AZ Gov. and Legislature Must Act Soon to Avoid Crisis in Agency Funding
The Associated Press (AP) is reporting that unless the Governor and Legislature act soon the Arizona Department of Revenue and the Corporate Commission will have to make drastic cuts and may even run out of funds. The AZ Department of Revenue has only $40.6M after the veto of an expected $67 million dollar proposed budget. The 711-employee agency is facing November layoffs despite having cut 300 people from the payroll earlier in the year. The Corporate Commission is facing the closure of the Tucson office and layoffs in Phoenix.
While school districts budgets are based on the budget of September 4th (in which Governor Brewer vetoed cuts to education), most districts are not basing actual spending on the budget. There is a precedent – in January the legislature took back $133 million from schools. With a mounting deficit yet to be closed, school districts expect mid year cuts again.
Although Governor Brewer has suggested that a special session could be called to remedy the situation, House Majority Leader John McComish told the Arizona Republic that “there’s no chance that it will happen by the end of September.” While the Governor has the power to call back the legislature at any time, legislative leaders are still upset over budget item vetoes from the last session and are hinting that nothing will get done if they are called back next week.
Arizona’s mounting budget crisis is currently being covered by national outlets including Forbes, MSN Money and CNBC. To read more click on the article below.
Arizona budget rift threatens agencies, new firms, Forbes (AP), 9/25/09
Battle crossfire hits state agencies, Arizona Republic, September 26, 2009
Budget puzzle missing several pieces, East Valley Tribune, September 25, 2009
Budget moves help, but state still in big hole, Arizona Republic, September 9, 2009
Unbelievable. All of this partisan political theatre for what? “Upset over budget item vetoes from last session and are hinting nothing will get done if they are called back next week”…are you kidding me???? It’s their JOB to GET SOMETHING DONE! Brewer was wrong. Capitol isn’t a “hell hole” it’s a preschool full of temper tantrum throwing misfits.
FLAGSTAFF TODAY
1 Response for “Thirteen Arizona Rest Areas to Close Due to Budget Cuts”
Administrator says:
October 10, 2009 at 11:39 am
Arizona State budget fixes..perhaps?
I do not think that the powers to be are even concentrating on the real story & the BIG PICTURE in why the State of Arizona is over 2-(two) BILLION DOLLARS in the hole. I unwillingly left the Dept of Revenue in June of 2006 when we were about $989,000,000.00 in the hole. There is a real reason for the problem that could have been addressed about at least 5 years ago when the State of Arizona depended on a computer system-(BRITS)-that did not work the way it was supposed to—hence why the cities of Arizona have not been able to capture the taxes that were to be collected—there are way too many duplications & deletions from the current system–There are those completely responsible for this & perhaps they even preformed ILLEGAL actions–Just ask Lynette Nolan, Lori Gasper Sandra Hansen & her team why this is STILL the concern even to this day….monies will still not be collected, audits launched in error, billings established on the fly also in error, taxpayers even to this date are still not receiving their refund checks—refunds sent to the wrong addresses are most common, major corporations put on billings/duplications even after the conclusion of debt—The department let go of over 300 AZ State employees who most were the core of some departments & the less trained/ignorant folk were left to fend for themselves without the desired training…Band-aids will no longer work, there needs to be someone with the basic knowledge and blessed with common sense are needed to take a much closer look in WHY the state of AZ is bleeding profusely—There is an emergency declared here & there are those who need our help to put our state ahead?
posted by Administrator on behalf of:
Brian C. Atwood
Phoenix
STATE BUDGET
—From The East Valley Tribune-Letters to the Editor…September 25, 2009—-Sept 24, 09 8:15 pm
Broken system to blame
There is another reason why the state of Arizona is more than $3 billion in the hole. The problem could have been addressed about five years ago when the state depended on a malfunctioning computer system, the Business Reengineering/Integrated Tax System. Arizona cities have not been able to collect taxes properly due to duplications and deletions of data, false audits launched and erroneous billings established on the fly, refunds sent to the wrong addresses, and major corporations put on billings/duplications even after the conclusion of debt.
Taxpayers even to this date are still not receiving their refund checks. The department let go more than 300 employees — most were the core of some departments — and the less-trained were left to fend for themselves.
Band-Aids will no longer work. There needs to be someone with the basic knowledge and common sense to take a much closer look at why the state of Arizona is bleeding profusely.
BRIAN C. ATWOOD
PHOENIX