Public News Service

People can receive online tax-filing support from IRS staff Monday through Friday, from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. Eastern time. (Adobe Stock)

New IRS tool makes filing taxes easier for some in AZ

Arizonans have until Monday to file their individual income-tax returns, and for some, the Internal Revenue Service wants to make the chore a little …

The Arizona PIRG report says while it's a positive step that certain states have taken the lead in eliminating or curbing so-called 'facility fees,' they can and should do more. (Adobe Stock)

Report: Arizonans should be cautious with facility fees

A new report from the Arizona PIRG Education Fund finds that Arizonans are getting hit with what are known as facility fees, leading to higher costs …

Many factors affect a customer's bill amount, including energy usage, weather, and the number of days in a billing period, according to Arizona Public Service. (Jason Yoder/Adobe Stock)

AARP AZ cites impacts of APS rate increase

Earlier this month, a new Arizona Public Service rate hike went into effect and one senior advocacy group said those on a fixed income may struggle …

As of January, 7,434,577 recipients across the country have received Supplemental Security Income benefits. (Adobe Stock)

Social Security wants to get funds to more Arizonans

The Social Security Administration has launched a campaign to let people know there is money on the table for many Arizonans who may qualify for finan…

Arizona is one of only three states offering families 100% eligibility for ESA vouchers, according to a new report. (Adobe Stock)

Report: AZ doesn't do enough to fund, support public schools

A new report is handing out grades to states for their support of public schools and Arizona gets an "F." The Network for Public Education's "Public …

During the 2004 general election, Arizona voters approved Proposition 200, which requires

AZ leaders and businesses speak out against immigration proposal

Rep. Ben Toma, R-Peoria, Speaker of the Arizona House, has introduced legislation with hopes to curtail illegal immigration and save Arizonans big in …

El objetivo de Achieve60 AZ est� directamente relacionado con las proyecciones de que el 70% de las vacantes laborales en Arizona requerir�n la finalizaci�n de alg�n tipo de educaci�n m�s all� de la escuela secundaria. (Adobe Stock)

Encuesta: Fuerte mayoría en AZ valora la educación postsecundaria

Una nueva encuesta revela que en Arizona una abrumadora mayoría cree que aumentar el número de adultos con títulos, certificados y …

Achieve60 AZ's goal is directly related to projections that 70% of Arizona's job openings will require completion of some form of education beyond high school. (Adobe Stock)

Poll: Strong majority in AZ values postsecondary education

A new poll finds in Arizona, an overwhelming majority believes increasing the number of adults with college degrees, certificates, and credentials …

Nearly four in 10 people taking four or more prescription drugs say they have difficulty affording their prescriptions, according to KFF. (Adobe Stock)

AZ Democrats announce plan to fight rising drug costs

Arizona Gov. Katie Hobbs recently unveiled a plan to fight the rising costs of prescription drugs in the Grand Canyon State. Senate Bill 1533 would …

While economic factors play a big part in overall well-being, studies have found things such as sun exposure do as well. One study ranked Arizona second in the country among states for wellness. (Adobe Stock)

Advocates: Public policy should include measuring well-being

Public policy experts recently got together to discuss people's well-being, and how it could improve through policy initiatives taking diverse …

Bay says it is important for multi-generational households and families to have discussions about financial planning. (Adobe Stock)

Students across AZ learn how to better financially plan, budget

As the year comes to an end, one event aims to help high schoolers in Arizona learn how to better manage their money. The "Bite of Reality" fairs …

Latino men in Arizona have higher labor force participation rates than men from other racial groups, according to the Latino Policy and Politics Institute at UCLA. (Roberto Vivancos / Adobe Stock)

Latinos in AZ struggle with closing the wealth gap

Latinos make up 32.5% of Arizona's population and a recent webinar looked at the important role Latinos play in shaping the U.S. economy. According …

A bill pushing to eliminate right-to-work language in Arizona's Constitution did not pass during the state's latest legislative session. (Adobe Stock)

Initiative aims to remove right-to-work statute in Arizona

A grassroots organization in Arizona is pushing to remove the state's right-to-work statute in an attempt to strengthen unionization. The group …

The average annual per-person cost of home care in 2021 was $42,000, according to AARP. (Adobe Stock)

Report: Gaps in AZ's long-term service care system persist

A new report finds persistent gaps in Arizona's long-term care services. AARP ranked Arizona 22nd in the nation for the care older adults and people …

While the number of student loan borrowers aged 62 and older grew by 800,000 from 2017 to 2022, the number of Parent PLUS borrowers grew by only 100,000. (Adobe Stock)

Student loan repayments begin soon; older Americans still struggling

By Jill Barshay for The Hechinger Report.Broadcast version by Alex Gonzalez for Arizona News Connection reporting for The Hechinger Report-Public News…

About one in four rural residents is Black, Indigenous or a person of color, according to a new report from the Rural Democracy Initiative. (Noah Hairston / Adobe Stock)

Report Calls for Sweeping Policy Actions in Rural Arizona, U.S.

A new report highlights policy actions it says could benefit people living in rural Arizona. Sherri Jones, a governing board member for the …

Under the SAVE Plan, a single borrower who makes less than about $15 an hour won't have to make student loan payments, and borrowers earning more could save over $1,000 a year on their payments, according to the U.S. Department of Education. (Damir Khabirov/Adobe Stock)

What AZ Student Borrowers Should Know as Loan Repayment Looms

Many Arizonans will start making payments on their student loans again next month, so it is time for those borrowers to figure out where they stand …

Among consumers with medical debt, 16% of Black adults report a disproportionate amount of such debt, compared to 9% of white adults, according to the U.S. Public Interest Research Group Education Fund. (Adobe Stock)

Medical Bills: Understanding Them and Patient Rights Can Save You Big

Medical care is expensive and continues to get more costly. Many people in Arizona only become aware of this after they get a bill for their care…

The top inbound city in 2022 was Tucson, Arizona, according to Allied Van Lines. (Adobe Stock)

Is AZ Still a Retirement Haven? Some Say That is Changing

Arizona has long been known as one of the 'retirement friendly states,' in the U.S. for its affordability, but that is changing. Brendon Blake…

Arizona was one of the first five states to start the

Health Experts Warn AZ Children Could Lose Medicaid Coverage

Parents' back-to-school checklist in Arizona might include double-checking to make sure their children still have health insurance. Arizona was one …

Arizona fue uno de los cinco primeros estados en iniciar el proceso de

Expertos en salud advierten que niños de AZ podrían perder cobertura de Medicaid

La lista de verificación para el regreso a clases de los padres en Arizona podría incluir una doble comprobación para asegurar que sus …

AZ Joins USDA to Tackle Lack of Competition in Food Industry

Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes has joined a group of bipartisan state attorneys general to beef up enforcement and prevent anti-trust activity wi…

According to the Annie E. Casey Foundation, child care workers make less than workers in 98% of the nation's other professions, with a median annual pay of just under $29,000. (Adobe Stock)

Report: Arizona Ranks Poorly in Overall Child Well-Being

New data ranks Arizona 39th in the country for overall child well-being. According to the Annie E. Casey Foundation's 2023 Kids Count Data Book…

Arizona State University reports first generation students make up almost 35% of its enrollment. Its Hispanic Mother-Daughter Program has served more than 2,300 parent-student teams. (Hector Pertuz/Adobe Stock)

ASU Outreach Program Helps First-Generation College Students

Navigating college can seem overwhelming for first generation students, but an early outreach program at Arizona State University aims to change it…

According to ALL in Education, climate and environment has been identified as one of nine factors that have the biggest effect on student academic outcomes. (Adobe Stock)

AZ Schools Set to Receive Trees Through State Budget Appropriation

Arizona environmental-justice advocates are celebrating some big wins passed through the state budget. One of the provisions, Senate Bill 1689…

After receiving her master's degree in Education from Arizona State University, Laura Terech began teaching in a Title I school. (Gage Skidmore/Flickr)

Former Teacher, Now AZ Lawmaker, Celebrates Teacher Appreciation Week

It is Teacher Appreciation Week , and one Arizona lawmaker, who is a former elementary school teacher, wants to recognize the important work …

According to the NFIB, President Biden's proposed 2024 budget includes $2.5 trillion in tax increases which it says would

Group Warns AZ Small Businesses of Possible Tax Hike

Tax day is tomorrow, and the National Federation of Independent Business is warning Arizona small businesses of what the group called "unprecedented …

According to the Arizona Education Association, there are also more than 1,600 vacancies for special-education paraprofessionals in the state. (Adobe Stock)

AZ Educators Rally to Address "Teacher Retention Crisis"

Arizona educators spoke out about what they're calling a teacher retention crisis in the state and released a proposed budget for how the state should…

There are about 1.7 million credit union members in Arizona. (Sundry Photography/Adobe Stock)

Credit Unions Step Out from Shadow Cast by Bank Collapses

The collapse of two banks has put the U.S. financial sector into focus this week. Some are considering the alternative structures of institutions …

Social Security was implemented in 1935, and the Medicare program was created 30 years later, in 1965. (Adobe Stock)

AARP to Congress: 'Hands Off Social Security, Medicare'

As a showdown looms in Congress over whether to raise the federal debt ceiling, AARP Arizona is among the groups voicing concerns about the future of …

According to University of Arizona data, 43% of workers at the university make less than $25 an hour. (Adobe Stock)

AZ University Workers Ask for Better Pay, Working Conditions

Unionized workers at The University of Arizona and Arizona State University are calling for the schools to pay all campus workers $25 an hour by 2025…

According to the new Arizona PIRG report, ground ambulances transport about 3 million privately insured people to emergency rooms each year. (Adobe Stock)

AZ Report: Putting the Brakes on 'Surprise' Ambulance Bills

A new report says Arizonans who have a medical emergency and good health insurance could still find themselves with a costly "surprise" bill…

According to the report, Arizona's rate of uninsured children was 8.5% in 2021, compared with 9.2% in 2019. (Adobe Stock)

AZ Could See Rebound in Uninsured Kids as Federal Dollars Stop Flowing

Arizona saw 15,000 more kids get health insurance between 2019 and 2021, thanks to federal dollars which kept them and their families insured during …

Nationwide, more than 700 nursing home residents died from COVID-19 during the four-week period ending on Oct. 23, and more than 35,000 were infected, according to <a href=

AARP. (Adobe Stock)">

AZ Nursing Homes Rank Poorly on COVID Boosters

Arizona is currently in last place nationwide in terms of nursing home residents and staff being up-to-date on their COVID-19 boosters. That's …

Critics of Arizona's long-term care system are pushing state legislators for more money and staff for the state Long-Term Care Ombudsman program. (godfather/Adobe Stock)

AZ Seniors List Social Security, Long-Term Care Among Top Midterm Issues

New polling has revealed older Arizonans, who make up more than half the state's registered voters, are more likely to support candidates with strong …

Researchers say improving diversity in the nursing profession starts with a more inclusive learning environment. (Adobe Stock)

Researcher: AZ's Nursing Workforce Should Reflect its Patients

Nurses are at the forefront of patient outcomes, and experts say a workforce that better reflects the population it serves can help reduce healthcare …

More than 46 million people, one in five Americans, have unpaid medical debts on their credit report, according to Debt.org. (Adobe Stock)

Changes to Medical-Debt Listings on Credit Reports Benefit AZ Consumers

Health care can be expensive, and sometimes Arizonans get a bill that's more than they can afford. Unpaid medical bills can reduce a person's credit …

Arizona Public Service, or APS, is a publicly-owned, for-profit corporation generating and distributing electric power to more than 2.7 million Arizonans. (Yamolyanov/Adobe Stock)

Regulators Order Low 'Super Off-Peak' Rates for APS Customers

Arizona Public Service (APS) power customers could significantly lower their electric bills this winter, if they get the timing right. A ruling …

The Build Back Better Act would require states to provide 12 months of postpartum health coverage and 12 months of continuous health coverage for children, as well as making federal funding for CHIP permanent. (didesign/AdobeStock)

Children's Advocates See Build Back Better Act Improving AZ Kids' Health

PHOENIX -- Health advocates in Arizona and across the country are pressing the U.S. Senate to approve the Build Back Better Act, because it would …

Care industry officials say there is a shortage of qualified caretakers because of low pay and poor working conditions. (LightfieldStudios/Adobe Stock)

Poll Underscores Need for Long-Term Investments for AZ Caregivers

TUCSON, Ariz. -- New polling data from a dozen states, including Arizona, show public support for a key part of the Biden administration's economic …

President Joe Biden's American Families Plan would provide paid family leave and improved pay and working conditions for caregivers. (Satjawat/Adobe Stock)

Groups Back American Families Plan to Boost Pay for Caregivers

PHOENIX, Ariz. - A coalition of social activists and care-industry groups is calling for Congress to pass President Joe Biden's American Families …

A lightning-fast internet connection is something thousands of Arizona households just don't have. This might change if the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act gets through the U.S. House of Representatives. (xiaoliangge/Adobe Stock)

Infrastructure Plan Would Bring Broadband Access, Jobs to Arizona

TUCSON, Ariz - Advocates of broadband internet are urging the U.S. House to pass the bipartisan $1.2 trillion infrastructure bill passed by the …

Before this week, families with children got a deduction on their income tax return for the Child Tax Credit. Under a new law, money from the tax credit will instead be deposited directly into families' bank accounts. (methaphum/Adobe Stock)

Groups Push Congress to Make Child Tax Credit Permanent

PHOENIX -- Starting this week, most Arizona families with children are seeing extra money in their bank accounts, and more than 1.5 million Arizona …

Antes de esta semana, las familias con ni�os obtuvieron una deducci�n en su declaraci�n de impuestos por el Cr�dito Tributario por Hijo. Bajo la nueva ley, el dinero del cr�dito tributario se depositar� directamente en las cuentas bancarias de las familias. (metafum / Adobe Stock)

Grupos presionan al Congreso para hacer permanente el Crédito Tributario por Hijo

PHOENIX -- A partir de esta semana, muchas familias con niños en Arizona están viendo dinero extra en sus cuentas bancarias. Con esto má…

A new report warns consumers that payments using peer-to-peer apps such as Zelle or Venmo can cause you lose money if you don't set them up properly. (antonioguilliam/Adobe Stock)

Report: Digital Wallets Becoming Favorite Target for Online Scammers

PHOENIX, Ariz - During the pandemic, many Arizonans began using peer-to-peer payment apps - also called digital wallets - to pay for goods and …

In the 1930s, the Civilian Conservation Corps built ranger stations, trails and ramadas at the sprawling South Mountain Park and Preserve in Phoenix and at dozens of other parks and public lands across Arizona. (Flickr)

AZ Conservationists, Civic Leaders Back Creation of Civilian Climate Corps

PHOENIX -- An idea from the past could soon return to Arizona and other states to battle the ravages of climate change. Groups such as the Sierra …

Currently, with no other state or federal enhancements, Arizona pays unemployment insurance beneficiaries a maximum of $240 a week. (Andril/Adobe Stock)<br /><br />

State to Offer Cash 'Bonus' to Unemployed Arizonans Who Find Jobs

PHOENIX, Ariz. - The State of Arizona is offering cash incentives to move thousands of unemployed people into jobs - but Arizonans who can't find …

President Joe Biden's American Jobs Plan is aimed at creating high-paying union jobs in a clean-energy economy through infrastructure improvements in Arizona and elsewhere. (anatoliy_gleb/Adobe Stock)

Climate Advocates: Biden Plan Will Create AZ Clean-Energy Jobs

PHOENIX, Ariz. -- After the White House's Global Climate Summit last week, groups in Arizona and elsewhere are backing President Joe Biden's goal of …

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AZ: Livable Wages/Working Families