It took 128 days, but Republican lawmakers have released a budget proposal and work has begun to move the package through the process, with committees in both the House and Senate giving approval to the spending plan.
However, that approval was, at times, lukewarm, even from some of the more conservative Republican legislators.
Sen. Jack Harper, R-4, voted for all of the budget bills in a May 17 Appropriations Committee meeting, but was sharply critical of Republican leaders for dismissing his suggestions for the budget, which he feels spends too much money.
“Leadership had no intention of doing anything I asked for in the budget,” he said in committee, explaining why he wouldn’t be offering a handful of amendments to the budget bills.
A day later, Mr. Harper said he wouldn’t be voting for the budget in its current form.
“I’m currently a ‘no’ on the budget,” he said. “Right now, I do not believe the budget is reflective of the values of the citizens of my district.”
Two more Republican members of the Senate Appropriations Committee told Arizona Capitol Times they had reservations about the budget. Sen. Ron Gould, R-3, said he would vote against it because it contains “too much pork.” Sen. John Huppenthal, R-20, said he will support the package because it contains tax cuts and educational choice funding, but he still has concerns.
“It is a U.S. Congress-type of budget,” he said. “They try to make everybody happy, yet they’re making nobody happy.”
14 budget bills
All 14 of the Senate budget bills were approved by the committee by a 6-4 vote, except S1567, which passed 10-0, and S1576, which passed 6-2.
It’s not only the more fiscally conservative lawmakers who are opposed to the budget. A day earlier in the House, the Appropriations B Committee approved its own identical versions of the 14 bills. A pair of moderate Republicans voted against three of the bills, including the general appropriations, or “feed,” bill.
“My focus is having a fiscally responsible budget,” Vice Chairman Jennifer Burns, R-25, said, explaining the $1.2 billion surplus this year is a result of a 2004 collaboration among Democrats and moderate Republicans that was derided by conservative legislators.
“That was a fiscally responsible budget,” she said. “That’s what I want this time.”
While she has voted in favor of the plan supported by leadership in the past, even if she had serious concerns, she said that won’t happen this year.
“I’m not willing to put my name behind a budget that I don’t agree with this time around,” Ms. Burns said.
Likewise, Rep. Bill Konopnicki , R-5, voted against some of the provisions in committee.
“I think we’ve got to rethink the whole piece,” he said, citing a lack of funding for universities and state employee retirement pay.
Although the two factions of Republicans oppose the budget, they do so for different reasons — especially when it comes to tax cuts. Since January, House and Senate leaders have said there would be $250 million in property tax and income tax cuts. The budget proposal contains nearly $500 million in reductions over the next two years.
Mr. Gould said a $1.2 billion surplus is a sign the state is overtaxing citizens and would like there to be $500 million of tax cuts in the first year alone.
“You don’t know what’s going to happen after that,” he said of the state’s economic future.
However, moderate Republicans say the tax cuts are irresponsible and will negatively impact state services.
“It’s TABOR with a different name on it,” Mr. Konopnicki said, referencing a stalled plan promoted by fiscal conservatives that would limit the growth of state government.
Mr. Konopnicki said the cuts are based on the current economy’s 19-percent growth rate, a number that is not sustainable. He suggested a one-year cut of $150 million, augmented with another $100 million in one-time rebates, and re-evaluating further cuts in the future.
Ms. Burns said any tax cuts ought to be targeted more.
“I do believe in tax cuts, but I believe in ones that are going to stimulate economic activity,” she said. “I don’t think they’re going to have as much of an impact as other things we could do.”
Republican legislative leaders have met several times with Governor Napolitano and are expected to continue discussing the budget with her in the coming days. House Majority Leader Steve Tully, R-11, said the two sides are trying to reach an agreement, though one is not imminent.
“We’ll see if she’s going to be reasonable,” he said. “If not, we’ll just plow ahead.”
Senate reporter Phil Riske contributed to this article.