Form 990 for tax year 2022

Totals

Total revenue

$1,091,335

Total expenses

$751,232

Contributions and grants received

$888,051

Grants paid

$0

Program service revenue

$142,844

Investment income

$1,105

Other revenue

$59,335

Total assets, end of year

$2,206,140

Total liabilities, end of year

$156,121

Net assets or fund balances, end of year

$2,050,019

Program services expenses (Part IX)

$664,201

Management and general expenses

$59,218

Fundraising expenses

$27,813

Program service expenses (Part III)

$664,201

Program services were 88.4% of total expenses calculated — Part IX's program-services column over total expenses, both as filed.

Line items

Every line the filer filed in Parts VIII, IX and X, as filed and in filed order. Blank columns are left out, and the lines are not forced to add up to the totals above.

Mission and programs · 2022

• ADVOCATE FOR THE RIGHTS OF THE GENERAL PUBLIC IN AREAS OF ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION, HEALTHCARE, CONSUMER PROTECTION, EDUCATION REFORM AND GOVERNMENT ACCOUNTABILITY. THE ARIZONA CENTER FOR LAW IN THE PUBLIC INTEREST ONLY LITIGATES CASES THAT SERVE THE PUBLIC INTEREST. IN 2022, OUR CASES ALL SERVED THE BROAD PUBLIC INTEREST. IN ALL OF THE CENTER'S CASES, WE DO NOT CHARGE OUR CLIENTS ATTORNEYS' FEES. ARIZONA DOES RECOGNIZE THE PRIVATE ATTORNEY GENERAL DOCTRINE. UNDER THIS DOCTRINE, IF THE CENTER IS SUCCESSFUL, THE CENTER WILL SEEK ATTORNEYS' FEES FROM THE ADVERSE PARTY (THE STATE OF ARIZONA). 1. THE CENTER IS LITIGATING A CASE AGAINST THE STATE OF ARIZONA FOR ITS FAILURE TO ADEQUATELY FUND THE CAPITAL NEEDS OF ARIZONAS PUBLIC SCHOOLS. THIS CASE IS ACTUALLY A FOLLOW UP CASE TO ONE THAT THE CENTER SUCCESSFULLY LITIGATED MORE THAN 25 YEARS AGO. AS A RESULT OF THAT CASE, FUNDS WERE PROVIDED TO BRING ALL DILAPIDATED SCHOOLS UP TO STANDARD, AND MONEY WAS TO BE PROVIDED TO KEEP ALL SCHOOLS IN GOOD SHAPE. THE LEGISLATURE SUBSEQUENTLY DE-FUNDED MOST OF THE PROGRAMS THAT WERE ESTABLISHED AS PART OF THE RESOLUTION OF THE OLD CASE, AND ARIZONA IS ONCE AGAIN IN A SYSTEM UNDER WHICH A SCHOOL DISTRICTS ABILITY TO MEET ITS CAPITAL NEEDS DEPENDS TO A VERY LARGE EXTENT ON THE AMOUNT OF PROPERTY WEALTH IN THE DISTRICT. IF THE CENTER IS SUCCESSFUL, THEN THE STATE WILL BE FORCED TO IMPLEMENT A SYSTEM THAT COMPLIES WITH THE GENERAL AND UNIFORM CLAUSE IN THE ARIZONA CONSTITUTION. THIS CASE WILL HELP THE APPROXIMATELY 900,000 TO 1,000,000 CHILDREN IN ARIZONAS PUBLIC SCHOOLS. THE CASE IS CAPTIONED, GLENDALE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL DISTRICT V. STATE OF ARIZONA. THE NAMED PLAINTIFFS ARE FOUR ARIZONA SCHOOL DISTRICTS AS WELL AS THE ARIZONA SCHOOL BOARDS ASSOCIATION, THE ARIZONA SCHOOL ADMINISTRATORS ASSOCIATION, THE ARIZONA EDUCATION ASSOCIATION, AND AN INDIVIDUAL TAXPAYER. 2. THE CENTER SUCCESSFULLY LITIGATED A CASE AGAINST THE STATE OF ARIZONA ON BEHALF OF ALL OF ARIZONAS FOSTER CHILDREN. THIS CASE IS A CLASS ACTION, WHERE IN ADDITION TO THE GENERAL CLASS OF ALL FOSTER CHILDREN THERE ARE SUBCLASSES THAT PERTAIN TO SUBSETS OF CHILDREN (E.G., THOSE WHO RECEIVE MEDICAID SERVICES, AND THOSE WHO ARE PLACED IN NON-KINSHIP SETTINGS). THE BASIS OF THE CASE WAS THAT THE STATE FAILS TO PROVIDE REASONABLE AND APPROPRIATE SERVICES TO ARIZONAS FOSTER CHILDREN. THE STATE FAILS TO ASSURE THAT FOSTER CHILDREN RECEIVE APPROPRIATE MEDICAL, DENTAL, AND BEHAVIORAL HEALTH CARE. THE STATE UNREASONABLY PLACES CHILDREN IN CONGREGATE CARE SETTINGS (WHICH ARE BAD FOR CHILDREN), UNREASONABLY SEPARATE SIBLINGS, FAILS TO TIMELY AND ADEQUATELY INVESTIGATE ALLEGATIONS OF ABUSE OF CHILDREN WHILE IN CARE, AND MANY OTHER DEFICIENT PRACTICES. THE STATE VIGOROUSLY CONTESTED WHETHER THIS CASE MAY PROCEED AS A CLASS ACTION. THE CENTER (AND CO-COUNSEL) HAVE ACHIEVED VICTORIES ON THIS QUESTION IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE DISTRICT OF ARIZONA, AND THAT RULING WAS LARGELY AFFIRMED ON APPEAL IN THE 9TH CIRCUIT COURT OF APPEALS. THE CASE IS KNOWN AS B.K. V. MCKAY AND THE STATE OF ARIZONA. THE CASE SEEKS BROAD RELIEF ON BEHALF OF ALL CURRENT AND FUTURE FOSTER CHILDREN, AND OBVIOUSLY SERVES A BROAD PUBLIC INTEREST. THE PARTIES ENTERED INTO A SETTLEMENT AGREEMENT THAT WAS APPROVED BY THE DISTRICT COURT IN EARLY 2021. THE CENTER WILL CONTINUE TO BE INVOLVED IN MONITORING COMPLIANCE WITH THE SETTLEMENT AGREEMENT. MONITORING IS ONGOING. ATTORNEY FEES FOR MONITORING RECEIVED 4/1/2022 - 75,000. 3. IN 2022, THE CENTER CONTINUED ITS WORK APPEALING RULINGS PERTAINING TO THE STATE OF ARIZONAS REFUSAL TO HOLD IN TRUST THE LAND THAT WAS UNDER ARIZONAS NAVIGABLE RIVERS AT THE TIME THAT ARIZONA BECAME A STATE. ARIZONA HAS ATTEMPTED NUMEROUS TIMES TO CLAIM THAT ITS RIVERS WERE NOT NAVIGABLE AT STATEHOOD, WHICH WOULD MEAN THAT ARIZONA COULD ESSENTIALLY GIVE THAT LAND AWAY TO PRIVATE LANDOWNERS. THE CENTER HAS CONTENDED ON BEHALF OF ITS CLIENTS THAT ARIZONA MUST HOLD THAT LAND IN TRUST FOR THE BENEFIT OF ALL ARIZONANS IN PERPETUITY. THE CENTER HAS BEEN SUCCESSFUL IN BLOCKING THE STATES ATTEMPTS IN THIS REGARD SEVERAL TIMES IN ARIZONAS COURT SYSTEM OVER THE PAST APPROXIMATELY 20 YEARS. AS A RESULT OF THOSE CASES, ARIZONA CONVENED AN ADJUDICATION COMMISSION, WHICH RULED THAT VARIOUS RIVERS WERE NOT NAVIGABLE. THE CENTER IS APPEALING THOSE RULINGS IN A CASE KNOWS AS DEFENDERS OF WILDLIFE, DONALD STEUTER, JERRY VAN GASSE, AND JIM VAALER V. ARIZONA NAVIGABLE STREAM ADJUDICATION COMMISSION. THE CASE SERVES A BROAD PUBLIC INTEREST IN THAT IT SEEKS TO PRESERVE THESE PRECIOUS PUBLIC RESOURCES AND TO FORCE THE STATE TO HOLD THEM IN TRUST FOR THE PUBLIC NOW AND IN THE FUTURE. (NOTE: IN 2023 THE CENTER RECEIVED A RULING ON THIS CASE. NO FEES WERE AWARDED. THE APPELLATE COURT RULING DENIED MOST RELIEF SOUGHT, BUT GRANTED PARTIAL RELIEF.) 4. IN 2022, THE CENTER CONTINUED LITIGATING A CITIZEN SUIT AGAINST THE U.S. ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (EPA) IN U.S. DISTRICT COURT FOR THE DISTRICT OF ARIZONA CAPTIONED SIERRA CLUB V. WHEELER. THE CASE AROSE OUT OF EPAS FAILURE TO TAKE LEGALLY REQUIRED ACTIONS TO PROTECT THE PUBLIC FROM DANGEROUSLY HIGH LEVELS OF PARTICLE AIR POLLUTION IN WESTERN PINAL COUNTY, ARIZONA. PARTICLE POLLUTION OR PARTICULATE MATTER REFERS TO A MIX OF TINY AIRBORNE PARTICLES, MANY OF WHICH ARE SO SMALL YOU CANNOT SEE THEM EXCEPT WHEN LEVELS ARE HIGH ENOUGH TO FORM A BROWN CLOUD. POLLUTION FROM PARTICLES MEASURING LESS THAN 10 MICRONS IN DIAMETEROR PM10IS PARTICULARLY HAZARDOUS. (FOR COMPARISON, THE DIAMETER OF A HUMAN HAIR IS APPROXIMATELY 70 MICRONS.) PM10 PARTICLES CAN GET TRAPPED IN THE LUNGS AND CAUSE BREATHING DIFFICULTIES, LUNG TISSUE DAMAGE, CANCER, AND EVEN PREMATURE DEATH. WEST PINAL COUNTY DOES NOT MEET FEDERAL AIR QUALITY STANDARDS FOR PM10 AND IS THEREFORE A NONATTAINMENT AREA. THE CLEAN AIR ACT (ACT) REQUIRES STATES TO SUBMIT STATE IMPLEMENTATION PLANS (SIPS) THAT DEMONSTRATE HOW IT WILL ACHIEVE ATTAINMENT OF A FEDERAL AIR QUALITY STANDARD. AFTER A SIP IS SUBMITTED AND IS FOUND TO BE COMPLETE, EPA HAS 12 MONTHS TO APPROVE OR DISAPPROVE THE SIP. HERE, EPA WAS REQUIRED TO TAKE FINAL ACTION ON THE WEST PINAL COUNTY PLAN BY JUNE 21, 2017 BUT IT FAILED TO MEET THIS DEADLINE. EPA ALSO MISSED ITS DEADLINE TO DETERMINE WHETHER WEST PINAL COUNTY ATTAINED THE PM10 STANDARD BY THE ATTAINMENT DATE OF JUNE 30, 2019. AFTER THE CENTER SENT A NOTICE OF INTENT TO SUE LETTER BUT BEFORE FILING THE COMPLAINT, EPA PROPOSED TO FIND THAT WEST PINAL COUNTY DID NOT ATTAIN THE PM10 STANDARD BY THE ATTAINMENT DATE. IT SUBSEQUENTLY FINALIZED THAT FINDING. THE PARTIES NEGOTIATED A CONSENT DECREE THAT DIRECTED TO EPA TO APPROVE OR APPROVE THE SIP FOR WEST PINAL VALLEY BY THE SUMMER OF 2021, WHICH EPA COMPLIED WITH. THIS CASE FURTHERS THE PUBLIC INTEREST IN THAT IT WILL FORCE THE STATE AND PINAL COUNTY DO TO MORE TO REDUCE A HARMFUL AND EVEN DEADLY TYPE OF AIR POLLUTION. CONSENT DECREE 3/2/21. 5. IN 2022, THE CENTER SUCCESSFULLY LITIGATED A CASE THAT CHALLENGED MANY BUDGET RECONCILIATION BILLS PASSED BY THE ARIZONA LEGISLATURE THAT ILLEGALLY INCLUDED SUBSTANTIVE LEGISLATION IN WHAT WERE SUPPOSED TO BE APPROPRIATION BILLS. THE CASE RESULTED IN AN ARIZONA SUPREME COURT OPINION THAT DECLARED THE LAWS UNCONSTITUTIONAL. AS A RESULT, THE CENTER PRESERVED THE RIGHT OF SCHOOL DISTRICTS, ARIZONAS UNIVERSITIES, AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS TO IMPLEMENT COVID MITIGATION MEASURES, AND DOZENS OF UNCONSTITUTIONAL LAWS WERE STRUCK DOWN. THE ACTION SERVED THE PUBLIC INTEREST BY ENFORCING THE CONSTITUTIONS PROHIBITION ON JAMMING MANY UNRELATED PIECES OF LEGISLATION INTO A SINGLE BILL. IT SERVED THE PUBLIC HEALTH AS WELL AS ESTABLISHING VITAL PRECEDENT. THE COURT AWARDED FEES TO ACLPI OF 54,265. 6. IN 2022, THE CENTER CONTINUED LITIGATING A PETITION FOR REVIEW IN THE NINTH CIRCUIT COURT OF APPEALS UNDER THE CLEAN AIR ACT CHALLENGING A FINAL ACTION TAKEN BY EPA DETERMINING THAT THE PHOENIX-MESA AREA (PHOENIX) ATTAINED THE 2008 NATIONAL AMBIENT AIR QUALITY STANDARD FOR OZONE (OZONE STANDARD) BY THE DEADLINE OF JULY 20, 2018 AND WAS EXEMPT FROM HAVING TO ADOPT LEGALLY REQUIRED CONTROL MEASURES ON OZONE CALLED CONTINGENCY MEASURES. THE CASE IS CAPTIONED BAHR V. WHEELER. OZONE IS A COLORLESS GAS THAT FORMS WHEN CERTAIN CHEMICALS (NITROUS OXIDE AND VOLATILE ORGANIC COMPOUNDS) REACT WITH EACH OTHER IN THE PRESENCE OF SUNLIGHT. GROUND-LEVEL OZONE IS A HARMFUL AIR POLLUTANT WITH PROFOUND EFFECTS ON HUMAN HEALTH. STRONG EVIDENCE SHOWS THAT BREATHING OZONE INCREASES THE RISK OF PREMATURE DEATH FROM HEART OR LUNG DISEASE. MORE IMMEDIATE HEALTH EFFECTS OF OZONE INCLUDE SHORTNESS OF BREATH, WHEEZING, COUGHING, ASTHMA ATTACKS, INCREASED RISK OF RESPIRATORY INFECTIONS, CARDIOVASCULAR EFFECTS; AND INCREASED NEED FOR PEOPLE WITH LUNG DISEASES TO RECEIVE MEDICAL TREATMENT AND GO TO THE HOSPITAL. CHILDREN ARE ESPECIALLY AT RISK FROM OZONE EXPOSURE BECAUSE THEIR LUNGS ARE STILL DEVELOPING AND THEY ARE MORE LIKELY TO BE ACTIVE OUTDOORS. PHOENIX HAS LONG VIOLATED THE VARI

  Expenses $664,201

As filed on the 2022 return. The filer continues this part on Schedule O, which is not shown here.

Listed in Part VII

• DANIEL ADELMAN

  EXECUTIVE DI

  Total calculated

  $149,614

  From this org

  $149,614

  From related orgs

  $0

  Other

  $0

  Hours/week

  40

• ANNE C RONAN

  ATTORNEY

  Total calculated

  $124,521

  From this org

  $124,521

  From related orgs

  $0

  Other

  $0

  Hours/week

  40

• JENNIFER ANDERSON

  MEMBER

  Total calculated

  $61,912

  From this org

  $61,912

  From related orgs

  $0

  Other

  $0

  Hours/week

  40

• MICHAEL AGUIRRE

  MEMBER

  Total calculated

  $0

  Hours/week

  0.25

• ROBERT BARTELS

  MEMBER

  Total calculated

  $0

  Hours/week

  0.25

• DR IRENE MARQUEZ BIGGS

  MEMBER

  Total calculated

  $0

  Hours/week

  0.25

• JENNA LAPRADE BOUCHARD

  MEMBER

  Total calculated

  $0

  Hours/week

  0.25

• PETER S DAVIS

  MEMBER

  Total calculated

  $0

  Hours/week

  0.25

• BRYN K DEFUSCO

  PRESIDENT

  Total calculated

  $0

  Hours/week

  0.25

• HERB ELY

  MEMBER

  Total calculated

  $0

  Hours/week

  0.25

• STANLEY G FELDMAN

  MEMBER

  Total calculated

  $0

  Hours/week

  0.25

• LINDSAY FIORE

  SECRETARY

  Total calculated

  $0

  Hours/week

  0.25

• STACY GABRIEL

  MEMBER

  Total calculated

  $0

  Hours/week

  0.25

• ANDY GAONA

  MEMBER

  Total calculated

  $0

  Hours/week

  0.25

• JOY HERR-CARDILLO

  MEMBER

  Total calculated

  $0

  Hours/week

  0.25

• ADRIANE J HOFMEYR

  PRESIDENT-EL

  Total calculated

  $0

  Hours/week

  0.25

• EUGENE M KADISH

  MEMBER

  Total calculated

  $0

  Hours/week

  0.25

• PATRICK W MAUSE

  MEMBER

  Total calculated

  $0

  Hours/week

  0.25

• BRUCE MEYERSON

  MEMBER

  Total calculated

  $0

  Hours/week

  0.25

• JOEL W NOMKIN

  MEMBER

  Total calculated

  $0

  Hours/week

  0.25

• TIFFANI LUCERO PASTOR

  TREASURER

  Total calculated

  $0

  Hours/week

  0.25

• SUSAN M ROTKIS

  MEMBER

  Total calculated

  $0

  Hours/week

  0.25

• BRUCE SAMUELS

  MEMBER

  Total calculated

  $0

  Hours/week

  0.25

• JOSHUA S SELLERS

  MEMBER

  Total calculated

  $0

  Hours/week

  0.25

• TANVEER SHAH

  MEMBER

  Total calculated

  $0

  Hours/week

  0.25

• LEE STEIN

  MEMBER

  Total calculated

  $0

  Hours/week

  0.25

• GEOFFREY MT STURR

  MEMBER

  Total calculated

  $0

  Hours/week

  0.25

• KAREN TREON

  MEMBER

  Total calculated

  $0

  Hours/week

  0.25

Compensation is as filed in Part VII: reportable pay from this organization and from related organizations, other compensation, and hours per week. The total, marked calculated, is our sum of the three dollar columns, with a blank column counted as $0; the form itself has no total. On a Form 990-EZ the columns are Part IV's instead, and on a Form 990-PF Part VIII's — compensation, contributions to benefit plans, and expense account — and the total sums those.

Grants on this return

No itemized grants to organizations on this return.

Provenance

Return type

form_990

Tax year

2022

Filed

14 November 2023

IRS schema version

2022v5.0

Source object

202343189349318739

Check it against the return as filed: the GivingTuesday Data Lake hosts a public copy of the original XML.

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