Budget Update: Something’s Gotta Give Soon

Posted by AzBlueMeanie:

Last week the Arizona Legislature adjourned sine die to give the Accidental Governor an additional ten days to negotiate a budget agreement more to her liking after the GOP insane clown posse leadership gave up and sent her nearly the identical budget she vetoed as "fatally flawed" on July 1. The Accidental Governor has until Saturday, September 5 to either sign, veto, or allow this budget to become law without her signature.

Bipartisan negotiations have been underway for about ten days, with the various proposals under discussion not being publicly discussed at the request of the Ofiice of the Governor – not the Democrats, Scarpinato – you putz.

Speaking to reporters after touring the Olive Branch Senior Center in Sun City on Aug. 26, Brewer said she won't call another special session until she reaches a budget agreement in her five-party talks with Republican and Democratic leadership. Arizona Capitol Times (subscription required).

Since the budget negotiations are embargoed, I do not have any inside baseball news to share on the progress, if any, of the negotiations. I did hear from a Democratic negotiator that the Republicans are furious with the Accidental Governor for her stubborness on the sales tax referral. She may have only a few supporters in the Legislature, and even they are shaky. Perhaps her last and only supporters are the editors of The Arizona Republic; no one cares much what they think.

Given this lack of support within the Republican Party, it is all the more curious that last week The Arizona Republic reported that Brewer eyes 2010 run for governor – must be more wishful thinking by those same editors.

Gov. Jan Brewer on Thursday told The Arizona Republic that she's "leaning" toward seeking a full term as governor next year, the clearest indication to date of her campaign plans.

[I] It also appears aimed at sending a signal to members of her own party who – some openly and some not – have been weighing gubernatorial campaigns of their own.

"I'm leaning in that direction, towards running," Brewer said during an hourlong interview Thursday. "I know the amount of commitment, the amount of time that it takes."

* * *

"I feel that I need to finish the state's business for this year. I feel that responsibility very strongly," Brewer said. "If I can get the state's business under control, then I can possibly, hopefully, get organized to run."

Brewer political adviser Chuck Coughlin said last week Brewer "wants to run," but his counsel on whether she should do so may depend on whether she gets the tax hike she seeks. The Arizona Capitol Times (subscription required) reports Brewer won’t base her decision on whether to run for a full term in 2010 on the outcome of a public vote on her sales tax increase proposal.

“We have plenty of time, I suppose, to decide when I’m going to run. It’s early. The previous governor didn’t announce until March when she ran for re-election. So we’ve got time. We’ve got time. It’s not like I’ve not run elections before. I’ve ran a few. I kind of know how to organize and get the job done quickly and do it then.”

Chuck Coughlin also said last week that "If Democrats are unwilling to help her, than maybe she'll give this job back to them." Well, if that's how you feel, Gov, what is stopping you? It's all the rage right now for Republicans to up and quit and "pull a Palin" – just claim that you can better serve the people of Arizona if you are not in office.

I can't argue with that.

Whatever you do, you had better do it soon or Arizona soon will run out of the ability to borrow money and will have to start issuing IOUs.