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State burned through stimulus money
The feds gave Arizona a $2.8 billion crutch to help the state limp through three difficult budget years. But after two years, nearly all of the stimulus money has been spent and the state remains crippled by the recession.
Brewer budget plan a tenuous proposition
Gov. Jan Brewer's budget plan is structured much like a game of Jenga. Pull out one piece, and the entire pile of blocks could come crashing down. The plan, released Jan. 15, would balance the budget using a variety of maneuvers to reduce costs and raise new revenue. But some of the ideas rely on future events that are out of the governor's control.
Brewer budget: pay cuts, program eliminations, immediate tax hike
Gov. Jan Brewer no longer wants a proposed sales tax referred to the ballot and is instead asking lawmakers to muster a two-thirds majority to pass it outright, while asking voters to approve a raft of budget-balancing measures in a May special election.
With cash flow problems, state may face budget cliff early next year
Arizona faces another budgetary cliff early next year, when the State Treasurer's Office might have to issue IOUs to pay bills if $735 million expected from the sale-leaseback of state assets does not materialize. Treasurer Dean Martin told a panel of lawmakers that the state needs to have the money by the end of January to be able to make payment to schools by Feb. 1.
