More Education Cuts Back on the Table, November 5, 2009
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Lawmakers have been called back to Phoenix by Governor Brewer for a special session to address the budget deficit, now at $2.2 billion. House Majority Whip Andy Tobin said the deal that legislative leaders have reached with Gov. Jan Brewer would include $140 million in cuts to K-12 education. This would be to tackle the budget that was due June 30, 2009, now more than four months late.
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Earlier this year, Gov. Brewer line-item vetoed millions in cuts to education after lawmakers failed to approve a special election to temporarily raise the sales tax. Now, if there is enough support from rank and file members of the majority party, Brewer will call a special session for November 17th and discuss the budget that now includes these cuts.
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However, House Minority Leader David Lujan said he is wary of a special session that only includes cuts, without revenue generating dialogue included.
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Budget fix pitched to GOP lawmakers, Az Capital Times, Nov 4th
Budget deal would cut school aid by $144 Million, Az Daily Star, Nov 5th
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Wow, this is astonishing. Didn’t Brewer just file paperwork to run for Governor? Does she think she will endear herself to tens of thousands of voters of school-aged children by signing off on these cuts? She has been the “steward” (and I use that term loosely) over the biggest budget fiasco this state has ever seen. She’s been partisan to the detriment of the entire state, with her only saving grace has been the line-item vetoes to Education and DES cuts. She’s signing away all her chances of election if she signs a budget with these kinds of cuts.