Guests - Dave Smith, Scott Mussi, Tracy Byrnes, Laurie Moore
Arizona Enforces Immigration Cooperation Law as Local Battles Rage Over Taxes, Elections, and Sheriff Accountability
Kathleen Winn opens with excitement over the Arizona Wildcats advancing to the Final Four, praising the team’s hard work and Coach Tommy Lloyd. She notes the upcoming matchup and the tournament’s intensity, hoping the Wildcats go all the way while acknowledging the tough competition ahead.
Dave Smith on ARS Title 11-1051: Full Cooperation with Federal Immigration Enforcement Required
Dave Smith, former law enforcement officer and trainer, explains Arizona Revised Statutes Title 11-1051, which mandates that no official or agency of the state, county, city, town, or other political subdivision may limit or restrict the enforcement of immigration laws to less than the full extent permitted by federal law. “In the first paragraph it says, no official or agency of this state or county or city or town or other political subdivision of this state may limit or restrict the enforcement immigration laws to less than the full extent permitted by federal law.”
Smith stresses that the statute is unambiguous and applies regardless of emotions or protests. He points out that Arizona’s geographic position as a border state makes this law essential. “It’s a good law for this state just geographically to have, forget the emotions, forget all the other stuff.” He notes that fraudulently obtained documents, such as driver’s licenses given to illegal immigrants, are invalid under basic legal principles. “Nothing, and that’s a basic principle of law. Anything acquired by fraud is not a valid contract, not a valid document, not a valid title.”
Smith highlights recent reports of Democrats registering apparent illegal immigrants to vote at DMVs on both the west and east sides of Tucson. He ties this to the need for the SAVE Act nationwide to require proof of citizenship for voting. “If you lie to get a driver’s license or someone gives you a driver’s license and you can’t prove that you’re a citizen, does that license, is it valid? It’s not valid, is it?” He adds that voting while here illegally compounds the violations. “If you vote and you know that you’re here illegally, you’ve now broken the law three times besides anything else that you’ve done.”
Later, Smith sharply criticizes Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos, calling him an “incompetent mozo” and stating he should not be affiliated with any competent police officer or sheriff. He praises the recall effort as a bipartisan unifying force. “God bless him for unifying Tucson.”
Scott Mussi on EPA Ozone Ruling Victory, Local Tax Hikes, and Supreme Court Election Integrity Case
Scott Mussi, president of the Arizona Free Enterprise Club, celebrates the EPA’s recent ruling under Administrator Lee Zeldin that excludes international emissions from Mexico and China when calculating Arizona’s ozone compliance. He explains that Arizona’s ozone levels are already lower than 25 years ago, but international pollution artificially inflated the numbers. “We’re no longer going to count or punish Arizona for international emissions. Under the Clean Air Act, we can exclude international emissions.” This removes the threat of federal mandates like those in California that ban gas cars and leaf blowers. “This problem is largely solved. We’re doing a good job of managing not just our emissions, but our overall economy.”
Mussi criticizes Phoenix and Tucson for raising fees and taxes despite record revenues. Tucson is considering sewer and trash collection hikes, utility rate increases, and revisiting a half-cent sales tax voters rejected two-to-one. Phoenix recently raised its sales tax by half a cent and now eyes a 50% trash fee increase. “Our local governments, Tucson and Phoenix are two of them, but it’s all throughout the state, are just rolling out a conveyor belt of tax and fee increases.”
He discusses HCR 2016, which proposes a four-year moratorium on new local tax and fee increases, giving voters the chance to decide in November. “This would just say, no more. Let’s just have a pause. Families out there, entrepreneurs out there that have been getting pummeled with these tax and fee increases, they don’t have an ability to go out and automatically get more money put into their paychecks.”
On election integrity, Mussi notes Arizona’s proof-of-citizenship law, the first in the nation, is now before the U.S. Supreme Court after liberal groups and the prior DOJ sued. Arizona Free Enterprise filed an amicus brief supporting it. “We are confident that the Supreme Court will take the case.” He highlights that the Trump DOJ now supports Arizona, and a favorable ruling could allow all states to adopt the Arizona model. Wyoming has already followed, with Texas, New Hampshire, and others considering it. “Every state should go in and pass their own Arizona model of legislation.”
Mussi labels Governor Katie Hobbs “Chaos Katie” for vetoing tax conformity legislation twice, creating uncertainty despite her own Department of Revenue issuing conforming forms. He urges filing taxes claiming all benefits from Trump’s “big, beautiful bill” and directs people to chaoskaty.com to contact her. “Over a million Arizonans would have to file their taxes twice or refile their taxes and pay more when they do it.”
Tracy Byrnes on Maximizing Deductions from Trump’s Tax Bill and Smart Financial Planning
Tracy Byrnes, author of Deduct Everything and certified divorce financial analyst, emphasizes that the goal is a net-zero tax return rather than chasing refunds. “The end game should be to have your tax return tally to zero. People get very excited about refunds and that’s incorrect way to think about these things.” She highlights benefits from the “one big beautiful bill act,” including the standard deduction increase that will lower bills for many families. “All you have to do is take the standard deduction this year and you’re going to see your tax bill go down because they did raise that.”
Byrnes advises using the tax return as a planning tool to assess income sources, retirement readiness, and backup plans. “Your investment account is almost like your side gig. That is your side hustle.” She recommends 529 college savings plans for grandchildren, noting the money grows tax-free and withdrawals for education are tax-free. “It’s a beautiful gift because that money then will grow tax free.”
On divorce, she warns women to understand the tax and financial implications of asset division. “We could talk for two hours, just about the money women leave on the table during divorce.” She stresses asking about tax consequences of taking retirement assets versus taxable accounts. “If I say I want a hundred grand in retirement assets and he takes a hundred grand in a regular taxable account, those are two very different things.”
Byrnes encourages teaching children financial literacy early. “We need to teach our kids how to save money from the beginning, how to protect themselves.” She notes that even with multiple degrees in finance, her own children needed explanations about Roth versus 401(k) contributions. “What the heck are we teaching them? We are not preparing our kids.”
Laurie Moore on Nanos Recall Petition Momentum and Critique of “No Kings” Rallies as Astroturf
Laurie Moore reports strong progress on the Sheriff Chris Nanos recall petitions. She uses her front porch as a northwest hub and carries clipboards everywhere, securing sixty signatures in two hours at one event. “I got six pages of signatures—sixty people in two hours.” She plans to approach churches, emphasizing the recall is a community issue affecting everyone. “This is not a political thing—this is a community thing because the sheriff is sheriff for everybody.”
Moore criticizes the weekend’s “No Kings” rallies as astroturf, citing three billion dollars spent by five hundred NGOs. She contrasts the small turnout she observed with genuine energy at pro-Trump events. “I don’t even know if I believe those numbers… they’re protecting us from pretend kings.” She notes the rallies featured purple hair and electric scooters and could not last long. “They probably even couldn’t hear but um probably not.” Moore urges continued petitioning at the fair and sports gatherings, calling the effort unifying. “This guy’s got to go.”