NEWS RELEASE

 

DEMOCRATIC CAUCUS   ·   ARIZONA HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

 

House Democratic Leader David Lujan, D-Phoenix (District 15)

House Assistant Democratic Leader Kyrsten Sinema, D-Phoenix (District 15)

House Democratic Whip Chad Campbell, D-Phoenix (District 14)

House Democratic Policy Leader Steve Farley, D-Tucson (District 28)

House Democratic Leader Pro Tem Jack Brown, D-St. Johns (District 5)

 

www.strongerarizona.com

 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Sarah Muench

July 28, 2009

(602) 926-5848

smuench@azleg.gov

 

 

GOP’s risky deal cuts more from education and families, fails to balance budget

 

STATE CAPITOL, PHOENIX – Today Republican leaders deserted bipartisan talks and are working with Gov. Jan Brewer on a risky and dangerous budget deal that puts Arizona in a deeper fiscal hole over the next three years.

 

Republicans’ plan only guarantees more deep cuts to education, the disabled and seniors, something Brewer vowed she wouldn’t support.

 

“Once again, Republican leaders chose an unnecessary path of instability, risk and definite cuts to school children, seniors and people with disabilities,” said House Democratic Leader David Lujan. “We thought we were all making bipartisan progress for a stronger Arizona, but Republicans couldn’t leave hard-line partisanship behind. They chose worst case scenario, and Arizonans should be prepared for a long, tough economic road ahead.”

 

Republicans’ plan includes:

·         A huge risk that a one-cent sales tax increase won't pass at the ballot, but their proposed income tax decrease of $400 million a year and the permanent repeal of the state education equalization tax of $250 million a year will be implemented regardless, digging Arizona into an even bigger hole, with no new revenue guaranteed. This only benefits big corporations and the wealthy. Republicans now support the sales tax increase after signing a no-tax pledge.

·         A 3-year TABOR (Taxpayer Bill of Rights)-like spending cap for education, the disabled, seniors and more, guaranteeing that new growth will not be funded and schools will have to make deep cuts to meet the cap. That includes fewer classroom supplies and increased class sizes. Brewer vowed not to “decimate” these areas, but now supports it.

·         A ballot initiative to repeal the protections of education and health care funding afforded by Proposition 105. Voters originally brought the Voter Protection Act, which protects voter-approved initiatives to the ballot, preventing the legislature from raiding funding for or changing voter-approved measures, which would undermine the will of the voters. 

 

“This is one of the most dangerous plans Republicans have come up with yet,” said Assistant House Democratic Leader Kyrsten Sinema. “Instead of leading Arizona’s children and middle-class families on the right track toward economic stability and quality education, this plan takes the state in the wrong direction for years to come.”

 

Republicans’ tax increase plan only raises $75 million in revenue when tax cuts are added, still not enough to make up the $3.4 billion shortfall.

 

“If the state wanted a recipe for economic disaster, it got the best cooks in town,” said House Democratic Whip Chad Campbell. “Arizonans should be prepared because no one wins from this except big corporations and the wealthy.”

 

 

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