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Gov. Brewer says Ariz. wants Medicaid waiver
Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer said Thursday she'll ask for a waiver under the federal health care overhaul so Arizona can reduce its Medicaid rolls to lower costs that Brewer and fellow Republicans say the cash-short state can't afford. If approved, the change could mean the loss of government-funded health care for hundreds of thousands of people.
Arizona not alone in fiscal storm
The recession hit Arizona hard, but the situation here isn't as precarious as in Illinois, which is struggling from a whopping $13 billion budget deficit. Like Arizona, many states face significant budget shortfalls this year, a situation that probably will get worse as federal aid expires next year.
Lawmakers: public expectations also a challenge
Legislators say public expectations are one of the challenges they face as states' budget troubles continue.
US legislative group holding conference in Phoenix
Legislators from across the country are gathering in Arizona for a national conference that includes discussions on such issues as state budgets, immigration laws, job-creation strategies and redistricting.
Tough times far from over for states
Lawmakers have reduced spending for parks, health care for low-income children and some state-funded medical transplants. Still, the tough times are far from over.
33 freshmen lawmakers prepare to navigate Arizona’s budget wasteland
When 31 freshman legislators descend on the Capitol next term, their main mission will be tackling the state’s financial crisis, but before they can do that, they will have the monumental task of grasping the budget process, which can be a sensory overload of numbers, jargon, formulas, and political complexities.
Bill aims to discourage lawmakers from skipping floor votes by docking pay
Rep. Jerry Weiers is fed up with fellow lawmakers who skip floor votes. His solution: Dock their pay and list their names on the Web.
Gorman to serve on NCSL executive committee
Sen. Pamela Gorman has been selected to serve on the governing body of the National Conference of State Legislatures, which lobbies the federal government on behalf of the states. Gorman, who recently resigned her leadership position in the Senate majority caucus, will serve as chairwoman of the 2009-2010 NCSL standing committees.
Report: Bleak state budgets through 2011
Even if the national recession ends this year as many predict, state budgets will likely be in the red for the next two years, with budget gaps topping $230 billion as tax collections of sales, personal and corporate income lag, two new reports show.
