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Courting Democrats – one at a time
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.
Next stop for tax repeal: Governor’s Office
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.
New target date for budget: Aug. 20
Arizona lawmakers are planning to send a set of budget bills to the Governor's Office on Aug. 20, after a short floor session today that ended without any action. But that budget plan will not include the proposal for a sales tax referral, something that Gov. Jan Brewer has insisted on for months.
House Approps passes repeal of equalization tax
The same day Arizona counties were required by law to adopt property tax rates, a House panel gave its approval to a measure that would eliminate a statewide property tax.... […]
Sans action today, equalization property tax set to return
Arizona's residents face a higher tax bill this year as time is all but out to repeal a property tax that has been suspended for the last three years. Without legislative action and the governor's signature, the state equalization property tax is set to come back this year.
Pierce pulls double duty
On a rack in Steve Pierce’s office sits a cap that declares, “Operation Chaos.” Pierce, a freshman senator from Prescott, wore it while the Legislature passed a set of budget bills in June.
Supreme Court explains ruling on spat between governor and Legislature
The Arizona Supreme Court on Aug. 13 delivered a detailed explanation of a decision it reached in June regarding an acrimonious state budget dispute between Gov. Jan Brewer and Republican lawmakers.
Senate revives sales tax referral
The Arizona Senate has revived a measure that contains a provision for a sales tax increase, even though some lawmakers have called it a "dead horse." Senate President Bob Burns indicated lawmakers would continue to work to pass the ballot referral.
House Dems name members of tuition tax credit task force
House Democrats today named eight members, including three Republicans, to serve on their newly formed Task Force on Private School Tuition Tax Credits program. Billed as a bipartisan panel, Democrats announced that the task force will be chaired by Rep. David Schapira, a Democrat from Tempe, with Tom Chabin, a Democrat from Flagstaff, named vice chair.
State may need to issue IOUs
Arizonans may no longer be able to take pride that things here haven’t gotten as bad as in California. State Treasurer Dean Martin said Arizona may need to start issuing IOUs if the Legislature and Gov. Jan Brewer fail to approve a budget by Aug. 17.
Pierce elected as permanent whip
A freshman lawmaker from Prescott has been elected as permanent majority whip in the Senate. "It's an honor to be able to able to help," said Sen. Steve Pierce. Pierce's election to the post did not come as a surprise.
Budget on life support again as sales tax fails
***UPDATED AT 8:45 P.M.*** After about seven months of trying, Republican leaders arrived at the Capitol on Aug. 12 with hopes that they had finally corralled enough votes in the Senate, including the support of a Democrat, to pass a budget for fiscal year 2010. But all that evaporated when a senator whose support Republicans were counting on was absent from the floor.
