AZ House Dems urge balanced budget plan

AZ House Dems continue to push for real solutions.

Thu. Nov 19: Updates @RepPatterson on twitter and facebook.

PHOENIX -- Gov. Jan Brewer (R-Glendale) isn’t making good on her promise to protect education and the most vulnerable during the special session, but House Democrats said they will.

Brewer has joined ideological Republican lawmakers in cutting their way out of the state budget mess instead of working in a bipartisan way with Democrats on a comprehensive approach using common-sense solutions.

“It’s disappointing to see that Gov. Brewer has given up on her promise to protect education, families and the most vulnerable,” House Democratic Leader David Lujan said Wednesday at a press conference. “Our state’s fiscal crisis is bigger than just cuts and we all need to work together toward a realistic, comprehensive solution for a stronger Arizona.”

In an attempt to fix part of the budget, Brewer plans to work with Republican lawmakers to implement cuts to children’s classrooms, middle-class families and the most vulnerable. In the special session bills, Republicans plan to cut $144 million from K-12 education and about $155 million from DES.

A comprehensive approach includes using common-sense ideas, such as generating revenue when needed and cutting where it’s necessary; it is unnecessary to make deep cuts to things like education, which will build a strong economic future for our state.

For example, lawmakers could choose to restore staff and funding to the Department of Revenue to collect millions in unpaid taxes owed to the state or broaden the sales tax base for a more stable revenue system. The state could also securitize the lottery and tobacco settlement, which could generate up to $1.4 billion without raising taxes.

- adapted from House Dems PIO