Arizona Legislative Republicans have released their budget proposal, and, in a move signaling the probable restart of negotiations, Governor Katie Hobbs has responded to it.
Dead on Arrival.
In a statement released by the Governor and her team, Hobbs wrote:
“I applaud Republican budget negotiators for releasing their budget proposal to the public. I’m thrilled to see they’ve included important initiatives that I have championed, including nearly $800 million in middle class tax cuts, continued funding for my Bright Futures initiative to lower the cost of childcare, and funding to ensure the children of working-class families don’t go hungry at school.”
“However, their proposal falls dramatically short of what the people of Arizona expect us to deliver. Their budget proposal doubles down on reckless and dangerous policies being forced on us by Washington, DC politicians. Just like in Washington, they’re paying for tax breaks for billionaires, data centers and special interests by kicking Arizonans off their healthcare and taking food off their tables. And they’re doing it because they refuse to negotiate on a once-in-a-decade opportunity to deliver over $1 billion in public school funding without raising taxes by a dime. These shameless political games are unacceptable to me. The last thing we need is to bring the dysfunction and chaos of Washington, DC to Arizona.“
“I look forward to Republicans joining me back at the negotiating table so we can deliver a budget that protects Arizona from Washington, DC policies instead of copying them. I will be closely monitoring the situation in the coming days to determine whether the legislative majority is willing to engage in good-faith, bipartisan negotiations and have the bill moratorium lifted.”
Later, in the Executive Tower, Governor Hobbs spoke about the need to reform the budget-sucking, fraud-riddled Empowerment Scholarship Account Private School Voucher Program, including setting income limits on the applicants, stating:
“The ESA program, in its current form, is not acceptable. It is a rampant drain of funds from public schools, and there is no accountability for how those funds are used. We’re seeing waste, fraud, and abuse. I’m willing to negotiate on the program in ways that put guardrails and accountability in place so that this fraud can’t continue to happen…I believe there should be some income limits. Those are also negotiable, but as you have seen, it’s hard to negotiate something when the other side is completely intransigent.”
In a series of House Democratic Leader Oscar De Los Santos also offered his perspective on the Republican Budget Proposal after attending a meeting of the House Appropriations Committee.
His comments included:
“ARIZONA’S REPUBLICAN BUDGET PUTS BILLIONAIRES, SPECIAL INTERESTS, DATA CENTERS, AND CORPORATIONS FIRST WHILE CUTTING OUR HEALTHCARE
Arizona Republicans just released their budget. Here’s what we know — and how they’re already conceding to Democratic priorities.”
“First, we are in this mess because of Donald Trump. His war in Iran and illegal tariffs have created economic chaos and driven up costs for working families — leaving Arizona with a huge deficit. The Republican “solution” is to give tax breaks to billionaires, special interests, and data centers — while ignoring the needs of working families.”
“Second, @GovernorHobbs ‘ hardball strategy worked — big time. By forcing their hand, Republicans have conceded on major Democratic priorities. Thanks to pressure from Gov. Hobbs, @AZHouseDems, and @AZSenateDems , Republicans have conceded on K12 funding, free school meals, child care, victims of crime, child care, and more.”
“Still, Arizonans should have serious concerns about the Republican budget. Their budget PROTECTS a tax handout to data centers . . . while kicking off tens of thousands of Arizonans from healthcare (AHCCCS).”
“On top of that, Republicans fail to seize a once-in-a-decade opportunity to increase funding for public school students — all without raising taxes — by extending Prop 123.”
The Republican plan puts data centers, billionaires, and corporations over:
Meals on Wheels for hungry seniors
Funding for 640,000 hungry children (SUN Bucks)
Affordable housing (defunds the Housing Trust Fund)
Public universities — meaning tuition could skyrocket for Arizona families and endangering scholarships for students.
The Republican budget also increases healthcare costs for DPS troopers, state firefighters, and other state employees. But guess what the Republicans do fund? They include $9 million for “special ballot paper” — an appropriation fueled by baseless election conspiracy theories.
“Let’s be honest: Because of the deficit that Republicans created, tough choices are unavoidable. But the Republican answer is to give tax breaks to large corporations like data centers while making working families pay the price. That’s just wrong.”
“WHAT HAPPENS NEXT: Arizona will get a better deal with all voices at the table. @AZHouseDems are ready to negotiate and deliver a balanced, bipartisan budget that puts affordability front and center.”
During the Appropriations Committee meeting today, Chairperson David Livingston said that the tax credits for Data Centers would be paid for by repealing state solar energy tax credits and taking away money from state universities.
Watch Democratic Assistant House Leader Nancy Guiterrez point out in the below exchange how stupid that idea is as she points out:
“We are taking back solar credits that could help the environment, but we are not taking back data center, and it is, to my estimate, $30 to $38 million that uses our water, our resources. I found that very interesting in this budget that data centers are held harmless. Actually, we’re giving them $30 million and taking $30 million this year alone from our state universities.”
Later, both De Los Santos and Senate Democratic Leader Priya Sundareshan appeared together condemning the “Corporations first Arizona last” budget, saying:
“Working families pay more so that the wealthy can pay less.
They’re cutting our health care and kicking thousands of Arizonans off of AHCCCS. Slashing $100 million from our public universities, causing tuition to skyrocket for Arizona families. Cutting Meals on Wheels for seniors and food for hungry children.
And at the same time, they’re protecting tax breaks for massive data centers while your electric bills keep going up. The Republicans cry about waste and fraud, but they ignore it in their own voucher program, where taxpayer dollars are being abused with zero accountability. And instead of helping you afford health care, housing, or groceries, they’re pushing for even more tax breaks for corporations that don’t even need them.
Let’s call this what it is. A corporation’s first Arizona last budget. Working families pay more so that the wealthy can pay less.”
Is it not about time that Republicans put forth a budget that does not break the backs of the poor and middle class by cutting their health and food care assistance, and asks their billionaire buddies to pay their fair share?
Is it not about time that Republicans defund corporate and plutocratic welfare programs like Data Centers and the Empowerment Scholarship Account Private School Voucher and Indoctrination Scam Program instead of forward solar sustainability tax credits and state universities?
Most Arizonans would probably say yes to both questions.
Time for Arizonans to vote for public servants that will deliver for them and not the top two percent.
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