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Contingency: Vote for tax hike, or here’s what gets cut
The budget that was mostly approved by lawmakers on March 11 will cut $1.2 billion in state spending, but it includes a contingency plan that will reduce spending by almost double that amount if voters reject a sales tax increase that will be on the ballot May 18.
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Senate fumbles, fails to pass two budget measures
The Legislature passed 13 of the measures aimed at solving the state’s deficit in fiscal years 2010 and 2011, but Senate Republican leaders failed to muster the votes for the two remaining measures that would save the state about $350 million.
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Power line cost pits lawmakers vs. ACC
The Arizona Corporation Commission decided three years ago that homebuilders should pay the cost of extending power lines to new houses, but some lawmakers now want to go back to the way things used to be and force utility companies to foot the bill.
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Big Spenders: Lobbying costs rise as revenues drop
Local governments in Arizona fought off budget crises last year by reducing services, raising taxes and, in many cases, spending more money on lobbying services.
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Ballot measure would ban ‘taxpayer money’ for political campaigns
The system that allows Arizona residents to use government money to campaign for political office is teetering after a federal judge ruled earlier this year that a major component of the scheme is unconstitutional. Many powerful special interest groups, nonetheless, are hoping to deliver the knockout blow at the ballot box this fall, rather than wait for it to collapse on its own.
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Day 4 of special session: House passes all 15 measures
The House passed all 15 budget measures in the special session. The Senate, however, was unable to pass two of the bills.
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New deal would save Juvenile Corrections for now
Republican leaders and Gov. Jan Brewer have struck a deal that will allow the Department of Juvenile Corrections to remain in place for the next year instead of shuttering the agency and shifting responsibility to counties.
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Sanctuary cities bill brings protestors to Capitol
Nearly 100 people demonstrated in front of the Executive Tower today to advocate both for and against a bill that would alter laws related to illegal immigration.
Bill S1070, which has passed the Senate and is ready for debate in the House, would prohibit state and local governments from enacting policies that would conflict with federal immigration laws.
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Day 3: Tracking the special session
The special session continues today as lawmakers try to hammer out a deal on a budget plan that would eliminate the $700 million deficit remaining in the fiscal 2010 budget and another $2.6 billion deficit in the fiscal 2011 budget. Lawmakers hope to vote on the bills today.
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Day 2: Tracking the special session
The special session continues today as lawmakers try to hammer out a deal on a budget plan that would eliminate the $700 million deficit remaining in the fiscal 2010 budget and another $2.6 billion deficit in the fiscal 2011 budget. Click here for updates.
