Arizona State Representative Taylor has introduced a bill aimed at removing restrictions on economic growth in the state. The legislation targets what Taylor describes as de facto urban growth boundaries, which are policies or proposals that limit new housing development, trade, or commerce outside certain mapped areas.
According to Taylor, such boundaries result in higher land prices within designated zones and prevent the use of available land outside those areas. “Corporate investors know constraining supply reduces competition and induces artificial scarcity, benefiting incumbents over new market entrants, creating bidding wars, and artificially inflating prices for the corporate elite. Land within the boundaries becomes more expensive, while land outside the boundaries cannot be touched. For working families striving to afford their first home, this makes the price of new homeownership unattainable. Working families need rural and exurban options to maintain affordability, and not everyone wants to live in the city,” Taylor said.
Taylor referenced Arizona’s history with urban growth boundaries. In 1998, voters passed a measure preventing lawmakers from requiring cities or towns to adopt such limits. An attempt by environmental activists in 2000 to reverse this was also defeated at the ballot box. “This fight was about defending people’s right to live and work where they choose, and supporting the development of new jobs and housing in the places people can afford,” Taylor stated.
Despite these laws remaining in place, Taylor alleges that current internal policies under Governor Hobbs have circumvented voter intent by restricting access to thousands of acres of developable land and millions of acre-feet of groundwater. “These aren’t minor mistakes; they are part of a deliberate effort,” Taylor said.
Taylor argues that limiting construction to private land within select cities has effectively imposed urban growth boundaries statewide. The representative claims this has led to increased housing costs, rising evictions, net outmigration from Arizona for the first time in years, and a slowing job market.
“There is a better path. Our land and natural resources must be effectively managed to ensure we can maintain a robust economy and a low cost of living. Arizona cannot afford to constrain its supply. If vacant land and replenished groundwater are available, we should not let them sit idle when we could put them to economic use. We must use them to unlock our economic potential and restart growth, allowing new homes to be built and jobs to be created, expanding where families can live,” Taylor said.
“Arizonans did not vote for artificial restrictions, constraints, and scarcity. They voted for growth, freedom, and the American Dream. It’s time to lift the urban growth boundaries that are currently holding our economy back. It’s time to build. Let’s unleash the shackles and work together to help lower costs, create jobs, and make homeownership affordable again for our great state,” Taylor concluded.
Carbone is a Republican who was elected in 2023 as State Representative for Arizona’s 25th House District after replacing Michelle Udall.
