Three Republican state representatives are calling for an investigation into a policy by the City of Phoenix that allegedly permits department heads to distribute funds without City Council approval. The dispute centers on claims that up to $32,000 in taxpayer dollars are being given to non-governmental organizations under a "Gift Policy," which state lawmakers argue is illegal and unconstitutional, as reported by the Arizona House of Representatives.
Requesting the probe are Reps. David Marshall, Walt Blackman, and Quang Nguyen have raised the issue with Attorney General Kris Mayes. According to documentation provided by the lawmakers, which includes a variety of unspecified transactions under labels such as "sponsorships" and "miscellaneous," these actions are mired in ambiguity and circumspect accounting practices. In a statement made by the Arizona House of Representatives, Marshall pointed out, "Dozens of City officials and staff have been operating under the radar with no accountability."
The concerns extend beyond the lack of transparency to potential constitutional infractions. Detailed in the documentation sent to the Attorney General, the policy is believed to clash with provisions of the Arizona Constitution, specifically its Gift Clause, and various state statutes that delineate the extent of city officials’ authority. "This policy wasn't approved by the City Council, wasn't adopted by ordinance, and isn’t authorized by statute or the Phoenix City Charter," said Rep. Walt Blackman, as per the Arizona House of Representatives. Under Arizona statute A.R.S. § 41-194.01, known as an SB1487 investigation, the Attorney General has 30 days to respond in writing to such requests.
