Doug_Ducey

In his State of the State address on Monday, Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey (R) outlined his state’s plan to allow the sharing economy to flourish. Unlike neighboring California Gov. Jerry Brown (D), Ducey is dedicated to removing corrupt regulations “designed to kill competition or keep out the little guy” asking the legislature to “send me legislation to allow agencies to wipe [regulations] out, easier and faster. And I’ll sign it.”

He also called out the city of Phoenix for standing in the way of Uber and Lyft operating at the state’s most important airport. More than 40 million people use Phoenix based Sky Harbor International Airport to travel to Arizona, but ride sharing services like Uber and Lyft are barred from competition by “unelected bureaucrats at city hall” protecting special interests. Gov. Ducey calls “on Phoenix city government to lift these unnecessary regulations immediately.”

Ducey also promised to reform the excessive occupational licensing regime:

“Arizona requires licenses for too many jobs – resulting in a maze of bureaucracy for small business people looking to earn an honest living. Believe it or not, the state of Arizona actually licenses talent agents. I say, let’s leave the job of finding new talent to Adam Levine and Gwen Stefani – not state government. The elites and special interests will tell you that these licenses are necessary. But often they have been designed to kill competition or keep out the little guy. So let’s eliminate them.”

This is a blessing for the sharing economy, which has come under attack from entrenched interests across the country.

Ducey also used an executive order to create The Governor’s Council on the Sharing Economy, consisting of five unpaid experts with experience and knowledge of the sharing economy:

“Moments ago, I signed an executive order creating the Governor’s Council on the Sharing Economy. Its mission: Stop shackling innovation, and instead – put the cuffs on out-of-touch regulators. I want startups in the Sharing Economy to know: California may not want you, but Arizona does.”

Since Ducey took office, Arizona added “56,000 new jobs, and 100,000 new citizens” leading Forbes to proclaim Arizona as “the best state in the country for future job growth.”

Citizens can look to Arizona to continue to add jobs under the leadership of Gov. Ducey.