Legislative Session Wrap-Up

Every year, HighGround enjoys exceptional levels of success advocating on behalf of its clients. The firm not only advocated for its clients at the Legislature and to the Executive Branch, but when requested, acted as spokespersons to the media and public relations consultants.

2005 Legislative Successes

• Clarified Arizona’s stadium district laws allowing the Tostitos Fiesta Bowl to host the newly created BCS National Championship Game in 2006;
• Assisted with appropriation of additional $6 million in funding to the Arizona State Land Department enabling them to better manage the State Trust Lands program;
• Clarified existing law on how electronic signs may be operated under current statute;
• Defeated legislation that would have required cities and towns to reduce the amount the cable industry currently pays for use of public rights-of-way;
• Defeated legislation that would have prohibited cities and towns from offering tax incentives to attract new business;
• Clarified existing law defining the difference between on- premise signs and billboards;
• Enacted legislation restricting the drilling of domestic exempt-wells within municipal service areas that are in groundwater Active Management Areas (AMA).
  

2004 Legislative Successes

• Allowed for voter-approval extension of the current ½ cent sales tax for transportation in Maricopa County.
• Enacted legislation requesting U.S. Congress to authorize federal and state land exchanges around military bases.
• Allowed for expanded implementation and enforcement of land use planning of property around military airports and appropriated $5 million for preservation and enhancement of Arizona’s military installations.
• Enforced legislation prohibiting ADEQ from enacting fees on municipal wastewater treatment plants.
• Enacted legislation petitioning U.S. Congress to award the future F-35 Joint Strike Fighter to an Arizona Military Installation.
• Enacted legislation to prohibit the underground storage of natural gas in the vicinity of military facilities.
  

2002 Legislative Successes

• Required development rights to be vested beyond Common Law status for Arizona development;
• Allowed for a voter-approved extension of the current Maricopa County jail facilities sales tax;
• Enacted a repeal of the statutory Committee on Deregulation and the formation of an ad-hoc Committee on Deregulation more focused on the current market situation;
• Clarified and expanded Arizona's stadium district laws;
• Allowed DEQ to adopt a state implementation plan under either Section 308 or 309 of the federal regional haze rules;
• Required cities and towns to seek county permission to annex county parks and flood control properties;
• Restored funding for the Water Quality Assurance Revolving Fund (WQARF).

2001 Legislative Successes

• Enacted implementation statutes for Proposition 204, Healthy Arizona II Initiative
• Appropriated Funding for the relocation of Yuma's National Guard Armory ($371,000.00)
• Recipient (for the City of Yuma) of the Governor's office grant for Neighborhood Revitalization Funds ($3.4 million)
• Furthered notification requirements for property near military airports
• Restored the distribution of Arizona's flight property tax to airports
• Extended the Transaction Tax Privilege for Williams Gateway Airport
• Allowed beverage wholesalers in Arizona the option to not renew their contracts with distributors when said contract has concluded

2000 Legislative Successes

• Clarified Arizona's stadium district laws;
• Allowed the state to enter into master contract software agreements;
• Adjusted County and City expenditure limitations;
• Extended the re-zoning requirements for Williams Gateway Airport;
• Allowed for the County sale of items;
• Allowed for the electronic licensure of domestic animals;
• Clarified the operations of local health boards;
• Allowed cities and towns to sell highway project advancement notes competitively;
• Provided a property tax valuation methodology for electrical generation facilities;
• Allowed for the purchase of rights-of-way for projects identified in ADOT's transportation plan;
• Allowed annual funds paid by cities to State Parks Department to be used for maintenance at parks in the cities specific jurisdiction; and
• Enacted the elements of Growing Smarter 2000 package.

1999 Legislative Successes

• Clarified Arizona's stadium district laws;
• Changed some operations for large domestic water improvement districts;
• Furthered the notification requirements for property near public airports such as Williams Gateway Airport;
• Allowed for the establishment agriculture improvement districts around military facilities;
• Changed the distribution of Arizona's flight property tax;
• Clarified the operations of local health boards; and
• Provided a method by which qualified cities, towns or private water companies can meet assured water supply requirements by obtaining water availability status from the Central Arizona Groundwater Replenishment District.
• During the last four sessions, the firm was retained by clients to offer supplemental lobbying support for issues such as electric power competition and changes to the open meeting law. HighGround also successfully lobbied to defeat legislation that was contrary to the interests of its clients.