By Speaker of the House Steve Montenegro, Majority Leader Michael Carbone, Majority Whip Julie Willoughby, and Speaker Pro Tempore Neal Carter
The numbers don’t lie: Governor Hobbs has been bad for Arizona’s jobs.
When Hobbs took office in January 2023, Arizona was ranked eighth in the nation for job growth. But after just three legislative sessions and 394 vetoes, our state has plummeted to 47th in the nation. Even the Arizona Republic recently acknowledged the anxiety now facing job seekers, reporting that “Arizona’s economic juggernaut has been slowing, casting shadows over job prospects around the state.”
Before Hobbs, Republicans in the Legislature consistently advanced pro-growth policies. Governors Ducey and Brewer signed those measures, helping propel Arizona into the national spotlight. Hobbs inherited that strong foundation but has steadily dismantled it with veto after veto.
Earlier this year, House Republicans introduced our Majority Plan, a values-driven guide for the legislative session that intentionally begins with “Unleashing Economic Prosperity.” We believe protecting every Arizonan’s chance to pursue the American Dream starts with an economy that works for everyone. Yet with her veto stamp, Hobbs has chosen big government control over economic freedom and opportunity, pushing Arizona behind while other states surge ahead.
During her three years in office, Hobbs has blocked legislation to lower costs, expand housing, support small businesses, and cut red tape. Instead of working with lawmakers to strengthen the economy, she has become the single greatest obstacle to job creation in Arizona.
Take groceries. In 2023, as families faced rising costs, the Legislature passed a measure to eliminate taxes on food for home consumption, with implementation set for July 2025 to give cities time to adjust. But Governor Hobbs pulled out the veto stamp. Without that veto, Arizonans would be paying less for food today.
Take housing. Across Arizona, families have been priced out of first-time homeownership because local governments have blocked smaller, affordable lots through zoning. In 2024, the Legislature passed a bipartisan solution—the Arizona Starter Homes Act—but Governor Hobbs sided with bureaucrats and used her veto stamp again.
She went even further. Within months of taking office, Hobbs haphazardly imposed a housing moratorium in fast-growing, affordable communities like Buckeye and Queen Creek, without consulting the Legislature. Two years later, her actions are projected to cost 18,654 jobs, $2 billion in real GDP, and $3.9 billion in personal income over the next decade—and raise the price of a new home by $19,600 to $23,700.
Governor Hobbs has also blocked opportunities for small businesses. Major employers like Google, Apple, and Amazon began in garages. In 2023, the Legislature passed a bill to preserve entrepreneurial Arizonans’ right to start home-based businesses. Hobbs vetoed it. She has shown the same hostility toward free enterprise by opposing measures to help food trucks and tamale vendors, further damaging Arizona’s ‘open-for-business’ legacy.
The same pattern extends into the tech sector. Governor Hobbs vetoed legislation that would have welcomed businesses using blockchain and digital assets into Arizona’s startup tech program and given companies a fair chance to correct issues before facing heavy-handed government penalties. Time and again, she has vetoed reforms that would make Arizona a stronger competitor for jobs and investment.
Arizonans deserve better than 47th place. Republicans in the Legislature will continue working to empower job creators and job seekers. Governor, it’s time to put away the veto stamp and work with us to restore Arizona’s standing as a national leader in economic growth.
Arizona cannot afford “No Jobs Hobbs.”
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