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Budget bill fails in Senate; Verschoor AWOL
The Senate has hit a major snag and has failed to pass the main budget measure that is part of a package that partially fixes a $2-billion deficit, and it has adjourned until Nov. 23.
The bill went down by a vote of 14-13.
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Gray voted “no” so he could bring the vote up for reconsideration later.
All the Democrats voted “no” on the bill. So did Sen. Ron Gould, a Lake Havasu Republican.
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State borrows $700M; first external loan since Great Depression
The State Loan Commission has approved a $700 million line of credit from Bank of America, marking the first external borrowing the state has done since the Great Depression.
State Treasurer Dean Martin said his office will finalize the agreement with Bank of America next week and will begin issuing treasurer’s warrants by the end of November.
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House panel approves budget-fix bills
A House panel followed the Senate’s lead, quickly approving a series of budget bills aimed at chipping away at the state’s massive deficit.
The bills include $300 million in cuts to social programs and state aid for education.
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Senate approves bills in debate, final vote expected today
In almost staccato fashion, senators approved a package of bills to reduce state spending by about $300 million on Nov. 18 - first in committee and then on the floor.
Senators attempted several amendments, both in committee and during Committee of the Whole.
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Arizona Budget Coalition echoes Democrats’ budget proposals
The Arizona Budget Coalition, representing organizations against a budget solution that relies heavily on spending cuts, proposed alternative means of raising revenue while lawmakers attended Day 2 of the special session.
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Senate Appropriations panel approves bills
The budget fix to eliminate a portion of the state’s $2 billion deficit is moving through Senate committees while the House is on hold until Nov. 19.
The Senate Appropriations Committee approved four bills after a relatively short deliberation on Nov. 18. Some of the bills received bipartisan support.
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Senate Dems want tribal school districts to tap impact aid
Senate Democrats are pushing to give schools on American Indian reservations the ability to access federal impact aid money to make up for state budget cuts to schools.
A handful of Senate Democrats want the schools to have permission to use the federal money in fiscal 2010 to essentially maintain the funding levels that were in [...] -
Special session kicks off, but most work slated for Thursday
Lawmakers officially kicked off the fourth special session of the year - the second devoted to the fiscal 2010 budget - with an uneventful gathering at the state Capitol on Nov. 17.
The work on taking a small bite out of the state’s $2 billion budget deficit will take place on Nov. 19, when House and Senate budget committees are expected to meet.
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Brewer calls special session
Gov. Jan Brewer has called the Legislature into its fourth special session of the year to deal with a handful of unfunded agencies, a settlement with Science Foundation Arizona, the Rio Nuevo development district and the state’s anti-deficiency statute.
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Special session to begin today, Brewer drops by GOP caucus
Legislative leaders have said a special legislative session to address part of the state’s $2 billion deficit will begin today (Nov. 17), but Senate Republicans might have to rely on a vote or two from Democrats to pass all of the legislation on tap.
