Our View: Lawmakers will go straight to work on state budget crisis

The yearly opening of the Arizona Legislature at the state Capitol tends to be a joyous moment for lawmakers eager with anticipation about the improvements they will want to bring to the state on behalf of all Arizonians.

But the first day of the 2009 session should be a strictly somber affair — if not downright gloomy. State lawmakers arrive at work Monday with warnings ringing in their ears from State Treasurer Dean Martin that he will have to borrow billions of dollars to keep government agencies running and the budget faces outright bankruptcy in the coming months.

Gov. Janet Napolitano likely will try to sound more upbeat in her State of the State address. But Napolitano is counting the hours until she will join the cabinet of President-elect Barack Obama. The challenge of working with the Legislature to weather this crisis falls on the shoulders of Secretary of State Jan Brewer, who will move into the governor’s office when Napolitano resigns.

Make no mistake — this is a crisis, one that’s more serious than the “worst fiscal deficit in the state’s history” in 2003. Arizona had a $1 billion spending deficit last year, currently faces another shortfall of around $1.5 billion and potentially could be more than $2 billion in the red for the next budget which this Legislature also must adopt.

Unless lawmakers do the unthinkable and raise taxes, state spending has to be rolled back to levels from two or three years ago. Every single state resident will feel the impact. Voters might even get to contribute to the pain, as lawmakers could call a special election in March to change the state constitution and allow the Legislature to reduce spending for programs currently protected by prior voter approval.

The only immediate hope for relief could be a federal bailout for Arizona and other states after Obama takes office. But such a deal would come with many strings attached and won’t rescue the Legislature from making difficult budget cuts to education, health care and possibly public safety.

For this session, lawmakers will have an unique opportunity to reflect deeply on their task and to get their priorities straight. Incoming Senate President Bob Burns, R-Peoria, has pledged to not allow a single bill to reach the full Senate for debate until the Legislature has fulfilled its constitutional obligation to get the budget under control.

Incoming House Speaker Kirks Adams, R-Mesa, has suspended all regular committee meetings for the first week so members of his chamber can focus on budget matters.

This responsible approach to legislative business has been tried before, but always has given away to the stresses of parochial politics and personal egos. This year, the Arizona Legislature doesn’t have time for posturing or pettiness.

Lawmakers have to get our fiscal house in order, and they have to do it now.