Arizona

Tax Reductions in Arizona: Effects on Economic Growth and Government Revenue: 2023 Update

August 2023

Since the early 1990s, the Arizona Legislature has repeatedly reduced tax rates and narrowed tax bases of revenue sources used by state government — particularly of those sources providing revenue to the general fund. The tax reductions usually were passed with the justification that the cuts would be good for the economy. However, empirical evidence indicates that economic performance in Arizona has not been stronger since the tax cuts went into effect.

Dennis Hoffman, Ph.D.

Director, Office of the University Economist; Director, Center for Competitiveness and Prosperity Research; Professor of Economics

[email protected]

Dennis received a B.A. in economics and mathematics from Grand Valley State University, a M.S. in economics from Michigan State University, and a Ph.D. in economics from Michigan State University in 1978. He has served on the faculty of the Department of Economics at ASU since 1979, as director of ASU’s L. William Seidman Research Institute (2004-24), and as the director of the Office of the University Economist since 2005.

Tom Rex, M.B.A.

Associate Director, Center for Competitiveness and Prosperity Research; Manager of Research Initiatives, Office of the University Economist

[email protected]

After receiving his Bachelor of Business Administration from the University of Toledo, Tom earned his Master of Business Administration from Arizona State University in 1976. After working in the private sector, he joined ASU in 1980, working for the predecessor of the L. William Seidman Research Institute. Since 2005, he has served as manager of research initiatives in the Office of the University Economist.

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2020 Census Results for Arizona: Part 2

June 2023

Arizona’s median age in 2020 of 38.9 was nearly identical to the national average, but the state’s increase in median age between 2010 and 2020 tied for the highest in the country. Arizona’s larger-than-average increase can be traced to strong net in-migration at early retirement and traditional retirement ages.

Tom Rex, M.B.A.

Associate Director, Center for Competitiveness and Prosperity Research; Manager of Research Initiatives, Office of the University Economist

[email protected]

After receiving his Bachelor of Business Administration from the University of Toledo, Tom earned his Master of Business Administration from Arizona State University in 1976. After working in the private sector, he joined ASU in 1980, working for the predecessor of the L. William Seidman Research Institute. Since 2005, he has served as manager of research initiatives in the Office of the University Economist.

Read more about 2020 Census Results for Arizona: Part 2

The Financing of Public Higher Education in Arizona

July 2023

State and local government appropriations for public higher education — community colleges and universities combined — in Arizona as of fiscal year (FY) 2022 were considerably below the amount needed to equal the national average per full-time-equivalent (FTE) student. Adjusted for the cost of living, state and local government appropriations needed to be more than $900 million higher for Arizona to rank in the middle of the 50 states per FTE student and more than $1.2 billion higher for Arizona to equal the U.S.

Dennis Hoffman, Ph.D.

Director, Office of the University Economist; Director, Center for Competitiveness and Prosperity Research; Professor of Economics

[email protected]

Dennis received a B.A. in economics and mathematics from Grand Valley State University, a M.S. in economics from Michigan State University, and a Ph.D. in economics from Michigan State University in 1978. He has served on the faculty of the Department of Economics at ASU since 1979, as director of ASU’s L. William Seidman Research Institute (2004-24), and as the director of the Office of the University Economist since 2005.

Tom Rex, M.B.A.

Associate Director, Center for Competitiveness and Prosperity Research; Manager of Research Initiatives, Office of the University Economist

[email protected]

After receiving his Bachelor of Business Administration from the University of Toledo, Tom earned his Master of Business Administration from Arizona State University in 1976. After working in the private sector, he joined ASU in 1980, working for the predecessor of the L. William Seidman Research Institute. Since 2005, he has served as manager of research initiatives in the Office of the University Economist.

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Regional Economic Competitiveness, Part 3: Business Location Factors and an Assessment of Arizona's Competitiveness

May 2023

On the most reliable measures of business climate, Arizona ranks in the middle of the states. The most important business location factors that can be influenced by public policy are labor force quality and availability, and physical infrastructure quality and availability. Education is a key component of labor force quality. Arizona ranks quite poorly among the states on educational attainment, quality, and achievement.

Dennis Hoffman, Ph.D.

Director, Office of the University Economist; Director, Center for Competitiveness and Prosperity Research; Professor of Economics

[email protected]

Dennis received a B.A. in economics and mathematics from Grand Valley State University, a M.S. in economics from Michigan State University, and a Ph.D. in economics from Michigan State University in 1978. He has served on the faculty of the Department of Economics at ASU since 1979, as director of ASU’s L. William Seidman Research Institute (2004-24), and as the director of the Office of the University Economist since 2005.

Tom Rex, M.B.A.

Associate Director, Center for Competitiveness and Prosperity Research; Manager of Research Initiatives, Office of the University Economist

[email protected]

After receiving his Bachelor of Business Administration from the University of Toledo, Tom earned his Master of Business Administration from Arizona State University in 1976. After working in the private sector, he joined ASU in 1980, working for the predecessor of the L. William Seidman Research Institute. Since 2005, he has served as manager of research initiatives in the Office of the University Economist.

Read more about Regional Economic Competitiveness, Part 3: Business Location Factors and an Assessment of Arizona's Competitiveness

Regional Economic Competitiveness, Part 2: Economic Clusters in Arizona

May 2023

Arizona’s subpar performance on measures of productivity and prosperity can largely be traced to three factors:

Dennis Hoffman, Ph.D.

Director, Office of the University Economist; Director, Center for Competitiveness and Prosperity Research; Professor of Economics

[email protected]

Dennis received a B.A. in economics and mathematics from Grand Valley State University, a M.S. in economics from Michigan State University, and a Ph.D. in economics from Michigan State University in 1978. He has served on the faculty of the Department of Economics at ASU since 1979, as director of ASU’s L. William Seidman Research Institute (2004-24), and as the director of the Office of the University Economist since 2005.

Tom Rex, M.B.A.

Associate Director, Center for Competitiveness and Prosperity Research; Manager of Research Initiatives, Office of the University Economist

[email protected]

After receiving his Bachelor of Business Administration from the University of Toledo, Tom earned his Master of Business Administration from Arizona State University in 1976. After working in the private sector, he joined ASU in 1980, working for the predecessor of the L. William Seidman Research Institute. Since 2005, he has served as manager of research initiatives in the Office of the University Economist.

Read more about Regional Economic Competitiveness, Part 2: Economic Clusters in Arizona

Regional Economic Competitiveness, Part 1: Productivity and Prosperity in Arizona

May 2023

Worldwide, the goal of economic development is to improve prosperity, not simply to grow in economic size. Aggregate growth rates, such as of population and employment, have little (if any) relationship to gains in prosperity.

Dennis Hoffman, Ph.D.

Director, Office of the University Economist; Director, Center for Competitiveness and Prosperity Research; Professor of Economics

[email protected]

Dennis received a B.A. in economics and mathematics from Grand Valley State University, a M.S. in economics from Michigan State University, and a Ph.D. in economics from Michigan State University in 1978. He has served on the faculty of the Department of Economics at ASU since 1979, as director of ASU’s L. William Seidman Research Institute (2004-24), and as the director of the Office of the University Economist since 2005.

Tom Rex, M.B.A.

Associate Director, Center for Competitiveness and Prosperity Research; Manager of Research Initiatives, Office of the University Economist

[email protected]

After receiving his Bachelor of Business Administration from the University of Toledo, Tom earned his Master of Business Administration from Arizona State University in 1976. After working in the private sector, he joined ASU in 1980, working for the predecessor of the L. William Seidman Research Institute. Since 2005, he has served as manager of research initiatives in the Office of the University Economist.

Read more about Regional Economic Competitiveness, Part 1: Productivity and Prosperity in Arizona

The Economic Impact of Arizona State University, Fiscal Year 2023

November 2023

Assesses the total (direct, indirect and induced) contribution of Arizona State University and its employees, students, and visitors in fiscal year 2023 on the state economy as follows: gross product of $5.75 billion, labor income of $3.58 billion, and employment of 56,930.

Kent Hill, Ph.D.

Principal Research Economist, L. William Seidman Research Institute

[email protected]

After completing his undergraduate degree in economics at Wake Forest University, Kent received his Ph.D. in economics from Rice University in 1979. He was an assistant professor at ASU from 1978 to 1983. After leaving the university for seven years, during which he worked in the research department of the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas, he returned to ASU to teach in 1991. He joined ASU’s L. William Seidman Research Institute in 1999.

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The Importance of Investing in Arizona

October 2022

Arizona would benefit from changing course in its economic development efforts, from an emphasis on aggregate growth rates and tax reductions to a focus on investing in itself.

Dennis Hoffman, Ph.D.

Director, Office of the University Economist; Director, Center for Competitiveness and Prosperity Research; Professor of Economics

[email protected]

Dennis received a B.A. in economics and mathematics from Grand Valley State University, a M.S. in economics from Michigan State University, and a Ph.D. in economics from Michigan State University in 1978. He has served on the faculty of the Department of Economics at ASU since 1979, as director of ASU’s L. William Seidman Research Institute (2004-24), and as the director of the Office of the University Economist since 2005.

Tom Rex, M.B.A.

Associate Director, Center for Competitiveness and Prosperity Research; Manager of Research Initiatives, Office of the University Economist

[email protected]

After receiving his Bachelor of Business Administration from the University of Toledo, Tom earned his Master of Business Administration from Arizona State University in 1976. After working in the private sector, he joined ASU in 1980, working for the predecessor of the L. William Seidman Research Institute. Since 2005, he has served as manager of research initiatives in the Office of the University Economist.

Read more about The Importance of Investing in Arizona

The Latino Population in Arizona - Growth, Characteristics, and Outlook, with a Focus on Latino Education

September 2011

Examines the growth of the Latino population, investigates the immigration of Latinos, and provides a demographic profile of Latinos, all specific to Arizona. Educational indicators for Latinos also are explored.

Tom Rex, M.B.A.

Associate Director, Center for Competitiveness and Prosperity Research; Manager of Research Initiatives, Office of the University Economist

[email protected]

After receiving his Bachelor of Business Administration from the University of Toledo, Tom earned his Master of Business Administration from Arizona State University in 1976. After working in the private sector, he joined ASU in 1980, working for the predecessor of the L. William Seidman Research Institute. Since 2005, he has served as manager of research initiatives in the Office of the University Economist.

Read more about The Latino Population in Arizona - Growth, Characteristics, and Outlook, with a Focus on Latino Education

2020 Census Results for Arizona: Part 1

October 2021

Discusses 2020 census counts and the change between the 2010 and 2020 decennial censuses for the nation, states, metro areas, and Arizona counties and places. Population growth in Arizona during the 2010s was less than in each of the four prior decades.

Tom Rex, M.B.A.

Associate Director, Center for Competitiveness and Prosperity Research; Manager of Research Initiatives, Office of the University Economist

[email protected]

After receiving his Bachelor of Business Administration from the University of Toledo, Tom earned his Master of Business Administration from Arizona State University in 1976. After working in the private sector, he joined ASU in 1980, working for the predecessor of the L. William Seidman Research Institute. Since 2005, he has served as manager of research initiatives in the Office of the University Economist.

Read more about 2020 Census Results for Arizona: Part 1

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