Staff Reports
Governor Katie Hobbs, a Democrat from Arizona, is facing accusations that she is attempting to claim credit for a tax refund that she originally opposed. In spite of her objections, the Hobbs administration claimed in a press release that she increased the amount of money that Arizona families received through the Arizona Families Tax Rebate. This rebate, which offers qualifying families up to $750, was made possible by a supermajority-supported bipartisan budget.
Republicans counter that Hobbs is in violation of a budgetary clause that expressly forbids her office from claiming the rebate. According to the budget, no correspondence about the refund may be sent from the governor's office, printed on the governor's letterhead, or mention the governor's office. Hobbs is charged with skirting the tax credit by having her underling sign the press release, even though Hobbs did not explicitly claim credit for the tax benefit.
Dem Gov. Katie Hobbs May Have Violated Law After Boasting About Tax Credit She Didn’t Want via @gatewaypundit https://t.co/IItdclbS62
— The Gateway Pundit (@gatewaypundit) November 2, 2023
Republicans claim that because the news statement was signed by Rob Woods, the director of the Arizona Department of Revenue, rather than by Hobbs, Hobbs is assuming credit for it because it states that the rebate is a part of "this administration's 2023 bipartisan budget." The Arizona Freedom Caucus chair, Republican state senator Jake Hoffman, denounced Hobbs for breaking the law and said that legal action is being considered.
The press assistant for Hobbs refuted the charges, asserting that they abide by all legal requirements. Hobbs favored a permanent tax credit, but the one that is in effect at the moment was temporary and brought about by the budget surplus. Hoffman sarcastically said that although Hobbs did not initially support the tax rebate, he is delighted that she now recognizes the advantages of conservative policy.
