COVID-19 & Healthcare

Time is running out on the Arizona Legislature to pass a budget

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Posted by AzBlueMeanie:

Salvador DaliThe Arizona legislature is still in session as it engages in a protracted battle over Governor Jan Brewer's Medicaid (AHCCCS) restoration/expansion plan and the state budget, the one constitutionally prescribed duty of the legislature, which is due by July 1. Arizona Constitution, Article 9, Section 4.

Today marks the end of the temporary one-cent sales tax approved by voters, resulting in a substantial loss of sales tax revenue. State’s 3-year-old temporary sales tax ends today:

The tax has raised $2.7 billion during its three-year run, with
two-thirds of it going to the K-12 system. The remaining third was split
between health care and public safety.

With the expiration of the temporary one-cent sales tax, the corporate welfare tax-giveaway plan laughingly labeled a "jobs bill" that passed in a special session back in 2011 will now begin to phase in over time beginning with FY 2014 (July 1), further reducing state revenues:

Senate Bill 1001 (2011) is
filled with tax breaks and incentives for businesses large and small.
The legislative budget office estimated its cost at $538 million by 2018, when all the tax cuts
are phased in.

Brewer's advisors acknowledged that there
is no guarantee the changes would yield enough new investment and jobs
to offset the anticipated revenue loss.

Several other business tax cut measures enacted since 2011 are also scheduled to be phased in over time beginning with FY 2014 (July 1).

On Wednesday’s Bill Buckmaster Show

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by David Safier Bill Buckmaster and I had an interesting discussion on the second half of his Wednesday radio show. (You can listen to it here.) Bill was as concerned as I am about the inBloom project, which was our first topic. The Bill Gates Foundation has plowed $100 million into a data bank which … Read more

Frank Antenori and Ron Gould are desperate for media attention

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Posted by AzBlueMeanie:

When I opened the Arizona Daily Star this morning, I was treated to a Howard Fischer report on how former state legislators Frank Antenori and Ron Gould are planning a referendum drive should the Arizona legislature enact Governor Jan Brewer's Medicaid (AHCCCS) restoration plan. 2 want Medicaid issue up to voters:

Frank Antenori, who represented Tucson, said Tuesday he already has written commitments from 500 GOP precinct committeemen to gather signatures this summer to refer the issue to the ballot if the proposal by Gov. Jan Brewer is approved by the Legislature. He and Ron Gould of Lake Havasu City need just 86,405 valid signatures within 90 days of the end of the session — whenever that happens — to force the issue to a public vote.

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House Speaker Andy Tobin said Tuesday he has given up on his own bid to make approval of Brewer's plan contingent on voter approval at a special election. Tobin said he cannot line up support in his chamber.

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Antenori said, though, it should be no problem finding enough Arizonans to sign referendum petitions — especially if the measure is sold as a way to kill "Obamacare.''

Just getting the signatures would be a setback for Brewer. The Arizona Constitution says any measure referred to the ballot cannot take effect until voters get a chance to either ratify or reject what lawmakers have approved.

The earliest that could happen is the 2014 general election. Antenori said that delay works in his favor.

Planned Parenthood wins defunding case

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Posted by AzBlueMeanie:

The U.S. Supreme Court on Tuesday declined to hear an appeal from Indiana in the 7th Circuit Court of Appeals involving that state's attempt to defund Planned Parenthood from use of federal Medicaid funds on the theory of "indirectly subsidizing" abortions (state and federal law bans use of these funds for abortions).

The Indiana law is nearly identical to the Arizona law that seeks to defund Planned Parenthood on the same specious grounds, which is on appeal before the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals. The Arizona Republic reports today, Supreme Court declines to hear abortion case:

In a decision that may have implications for Arizona, the
Supreme Court refused to consider Indiana’s appeal of a lower-court decision
striking down its denial of Medicaid funds to health-care providers that
perform abortions. The law was challenged by Planned Parenthood.

A similar Arizona abortion law is on hold pending appeal
to the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals. A hearing in that case is
scheduled for June 12.

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The Indiana law aimed to deny Planned Parenthood funds
from the joint federal-state Medicaid health program for the poor that
are used for general health services, including cancer screening.