Prop. 312 and Rising to the Challenge of Treating Homeless People Productively

Inspired by legitimate problems posed to businesses by “The Zone” in Central Phoenix, the Goldwater Institute pushed lawmakers to incentivize cities to criminalize people who are homeless That became Prop. 312 which was passed by voters. The Supreme Court’s Grants Pass decision in June further empowers cities–since they no longer need to assure there are adequate shelter beds.

People who end up on the streets do so for a variety of reasons. In 2025, the Grand Canyon Institute plans to dig further into this issue. During this holiday period many people focus on the story of a homeless couple, where the woman gives birth in a stable.  Hopefully we won’t lose sight that this isn’t a property rights problem but a human rights challenge.

This summer, visiting respite centers, a woman, let’s call her Jill, had just gotten out of jail. Her crime, being trespassed a second time by the city of Phoenix for sleeping on sidewalks or parks. The city, according to Jill, confiscated all her belongings–including the copy of her birth certificate that social workers in the city of Glendale had helped her secure. Jill also talked about another man, she met on the streets, let’s call him Juan. He had tragically lost his wife and son in a car accident. Juan became exceedingly depressed, lost his job and then his home.

Another young man let’s call him Kokeb, from Ethiopia, had a gambling problem that led him to lose his housing, but he had a job as a salesman and was saving to get off the streets. Then there’s Krista who was one of 14 people who died while on the streets in Tempe last year.  One person recalled an incident three weeks ago.  Narcan was used to revive an unhoused person who had overdosed. She noted that the man across from her was the person who had been revived. He was now sharing a meal and community–but no doubt not yet out of the woods.

Localities often seek to provide services–but under Prop. 312 also make sleeping in public a crime if it appears you might be “camping” (i.e., have your stuff with you). For instance, Mark (his real name) was arrested yesterday morning for “urban camping.” The Grand Canyon Institute hopes to shine a deeper light into this issue. which has become a growing challenge.

Why is the elimination of progressive state income taxes such a secret?

In 2024, the Grand Canyon Institute launched the Arizona Budget Challenge, so people could investigate policy choices from a wider perspective than might be discussed. The adoption of a flat tax now costs the state general fund $2 billion a year, 70% of which goes to families with incomes exceeding $200,000. As long as this tax policy remains in place, the state will consistently struggle to make investments–and often be making budget cuts.

Yet it remains the biggest secret in Arizona about what’s behind budget austerity. Take the Budget Challenge!

Some GCI reports from 2024

• State Budget: Eliminating Progressive Income Tax Yields Structural Deficit (January 8, 2024)
• Cost of the Universal ESA Voucher Program (June 6, 2024)
• Exorbitant Costs, Little Benefit: $5,000 Marketing Cost Per Student at UAGC with Low Academic Success (June 28, 2024)
• Abortion Access in Arizona: Economic Implications of Current, Restrictive Abortion Policies (Oct. 7. 2024)
• ESA Voucher Program FY2023: Where the Money Went (Aug. 1, 2024)
• ESA Voucher Program Had $360 Million Unspent, While the State Pulls from the Opioid Settlement (Sept. 17, 2024)

Do you have a research project? Feel free to reach out.

Contact: Dave Wells, Research Director, dwells@azgci.org or 602.595.1025 ex. 2.

Please Consider the Grand Canyon Institute for an end of the year donation!

If you appreciate the work of the Grand Canyon Institute, don’t be a free rider–the economic term  for someone who benefits but doesn’t pay. The Grand Canyon Institute’s work on accountability and transparency for ESA vouchers has been cited this year, not just in Arizona, but by numerous news outlets across the country, such as in Nebraska where the issue was on the ballot (and defeated), as well as by the BBC and ProPublica.

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