For Immediate Release
Monday, Nov. 7th, 2022
Contact: Josselyn Berry, Jberry@azdem.org
Experts: Kari Lake’s Plan Will Tank Arizona’s Economy
Multiple Experts and Republicans Say Lake’s Plans Would Increase Costs, Worsen Inflation and Defund Law Enforcement
PHOENIX– With days until the election, Lake has been putting more effort into rallying with extremists like Steve Bannon and Wendy Rogers than making fixes to her economic plan that’s been called “ill advised” and “written on a paper napkin.”
Lake has been taken to task by multiple policy experts and even Republicans who say her ideas for the economy and water would increase costs, exacerbate inflation and even defund local city’s police and fire departments. Lake’s response was to call the mayors and other elected officials who’ve come out against her plans, liars during an interview with Dennis Welch this week. “Some of these elected officials in our cities were saying, it’s going to hurt our police and law enforcement. They know that’s a lie,” Lake told Welch.
It is not a lie. In fact, Republican Goodyear Mayor Joe Pizzilllo, said Lake’s economic proposal is “ill-advised,” and warned that funding for public safety services as well as affordable housing could be slashed as a result. Pizzillo said Lake’s plans would “inevitably put [local governments] all in incredibly difficult positions to have to make unintended cuts to police and firefighters across the state, as well as allow for fewer opportunities to support multifamily rental properties.” Prescott councilman Brandon Montoya also shared that the city’s financial director voiced alarm at Lake’s economic “plans,” saying they would “decimate” their budget, forcing them to make hard choices on cutting services.
Last month economist Dennis Hoffman, who advised governors on both sides of the aisle for 40 years, said Lake’s economic plan “just doesn’t work” and would “add jet fuel” to inflation. Phoenix, Arizona is already the worst in the nation for inflation. As Laurie Roberts wrote, “Lake’s plan to ‘fix’ Arizona’s economy demonstrates just what can happen when you have a governor who reads teleprompters instead of budgets.” On top of that, a water policy expert said that Lake’s ideas for tackling Arizona’s water crisis “would make the price of the water drastically more expensive for water users” and “might price out most people.”