Good morning, everyone!

I have some fantastic news to share today: You are now one of over 100,000 people who subscribe to this newsletter!

I have been looking forward to hitting this milestone for a long time now, and I am so happy to finally announce it. 

Thank you to each and every one of you who subscribes to this newsletter, opens this email, reads our work, and maybe even shares it with others!

The Copper Courier team is so appreciative of your support, and I feel very lucky to get to do this job every day. 

Know someone who you think may enjoy the newsletter? Here’s our link to sign up. 

What a great start to the weekend! 

I also wanted to update you all on the new newsletter segment I asked you to vote on earlier this month. The final winner was me reading a book or article about Arizona each month and sharing my findings with you!

For this month, I’m going to read “Arizona Curiosities: Quirky Characters, Roads Oddities & Other Offbeat Stuff” by Sam Lowe. 

I’ll share some of the best parts with you by the end of January!

Have a wonderful weekend.

Arizona Democratic Gov. Katie Hobbs smiles prior to delivering the State of the State address at the state Capitol as she is flanked by Speaker of the House Ben Toma, left, R-Glendale, and President of the Senate Warren Petersen, R-Gilbert, Monday, Jan. 8, 2024, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)

💬 “These elements in her proposal are dead on arrival with the Republican Majority.”

— Reps. John Kavanagh and David Livingston

Gov. Katie Hobbs unveiled her $16.3 billion budget proposal last week that would cut transportation projects and restrict enrollment in the state’s Empowerment Scholarship Accounts (ESA).

Arizona has a projected $889 million revenue shortfall for the 2025 fiscal year.

“Decades of irresponsible Republican tax policies and expansion of ESA vouchers with no oversight have created a revenue shortfall that appears to be ballooning,” said House Minority Leader Lupe Contreras, D-Cashion, in a statement. 

The budget would restrict ESA enrollment to students who have attended public schools for at least 100 days. That would disqualify roughly 49,500 ESA students and save the state around $244 million.

Hobbs’ proposed budget also included $203 million for the Department of Corrections, Rehabilitation, and Reentry, $183 million for school renovations, and $200 million for higher education.

Read the full story here. 

A mother and her toddler daughter having fun in Scottsdale, Arizona.
(Shutterstock Photo/Olya Lytvyn)

Everybody wants to live and raise their families in a safe and affordable place, but how do you find a good city to raise your family in?

Stacker collected 2023 data from Niche to create a list of the Top 100 cities to raise a family—and four in Arizona made the cut.

The data measured affordability, education, recreation opportunities, safe neighborhoods, and more.

🏘️ Peoria just made the Top 100 at No. 98.

🏘️ Scottsdale was a bit higher at No. 62.

🏘️ Chandler made the Top 50 at No. 35

🏘️ Gilbert was Arizona’s highest-ranked city at No. 32.

Are you looking for a city in Arizona to lay down roots? Where do you think the best place to raise a family in Arizona is and why? Let us know in a reply to this email!

🚗 Leaving town for the weekend? Get a look at these 30 places you can visit for free across Arizona.

🏠 This number is bad news for Phoenix homeowners.

💵 Overdraft fees could drop to as low as $3 under a new Biden proposal.

😍 This Arizona site was named a top place to visit in 2024 by Conde Nast Traveler.

🐶 Check out these 10 dog-friendly restaurants and bars in Tucson.

🐵 Happy 51st birthday to Billy the gibbon at Reid Park Zoo!

Thanks for reading. This newsletter was written by Jessica Swarner. The Copper Courier is happily free to read for everyone. Your financial support means a lot to us. Donate here.

Send us your feedback and news tips to info@coppercourier.com