New website charts accomplishments of Ducey’s time as governor

A new website launched earlier this month charts the many accomplishments of Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey’s highly successful eight years in office.  

Theduceyyears.com compiles highlights of the two-term governor’s tenure, dating back to his winning 2014 campaign for the office, where he won a tough, crowded primary, and a general election where he won with 53% of the vote.

In its editorial endorsement of Ducey in the 2014 race, The Arizona Republic newspaper, which at that time still published candidate endorsements and maintained a daily opinion page, said of Ducey, “He has a keen understanding of how to set out a plan for growth — and the determination to stick to it.” 

That endorsement turned out to be a predictor of the two terms to come, which were marked not only by economic recovery, but a return to a level of prosperity and high growth that seemed almost unfathomable following the deep recession the state had experienced in 2009-2010 and, in 2014, was still struggling to shake off. 

Americans voted with their feet to come to Arizona during Ducey’s time in office, with the state ranking fourth nationally for in-migration from 2010-2019, and an annual employment growth rate that was twice as fast as the national average. 

Since January 2015, the state added more than 500,000 private sector jobs, placing Arizona in the top tier of states for job growth over the past eight years. Arizona ranks sixth for the total number of jobs added and fourth among all states for employment rate of growth. 

“When I took office, our economy was broken, and fixing it was a top priority,” Ducey said in a statement. “The engine of our economic growth has always been our people. Today, Arizonans have access to abundant jobs as well as the opportunity to work in good-paying industries with the potential for advancement. With this kind of momentum and our incredible talent, Arizona is unstoppable.” 

The size of government, however, has not grown. Arizona has eliminated or improved more than 3,000 regulations since 2015, and the number of state government employees has shrunk by 5,000. 

Other fiscal highlights found on the new website include: 

  • Ducey presided over the lowest unemployment rates since the Great Recession.
  • Rainy Day Fund grew to $1.4 billion.
  • Permanently indexed the state income tax brackets to inflation.
  • Oversaw passage of Proposition 123, which injected $3.5 billion in K-12 schools over the course of a decade.

The governor’s final year in office capped off his campaign promise to pursue an income tax rate that was as close to zero as possible.

Thanks to sustained high growth and record revenues, the state hit the required triggers to implement the tax reform bill Ducey signed into law in 2021, resulting in the country’s lowest flat income tax rate, 2.5%, beginning in January 2023, one year ahead of schedule.

“It’s time to deliver lasting tax relief to Arizona families and small businesses so they can keep more of their hard-earned money,” the governor wrote in a September letter to the state Department of Revenue. “This tax relief keeps Arizona competitive and preserves our reputation as a jobs magnet and generator of opportunity.

Humaira Zafari

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