Arizona Capitol Times Your Inside Source for Arizona Government, Politics and Business

Gov. Doug Ducey wants the state to add about $250 million in new spending to K-12 education, financed by new cuts and transfers among agencies and rehiring tax auditors who he previously laid off.

The Capitol Times caught up with the governor the Friday before session started to discuss his priorities and preview the next few months.

This time around, Arizona Democratic lawmakers aren’t falling for Gov. Doug Ducey’s centrist approach designed to add more money to schools and attack the opioid crisis.

The proposal would put an immediate $100 million this coming school year into an account that is earmarked for "soft capital,'' things like computers, books and school buses.

The governor also said the state will restore cuts made during the Great Recession to formula funding for K-12 schools, but details on how much money and where it will come from won’t be known until the governor releases his budget on Friday.

The agreement will expedite the ability of U.S. companies to export goods to Mexico and beyond without additional hassles once reaching their final destination.

The governor’s office has decided to scrap its plan to open two programs in south Phoenix aimed at helping prisoners re-enter society, allegedly because of a lack of cooperation from the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office.

Gov. Doug Ducey said Thursday his experience is that women who complain about being sexually harassed are generally telling the truth.

Arizona is joining more than two dozen other states to give convicted felons a foot in the door for employment.

Gov. Doug Ducey endorsed the concept of the Trump and Republican tax cuts Monday even though he conceded he has little idea of what's in the plan.