Chuck Walton never intended to be the poster boy for toll roads in Arizona. The Casa Grande mayor had never given the concept much thought. But when he heard a toll road advocate speak at a conference, he stood up and blurted out that his community desperately needed roads — even if that meant a toll road.

Chuck Walton never intended to be the poster boy for toll roads in Arizona. The Casa Grande mayor had never given the concept much thought. But when he heard a toll road advocate speak at a conference, he stood up and blurted out that his community desperately needed roads — even if that meant a toll road.

Arizona residents who opted to pay taxes for online purchases have given the state a slight windfall.

Legislative budget analysts say the federal budgetary “fiscal cliff” may have a bright side for the state treasury, at least in the short term.

Two childhood friends who grew up in Ahwatukee Foothills have created a Web site that shows the locations of both stationary and mobile camera units throughout Phoenix and Tucson.

Two childhood friends who grew up in Ahwatukee Foothills have created a Web site that shows the locations of both stationary and mobile camera units throughout Phoenix and Tucson.

Saying "job creators'' need some more incentive, Arizona lawmakers took the first steps Monday to reducing -- and in some cases eliminating entirely -- any state income tax on capital gains.

PHOENIX – A plan to revitalize the U.S. economy put forward by liberal groups would create jobs in Arizona and help the poor move to the middle class, a Democratic state lawmaker said Wednesday.

Secretary of State Ken Bennett was wrong in refusing to process initiative petitions seeking to permanently extend the state's one-cent sales tax, a judge ruled Wednesday.

Hoping to lure more movies, TV shows and commercials, state lawmakers are moving to once again provide income tax credits for those who produce them in Arizona.

People complaining about people not paying federal income tax should know the truth ... not the propaganda spewed by some radio personalities. Here are facts courtesy of Forbes Magazine, a Republican Bible. The vast majority of non-income taxpayers fall into three categories:

The Internal Revenue Service is warning senior citizens and other taxpayers to beware of an emerging scheme tempting them to file tax returns that claim fraudulent refunds. Refunds are promised to people who have little or no income and normally don’t have a tax filing requirement. The con artists tell their victims they can obtain a tax refund or nonexistent stimulus payment based on the American Opportunity Tax Credit, even if the victim was not enrolled in or paying for college.

IRS Free File opened Tuesday for this tax season. Individuals or families with 2011 adjusted gross incomes of $57,000 or less can use Free File software. Free File Fillable Forms, the electronic version of IRS paper forms, has no income restrictions.

If your household income is under $50,000 and you need help preparing your tax return, now is the time to take advantage of Mesa United Way’s free tax-preparation service.

Nearly 160 million workers will benefit from the extension of the reduced payroll tax rate that has been in effect for 2011, according to a news release from the Internal Revenue Service.

Recently, CNN reported rampant income tax fraud of a new sort. Thieves steal social security numbers then file tax returns on the accounts of these social security numbers. They then receive the refunds that were due honest working citizens. The segment went on to suggest the IRS is not doing its part to curtail such activities.

Chandler is seeking volunteers to help prepare taxes for the elderly, disabled and families with limited incomes who cannot prepare their tax returns. The city is asking volunteers to donate one session per week during five events scheduled for the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance Program. The events will take place from Jan. 30 through April 12. Volunteers can take a free instructor-led Internal Revenue Service course in tax law on Jan. 7. Or, they can take a course in tax law through on online, self-paced instruction, followed by a test to determine their certification level.

Gasoline prices in Arizona are higher at the pumps again for the fifth consecutive week.

Just in time for the holidays, prices at the pump continue to drop in Arizona. Gas prices fell a little more than a penny to $3.153 per gallon on Thursday. The nationwide average shed more than four cents to $3.216 per gallon.

The non-partisan, Congressional Budget Office just released a report that seriously contradicts the message conservatives have been trying to sell the voting public, that America needs to cut it's corporate tax rate to be competitive.

Perhaps Rod Livdahl (letter of 3/20) should review his Econ 101 textbook before he presents his next lesson on the subject. “Trickle Down” and “Trickle Up” are not economic terms. They are political terms, coined by Liberals to mock and distort serious economic discussion. There is no authentic “Trickle Down” school of thought that proposed the enrichment of the wealthy by government action in order to allow some of that wealth to somehow dribble down to the masses. “Trickle Up” appears to be an advanced term invented by Mr. Livdahl.

Raise taxes on the wealthy. Cut spending on the poor and middle class. The battle rages on.

When did America start punishing financial success or inherited wealth? We don’t punish educational or sporting successes or achievements. We don’t punish people who are born good-looking or well-built do we? If a student studies hard and earns a good grade do we reduce that test grade to a lower grade and bring up a failing student?

Hey folks, “It’s tax time once again.”