Operating deal sought amid budget debate

Legislative leaders are exploring ways to keep at least some of state government operating beyond June 30 even as they insist their contingency plans are unnecessary.

Senate President Bob Burns said he already has a proposal on his desk that would, in essence, authorize state agencies to continue spending money even if lawmakers and the governor are unable to agree on a new budget for the fiscal year that begins July 1.

"I'm not sure that's the route I want to take at this point," he said. "But I need to look that over."

"We have legal counsel looking into what our options are," said House Speaker Kirk Adams.

Part of the question for lawmakers is how much of government should keep operating if there is no actual budget.

One option would be to simply decide to keep everything going the way it is.

That is comparable to the kind of "continuing resolutions" routinely approved by Congress when it is unable to craft a new federal budget by the end of the federal fiscal year. Attorneys are still researching, though, whether a simple resolution of the Legislature is legally possible or whether it would require adoption of an actual spending plan, albeit a temporary one.

The other alternative would be solely to fund a stripped-down government.

That's the choice of Sen. Russell Pearce, R-Mesa, who chairs the Senate Appropriations Committee. He said he wants to fund only "vital service: public safety, education and critical health issues."

"We'll try to put together a contingency plan that makes sense," he said.

"We know there are certain services that must be continued," Pearce continued. "And we will try to continue those at an appropriate level."

Adams said that, at the very least, "we'll take all appropriate measures to ensure that essential services continue."

Pearce said, though, there is a risk of preparing such a plan, even as GOP leaders and Gov. Jan Brewer still have been unable to agree on all elements of a spending plan for the coming year: It could take the pressure off both sides that they need to act quickly or risk the wrath of voters who may want someone to blame if government shuts down.

Burns said he hopes the planning doesn't have that effect.

"We need to maintain the pressure and get done," he said.

Adams said "every effort" is being made to get a budget deal by the end of the month, regardless of any contingency plans.

That's also the assessment of House Minority Leader David Lujan.

"I think we're better off keeping the pressure on, coming up with a budget for a full fiscal year," he said.

"That's our main job, to come up with a budget," Lujan said. "And if we can't do that, then I don't think we're fulfilling our responsibilities as legislators."

And Lujan said the impending deadline may actually empower Democrats who have largely been ignored by GOP leaders who have instead crafted an $8.2 billion spending plan with only Republican votes, a spending plan that currently remains unacceptable to Brewer.

"We've been saying for six months now that we want to play a role and put forth a responsible budget," Lujan said. "I think having that deadline helps force them to do that."

Burns said, though, he remains convinced that a deal will be struck in the next 12 days, making such plans unnecessary.

"I guess I'm just optimistic," he said. "I mean, what's the alternative?"