LA Times: Arizona struggles with budget crisis

[marmar]

Arizona struggles with budget crisis
The Legislature faces a nearly $2-billion deficit, which rises to $3 billion next year. It's one of 35 states with ongoing budget problems, and experts say its plight is second only to California's.

By Nicholas Riccardi

November 27, 2009


Reporting from Phoenix - When the Arizona State Senate broke into disarray last week during its fourth special session in four months to deal with this state's seemingly perpetual budget crisis, Senate President Robert "Bob" Burns told his colleagues: "It amazes me we're having this much trouble. This is the easy part."

It took until Monday for the GOP-controlled Legislature to pass $300 million in spending cuts, ones they had already approved in June but which were vetoed by the state's Republican governor, Jan Brewer.

Even so, Republican lawmakers still argued among themselves over how to close what is a relatively small part of the state's deficit. Looming on the horizon is a nearly $2-billion gap that remains in this year's $10-billion budget. Next year the deficit rises to $3 billion.

In percentage terms, Arizona's deficit is nearly as big as California's, and although the state may lack a movie-star governor, there has been no lack of drama in Phoenix for several months.

The state has put its Capitol buildings on the block to raise money. It is trying to privatize its prisons, and some legislators are talking about a four-day school week. This month, the Pew Center on the States ranked Arizona as having the second-worst budget crisis in the nation, just behind California. ............(more)

The complete piece is at: http://www.latimes.com/news/nation-and-world/la-na-arizona-budget27-2009nov27,0,7766756.story

[47of74]

1. Explain to me again why it was a good idea to tap Janet Napolitano...

...to head up the Department of Homeland Security. I think Arizona would've been better served leaving her as Governor.

[poverlay]

2. It's like having a bunch of clowns doing the crazy too-small-car thing. If you think it's bad now,

wait until the idiot snow-bird-repugs vote Arpaio into office. My kids will be picking through the dump for a living..

[Flaneur]

3. Is Arpaio actually running for something besides sheriff?

[poverlay]

4. They just did a poll and he got 50ish % to Goddard's 36%ish in a hypothetical

gubernatorial matchup.

I have no doubt that if he(Arpaio) can figure out how to steal and scam as much or money as governor as he is as sheriff he'll run in a heartbeat. His scams have scams. How someone so blatantly & Shawshanky corrupt can convince half the electorate that he's the best thing since Wyatt Earp is completely beyond me. It makes me want to vomit.

[Name removed]

5. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Catshrink]

6. I may be many things, but I'm not brain dead and inarticulate.

That's a pretty broad brush you're using there.

[azmouse]

7. Your comment about the people of AZ is disgusting.

As in any other state, AZ has both the good and the bad.

Please avoid my state if you don't like it. Chances are we wouldn't think all that much of you either.

[Catshrink]

8. +1

[47of74]

9. Last year there was the possibility

Last year about this time there was the possibility that I would need to move to Phoenix for work. I had applied for a position with the place I work for at their Phoenix office. That was one of the things I was not looking forward to was having to live in the county where that southbound end of a northbound horse is sheriff. And it was one of the reasons I was actually quite relieved when I didn't get the position.