USA TODAY International Edition
Ariz. businesses wary of religion bill
They fear measure could hurt state’s recovering economy
Business leaders are reacting with concern over a potentially discriminatory religion bill passed by the Arizona Legislature, saying it could damage the state’s recovering economy even as it readies for the potential boost it will get from hosting next year’s Super Bowl.
The Greater Phoenix Economic Council on Friday urged Gov. Jan Brewer to veto the controversial legislation that could allow discrimination against gays, saying it could affect Super Bowl XLIX and have “profound, negative” economic effects for years to come.
Another group, the Greater Phoenix Chamber of Commerce, said it has no official position on SB 1062. “But our review of the bill raises concerns about the uncertainties this would create for our member businesses,” the group said in a statement.
House Bill 2153 — written by the conservative advocacy group Center for Arizona Policy and the Christian legal organization Alliance Defending Freedom — would allow individuals to use religious beliefs as a defense against a lawsuit.
Brewer has five days to sign, veto or ignore the bill and has not indicated her inclination.
The controversy comes at a time when Arizona’s economy was just starting to shift into higher gear. BMO Capital Markets, in a report this month, said Arizona’s economy is poised to grow faster than the nation’s both this year and next. Now those upbeat predictions are coming into doubt.
“The state already is known as being discriminatory,” said Howard Fleischmann, majority owner of six Community Tire Pros and Auto Repair outlets in the Valley. “This would muddy the water and give Arizona a more terrible reputation.”
Representatives of Arizona’s tourism industry are worried, especially with hotel occupancy and other measures on an upswing and with the nation’s biggest sporting event scheduled to touch down in Glendale early next year.
“We’re greatly concerned,” said Kristen Jarnagin, senior vice president of the Arizona Lodging & Tourism Association. “We’ve already received countless phone calls and emails from people canceling trips or threatening not to return.”
Some critics already are calling for the NFL to move the big game to another state, she said.
ONE Community, an interactive Web and events community for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people and allied individuals and businesses, urged the community to take action against the bill and ask the governor for a veto.