Judge: Arizona voters have right to decide tax cut repeal

PHOENIX (AP) — A judge has ruled Arizona voters have a constitutional right to decide a referendum in November 2022 that seeks to repeal state tax cuts. Judge Katherine Cooper rejected arguments that the tax cut bill wasn’t subject to a referendum. The referendum would block a new law that slashes income taxes by nearly $2 billion a year by phasing in a flat tax that mainly benefits the wealthy. A pro-business group argued the state constitution doesn’t allow referrals for measures that provide for “support and maintenance” of state government and that tax cut bills fall into that category. Cooper said the constitution blocks referendums for appropriations and noted the law in question didn’t appropriate money.