Arizona Town Dragged To Court Over Controversial 'Pickleball Tax'

From January 2025, the town of Gilbert in the state of Arizona, USA made certain controversial changes in their existing rules of tax to be levied from residents. The town had increased hotel, bar and restaurant taxes, some of which had not been increased for the past 25 years. They also levied a new 2% tax on new infrastructure, which also involved constructing new and maintaining existing pickleball courts. Residents, online vendors and tourists are liable to pay the "pickleball tax” but people who are not involved in playing the sport will also have to shell out the taxes. There have been protests regarding this bizarre tax, and now it looks like things are moving to court.

The Goldwater Institute, a policy research and litigation organization, has now filed a lawsuit against the town of Gilbert, stating that the taxes being levied are nothing short of illegal.

“Even as Arizonans struggle with the rising cost of living, government officials in Gilbert are raising taxes on their citizens to fund everything from pickleball courts to splash pads,” the Goldwater Institute said in its official statement.

According to the institute, the Arizona Constitution does not allow any new taxes or increase in taxes of services like advertising, photography, hotel and lodging, and construction.

The Institute has also said that it takes issue with the fact that taxes will have an impact on some critical projects including the construction of new pickleball courts.

Concerned residents have already voiced their opinion against the taxes being levied, stating that the existing taxes on essential services like water supply are already high.

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