This week Arizona 360 looks at the effects of the state's minimum wage law that voters passed in 2016. What is now The Fair Wages and Healthy Families Act gradually raises the minimum wage to $12 an hour by 2020. At the start of January, most workers earning minimum wage received a $.50 raise, to $10.50 an hour.
Economist Jim Rounds of Rounds Consulting Group explained why more time is needed to assess the law's impact on economic growth in Arizona, while calling on state leaders to focus on initiatives that promote job training.
When Arizona passed Proposition 206, voters in the City of Flagstaff approved Proposition 414, which gradually raises the minimum wage to $15 an hour by 2021. As Vanessa Barchfield reports, the mandate remains divisive in the mountain town, and a new initiative appearing on the ballot in November would only raise minimum wage to $12.50 an hour by 2022.
The University of Arizona wants to pay new head football coach Kevin Sumlin $14.5 million spread across the next five years. A final contract, which is still being finalized, would need approval from the Arizona Board of Regents. The Regents called for a review of multi-year athletic coach contracts after former head coach Rich Rodriguez's firing earlier this month.
Arizona Daily Star sports columnist Greg Hansen talks about why Sumlin's contract will likely get the regents' approval and how his hiring could change the culture of the UA Athletics Department.
For Arizona and states that rely heavily on trade with Mexico and Canada, what happens next week in Montreal matters. It's where leaders from all three nations will meet for a sixth round of talks to renegotiate NAFTA.
A recent report from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce found that scrapping NAFTA would cost Arizona up to 235,000 jobs. It also found that 47 percent of Arizona's exports go to Canada and Mexico, generating $10 billion in revenue for the state.
Luis Ramirez serves as president of Ramirez Advisors. His firm provides advice to multiple clients on cross-border issues. Ramirez sat down with Lorraine Rivera to discuss how Arizona's relationship with Mexico would be affected if NAFTA talks failed.
With more Republicans declaring their candidacy for Sen. Jeff Flake's soon-to-be open seat, the Tucson Weekly's Jim Nintzel and KVOI Radio's Chris DeSimone join Lorraine Rivera to talk about the current field of candidates in the Republican primary, along with the race for Arizona's 2nd Congressional District.
A lot of money is expected to flow into Arizona's election season. Christopher Conover reports on two very different approaches happening now to reveal more about donations made to campaigns. Both efforts are led separately by Arizona Secretary of State Michele Reagan (R) and former Arizona Attorney General Terry Goddard (D).
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