AZ Lawmakers Fail to Pass Education, Social Service Cuts
Get the Flash Player to see this player.
November 20, 2009
PHOENIX - A budget deal to cut another $300 million in education and health and welfare spending has failed in the Arizona Senate. Republican leaders plan to try again Monday after failing by one vote Thursday.
John Wright, president of the Arizona Education Association (AEA), the state's largest union representing educators, which opposes further cuts, says lawmakers can only cut so much of the state budget before the public is going to revolt.
"Parents are going to visit their children in school these days and find class sizes of 40 and higher, and recognize there are no school nurses or librarians. In fact, the libraries might be closed. It's just a cascading effect."
Even if the latest cuts are approved Monday, the current state budget will still be $1.7 billion out of balance. Wright says he agrees with Senate Democrats, who voted unanimously against the latest round of spending cuts, and who believe new state revenue sources are an essential part of any budget solution.
"With the budget cuts we've already endured, I think you have to find ways to increase revenue; borrow if necessary along with some more cuts where it's unavoidable. Two billion dollars more in this particular state budget - we just can't find that through cuts alone."
In addition to a one-cent sales tax hike, Wright says lawmakers should consider other revenue-raising ideas like suspension of all state income tax credits.
"When we're imposing these kinds of budget cuts on Arizona citizens, we cannot afford the luxury of subsidizing private school tuitions through tuition tax credits, or helping school districts pay for field trips or band uniforms when they're laying off reading teachers."
The AEA also proposes rasing money by borrowing against future revenues from the state lottery, the tobacco settlement and the vehicle license tax.