House Appropriations Chairman Rep. John Kavanagh said some legislators have started to tout a taxpayer bill of rights, or TABOR, as an alternative to a flat income tax rate in the 2010 budget. Speaking at legislative wrap-up breakfast hosted by ...

School districts across the state could increase in-class spending using money generated from Internet advertisements if lawmakers in the Senate were to approve a measure that was first heard in committee more than four months ago.

Tax increases. Prison privatization. Lottery securitization. Fund sweeps. Deep spending cuts. Numerous points of contention exist between Gov. Jan Brewer and the Legislature regarding the budget. But before the two sides can sort out those disagreements, they will have to determine exactly how big the fiscal 2010 deficit is.

Lawmakers said they wanted more time to negotiate with the governor when they declined to send their budget package to Jan Brewer's desk. Those negotiations continue, but Brewer is using the extra time to take aim at the myriad provisions of that budget that she considers unacceptable.

School districts throughout Arizona have started recalling laid-off teachers amid a clearer budget picture and the retirement of some instructors.

“I think we can do at least three, maybe five. I mean, we’re not going to privatize death row, obviously.” — Rep. John Kavanagh, a Republican from Fountain Hills, speaking about the possibility of privatizing prisons. The comment was made ...

Just two days before the National Rifle Association's annual convention in Phoenix, the state House of Representatives gave its approval to a measure that would allow gun owners to keep weapons in their cars, even if it is against a private property owner's wishes.

With the state facing a budget deficit of $3 billion, state lawmakers are ready to slice and dice various programs that parents and others say are needed to care for those unable to speak for themselves.

Hopes were high among Arizona gun-rights activists earlier this year when Janet Napolitano left the Governor’s Office for a position as secretary of Homeland Security in Washington, D.C. After all, many state bills that would have loosened gun restrictions were near sure-shootin’ vetoes while the Democrat occupied the Ninth Floor.

A budget crafted by House Republicans has cleared the first hurdle, gaining committee approval May 5 by a party-line vote, though it is unclear when the proposal will be taken up by the entire chamber.