In our complex, ever-changing political environment, a pragmatic, solutions-focused approach is the only way to achieve real results. Prior to this year, Arizona was the largest state in the country without a statewide business roundtable.
That is why we formed the Arizona Business Roundtable (AZBRT) to focus on the most important issues facing our state, both now and into the future. Our membership includes more than 20 CEOs and business leaders from Arizona’s most influential companies and industries covering every corner of our state.
Our first challenge was navigating the tax and spending bill in Congress, known as the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA). We helped shape meaningful outcomes for Arizona, especially when it comes to tax and economic policy, putting our state in a position for long-term success. As is true in any negotiation, no one gets everything they want, and there is more work to be done.
Our playbook was clear: bring together Arizona’s most influential business leaders, pair them with a successful D.C. strategy, and focus on tangible results for our state. We know Arizona, we know the important players in Washington, and most important, we know how to get things done. Together, we gave members of Congress and the Trump administration the facts they needed as the bill came together.
We set three goals:
• Keep taxes reasonable for Arizona’s businesses, families and retirees
• Fight for Arizonan’s health care
• Secure our state’s energy future
The results speak for themselves. OBBBA permanently extends provisions like full expensing for capital investments and R&D. Coupled with maintaining current business tax levels, which were set to spike, employers now have the confidence and certainty to invest and expand operations, laying the foundation for the next wave of job and wage growth. Arizona businesses will benefit from permanent extensions and expansions of international provisions protecting their U.S.-based operations.
And, Arizona’s smallest, most innovative entrepreneurs will now benefit from policies such as the Qualified Small Business Stock exemption that further encourage new investment in start-up companies.
We defended what matters
There is no denying that the reforms to Medicaid will have a major impact in Arizona and across the country. Let’s be honest, this could have been much worse.
But, we are proud of our work to fight back against some particularly draconian measures and delay the timeline for the most harmful cuts. The AZBRT worked with key members of Congress to establish the Rural Hospital Fund and ultimately doubled the original $25 billion offer to the final $50 billion included in the law. This funding will help alleviate the burden to Arizona’s rural hospitals.
Next, we must focus on the extension of the advanced premium tax credits, which we have made a central part of the debate in Washington this fall. This is essential to protecting affordable health insurance for Arizonans buying coverage on their own.
Arizona is also home to a diverse mix of energy production that fuels our growth. We beat back attempts to strip away solar credit transferability and stopped policies that would have hurt nuclear power — critical to meeting over one-quarter of Arizona’s current energy demand, and a key component to meeting the growing needs of our future economy.
In a time of heightened economic competition and global challenges, Arizona businesses don’t just want to survive—we want to lead. Now more than ever, we must avoid partisan political fights and focus solely on what matters to Arizona.
This was only our first step, and we’re just getting started. There is more work ahead to build a stronger, more secure Arizona for generations to come.
Michael Bidwill, owner of the Arizona Cardinals, is AZBRT chairman; former U.S. Sen. Kyrsten Sinema is AZBRT president and CEO.