December 2021

Girl with degree from community colleges

What Community Colleges Offering Four Year Degrees Mean for Our Economy

Getting a college degree is more important and more expensive than ever before. Community colleges play a significant role in supporting students in higher education and equipping students with the skills and resources to enter the workforce. Community colleges in Arizona can now offer four-year degrees, but what does this look like, and how does it affect our economy? 

Dorn Policy Group, Inc. is one of Arizona’s top public affairs firms. We partner with organizations to ensure their business goals are met and voices are heard by Arizona’s elected officials. Read our blog post below and learn what four-year community college degrees mean for our economy. 

Rules for Community Colleges Offering Four Year Degrees

In May 2021, Governor Doug Ducey signed Senate Bill 1453, allowing community colleges to offer four-year degrees. Arizona joins 23 other states that allow community colleges to offer baccalaureate degrees. Under the new law, community colleges offering four-year programs have several limitations, including:

  • Programs must be based on workforce needs.
  • The community college must run a financial and administrative analysis of offering the degree program.
  • Community colleges must avoid duplicating programs offered at state schools. 

These rules are meant to limit the adverse effects of the bill on traditional four-year colleges. However, the new law does not allow public universities to prevent a community college from offering a baccalaureate degree, but it does place limitations on the number of four-year degrees a community college can offer. When a new program is added at a community college, bachelor’s degrees cannot make up more than 5% of the degrees for the first four years. After four years, the program cannot offer more than 10% bachelor’s degrees.

Effect of Community Colleges on Students

At Maricopa County Community Colleges, tuition for the first two years is capped at $1,020 a semester for 15 credit hours. The new law allows for a tuition increase of 150% for the last two years. Even with this increase, tuition would total a little more than $3,000 a semester. The average in-state tuition at Arizona State University is between $9,000 and $12,000, meaning that a four-year degree at a community college would cost much less to earn. This makes higher education affordable for lower-income families and students.

The new law opens the door for better representation of minority students in higher education. Maricopa Community College District Interim Chancellor Steven Gonzales said, “more students of color start at community colleges than anywhere else in higher education.” These students will sometimes transfer to four-year colleges, but oftentimes this is not an easy transition. The new law may also increase equity and access to more Arizonans who wish to further their education.

How This Affects the Economy

Maricopa Community Colleges can enroll students in four-year programs as early as fall 2023. The Governor’s Office released a statement that this bill is “an important and timely shift to reskill and upskill Arizona’s workforce to meet the needs of the growing economy and provide a pathway to economic prosperity for more Arizonans.” More four-year degrees should increase graduation rates and expand the skill set of Arizona’s workforce. This will be especially beneficial to high-need industries as many community colleges will offer programs in fields like health care, information technology, and education.

Dorn Policy Group, Inc. Advocates for Arizona

As one of the leading Arizona public affairs firms, we know how important it is to have relationships with key elected officials and community leaders. With such a large, diverse community, it can be difficult getting your voice heard. Dorn Policy Group, Inc. ensures you are represented in the best possible light. Contact us today and learn how we can help your business find success through strong government relations. 

A bottle of prescription drugs sitting on top of cash

With Prescription Prices on the Rise, Where Does Arizona Stand?

Prescription drug price reforms are a major part of pending legislation in Congress. With prescription costs on the rise, Americans are dealing out large sums of cash to afford prescriptions. Americans pay more than three times what patients pay for the same brand of drugs in other first-world countries. Voters across the country are voicing their opinions on lowering the price of prescription drugs, but where do Arizona voters stand on the issue?

Dorn Policy Group, Inc. is one of Arizona’s top public affairs firms. We partner with organizations to ensure their business goals are met and voices are heard by Arizona’s elected officials. Read our blog post below and learn what Arizona voters think about prescription drug pricing legislation in Congress.  

Impact of High Prescription Drug Prices in Arizona

A study conducted by Data for Progress on behalf of Protect Our Care and Patients For Affordable Drugs Now, shows almost 8 out of 10 (79%) believe prescription drug costs are “unreasonable.” While many patients will spare the cash even for overpriced medication, these prices make prescriptions inaccessible to some. 

A survey commissioned by AARP Arizona found that one-third of voters have decided not to fill a prescription that a doctor has given them in the last two years. These steep prices have a stronger effect on minorities, as nearly half (46%) of Hispanic or Latino voters in Arizona have skipped filling a prescription, compared to only 29 percent of white voters. 

Should Medicare Have the Power to Negotiate the Price of Prescriptions?

Every year, Medicare spends more than $129 billion on prescription drugs, but is legally prohibited from negotiating with companies to get better prices. Congress is working on a plan that gives Medicare the power to negotiate lower prescription drug prices. The voter support study conducted by Data for Progress shows the overwhelming, bipartisan support for this reform across Arizona.  The data shows that 90 percent of Arizona voters back reforms that give Medicare the power to negotiate.

Arizona’s Stance on Other Proposals to Lower Prescription Drug Prices

Giving Medicare the power to negotiate was the most favored initiative for Arizona voters, but is not the only proposal pending in Congress. Other proposals include: 

  • Prevent charging the US more than other countries
  • Closing price loopholes
  • Putting a cap on seniors’ drug expenditures
  • Penalizing drug companies that raise their prices higher than inflation

A penalty of pharmaceutical companies raising prices higher than inflation was the least favored initiative in the survey,  but still garnered support from 84 percent of voters. An overwhelming majority of Arizona’s electorate agrees: Congress needs to tackle high prescription drug costs because some people can’t afford to buy medicine and pay for other necessities.

Would Lower Prescription Drug Prices Hurt Pharma Innovation?

While lowering prescription drug prices is highly favorable amongst Arizona voters, pharma’s top argument is that this type of reform could slow innovation and development of new prescription options. A majority of Arizona voters believe there must be a way to reduce prescription drug prices without stunting new product development, with 89 percent agreeing with the statement that “prices can be lowered without harming innovation.”

Dorn Policy Group, Inc. Advocates for Arizona

As one of the leading Arizona public affairs firms, we know how important it is to have relationships with key elected officials and community leaders. With such a large, diverse community, it can be difficult getting your voice heard. Dorn Policy Group, Inc. ensures you are represented in the best possible light. Contact us today and learn how we can help your business find success through strong government relations.

Arizona Water Shortage: What Can We Do?

In mid-August, a water shortage was declared on the Colorado River for the first time in history. The Colorado River is the water source for around 40 million people in western states, including Arizona. Years of drought conditions have led to record low water levels at Lake Powell and Lake Mead, the river’s main reservoirs. Arizona is in the midst of a historic water shortage, but what can we do about it?

Dorn Policy Group, Inc. is one of Arizona’s top public affairs firms. We partner with organizations to ensure their business goals are met and voices are heard by Arizona’s elected officials. Read our blog post below and learn what Arizona officials and homeowners can do about the Arizona water shortage.  

What Does the Water Shortage Mean in Arizona? 

Much of the Western United States is suffering from an intense 22-year drought, resulting in increasingly low water levels, dry soil, and wildfires. The U.S. Department of Reclamation has made cuts to Arizona’s water supply, taking a large hit on the agriculture industry, which relies on large amounts of the state’s water supply for farming. State and national forests and parks, tourism, local economy, landscaping, and home building have also been impacted by worsening drought conditions. A Tier 1 water shortage has been declared, meaning that more water supply cuts are expected in 2022. 

Arizona’s population has experienced rapid growth over the last decade. While more people means more strain on the scarce water supply, population growth has also had a positive impact on water supply. As agricultural land is sold off to residential developers, the strain on the water supply is lowered because people in their homes use far less water than farmers. 

What Can Homeowners Do About the Water Shortage?

While homeowners may not have been majorly impacted by recent small cuts to the water supply, there are still things that they can do to reduce water waste inside and outside of their homes:

  • Make Your Landscaping Drought Resistant: Fill your yard with plants that don’t require regular watering to survive. Cacti, succulents, palms, and synthetic turf can thrive in drought conditions. 
  • Invest in Irrigation: Try to water your yard less, but if you are watering your yard, upgrade to high-efficiency sprinklers and nozzles that use less water. 
  • Avoid Fountains: Don’t install water features in your yard or home.
  • Upgrade Your Bathroom: Install dual flush toilets, low flow faucets, and showerheads to reduce water usage inside your home.

How is Arizona Taking Action

Arizona has focused on water planning and management for over a century. From water supply projects to drought preparedness programs, underground water storage, 100-year water supply requirements, mandatory conservation programs, and the use of reclaimed water, Arizona has made difficult water supply management decisions to meet water demands without rationing.

Professionals who study action plans for ensuring our future generations have continuous access to water say that Arizonans can expect to see significant investments in modern technology creating innovative systems to replenish the water supply and ease the drought. Some action has already been taken toward water conservation in Arizona:

Dorn Policy Group, Inc. Advocates for Water Availability 

As one of the leading Arizona government relations firms, we know how important it is to be noticed by key elected officials and community leaders. With such a large, diverse community, it can be difficult getting your voice heard. Dorn Policy Group, Inc. ensures you are represented in the best possible light. Contact us today and learn how we can help your business find success through strong government relations.

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