Arizona Democratic Party launches “Bad Plan Jan” web page

Posted by AzBlueMeanie:

The Arizona Democratic Party today launched a new web page complete with a “countdown to government shutdown” clock, entitled “Bad Plan Jan.” Here is the press release with a link to the web page:

Brewer’s budget jeopardizes Arizona’s future, Democrats stand opposed
Arizona Democratic Party unveils webpage highlighting Brewer’s short-sighted budget

Today the Arizona Democratic Party launched the “Bad Plan Jan” webpage to educate the public about Governor Brewer’s misguided budget plan.

Governor Brewer, showing up months late and presenting a budget only two weeks ago, continues to steer Arizona toward a government shutdown. She insists that the legislature accept her plan, and no other. Yet her plan seriously undermines our state’s investment in education and health care. In contrast, Democrats have presented solutions to protect long-term commitments to education, health care and other basic priorities. But the Governor ignores all calls to negotiate a bi-partisan budget.

“The Governor and the Republican majority present a disastrous choice for Arizona, and they refuse to listen to common-sense solutions simply because those solutions are proposed by Democrats. Governor Brewer’s budget has serious flaws that the people of Arizona deserve to hear and understand, ” said Arizona Democratic Party Chair Don Bivens.

Among major concerns, Governor Brewer’s budget:

• Raises a regressive sales tax that hurts middle-class Arizonans. Brewer’s tax increase will place a heavier tax burden on Arizona families to the tune of $438 a year. Arizona will have the 8^th highest sales tax in Nation, but will remain 49^th in per-pupil spending on education.
  
• Jeopardizes voter-approved funds for education, health care, and early childhood development, and places our children’s future at the mercy of extreme partisan Republicans in our legislature.
  

• Cuts $60 million in health care for children and adults, $30 million from services for the developmentally disabled and others, $30 million from services for high risk prenatal patients and children with life-threatening conditions and others.
  

• Endangers long-term funding for education and health and human services by leaving no stimulus funds for FY ’11. These important priorities will fall off a “funding cliff” if nothing is done.
  

• Gives away millions in tax breaks for corporations, despite the “funding cliff” faced by schools and health care. Governor Brewer is protecting corporate special interests while our schools face a bleak and uncertain future.
  

• Does not restore cuts to the Department of Revenue, potentially leaving $240 million in unpaid corporate taxes uncollected.
  

• Was 132-days late! Governor Brewer is fully responsible if we reach a government shutdown in 15 days. The Governor wasted months on a hollow five-point plan. She waited until 2 weeks ago to present her budget.
  

• Excludes Democrats. The Governor has refused to invite legislative Democrats to the table to negotiate a bi-partisan budget.
  

The ‘Bad Plan Jan’ website will be updated daily to hold the Governor accountable for her short-sighted plan.

“We must look past the unacceptable choices presented by Governor Brewer and the legislative Republicans. Both plans take Arizona in the wrong direction. Arizona deserves better. Toward that goal, Arizona Democrats have presented a budget that protects Arizona’s children and moves us to the future that Arizona deserves,” said Bivens.

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