Frank Carroll’s War on Federal Regulatory Hell

Arizona Senator Frank Carroll cuts an imposing profile. Tall and silver-haired, it’s an advantage in his ongoing battles to protect Arizonans ‑from irrational border policies, unscientific environmental ideology, and now, from hidden taxes imposed by the EPA and other Federal agencies. The Arizona Globe recently sat down with the senator at Black Rock Coffee Bar  in Surprise, AZ, to discuss a wide range of topics impacting Arizona. Taxation and relief from burdensome Federal regulations were top-of-mind throughout the conversation.

Touting success from the passage of Senate Bill 1734 authorizing $260M in state tax rebates for Arizona families, he expressed concern over the onslaught of penalties and fees imposed by the Biden administration for a slew of alleged violations, somewhat muting the tax victory. Invoking Ronald Reagan, Sen. Carroll reiterated one of the Gipper’s most significant axioms.

Carroll told the Globe, “An expanding tax base allows us to lower the tax rate while increasing overall revenues.” But he warns that the Federal government is strong-arming Arizona for control over water rights and air quality, exerting pressure through financial threats. He acknowledges that “it’s a balancing act” with many moving parts, requiring vigilance to prevent taxpayers from feeling the Federal bite.

Rattling off a list of fallacies cited by environmental groups as the basis for commandeering control, he pointed out one of the EPA’s favorite tactics – ignoring the science. A case in point is “air transport” as a more likely cause of declining air quality than local driving habits and business activities. Air transport refers to ozone-depleting chemicals being “transported” into our air space from overseas.

Pollutants carried by offshore air flows from Mexico, China, and India are proven sources of ozone-depleting pollutants, yet the EPA refuses to accept the evidence. They favor penalizing Arizona drivers and businesses by imposing costly regulations and fees because they’re easier to enforce than seeking redress from countries that refuse to respect our clean air mandates.

As the Arizona Globe previously reported, Senator Carroll unabashedly blames the Biden administration for Arizona’s economic woes. “They’ve subjected our nation to destructive energy policies in the name of ‘climate change,’ as well as skyrocketing inflation and federal debt that is destroying the middle-class economy,” he stated.

The Arizona legislature created multiple Joint Legislative Ad Hoc Committees to address air, water, and regulatory issues, many with Senator Carroll in leadership roles. These committees ensure that the battle for tax and regulatory relief remains at the forefront of Arizona’s legislative agenda. Yet, despite the political priority, predicting the outcome is difficult, especially in light of the current world chaos. If Carroll succeeds, Arizonans will finally reap the benefits of lower taxes and fewer governmental regulations, and the Biden administration will begin respecting the Tenth Amendment.