There Is Another Way: Arizona Budget Coalition Echoes Democrats’ Budget Proposals

Posted by AzBlueMeanie:

Republicans have controlled the Arizona House since 1967 — 42 years. And with a few short-lived exceptions, Republicans have controlled the Arizona Senate during the same period of time. Arizona's governors, Republicans and Democrats alike, have been hostage to Republican legislators.

With this kind of iron-fisted control over the state budget and tax and spending matters, the political media has come to accept these circumstances as a natural given. There is only one way, the Republican way. Democrats are only a minor distraction, and are generally to be ignored.

After more than forty years of unchecked Republican control over the state legislature, Arizona stands on the precipice of political paralysis and financial bankruptcy. More than forty years of Republican rule has ended in conservative ideological failure. It is time to throw the bums out. It is time for a change.

The Democrats have offered practical budget solutions of their own throughout the year which were ignored by the Accidental Governor and the GOP insane clown posse (and much of the political media). But a coalition of public support has been building around the Democratic budget proposals. Democrats offer a way out of this morass of political paralysis and financial bankruptcy. It is up to you, the voters of Arizona, to turn over the reins of power to the Democrats in November 2010 for the first time in 43 years if you really want a change and new leadership.

h/t Arizona Guardian for the video

The Arizona Budget Coalition, representing organizations against a GOP budget solution that relies heavily on spending cuts, proposed alternative means of raising revenue.

Representatives from the Arizona Education Foundation, the Children’s Action Alliance, the Service Employees International Union and the Protecting Arizona’s Family Coalition spoke at the press conference held on November 18. Arizona Budget Coalition echoes Democrats’ budget proposals:

The coalition, made up of 43 education, health and human services groups, proposed six alternative options to balance the state’s $2 billion deficit for this fiscal year, including some short- and long-term alternatives.

The coalition’s proposals echoed previous plans to raise sales taxes or widen the tax base, but it also suggested temporarily borrowing from state revenue streams, such as the state lottery and money from the state’s tobacco settlement, and restoring Department of Revenue staff to collect unpaid taxes. The suggestions were similar to what legislative Democrats have proposed.

On a less-specific level, the coalition recommended encouraging Congress and President Obama to send another round of stimulus money and making various accounting changes and funding adjustments.

Dana Naimark, president and CEO of the Children’s Action Alliance, said she felt like she was in the movie “Groundhog Day,” reliving the same proposed cuts in June, July and September. If forced to pick the one thing Legislators cannot cut, Naimark said she would have to pick two.

“There are many things, but children’s health care, including children’s rehabilitation services, and Child Protective Services, not just the investigation side, but services to keep children safe as well,” she said.

Andrew Morrill, vice president of the Arizona Education Association, had a different idea. He emphasized that investment in education years ago would have helped create a recession safeguard with regards to investment and outcome. He cited Arizona’s low national standings as reasons to avoid cuts to education.

“We know the impact of past cuts,” he said. “And all other options should be exercised before these cuts.”

And my personal ax to grind: Democrats have got to get behind the repeal of Prop. 108 (1992) — the two-thirds super-majority rule for all tax matters — to unshackle future legislatures from this foolish rule in order to permit timely practical solutions from the legislature to annual budget issues. It is the requisite first step to comprehensive tax reform. It is long past time to restore fiscal responsibility and accountability to the state legislature.