STATE CAPITOL, PHOENIX – House Republicans on the House Ways and Means Committee today advanced two measures sponsored by Chairman Justin Olson to stop unchecked local fee, tax, and utility rate increases and deliver direct relief to Arizona families facing rising costs.

House Bill 4030 and House Concurrent Resolution 2052 establish a temporary moratorium on municipal and county fee, tax, and utility rate increases, tying local charges to levels already approved in fiscal year 2025-2026 budgets. The measures block new tax classifications and tax base expansions while preserving voters’ authority to approve increases at the ballot box.

HB 4030 would enact the moratorium through statute, while HCR 2052 refers the policy to voters for approval at the next general election.

“These bills do exactly what families expect when the cost of living keeps climbing: they stop government from reaching deeper into their pockets,” said Chairman Justin Olson. “While Arizona families are cutting back, local governments should not be hiking fees, raising taxes, or quietly inflating utility bills. HB 4030 and HCR 2052 put a hard check on that behavior and give taxpayers certainty and relief.”

The moratorium would apply from July 1, 2026, through June 30, 2030, and includes enforcement provisions to prevent local governments from skirting the limits by renaming charges, restructuring fees, or manipulating rate schedules.

“This comes down to discipline and fairness,” Olson continued. “Local governments already approved their budgets. This bill just requires them to live within the revenues generated by existing tax rates. If a city or county wants more money, they can make their case to voters and earn the support of a strong supermajority. What they cannot do is quietly raise costs on families whose budgets are already stretched thin.”

House Republicans have made affordability a central focus of the Majority Caucus, targeting cost pressures driven by housing, utilities, taxes, and government fees.

“Arizona should be a place where families can afford to live, work, and raise their kids,” Olson said. “House Republicans are delivering relief by holding government accountable, respecting voters, and putting taxpayers first.”

HB 4030 and HCR 2052 will next be considered by the full House.

Justin Olson is a Republican member of the Arizona House of Representatives serving Legislative District 10 and is Chairman of the House Ways & Means Committee. Follow him on X at @_JustinOlson.