Renters in 71 of Arizona’s 91 cities and towns pay a tax on their lease. The amounts range from 1 percent to 4 percent. But a bill in the state legislature would eliminate the renters’ tax.

Tom Simplot is president and CEO of the Arizona Multihousing Association, which represents apartments. His group supports getting rid of the tax.

Analysts at the state legislature estimate cities and towns would lose about $87 million if the tax went away. To find out what that would mean, we turn to Ken Strobek, the executive director of the League of Arizona Cities and Towns. Strobek said the tax has been around for more than 50 years.