Gov. Jan Brewer is defending the cuts she already has made to child health programs — and those she wants to make — as she declared Monday to be Arizona Child Health Day.
Brewer said the formal declaration is designed to focus on preventative care for children, including ensuring they eat good food and exercise. She said there is nothing inconsistent about the proclamation she signed and the spending cuts she has championed.
“I think today we’re celebrating preventative care for children which we all know is very, very important to that young population to make them aware of that they can be in fact in control of their destiny in regards to properly eating good food and watching that they don’t become obese and exercise daily,’’ the governor said of the proclamation.
The move, though, comes after state lawmakers — with Brewer’s approval — have closed off enrollment to the Kids Care program, which provides health insurance to the children of the working poor, including preventative health care. That has left more than 20,000 eligible children without care.
She also wants voters to approve Proposition 302. That would kill the First Things First program designed to improve early childhood health and development.
Brewer would not talk about those moves specifically, other than to say the cuts are unfortunate. But she did acknowledge the state’s financial situation is going to require even more spending cuts.
“Now, where those will be made is not entirely clear,’’ the governor said. “But we know that we cannot sustain what Arizona has been providing for in the past because of what has happened with the economy and the revenues.’’
That assessment drew derision, both from Terry Goddard — who hopes to oust Brewer in next month’s general election — and from groups that support more spending on programs for children.
“She’s holding back stimulus money that could save some of the chid welfare programs that have been cut,’’ Goddard charged, estimating the figure at $100 million. “This is very simply the meanest budget for kids that Arizona’s ever seen.’’
He said that includes not just trying to phase out Kids Care but also reducing the child care subsidies “so working moms can work instead of sitting home and taking welfare.’’
But gubernatorial press aide Paul Senseman said every dollar the governor has received in discretionary stimulus dollars from the federal government — those not required to be spent on specific programs — already has been allocated.
Senseman said that includes $35 million for job training and economic development, $50 million for the prison system, $20 million for local public safety, $22 million for the state health department and $46 million to the Department of Economic Security.
Brewer read the proclamation at a ceremony in front of Maricopa Medical Center. Security guards kept a handful of protestors with signs on the sidewalk, off hospital property.
One of those was Tim Schmaltz, lobbyist for Protecting Arizona’s Families.
He said the health programs could be saved, and not by cutting elsewhere. The key is raising more money — beyond the proceeds from the temporary 1-cent sales tax hike approved by voters in May that will generate more than $900 million a year for the next three budget years.
“If we have to raise taxes, we should raise taxes to protect the most vulnerable, particularly children,’’ Schmaltz said.
He is specifically looking at the fact that Arizona law generally exempts the purchase of services — as opposed to goods — from the state sales tax, currently 6.6 percent with that temporary one-cent bump.
Brewer has so far been unwilling to consider altering the tax system. And many Republicans say higher taxes will depress the economy and slow the recovery.
Schmaltz disagreed.
“There are many sectors of our economy that are flourishing and that have flourished,’’ he said.
“There are parts of this economy that, even in this severe downturn where children are really suffering, particularly poor children, that we could do things to do something,’’ Schmaltz said. And he chided Brewer for her opposition.
“Rather than just stand up and proclaim that we care about children, we should act like we care about children,’’ he said.
Goddard also has said the state needs to revamp its sales tax structure, pointing out, for example, that spa treatments and day-care services for pets are exempt.
Senseman said the amount of money any of those would raise would not be enough to balance the budget. But Goddard said they could produce enough to save some programs for children.
Brewer also blamed some of the state’s problems on President Barack Obama, specifically on the new federal health care legislation.
It prevents the state from cutting eligibility for any programs already in existence. That has barred the state from eliminating anyone from the Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System, its Medicaid program, which now provides free care for anyone below the federal poverty level, about $18,300 a year for a family of four.
Goddard, however, pointed out that it was Arizona voters who mandated that coverage. And even without the federal mandate, he said, it cannot be trimmed without taking the question back to voters.
Brittanicus posted at 4:55 pm on Mon, Oct 4, 2010.
Personally--I'm angry and frustrated in being taxed in the conveyor belt for illegal alien welfare. I have a son who has Asbergers disorder and I get very little help from the state and federal government, yet I still must contribute to in-state tuition for the children of illegal aliens. I still have to have some of my tax money going towards dialysis or serious medical treatment for foreigners who pay--NOT A PENNY, while my step daughter cannot even get any dentistry in the once great state of California, because she is over 21 years of age. All I know is if we mass deported every illegal aliens, every state, county and city agency would not be overrun by the impoverished of other countries. I have but one vote and Senator Evan Bayh (D-IN) and Sen. Richard Lugar (R-IN), who have obnoxious illegal immigration records. I just wish they were incumbents so we can dump them on the wayside and not have to pay there outrageous salaries, and long vacations at the end of each Senate session, along with all their special privileges and benefits. I am sick that our legislators are continually pandering to foreign nationals, who shouldn't even be in this country. That politicians who allow millions of business that hire illegal aliens, paying absolutely not a nickel--to the health care and schooling for illegal children. Get more informed at NumbersUSA & Judicial Watch. Something to keep in mind that there is hardly any security, when it comes to--ONLY--citizens voting. Democrats specifically don't make it clear that--ONLY--US CITIZENS can vote in November or in any election. GOOGLE--voter fraud and then be ready to watch for suspicious activities, as illegals knowingly or otherwise unintentional will use either absentee ballots or the polling places.
abimopectore posted at 5:09 pm on Mon, Oct 4, 2010.
The irony of the moment is that the Governor has no shame. I am not surprised. She should have cancelled the declaration and crawled into her little hole of an office that she's created.
VIMIIS posted at 5:38 pm on Mon, Oct 4, 2010.
I am confused. The article said that she wants to cut child care subsidiaries so moms can go to work. Does she realize that if working mothers are paying the full price of daycare for a 40 hr work week, there would be no money left for living expenses. Does she realize how expensive day care costs are per week? Probably not nor does she care. She wants mothers to go to work, but does not want to split the cost of daycare with the parent. See how fast these moms end up with no daycare at all because they cannot afford it and end up staying home collecting welfare because they have no choice.
kandikitten23 posted at 7:32 pm on Mon, Oct 4, 2010.
It seen as if no one cares about the future of america I work seven days a week to support my family and my employer doesnt offer insurance so i turned to ahcccs to make sure my children were covered but it turns out that me, my daughter, and my husband are eligable but our son is not. according to the people at ahcccs they take more then half of my monthly income and use that money to put my 5 year old son over the income limit so i am stuck barely being able to feed and cloth my kids because i have to spend over 150 dollars a month so my son with epilepsy can see a doctor and get his medicine. It makes me sick to hear jan brewer say that we're celebrating preventable care for children, when in fact she is destroying the lives of our children by not giving them the health care they need.
Carolyn posted at 12:00 am on Tue, Oct 5, 2010.
Jan Brewer is the WORST catastrophe to hit the State of Arizona in decades. She needs to be DUMPED in November.
kenj12 posted at 12:57 am on Tue, Oct 5, 2010.
"Brewer also blamed some of the state’s problems on President Barack Obama, specifically on the new federal health care legislation." Does Brewer expect to get away with such blatant hypocrisy?
The fact is that the "Obama care" Brewer loves to condemn saved 310,000 Arizonan adults and 40,000 of their children (none of them illegal aliens by the way) from being tossed out of AHCCCS by Brewer, who'd already signed the legislation doing just that!
The real problem with Arizona is the greed of its Jan Brewers, who have plenty of money but will fight to the end to make sure not one dime more goes to help the state and the people in it who need it. What a poseur!
soricobob posted at 6:10 am on Tue, Oct 5, 2010.
It takes a special kind of person to be a politician: speak out of both sides of your mouth, don't blink an eye when faced with the truth, not feeling guilty about anything, and tell everyone what a great job you're doing. It's not just Brewer, it's any politician.
n2mark posted at 8:06 am on Tue, Oct 5, 2010.
Why don't people understand the needs of the people? Sorry, I forgot, she is not in touch with families especially those who are hurting. She is too busy listening to Pearce and Burns who are hateful, ugly old men. Brewer is not the governor, she is the puppet of Pearce and Burns.
Our state legislature libertarians are hateful and think everyone should follow their evil ways.
Haddie Nuff posted at 12:23 pm on Tue, Oct 5, 2010.
Interesting that Senseman, in listing allocation of federal stimulus discretionary funds, lists $50 million to prisons, the highest amount of all the categories. Senseman is an ex-lobbyist for the private prison industry, and his wife remains an active lobbyist for private prisons.
So we can keep the industry happy, but we can't take care of our kids? We could stop mandatory prison sentences for some of the first time nonviolent offenders and cut back on our prison population. Those people should be required to hold jobs and pay taxes, not increase the inmate count.
Santiagojjjr posted at 7:01 pm on Tue, Oct 5, 2010.
"Governor Jan Brewer, Arizona Anti-Christ!"
Jan Brewer's cruel budget cuts and policies devastate Arizonans.
And she doesn't care!
Just a few of her issues are addressed in this vid, but her black heart is evident.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J1azVhytJYQ
ghostme15 posted at 7:39 pm on Tue, Oct 5, 2010.
Wake up Arizona. She is a selfish greedy moran who needs to go away.She has the money for what she wants and that is for the big companies. She hates children and education. Our kids can get sick and be the dumb kids in world.She received money from Feds for healthcare but kids wont see it.
snipes posted at 8:38 pm on Tue, Oct 5, 2010.
This is the definition of hypocrisy.