House passes budget, afraid to transmit it to the Governor for her veto

Posted by AzBlueMeanie:

The main budget bill passed the House on a 32-24 vote, one vote more than needed. Legislature OKs budget but will talk with Brewer No Democrats voted for this turkey of a GOP budget. Three Republicans broke with party ranks and voted against the spending plans: Representatives Bill Konopnicki of Safford, Doug Quelland of Phoenix and Vic Williams of Tucson. (Being under pressure from LD 26 Democrats must have had an effect on him).

The GOP clown possee leadership managed to pass its budget, but it is holding off transmitting the budget to the Governor.

"The budget is viewed by many Capitol observers as a 'practice budget' since a Brewer veto was widely expected. The governor did not have immediate comment Thursday night about the prospect of reopening budget discussion with Adams and his counterpart in the Senate, Burns."

House Speaker Kirk Adams and Senate President Bob Burns said they hope to use their $8.2 billion plan as leverage in renewed budget talks with the governor.

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All options will be on the table, Adams said, even a tax increase.

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Rep. Jim Weiers, R-Phoenix, said it didn't make sense for the Republican-controlled Legislature to send a budget to the governor only to have it vetoed.

But Weiers, a former House speaker, said he was voting for the budget on the strength of Adams' pledge that he would hold the bills pending budget talks with Brewer.

Anticipate an eventual veto because the GOP budget is not balanced and does not close the deficit gap estimated by the Governor's office.

[The Governor's] spokesman said the plan has its shortcomings.

"It appears that the package is about $1 billion short of being balanced and has a few unworkable elements," Paul Senseman said.

He said some of those elements include a $200 million cut to K-12 education, a shift of $150 million from local governments and the risk of losing federal stimulus dollars due to a rollover of higher-education dollars.

Even the budget's most ardent supporters acknowledged its shortcomings, and most conceded it will need more work – either through negotiations with Brewer, or in a special session later this year.

Democrats remain steadfast in their oppostion to this GOP turkey of a budget that is built around fealty to the Grover Norquist "no new taxes" pledge.

From cuts to programs that serve the developmentally disabled to those that serve veterans, from $220 million in reductions to education to policy changes tucked into the spending plan, Democrats railed against the budget as taking Arizona in the wrong direction.

Rep. Pat Fleming, D-Sierra Vista, said a $500,000 cut to veteran's services is a disservice.

"Reduction to this department is disrespectful and shameful for all our veterans," Fleming said.

Rep. Dave Bradley, D-Tucson, called it the "shrink, shift and shaft" budget.

"(We're) shrinking the size of government not to improve its efficiency or its effectiveness, but because we can," he said. "We're going to cut because we have the opportunity to cut."

The ball is now in the court of the Governor. Gov, just veto this "practice budget" and let's finally get serious about getting down to business on crafting a budget. Enough fun and games from the GOP insane clown possee.