Week in Review: Break Down Barriers to Work for Military Families

The average military family moves every two to three years, picking up everything and getting adjusted to new neighborhoods, new schools, and new daily lives. And for military spouses, these frequent relocations can mean major disruptions in their careers. Those who work in fields that require occupational licenses often have to spend thousands of hours and thousands of dollars to continue doing their jobs in their new state—jobs they’re already licensed to do in another state.

But the Goldwater Institute believes you shouldn’t have to pursue yet another government permission slip just to keep doing a job you’re already licensed to perform. Today, we’re announcing a new initiative to break down barriers to work for military families and change the law in states nationwide. This week we released two new Goldwater Institute reports in which we share the stories of those men and women who are held back by government’s licensing red tape and explain how to streamline the process to get them back to work as soon as possible after they move to a new state.

Click here to learn more about our initiative, including a report by Goldwater National Investigative Journalist Mark Flatten and a report by Goldwater Director of National Litigation Jon Riches.

Uber May Be Forced to Leave Sky Harbor Airport in the Dust

Uber’s future at Sky Harbor Airport may be riding on a Phoenix City Council vote this Tuesday. And that may mean that tens of thousands of passengers may soon be without one of the most affordable and convenient ways to get to the airport.  

Last month, ride-share company Lyft sent a letter to the city of Phoenix saying that if the Phoenix City Council goes through in implementing a 200% increase in ride-share fees for services to and from Sky Harbor, they will cease operations at the airport beginning January 2020. Now, fellow ride-share company Uber, has sent a similar threat to the city of Phoenix. “If the Phoenix City Council approves the ground transportation fee structure currently recommended by PHX [Sky Harbor Airport], Uber will be forced to cease operations at Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport effective January 2020,” the letter says.

Read more about it here.

What to Do when Local Control Is Out of Control

Cities banning home-sharing.

Cities taxing ride-sharing.

Cities trampling on your freedom of speech.

This is what “local control” looks like when it’s out of control. It’s a dangerous trend emerging in cities across the United States, and it was the subject of a recent panel discussion in Scottsdale, Ariz., hosted by Goldwater Institute Executive Vice President Christina Sandefur.

Find out what can be done to control cities that have run out of control in a new article on In Defense of Liberty.