Congratulations to the three Republican senators named “Hero of the Taxpayer” by the Arizona chapter of Americans for Prosperity. This highest designation, awarded to legislators who most strongly support the interests of taxpayers, went to Majority Leader Chuck Gray, Sen. Russell Pearce and Sen. Sylvia Allen.

Formerly the Arizona Federation of Taxpayers, AFP-Arizona grades lawmakers annually by evaluating how budgetary, tax and regulatory bills impact taxpayers, consumers and producers on a rubric.

The 2009 edition of the list, released Jan. 26, 2010, was the 25th annual “Friend of the Taxpayer” scorecard. Sen. Pearce, whom AFP-Arizona called a “longtime taxpayer champion,” ranked at the top.