EDUCATIONAL QUALITY TRUMPS TAX, REGULATORY BREAKS

posted by Michael Chihak

The package of tax cuts working its way through the Arizona Legislature is important for business recruitment and retention, but no more so than maintaining a high quality educational system, says the head of Arizona's leading business organization.

Glenn Hamer, president and CEO of the Arizona Chamber of Commerce and Industry, said in an interview today in Phoenix that executives of a lot of companies looking at Arizona will say that they like low taxes and little regulation, but that if the higher education system isn't top notch, "we'll send you a postcard from Alabama."

Hamer said Gov. Jan Brewer's economic development package, expected to be revealed as early as next week, will include important business tax cuts. He said just as important will be its enhancement of a new economic development arm, the Arizona Commerce Authority.

There's no way to tell how many jobs can be created as a result of attracting businesses to the state with the tax cuts, Hamer said, but he said it should make up for the 300,000 jobs lost in the recession over the last threee years.

He called elements of the tax-cut package "a game changer for us" in terms of attracting businesses.