Opinion: Kari Lake’s Economic Plan Would Be a Disaster for Arizona

Lake’s plans would make inflation worse, increase costs for water, and drastically cut city services.

We represent retirees of Arizona. We’ve worked all our lives in this state, and Vic served 22 years in the US Air Force, including service in Vietnam and Operations Desert Shield/Storm, Southern Watch, and Enduring Freedom. 

We’ve lived through Democratic and Republican administrations, but we’ve never seen a Republican gubernatorial nominee as dangerous as Kari Lake.

RELATED: Fact Check: Kari Lake Repeats Election Lies, Proposes Voter Laws That Already Exist

In addition to her dangerous and out-of-touch election denialism and stances on abortion rights, her newest economic plan—one she said she would release months ago—is an absolute disaster, with one Arizona Republic columnist saying it looks like it was written on a napkin. 

Experts Respond

According to experts, Lake’s plans would make inflation worse, increase costs for water, defund the police and first responders, and drastically cut city services.

Republican Goodyear Mayor Joe Pizzilllo told 12 News that 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.

Sarah Porter with Arizona State University’s Kyl Center for Water Policy told the Arizona Republic that Lake’s key proposal of pipelining water from Missouri and Mississippi would be exceptionally pricey with significant logistical hurdles and “would make the price of the water drastically more expensive for water users” and “might price out most people.” 

RELATED: ‘I Am Honored:’ Kari Lake Proudly Accepts Endorsement of Convicted Insurrectionist

And last month economist Dennis Hoffman, who advised governors on both sides of the aisle for 40 years, told 12 News that 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. 

Not to mention, Lake’s plans are bad for Arizona’s farms and water infrastructure.

It is outrageous that as retirees who have worked all our lives to take care of our families and give back to our communities, we are faced with the possibility of  someone like Lake who could defraud our state. Seniors deserve to retire with dignity and respect, and Kari Lake robs us of that.

Siding With Hobbs

That’s why we trust Katie Hobbs for governor. She understands the economic struggles many seniors face because she has lived them. Back when she was a legislator making $24,000 a year, Katie took a job driving for Uber to make ends meet and support her family. There are so many Arizonans who know exactly what that feels like—particularly right now.

RELATED: Katie Hobbs Touts Her Political Competence–And ‘Sanity’—in Bid for Governor

Kari Lake likes to brag about her TV anchor salary, lives in the Biltmore, owns multiple homes, and gets $200 haircuts. She has no idea what it’s like to work hard or what life is like for seniors like ourselves.

We can count on Katie to be fighting for our families because she knows what it’s like to do whatever it takes to provide for your family. She has poured what she has known into her economic policy plans, which would deliver real solutions for Arizonans, cut taxes for 800,000 families, and help people get back to work. Arizonans deserve a candidate who will uplift working families—and that’s Katie Hobbs.

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