The Arizona Department of Agriculture plans to move its laboratory from the Capitol Mall to a building in Chandler, despite opposition from lawmakers and the industry.

Gov. Jan Brewer speaks proudly of her role in lifting the state out of the massive deficit she inherited in 2009. And with her final budget proposal, she seems intent on making sure her successor doesn’t have to say the same thing.

Almost half of Arizona’s general revenues came from federal funds in fiscal 2011, the third-highest share in the nation, according to a recent report from the Tax Foundation.

Despite weeks of budget discussions, the governor and Republican lawmakers still haven’t agreed on how much the state will get in revenues over the next three years.

The Governor’s Office unveiled an $8.9 billion budget plan today for fiscal year 2014, which included $317 million in new spending. “We’re finally comfortable using red, so that should tell you something about the state budget,” John Arnold, director of the governor’s Office of Strategic Planning and Budgeting, joked about the bright red color of the budget books distributed to the media at a press briefing today.

Now that the economy is recovering, universities and state agencies are seeking budget increases and have asked Gov. Jan Brewer to fight for at least $500 million in new spending.

Gov. Jan Brewer replaced one of the last major agency heads left over from the Napolitano era, naming former OSPB chief Thomas Betlach as director of the Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System. Betlach had served as deputy director of the agency since 2002. He replaces Anthony Rodgers, who was appointed to the position in 2003 by then-Gov. Janet Napolitano.

The Arizona Department of Environmental Quality has informed Gov. Jan Brewer that implementing a 15-percent reduction to the department will leave it in a poor position to protect the health of state residents and the environment.