Mayors blame state government for fiscal woes

The mayors of Tempe, Mesa, Gilbert and Chandler say years of bad planning by Arizona’s government threatens the financial future of their cities and others around the state.

Speaking at a forum March 23 in Chandler, the mayors were lukewarm toward a statewide sales-tax hike on the May 18 ballot. The three-year, one-cent tax hike was proposed by Gov. Jan Brewer to help Arizona survive its massive budget gap.

Tempe Mayor Hugh Hallman blamed legislators, governors and Arizona voters over the past two decades for failing to save for the rainy day that has flooded the state with red ink.

Tempe, Gilbert and Chandler all have either sales tax or budget override issues on that same May 18 ballot and the mayors say they worry that the statewide question could torpedo their local requests.