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Creighton University Professor Challenges Modern Regulatory System

(03/10/26 9:21pm)

An economics professor at Creighton University said government regulation should be reduced to avoid creating unmanageable rules in her speech on Jan. 29.Regulations in industries such as beer and car manufacturing tend to accumulate over time, often benefiting concentrated interests while creating unintended consequences, said Dr. Diana Weinert Thomas.Thomas said that the federal government requires all cars made after 2012 to have backup cameras, which improve safety but add costs and limit consumer choice. “Regulation over time is cumulative; there is so much regulation that it becomes impossible to keep track of,” Thomas said to a room full of students at Arizona State University’s Memorial Union.Her speech highlights the broader debate over how regulation affects businesses and consumers and whether lawmakers should simplify the systems in place. With tariffs on imported goods increasing and the adoption of artificial intelligence expanding, the debate over regulation is gaining more attention. Beck Laporte, a business student at ASU, said he was surprised by the contrast between past and current regulations, noting that modern rules are more scientific but can also be exploited.“I’m really interested in seeing regulations of the past compared to regulations now; today it’s much more strategic and that makes it easier for people to take advantage of it,” Laporte said.Laporte said he agreed with the idea that concentrated beneficiaries often outweigh the broader public's interests.Another attendee said Thomas’s speech reminded him of challenges he has faced in his career.Gary Brennan, a Tempe resident with experience in healthcare and business, said companies he ran needed proof and studies to show that regulations worked and independent checks are important to ensure rules do what they should.Brennan said Thomas’s speech matches his experience running a business, where studies and independent checks were important to make sure regulations worked.Brennan also shared his view on healthcare, saying, “I’m a strong advocate for Medicare for All; as a country, we’re the only ones in the developed world that can’t figure out universal health care, which I think is a human right, it’s too expensive and our outcomes suck no matter what Congress people tell us.”Her lecture explored similar themes in other industries, showing how rules meant to help can sometimes backfire.Thomas said that the “regulatory paradox,” or when rules meant to fix a problem end up making the problem worse, happens when rules start to limit choice and waste more money. While rearview cameras save lives and cost only about $50 per car, the U.S.’s stricter safety rules make vehicles more expensive than in countries like China, illustrating the tradeoff between safety and cost, she said. Thomas said that there are two ways to look at rules: one is that government acts ‘romantically’ to help people and the other is that politics is like a market, with lobbying and money moving around.Small, focused groups that expect large private gains often get more from politics than larger, spread-out groups, she said. She was citing economist George Stigler’s 1971 theory that regulations are often designed to benefit the market being regulated rather than consumers.Thomas closed her lecture by emphasizing that lawmakers should carefully weigh the costs and benefits of rules and regulations before enforcing them. “If lawmakers could take one lesson away, it would be to regulate less,” Thomas said, leaving students with a reminder that regulation should prioritize consumer benefit.

https://www.blazeradioonline.com/article/2026/03/creighton-university-professor-challenges-modern-regulatory-system

Policymakers Negotiate Colorado River Water Rights as Arizona Looks for Solutions

(03/10/26 9:19pm)

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. – As state governments face a crisis over the Colorado River and negotiate over water rights, experts say local Arizona communities will need long-term strategies.With a decades-long drought across the Southwest and declining supplies of water from the Colorado River, elected officials in Arizona have long been advocating for the state’s water rights. Before meeting with other governors and Interior Secretary Doug Burgum to negotiate Arizona’s allocation of Colorado River water, the Office of Governor Katie Hobbs released a statement calling for the need to protect Arizona’s share.Water from the Colorado River is managed by the Central Arizona Project, delivering supplies across 336 miles to cities across the valley, including Scottsdale. According to the city of Scottsdale’s website, 70% of the water Scottsdale uses comes from the Colorado River. This year, there is a reduced allocation of water to Arizona because the Colorado River basin is in a Tier 1 Shortage.“The drought has essentially been 20 years”, Central Arizona Project spokesperson DeEtte Person said. “The real crux of the issue is that we are talking about water from the Colorado River and we are in this period where the guidelines agreed upon are expiring in 2026.”According to the city of Scottsdale Water’s Strategic Plan, the city needs hundreds of thousands of acre-feet of water stored in the aquifers below ground. As a result, government officials in Scottsdale and other municipalities need a long-term solution for providing adequate water for the growing population.“There's a lot of pressure on the Colorado River, on the allocations to local municipalities such as the one I live in Scottsdale,” former member of the Scottsdale Environmental Advisory Commission Ryan Johnson said. “The bottom line is that cities are trying to do what they can to ensure a long term water supply because it's vital to economic development and continued growth”. Scottsdale Water, the city’s municipal water utility, is providing new technologies for water planning and recycling. Scottsdale’s Advanced Water Treatment Facility treats recycled water and then recharges the aquifer with this treated water.“Groundwater is finite. It's not going to be there forever,” Scottsdale Water Spokesperson Bryan Bouchard said. “We are looking at other every other opportunity that we have to acquire new water sources.”Long-term planning for water usage in Scottsdale is important for the health of residents and the economic growth of businesses. Scottsdale Water’s Strategic Plan 2025-2030 includes a call to implement advanced purified water on a systemic basis by 2027 and Automated Meter Infrastructure Technology by 2030. The same plan states that Scottsdale Water will also propose to the Scottsdale City Council that the city invest in SRP’s Bartlett Dam and a City of Phoenix facility to draw on additional sources.In addition to recycling and seeking new sources, Scottsdale Water offers tips and educational materials to help residents and local businesses conserve water supplies. For residents seeking a more fundamental understanding of water planning and usage, Scottsdale Water offers a Water Citizen Academy.

https://www.blazeradioonline.com/article/2026/03/policymakers-negotiate-colorado-river-water-rights-as-arizona-looks-for-solutions

“Play It Again”: Country artists rock Extra Innings Festival

(03/06/26 12:49am)

Festival goers rocked out at Tempe Beach Park on Friday, Feb. 27 and Saturday, Feb. 28 to Americana, country and indie artists. Luke Bryan, Dierks Bentley, HARDY and Kane Brown headlined the two-day festival and were supported by acts including Brothers Osborne, Muscadine Bloodline, Bret Michaels, Jessie Murph, Chayce Beckham and Shaboozey. The festival followed Innings Festival, which was held the weekend prior. 

https://www.blazeradioonline.com/article/2026/03/vr9540wkgpgn