With budget negotiations gaining steam at the Arizona State Capitol, Democratic Senate and House Leaders released their current goals and assessments of what they want to see for fiscal year 2026 and how the process is proceeding.
In a social media video released yesterday (June 10,) Senate Democratic Senate Leaders Priya Sundareshan and Catherine Miranda told working class Arizonans that “Their priorities are our priorities.”
The full transcript of the Senators remarks are below:
“Hi Arizona. I’m Senate Democratic Leader Priya Sundareshan joined by Assistant Leader Catherine Miranda here to give you an update on the state budget.”
Senator Miranda: “We are well into the month of June with the new fiscal year set to kick off July 1st. The rest of our legislative work will be centered on getting a state budget across the finish line that invests in what Arizona’s need most.”
Senator Sundareshan: “Look, we have had decades of Republican tax cuts for the ultra wealthy in Arizona that have created the dismal revenue picture we see today. Which is why the budget must be crafted all the more carefully to ensure that we are using our limited state resources most effectively.”
Senator Miranda: “Since the session kicked off in January, Senate Democrats have consistently kept our priorities for Arizona at the forefront of our budget asks. We know that multi-prong investments in housing, workforce development, and child care would bolster the entire State’s economy and help Rural Arizona brace for the likely recession the Trump Administration is spurring on.
Senator Sundareshan “As Congress gears up to pass some version of Trump’s budget for billionaires, it is more critical than ever before that Arizona State budget act as a backstop to protect our most vulnerable. At the negotiating table, Senate Democrats will continue to prioritize Investments and services like 211, Arizona’s non-emergency hotline and legal aid that’s currently being threatened at the federal level.”
Senator Miranda: “Every year, Democrats stand beside our Public School Educators and Advocates to ensure our young people see the investment they deserve.”
Senator Sundareshan: “The universal expansion of ESA’s has left a massive hole in our state budget and has our neighborhood Public Schools fighting to stay afloat as Arizona ranks did last in the United States for per pupil, investment. In holding true to our commitment to invest in our collective future Senate Democrats are pushing for funds for K-12 public education, including restoring ongoing funds for the district additional assistance, and the opportunity weight and to properly account for inflation.”
Senator Miranda: “Arizona is a diverse state with unique needs. Our state budget must reflect the values of Arizonans and not the desires of the ultra wealthy or Donald Trump who is set his sights on violating due process rights in this country, ripping families apart and sending our military into American neighborhoods.”
Senator Sundareshan: “Working class Arizonans can remain confident that their priorities are our priorities in this budget. Senate Democrats will continue fighting for our future, our planet, and the ability for every Arizonan to start a business, raise a family and thrive right here in the desert.”
Senator Miranda: “While Republicans have consistently advocated for cuts to higher education, disability care, rural hospital resources, and shelter Services. Senate Democrats will always Advocate for a budget that serves all people. Thank you.”
House Leader Oscar De Los Santos, on seeing what House Republicans are offering as their budget solutions commented:
“What a joke and a farce. This is not the bipartisan negotiated budget that Democrats, Republicans and Governor Hobbs have been working on for weeks. It’s a haphazard House Republican-only budget that’s built to appease the hard-right Freedom Caucus – and as anyone could predict, it’s awful. From the documents we’ve seen, it will kick thousands of vulnerable low-income working families off their healthcare (AHCCCS) and cut funding for Arizonans living with developmental disabilities that we fought so hard to protect earlier this session. Shameful. Meanwhile, the House Republican plan fails to fund books and computers for public school students, financial aid for college students, and efforts to reduce homelessness. As we said on this session’s opening day, the budget will require Democratic votes to pass and be signed. A plan that is this harmful for our constituents and for working families in our state is a nonstarter. While House Republicans have been MIA from the bipartisan negotiations, House Democrats look forward to getting back to the real table and finish up the real, bipartisan budget.”
He later posted:
Below is the draft of what House Republicans are circulating around the Capitol.
Stay tuned. More to come.
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