Phoenix — Maricopa is the most populous county in Arizona.

However, two proposals from House Republicans could split Maricopa County into four separate parts.

If passed, the proposal would reduce the borders of Maricopa County to cover most of Phoenix and surround it with three new counties.

Hohokam County in the southeast is centered around Gilbert. Mogollon County would cover Scottsdale and parts of northern Phoenix. Oodham County would occupy the West Valley and the sparsely populated southwestern portion of the existing county.

SB1137 It was proposed by Republican Senator Jake Hoffman. The bill is under scrutiny in the Senate and may be rejected by Governor Katie Hobbs. HCR 2018 – Proposed by Rep. Alexander Korodin – Bypasses the governor’s desk and raises issues directly with voters in 2024.

A dramatic change in county boundaries would have serious consequences for both Valley residents and the state as a whole.

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Higher Taxes, Higher Operating Costs

Residents of three of the four new counties will soon see their property taxes skyrocket as the state government expands to accommodate the new counties. Arizona will have to fund three new oversight boards, three new sheriff’s offices, three new county court systems, and the list goes on.

Ann analysis According to the Joint Legislative and Budgetary Committee (JLBC), the cost of the new county’s officers and employees is estimated to start at $155.2 million annually.

It’s impossible to predict the new property tax rates with certainty, but JLBC said only residents of Mogollon County and Scottsdale could see lower rates.

political background

This isn’t the first time Republican lawmakers have proposed dividing Maricopa County.

a Similar suggestions Hoffman’s proposal to follow the 2020 presidential election was overthrown by then-Speaker of the House Rusty Bowers. In both cases, his three newly defined counties leaned Republican, and he was the only one that leaned Democratic.

Senator Jake Hoffman was one of 11 people who signed a fake electoral list that endorsed Donald Trump. Hoffman was also behind a proposed book ban in Arizona schools that left education experts “baffled” by what it was trying to solve.

Hoffman was suspended from social media during his days as a member of the Queen Creek City Council. operates what is described as a “troll farm” Coordinate teenagers to post right-wing opinions online.

Likewise, Rep. Alexander Korodin has been embroiled in an election scandal. He was one of the lawyers behind the Sharpie-powered conspiracy theory that many considered “Sharpiegate”.

Corodin’s lawsuit alleges that Sharpe, which was used to mark ballots in the 2020 election, did not count votes and disenfranchised voters. I didn’t get it.

What does that mean?

The new borders would greatly weaken the voting power of Democratic-leaning Maricopa County.

According to the 2020 Census, Maricopa County is currently home to over 4.4 million residents. The county famously turned blue for both the 2020 presidential election and his 2022 gubernatorial election.

Under the proposal, the new county would include the following populations:

• Maricopa County: 1.7 million
• Hohokam County: 1.1 million
• Mogollon County: 745,100
• Oddham County: 639,300

The new county line separates the Republican-leaning East Valley from the Democratic-leaning downtown Phoenix. But no matter how you slice it, Phoenix Metro still makes up about 65% of the state’s population.

what’s next?

At this point, it’s hard to say for sure.

Neither Hoffman nor Collodin’s plans are scheduled for committee hearings, so it’s unclear how much support either will garner.

Without moderate voices like Rep. Rusty Bowers in the state House, the proposal might get more support.

However, Republicans have only a small lead in the state legislature. In both the House and Senate, that’s just a one-vote majority. Democrats are hostile to Hoffman’s proposal in his 2022, and now the bill will have to go through Governor Hobbs’ desk.

If Corodin’s proposal passes, this issue will be sent to the 2024 ballot box. At that point, it’s up to voters to divide Arizona’s largest county.

Arizona politics

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