Reps. expose reality of Brewer’s reckless AZ budget

House Ds trying to put out economic fires.

STATE CAPITOL, PHOENIX – Gov. Jan Brewer released a budget plan that continues to push Arizona down the wrong track, and House Democrats on Tuesday pointed out what Brewer isn’t telling Arizonans about her plan.

Brewer’s plan:
· Eliminates the state Department of Juvenile Corrections, causes 1,000 people to lose their jobs and shifts the burden on local counties that already are dealing with budget crises of their own.
· Makes $750 million in cuts to education, including eliminating all-day Kindergarten, building renewal funding for dilapidated schools and gifted programs for Arizona’s brightest.
· Kicks 360,000 kids, adults and seniors off health care.
· Closes 21 of Arizona’s state parks, eliminating critical dollars from Arizona’s small businesses and rural economies.

“By proposing eliminating Juvenile Corrections, an important facet of public safety in Arizona, Gov. Brewer has failed to lead and continues to push Arizona down the wrong track,” House Democratic Leader David Lujan said.

Brewer’s budget cuts $200 million from building renewal funds that help prevent things like roof collapses, three of which happened last year at McDowell Mountain Elementary in Fountain Hills, C.I. Waggoner Elementary in Tempe and Santa Maria Middle School in Tolleson.

"Brewer is still failing badly on the budget as she continues to recklessly swerve Arizona toward a deadly economic cliff, jeopardizing our future," said Rep. Daniel Patterson (Tucson-LD29). "Brewer needs to end her chaos at the capitol and start to work with us to help jobs, schools and the economy."

Also as a result of Brewer’s plan, fewer people will seek preventative care and longer wait times in the emergency rooms, and she’ll make Arizona voters go back to the ballot to vote again on Proposition 204, which they already approved.

“Gov. Brewer’s $750 million cut to classrooms is on top of the largest cut to education in state history that she made just last year,” Assistant Democratic Leader Kyrsten Sinema said. “It is wrong to rob health care from kids and seniors. Disrespecting voters and making these kinds of cuts to health care are the wrong priorities for our state.”

Brewer’s budget also closes the majority of Arizona’s state parks and dangerously suggests privatizing them.

“State parks not only serve an important historic and tourist value to Arizona, but also they bring vital dollars, jobs and business to these rural and small town economies,” House Democratic Whip Chad Campbell said. “Who wants to see a roller coaster going through Kartchner Caverns or heavy advertising of a large corporation in front of Red Rock State Park? That’s not the Arizona we all know and love.”

- adapted from House Dems PIO