond-financed baseball spring training facility for the Chicago Cubs.

Scottsdale, Ariz. City Council voted last week to bring back a citizens bond review panel to study proposals that could be included in a 2013 bond referendum.

Glendale, Ariz., officials have until July 24 to validate 4,100 petition signatures seeking to reverse a city tax increase expected to produce $23 million per year.

Glendale, Ariz. City Council last week approved an increase in the city's secondary property tax.