The Reason Interview With Nick Gillespie

Former Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey Loves Barry Goldwater and Milton Friedman

Jan 3, 2024

Former Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey, known for passing significant reforms during his time in office, discusses the future of the Republican Party, tax reform, attracting companies, economic nationalism, and the importance of federalism.

43:02

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Doug Ducey

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Quick takeaways

Former Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey successfully implemented tax reforms and achieved a budget surplus by passing a flat income tax rate of 2.5% and reducing the size of the government workforce.

Governor Ducey prioritized school choice measures, leading to the growth of charter schools and the implementation of universal educational savings accounts (ESAs) in Arizona.

Deep dives

Governor's tenure in Arizona focused on tax reforms and budget management

During his time as governor of Arizona, Doug Doocy prioritized tax reforms and budget management. He successfully passed a flat income tax rate of 2.5% and turned a budget deficit into a surplus. His administration also made significant progress in reforming occupational licensing rules and reducing the size of the government workforce. One notable achievement was his persistence in lowering taxes despite opposition, including defeating an initiative that sought to increase taxes. His focus on reducing taxes and improving the state's economy led to Arizona having the lowest flat tax rate in the nation.

Introduction

2min

Tax Reform and Arizona's Success

20min

The Current State of the Republican Party and Free Enterprise

7min

Attracting Companies, Building Stadiums, and Avoiding Cronyism

2min

The Rise of Economic National Conservatism

7min

Political Influences and the Importance of Federalism

5min

This week's episode of The Reason Interview With Nick Gillespie is hosted by Reason Editor in Chief Katherine Mangu-Ward. She sat down with former Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey.

During his two terms as governor, Ducey managed to pass a flat income tax with a rate of 2.5 percent, reform public sector pensions, universalize important school choice measures, reform occupational licensing rules, turn a budget deficit into a surplus, and substantially shrink the size of the government work force. He also built a makeshift border wall out of shipping crates, pushed back on marijuana legalization, and was accused of doing both too much and too little by his constituents during the COVID pandemic. Today, he runs Citizens for Free Enterprise.

In December, Ducey received the Reason Foundation's Savas Award for Privatization, which is given annually to someone who is advancing innovative ways to improve the provision and quality of public services by engaging the private sector. In this week's episode, he talks to Mangu-Ward about his worries for the future of the Republican Party, his commitment to fusionism, and why Arizona politicians are so weird.

Watch the full video here.

The post Former Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey Loves Barry Goldwater and Milton Friedman appeared first on Reason.com.