In the latest turn in the Fiscal Year 23/24 budget chess game at the Arizona State Capitol, Governor Katie Hobbs predictably vetoed the Republican only skinny budget passed along party lines over the last two weeks. In a press release explaining her justified veto, Governor Hobbs offered: “Arizonans deserve a budget that takes the real … Read more
The Arizona State House of Representatives, in a 46 to 14 vote, secured a suspension of the Aggregate Expenditure Limit (AEL) for this year by passing Republican David Cooks HCR2001. The AEL is the archaic 1980s legal mechanism, that if allowed to be applied in March, would deny traditional public schools the right to spend … Read more
Republicans in both Arizona and Washington D.C. really have no stomach for governing with the other leading party. That would require a good faith effort and a recognition that your side is not going to get everything it wants. The evidence for that. Both groups do not want to produce serious budgets and negotiate with … Read more
Arizona Governor Katie Hobb’s first budget (for the 2023/24 year) totaling about $17.1 billion reflects the Democratic values and commitment to long-term financial stability that was lacking in prior Ducey budgets. More tax cuts for the very wealthy? Nope. A continuation of the expanded school voucher program for the wealthy? Not happening in Governor Hobb’s … Read more
It was a tale of two vastly different political parties at the opening of the Arizona State Legislature on January 9, 2023 for all of Arizonans to see. The Arizona Democrats, as they have done every year recently, presented their Blueprint for a Better Arizona of how to build strong schools, tackle the housing crisis, … Read more