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Brewer hails passage of cuts, says it’s a good day
Gov. Jan Brewer, flanked by Senate President Bob Burns and House Speaker Kirk Adams, signed the special session bills just hours after they passed the House.
Tracking the special session
Click here for up-to-the-minute updates on the Legislature's fourth special session. Our reporters will be at the Capitol all day (or all week, if it comes to that), tracking the progress of the four pieces of legislation in the House and Senate.
Draft bills show special session cuts of $300M
Draft versions of the bills lawmakers are expected to consider this week in a special legislative session show about $300 million in spending cuts to education and social services, as well as the restoration of funding for high-tech economic development.
Department of Revenue puts layoff plan on hold
Gambling that Arizona lawmakers will approve its funding in time, the state tax collection agency is shelving plans to lay off more than half its staff early this month. After Gov. Jan Brewer's vetoed some of the Department of Revenue's funding in September to kill an unrelated provision of the same bill, Director Gale Garriott said the department would probably have to lay off 450 of its 710 w[...]
Burns mum on special session meeting with Brewer
Republican leaders and Gov. Jan Brewer are slated to meet this afternoon to discuss the provisions of a possible special legislative session to address budget issues.
Arizona leaders to tackle budget at 95th Town Hall at Grand Canyon
More than 100 Arizona leaders will meet in Grand Canyon Village on Nov. 1-4, as part of the 95th Arizona Town Hall meeting, focusing on the fiscal problems of the state. The meeting, entitled "Riding the Fiscal Roller Coaster: Government Revenue in Arizona," is hosted by the Arizona Town Hall nonprofit organization, which organizes the event biannually.
Lawmaker: consolidating IT systems might save money
Arizona might be able to save money by streamlining government computer systems - at least that’s the hope of one lawmaker who is leading a committee to examine the issue before the Legislature returns to the Capitol next year.
Governor’s Office proposes cuts – vaguely
What would the Governor’s Office do to reduce its budget by 15 percent? Just that – reduce it by 15 percent. Anyone seeking more details, however, is bound to be... […]
Health Dept. outlines cuts to non-mandated services
With much of its budget locked in by federal and state mandates, the Arizona Department of Health Services would have to reduce crisis services and cut back on treatment for the mentally ill, substance abusers and sexually violent offenders in the state hospital if it had to chop 15 percent from its budget.
Brewer: multiple special sessions possible
The off-season for lawmakers might be even shorter than they thought. Since Gov. Jan Brewer partially vetoed the Legislature’s budget in early September, she has been adamant about the need to bring lawmakers back to the Capitol for a special session to restore funding for a handful of state agencies, including the Arizona Corporation Commission and Department of Revenue.
Symington bows out, backs Munger for governor
Fife Symington isn’t getting back into the gubernatorial arena. Instead, he said, the former governor is running vicariously through his friend John Munger. Symington on Oct. 8 announced that he... […]
Brewer hopes showing impact of cuts will spur revenue increase
At Brewer’s request, all state agency heads were required to submit reports detailing the effects 15-20 percent spending reductions would have on their departments. Those reports, which were due Oct. 9, are intended partly to demonstrate to the Legislature that sizeable cuts would have dramatic consequences, according to Brewer spokesman Paul Senseman.
