PHX Reporter

Kate Gallego, mayor of Phoenix, said the Inflation Reduction Act signed into law by President Joe Biden gave the city "a lot of tools." 

She said the act will help the city and its residents, while Arizona Republicans clashed with Democrats on the impact of the new law.

Gallego publicly issued support for the law in mid-August, according to ABC15 Arizona/KNXV.

"The Inflation Reduction Act gives us a lot of tools for the city directly and for our residents," she said. "Whether you want more affordable health care or more affordable energy, today's bill is good news for all of us."

Republicans like Kevin McCarthy (Porterville), House minority leader, disagreed with Gallego on the measure's effects.

"It hands out tax credits like candy with no accountability," McCarthy said.

The Arizona Democratic Party issued a statement on Aug. 18 revealing the legislation. 

"Today, President Joe Biden signed the Inflation Reduction Act into law," the statement to ABC15 Arizona said. "This new law will help to reduce inflation and lower costs for Arizona families — and does not raise taxes on anyone making less than $400,000 a year.

"President Biden and Democrats are laser-focused on taking on special interests to fight inflation, and the Inflation Reduction Act is going to do just that by lowering costs on everything from prescription drugs to health care to home energy for Arizona families. Republicans sided with Big Pharma rather than Arizonans, voting against these cost-cutting measures, and blocked others that would cap insulin costs. Meanwhile, Democrats are tackling Americans' top concerns — and we're doing it by making huge corporations pay their fair share and without raising taxes on anyone making under $400,000."

In her analysis in support of the measure, Gallego credited Biden's act for helping those in need of health care or housing. 

"The Inflation Reduction Act has significant investments to help people afford housing and medical care," she said. "As I talk to people in my community, there are significant challenges where housing and medical costs are driving everything that's happening in people's communities. Part of the reason we've seen inflation in this community is because of housing, and so we have to make strategic investments in these areas, and we also have to support people who are really struggling through no fault of their own with the situation that we are in right now."

The Republican National Committee issued a statement in response to both the law and Democrats' praise of it.

"With the stroke of a pen, Joe Biden will guarantee congressional Democrats' careers will come to an end," the statement said. "Biden and Democrats raised taxes on hard-working Americans and gave $80 billion to the IRS to hire 87,000 new IRS agents. Americans will never forget that Biden and Democrats raised taxes during a recession."