PHOENIX — Republican Arizona lawmakers are so angered at new Democratic Gov. Katie Hobbs’ state budget proposal that one likened it to “poking the bear.’’
And now they are moving ahead with a plan to pass their own “basic’’ budget plan despite knowing it has no hope of getting her signature.
The budget plan that quickly passed the GOP-led Senate appropriations committee on Tuesday with no support from minority Democrats funds continued government operations for the fiscal year that begins July 1 with little additional spending, despite a $1.4 billion budget surplus.
What’s behind the move is a plan to enact a budget early in the legislative session to ensure state agencies keep operating in case Republicans find themselves at an impasse with Hobbs when a new spending plan needs to be in place by July 1. The GOP-controlled House expects to move the same proposal sometime this week.
If the $15.8 billion spending plan reaches Hobbs’ desk, it faces a sure hit from her veto stamp.
Hobbs spokeswoman Josselyn Berry called the Legislature’s action “a hollow political stunt’’ and said the governor has no interest in a “one-sided budget that lacks bipartisan input or negotiating.’’
Berry repeated Hobbs’ invitation to any lawmaker who wants to negotiate seriously but said, “this do-nothing budget does nothing but kick the can down the road, and it’s an insult to the Arizonans who elected both the governor and this Legislature to get to work addressing real issues.”
‘Skinny budget’
During Tuesday’s appropriations committee hearing on the basic budget plan, Republicans on the panel said it starts with last year’s bipartisan budget and adjusts formulas as required for inflation, while also boosting capital funding for schools by $200 million to help settle an ongoing funding lawsuit.
“It is a responsible budget. It’s a wise budget,” said Sen. Jake Hoffman, R-Queen Creek. He chided Democrats for their belief it is “predetermined’’ that Hobbs will veto it.
“I don’t think it will get vetoed,’’ Hoffman said. “I don’t think it should get vetoed.’’
Hoffman and appropriations committee Chairman Sen. John Kavanagh said passing what’s being called a “skinny budget’’ gives certainty to state employees and schoolteachers by ensuring there is no government shutdown if there is no new spending plan by the time the new fiscal year begins July 1.
The GOP majority finds itself in a strange situation.
‘People who rely on’ state money
Republicans are still trying to come to terms with the fact that there is a Democrat in the governor’s office for the first time since Janet Napolitano stepped down to take a job in the Obama administration in early 2009. Napolitano, too, battled a majority Republican Legislature, while using her veto stamp and only signing budget plans that contained priorities she backed, like all-day kindergarten.
Kavanagh also pushed back on Democratic senators who said the plan continues the priorities of Republican former Gov. Doug Ducey, complained it was only given to their members on Monday evening and labeled it a “phony budget.’’ He said Republicans have been talking about passing their own budget plan since the session started three weeks ago.
“It won’t be a phony budget to the state employees, to those people (who) rely on state monies come July when government shuts down,’’ Kavanagh said.
“To them, this wouldn’t have been a phony budget,’’ he continued. “This would have been a lifesaver budget for them, including schools and teachers.’’
But Democratic Sen. Lela Alston of Phoenix, one of the longest-serving lawmakers in the Legislature who has worked with both Democratic and Republican governors, said GOP lawmakers need to realize they must talk to the minority party and the governor.
“It’s just a power grab and a signal that you don’t want to work with Democrats, don’t want to work with the governor,’’ Alston said.
