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

Gov. Jan Brewer won't be quite as quick on the trigger when it comes to calling a fourth, and hopefully final, special session of the Legislature.

The Arizona Legislature ended its special legislative session at 1:42 p.m. Aug. 25, although it may be a short-lived break from the Capitol. "Well, I'll see you next week," Rep. Warde Nichols, a Gilbert Republican, said as he prepared to leave the House of Representatives.

The one budget bill that garnered a signature from Gov. Jan Brewer would fundamentally change the way the state Land Department is funded. Brewer on Aug. 21 signed H2014, which creates a self-funding mechanism for the Land Department and addresses issues at the Parks Department, the Department of Agriculture and other agencies.

Republican and Democratic leaders met with Gov. Jan Brewer on Aug. 21, the first such meeting during the special session that the governor called in order for the Legislature to pass a budget packet that includes her proposal for a sales tax referral.

It's extremely unlikely that Gov. Jan Brewer will sign all of the budget bills that the Legislature sent to her Aug. 20. She has nothing to gain and everything to lose by allowing this budget to stand.

Most community banks in Arizona are losing money, lending is down, and a veteran banker concedes that every day is a challenge. It was a little too challenging for two Arizona banks, which were closed by state and federal regulators Aug. 14. A third bank is operating under federal orders to improve what were found to be “unsafe and unsound banking practices.”

The fate of two-months-overdue budget aimed at solving a $3.2 billion deficit now rests in the hands of Gov. Jan Brewer, as lawmakers delivered the plan to her eight weeks into a special legislative session called specifically to address the financial problems.

Senate President Bob Burns has appointed a Gilbert Republican to head a new commission aimed at streamlining the organization, operation and costs of state agencies. Sen. Thayer Verschoor will lead the Arizona Budget Commission for the duration of the 49th Legislature. No other members were announced.

Running out of time and options, Republican leadership in the Senate has turned its attention to a handful of Democrats to cajole their support for a ballot referral on a sales tax increase.

The House of Representatives has joined the Senate in approving a measure that would eliminate the only statewide property tax. The floor vote came a day after a House panel passed the bill.