The Tempe Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors, through interviews and analysis, voted to endorse 5 candidates running in the November 2022 general election at their monthly board meeting, according to a news release from the organization.

The endorsement is a declaration by the Chamber that these candidates understand the interests of the Tempe business community and, if elected, will champion policies supportive of economic and community development.

The endorsed candidates are:

• Melody Hernandez, State Representative District 8
• Roxana Holzapfel, State Senate, District 8
• Terry Roe, State Representative, District 12
• Stacey Travers, State Representative, District 12
• David Richardson, State Senate, District 12

“We are fortunate to have had close working relationships with our elected officials in the past.  It is important that we support those that understand how policies in pending legislation may impact the Tempe business ecosystem and community,” said the President and CEO of the Tempe Chamber, Colin Diaz. “As the voice of business in Tempe, we intend for our Chamber to expand its efforts to promote a positive business environment through the endorsement of candidates who support the growth and success of Tempe businesses.”

The following are the Tempe Chamber’s positions on the 2022 November General Election Ballot Measures:

Propositions

• Prop 128 

The proposition would allow the Arizona State Legislature to amend an initiative, appropriate or divert funds or adopt a measure that supersede any initiative or referendum measure if it is found to contain illegal or unconstitutional language by the Arizona Supreme Court or the United States Supreme Court.

The Tempe Chamber supports this. The Tempe Chamber has a position in their agenda that supports modification of Proposition 105 that establishes a supermajority threshold permitting legislative changes to unintended consequences of initiative measures passed at the ballot. The net effect of this ballot measure is that it allows the Arizona Legislature to modify voter-protected statutes that are ruled illegal or unconstitutional with a simple majority.   

• Prop 129

The proposition requires each ballot initiative to only address one subject. 

The Chamber is in support of this proposition. The Tempe Chamber supports clarity and transparency in the Arizona ballot initiative process. 

• Prop 308 

The proposition would allow In-state tuition for illegal immigrant children. 

The Chamber is in support. In-state tuition for undocumented students is a matter of workforce development.   

Initiatives

• I-05-2022 Predatory Debt Collection Protection Act

The initiative caps the interest rate on "medical debt," as defined in the Act. It applies this cap to judgements on medical debt as well as to medical debt incurred. It increases the value of assets – a homestead, certain household possessions, a motor vehicle, funds in a single bank account, and disposable earnings – protected from certain legal processes to collect debt. It also annually adjusts these amended exemptions for inflation beginning 2024 and allows courts to further reduce the amount of disposable earnings subject to garnishment in some cases of extreme economic hardship. 

The Chamber opposes this initiative. Brought to us by out-of-state interests, this initiative will impact our health care providers. It also sets a very bad precedent for other industries.  

• I-16-2022 Arizonans for Free and Fair Elections

This would restore the permanent early voting list. It provides same-day, automatic and online voter registration, makes voting easier for disabled people and reduces cancelation causes for voter registration. It also ensures voters can vote in any in-county precinct, expands polling places on Native American lands, voter registration, early voting, mail voting, early voting sites, and voting rights for some under guardianship. It allows entrusting another person to return one's voted early ballot. It also specifies a process for correcting signature problems on early voting envelopes. The initiative would allow Clean Elections grants for election administration. It also establishes a new corporate income tax of $150 to pay for the Clean Elections Commission.  

The Chamber opposes this. This initiative has more than 54 provisions in it that make significant changes to voter registration, initiatives, campaign finance, presidential electors, lobbyists, and taxes. The Tempe Chamber recommends opposition due to the corporate income tax provision.