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Lawmakers inch toward special session
Lawmakers are inching closer to a special session as Senate leadership proposes that the Legislature convene to fix the budget woes of state agencies affected by the governor's veto. House leadership was polling members to see if they support the idea, Senate President Bob Burns told the Arizona Capitol Times on October 22.
Disagreements to resurface: Topics include taxes, spending reductions
A special session - or two - is likely this fall as Gov. Jan Brewer continues to pressure lawmakers to reconvene and legislative leaders have started asking members when they would be available. But roadblocks remain.
Capitol Quotes 10/16
"I still think there's a federal law out there that gives me the authority to do this. I might not have the right one, but there is one out there." - Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio, commenting on his authority to arrest illegal immigrants now that the federal government has changed the 287(g) agreement. He also was referring to the text of what he believed was a federal law that doesn't exist [...]
Bare-bones Revenue Department would eliminate audits
An unintended consequence of a veto last month means the state agency tasked with collecting taxes is on the verge of laying off more than half of its staff, barring a budget fix to allow access to all of the money lawmakers gave it earlier this year. Anthony Forschino, the agency's assistant director, said the layoffs would still allow the Department of Revenue to function, but in a bare-bones[...]
Employer sanctions coming up short
Arizona's employer sanctions law has been in effect for 21 months, yet no businesses have been shut down over hiring practices. In fact, there hasn't yet been a single business forced to defend itself in court. But now, one lawmaker wants to change all that by giving county attorneys more enforcement powers.
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.
Law makes it tougher for state agency to repair monuments that lack patrons
Unveiled in 1998, the Ernest W. McFarland Memorial uses photographs etched in metal to guide visitors through iconic moments in a life that included service as U.S. Senate majority leader, Arizona governor and state Supreme Court chief justice.
Census data: Arizona second in police, corrections spending, 38th in education
Arizona outspent all but one state on police protection and corrections as a percentage of overall state and local expenditures while its education spending ranked 38th in U.S. Census Bureau data released Wednesday (Sept. 30).
Wanted: new revenue
Lawmakers will be facing quite the conundrum in 2010 - how to raise more revenue for the cash-strapped state without raising taxes. The Republican-led Legislature stymied attempts by Gov. Jan Brewer to put a sales tax increase on the ballot, and outright rejected the idea of passing a tax increase itself.
No agreement when, or if, special session will begin
Once again, lawmakers adjourned, only to see Gov. Jan Brewer veto parts of the budget they passed. And once again, Brewer announced her intention to bring them back into special session to deal with the consequences.
Uncertainty looms in off session for Brewer, lawmakers
The uneasy stalemate that ended this year's budget battle didn't answer many questions, and the new ones it raises loom large as Gov. Jan Brewer and the Legislature look to what will probably be an even tougher fight ahead.
Local taxpayers may see higher rates to pay for school costs
Lawmakers may shift the responsibility for education funding to local property owners as a way of coping with staggering budget deficits in the near future, even though it would translate to higher property taxes.
