A new political action committee, the Responsible Tourism Coalition, has filed with the Arizona secretary of state to support candidates who favor policies benefiting short-term rental, known as STR, operators on platforms like Airbnb and VRBO.
The group’s stated mission is to defend property rights and bolster Arizona’s tourism economy — a move that underscores how deeply the STR industry has woven itself into housing and policy debates, not just in Arizona but nationwide.
It is not the first organization pursuing this agenda: Arizona is also home to Arizonans for Responsible Tourism, a longstanding group representing hosts and property managers.
Together, these organizations reveal the breadth and coordination of the STR industry’s influence in state politics, showing that Arizona’s debate is part of a sustained, organized national movement.
Read the entire commentary on Substack In The Center Lane With Herb Paine →
-
One piece of Arizona's property politics puzzle involves middle housing (sometimes referred to as missing middle housing to highlight the gap between single-family homes and large apartment buildings). Commentator Herb Paine examines the concept and its practical implications.
-
Commentator Herb Paine reflects on what’s truly at stake in Arizona’s 2026 elections — not just who wins, but whether the system that makes winning possible can endure. The elections may be a bellwether for the nation: a test of civic trust, political integrity, and the resilience of democracy in an age of disruption and division.
-
Commentator Herb Paine highlights his observations about an all-too-common and increasingly frequent intrusion of extremism into the halls of local governance — from Scottsdale to Tampa.
-
With decades of experience in nonprofit leadership, commentator Herb Paine critiques the sector’s reliance on outdated education models and calls for a radical redesign of how we learn, lead and drive change to meet today’s challenges.
-
Commentator Herb Paine reveals how the quiet disappearance of species signals a deeper unraveling of the web of life and challenges us to listen before the silence becomes permanent.