Reforming Arizona

The average government worker now receives hourly pay and benefits that are 44 percent higher than the average private sector worker’s. Those high costs are bankrupting state and local governments—and taxpayers—across the nation.

But it doesn’t have to be this way. A package of bills being considered by the Arizona legislature would reform this unfair spoils system, protecting workplace freedom, the state’s economy, and all Arizona taxpayers.

Research

Money for Nothing: Phoenix Taxpayers Foot the Bill for Union Work
Phoenix taxpayers spend millions of dollars to pay full salary and benefits for city employees to work exclusively for labor unions, a Goldwater Institute investigation found.

​Journal of Economic Perspectives: “Compensation for State and Local Government Workers”
The authors, both from the U.S. Department of Labor, find that, on average, public sector workers in state government have compensation costs 3-10 percent greater than those for workers in the private sector, while in local government the gap is 10-19 percent.

Coverage

The Daily Caller: The coming Arizona public employee union apocalypse

National Public Radio: Arizona Lawmakers Target Public Workers’ Unions

Legislation

Arizona State Senate Bill 1484: Paycheck Protection

​Arizona State Senate Bill 1485: Collective Bargaining

​Arizona State Senate Bill 1486: Release Time

​Arizona State Senate Bill 1487: Paycheck Protection