The Metropolitan Pima Alliance (MPA) is recognizing Senator Vince Leach for his leadership addressing soaring property tax rates in Arizona. Properties with recent improvements or demolitions were seeing spikes in their property tax assessments. Assessors are using an application called Rule B to adjust property value higher, exploiting a loophole in state law.

"We needed to find a way to make the assessments consistent across the state, and to avoid these tax rate increases," said Senator Leach. "Dozens of people, including business owners, assessors and the Tucson Metro Chamber worked together to find a solution. The result was SB 1248, a bill I was proud to sponsor."

SB 1248 earned one of the 2019 Common Ground Awards at MPA's annual awards ceremony in Tucson on November 1. MPA praised how the collaboration on SB 1248 required listening to all sides of the issue and to find a solution which did not harm others, nor create other problems.