Today marks the 1-year anniversary of the Inflation Reduction Act, signed by President Joe Biden. This act is being hailed as the largest climate investment in history, with an aim to improve the climate and provide more than 170,000 jobs nationwide. In Tucson alone, the act is expected to bring over 1000 jobs.
The city of Tucson has already received millions of dollars from the Inflation Reduction Act. One of the key areas these funds have been directed towards is transforming the city’s transportation system to low to no emissions. Tucson Mayor Regina Romero is confident that they will achieve their goal of completely switching their transit buses to 100% low to no emission by 2025.
“We received a total of 48 million dollars to switch our transit buses to 100% low to no emission. We are going to reach that goal by 2025,” says Mayor Romero.
However, not everyone is in favor of the Inflation Reduction Act. Many Republicans, both in Congress and in the state of Arizona, view it unfavorably. Stan Barnes, former Arizona politician and president of Copper State Consulting, explains that the act has received a predominantly negative response from Republicans.
“If you ask Republicans in Congress or in the state of Arizona about it, for the most part, you get boos and negativity,” shares Barnes.
The main concern among critics is the massive amount of money being spent by the Federal Government. They believe that the billions of dollars allocated for this act is excessive and that it represents an overreach of the Federal Government’s power.
“It is such a big reach of Federal Government. It is so much money. It’s so much about what the Federal Government can do for you. Depending on who you are, you either think it’s a good idea, or it’s one step closer to bankrupting the United States of America,” says Barnes.
However, according to the IRA one-year report, the Inflation Reduction Act has already made a significant impact in Arizona. It has helped create or move forward over 12,000 jobs in the state, demonstrating its potential to stimulate economic growth and reduce unemployment.
Overall, the Inflation Reduction Act has been a topic of intense debate. While proponents applaud its efforts to combat climate change and create jobs, critics worry about the financial implications and the extent of government intervention. As the act continues to unfold, its impact on the economy and the environment will continue to be closely monitored.
Original Story at www.kvoa.com – 2023-08-23 00:21:00
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