AZ legislature finishes 4th special session of 2009

Tough days at the Capitol.

UPDATE, Nov 25: Arizona Daily Star agrees with me: locals best for Tucson's Rio Nuevo board.

UPDATE: House Democratic news release: GOP votes to cut millions more from schoolchildren, families during crisis.

PHOENIX -- The AZ House and Senate today finished the special session, featuring $300M more in cuts to schools and services to poor and disabled people.

The latest big cuts to kids and families were supported by all Rs. All Ds opposed due to the one-sided unfair nature of the cuts and failure to consider fair ways to raise needed new revenue. I spoke strongly on the House floor against the GOP's latest big cuts to schools.

Two bills passed with bipartisan support, one to repeal a flawed law passed earlier this year, and another to 'fix' agency budgets and fund Science Foundation Arizona.

The agency fix bill also had an unrelated section to remove local control of appointments to Tucson's Rio Nuevo board and give control to Gov Jan Brewer, Speaker Kirk Adams and President Bob Burns, all Maricopa County Republicans. Nearly half the Rio Nuevo board won't even have to live in Tucson. I voted 'yes' on this bill because of the other supportable provisions, but I opposed and spoke against state infringement on Tucson's local control. I'm not thrilled about all that has happened with Rio Nuevo over the last decade, but I support keeping control within Tucson's business, neighborhood and government communities.

See more of today's details @RepPatterson on twitter.