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Our View: State Legislature got it done right — finally
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The Arizona Legislature has finally found some serious discipline by resolving an immediate and enormous budget deficit in relatively quick fashion and with an eye toward balancing the priorities of the state’s diverse population.
In less than three weeks, lawmakers have eliminated about $1 billion in spending that was exceeding this year’s tax revenues.
Another $600 million came from the state’s “rainy day” fund and a conservative estimate of what Arizona should receive if a federal economic stimulus package passes Congress.
Past legislatures have dithered for months before acting, in a tug-of-war between Republican leadership worried about taxes and debt and a Democratic minority — backed by a Democratic governor — that wanted to protect as many government programs as possible.
The elevation of Republican Jan Brewer to governor tipped the political scales this time, and the Legislature handled its most important task in the right way — for once.
That’s not to say these decisions were easy. Almost no lawmaker wants to see state parks close, educators laid off or furloughed, and additional delays in getting assistance with potential poisonings. But lawmakers would have done the state no favors by postponing an inevitable downsizing in an economy that won’t recover for some time.
The challenges are far from over — as is pain for every Arizonan who depends on state government for some service. The potential deficit in the next budget exceeds $2 billion. The Legislature must remain focused and see this task through to the end.
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