Está en la página 1de 2

Shooting update

Details of the scene, the suspect


and Giffords’ surgery/A8
n Comment on the news online at YumaSun.com

Today’s high: 65°


MONDAY, JANUARY 10, 2011  50 CENTS Details on C8

2011 ARIZONA LEGISLATURE

a question of math BY HOWARD FISCHER, CAPITOL MEDIA SERVICES

Legislators return to the


Capitol for new session HOW WE GOT HERE

P
HOENIX — The key issue How did the state get into its current mess? It’s simple: It is spending more than it takes in.
for lawmakers as they Some of that is being “managed” through accounting maneuvers, like paying — and booking —
some current expenses in future fiscal years. Legislators also have approved long-term borrowing,
gather at the Capitol today
providing the state immediate cash but having to be repaid, with interest, over a long period of time.
is whether the state can The infusion of more than $2 billion in federal stimulus dollars has supplemented the tax
afford the government it has. collections. But when all that is factored out, Arizona has a “structural deficit,” where ongoing
It’s a simple question of math. revenues don’t keep pace with ongoing expenses.
There is an $825 million gap between antici-
pated revenues and expenses for the balance of
this fiscal year. More than half of that is due to REVENUES AND EXPENSES IN THE STATE BUDGET OVER TIME
the refusal of Arizonans to let lawmakers raid
some voter-approved programs to divert the
cash to fund other priorities. 12
But with half the fiscal year already gone,
House Speaker Kirk Adams said it’s impossible 10 Ongoing expenses
to cut enough to bring the books into balance.
8
Billions of dollars

On top of that, the state, in taking federal funds, Ongoing revenues


agreed not to scale back certain the programs.
6
So what does that leave? “All options are on
the table,” Adams said.
4
That could mean more borrowing, more raid-
ing of special funds, and more accounting gim-
2
micks, like delaying payment of some bills due
this fiscal year into the next one.
But incoming Senate President Russell 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012* 2013* 2014*
Pearce said any temporary budget maneuvers Budget year
to balance this year’s budget only complicate *Estimates. Revenues for 2011, 2012 and 2013 include proceeds from a temporary 1-cent hike in state sales taxes, scheduled to expire May 30, 2013.
the job lawmakers face for the new fiscal year Source: Joint Leslative Budget Committee
that begins July 1. Estimates put the deficit at

Roots of budget problems


$1.4 billion.
“The longer you wait (to make permanent There are some suggestions that the structural
cuts), the more difficult it is to fix,” he said.
But House Minority Leader Chad Campbell
argued that sharp cuts are unnecessary, citing
reach back to 2007 deficit was created, at least in part, by permanent
reductions in taxes enacted by lawmakers during
periods of surplus. The major reduction has been in
a list of close to $10 billion of transactions ex- BY HOWARD FISCHER individual income taxes.
SEE MATH/A5 CAPITOL MEDIA SERVICES The top rate applies to individuals with taxable
income of at least $150,000 a year, and $300,000 a
PHOENIX — Back in 2007, when the year for couples.
economy began to falter, then-Gov. Janet
Napolitano had the chance to start cut-
THE NEW CLASS ting state expenses to match the decline
in tax collections. INDIVIDUAL INCOME TAXES OVER TIME
She didn’t. Instead the governor pro-
posed — and eventually got enacted — a 8
Republicans Democrats budget that essentially papered over the
gap between revenues and spending. It re- 7.0 6.9
7
lied heavily on borrowing and deferring
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES expenses.
For Napolitano, cutting back on some 6
5.6
Past two years: programs she worked hard to start or ex- 5.17 5.1 5.04
pand was a non-starter. Anyway, she told 5 4.79
4.54
Capitol Media Services at the time, the
Top rate (percentage)

problem was just a fiscal pothole. 4


“That question presumes a static econo-
my,” Napolitano said. “The history of Ari- 3
zona is, we go down and then we come up.
This year: And our population continues to grow.” 2
While she acknowledged the unantici-
pated sharp decline in state revenues, 1
Napolitano said the state can’t afford to
spend less than it does now.
Some of that, she said, is because any- 1990 1994 1995 1997 1998 1999 2006 2007
time the state’s economy slows down the Year
SENATE SEE HERE/A5 Source: Arizona Department of Revenue

Past two years:

This year:
MORE INSIDE
•  Other issues that might be •  Legislature by the numbers, •  Preview of Gov. Jan Brewer’s
considered this session/A5 past and present/A5 address to the Legislature/A5

Somerton creating new walking paths in the city


BY CESAR NEYOY middle of this year on the first little more than $700,000.
BAJO EL SOL path, which will extend the ex- That path will follow Cesar
isting path on Main Street from Chavez Avenue from Main Street
SOMERTON — This city will Bingham Avenue farther west to to County 15th Street and would
build three new walking paths for Somerton Avenue. Lamps, bench- consist of separate routes, one
residents who want to become or es and trash receptacles will be for walking and the other for run-
stay physically fit. installed as part of the project ning.
Similar to an existing path on that is anticipated to cost close to The city’s ultimate goal is to
the east side of city along Main $390,000. surround the city with walking
Street, the walkways will be con- The next phase of work will be paths that are at once functional
structed over a period of three construction of a path from Main and beautify the city, Palacios
years at a cost of more than $1.5 Street to County 17th Street, said.
million, city public works direc- along a canal that runs north and “All this is proposed in the mas-
tor Samuel Palacios said. south, at an anticipated cost of ter plan approved in 2005, and de-
Included in the city’s master $513,000. pending on whether there funds
plan as a beautification project, “We want residents of the near- available from the state, and if we
the walkways will be created by subdivisions to have access to qualify, we would start other proj-
with grants from the Arizona De- those walkways and to use them ects to cover everything around
partment of Transportation and to exercise,” Palacios said. the city.”
the Federal Highway Administra- In December, City Hall was no- For the city, he added, the cost PHOTO BY CESAR NEYOY/BAJO EL SOL
tion, he said. tified of approval of funds for a of the project is minimal because SOMERTON PLANS TO  create three new walking paths like this one in the
Construction could begin the third walking path at a cost of a it is putting up a 5 percent match. city beginning this year.
YUMA SUN, MONDAY, JANUARY 10, 2011  A5

Governor’s speech to focus on ‘higher good’


Text revised in light of Saturday’s shootings in Tucson ture at every session the condi-
tion of the state, and recommend
minds,” he said.
Last year, seeking to save about
such matters as he shall deem $1.4 million, lawmakers decided
BY HOWARD FISCHER What changed all that was the a man with a gun went to the expedient.” This year, however, to stop funding transplants for
CAPITOL MEDIA SERVICE shooting in Tucson that left six board’s meeting room where he those details will come in printed those enrolled in the Arizona
dead, including a federal judge, targeted and shot colleague Mary form during the week. Health Care Cost Containment
PHOENIX — Don’t look for and seriously wounded U.S. Rep. Rose Wilcox because she had The shooting also has resulted System (AHCCCS), the state’s
Gov. Jan Brewer to give a State of Gabrielle Giffords. voted to support a tax for a new in legislative Democrats postpon- Medicaid program, for people
the State speech today. ing a planned press conference for with certain medical conditions.
Instead, the governor will fo- baseball stadium. Brewer her-
Yes, the governor will take the this morning with several people Proponents said the evidence was
podium in the Arizona House of cus on those who serve, including self recalled that incident when
public officials like Giffords and speaking to reporters Saturday. who are awaiting transplants the that people with these conditions
Representatives this afternoon, state is no longer funding. had a low post-transplant surviv-
the first day of the session. Judge John Roll. But it also in- “It was a realization that these
“Obviously, this issue is still al rate.
But she won’t be providing de- cludes the police and firefighters. things can happen, that we have, very important to us,” Senate Most immediately affected
tails of how she intends to bal- “You can expect it will be ap- for whatever the reason, dis- Minority Leader David Schapira were nearly 100 AHCCCS enroll-
ance the budget. And her plans propriate, given what our state turbed people in our community said Sunday. “And there are still ees already on waiting lists. Since
for revamping education in the is terribly sad about,” Senseman that sometimes do terrible, vio- people waiting on us to urgently that time, two people on that list
state will have to wait. said. lent things. And sometimes those act on this issue.” have died.
“It will be a call to the higher Senseman said Brewer has of us that serve in elected posi- But Schapira said lawmakers Schapira, who already has in-
good,” explained gubernatorial some “context and experience” tions are the target.” are focused on the events of the troduced legislation to restore
press aide Paul Senseman. It also with the issue of the dangers of And the State of the State? weekend. the funding, said the data used
will be “significantly abbrevi- being a public official. The Arizona Constitution does “We just don’t want to do any- to justify the cuts was flawed. He
ated” from the half-hour speech In 1997, when Brewer was a require the governor to “commu- thing to distract ourselves or said no new date has been set for
originally planned. Maricopa County supervisor, nicate, by message, to the legisla- anyone else from what’s on our the press conference.

HISTORICAL FIGURES ON THE AGENDA


Other issues that may be considered this session:

April 23
1994
Health and safety
•  Banning texting while driving and restricting use of hand-held cell phones.
Deadline for adjourning this year •  Requiring booster seats for children too big for child restraints but too short to safely use lap belts.
•  Barring or restricting ability of cities and counties to use photo enforcement of traffic laws.

109 days
•  Making it illegal for motorists to cover license plates with special plastics making it harder to be photographed.
Last time Legislature met the deadline •  Prohibiting children from riding in the back of open pickup trucks.
•  Imposing new requirements on those who operate assisted living facilities.
Length of last year’s session

173 days
1,233
Longest session, set in 1988 Marriage and family Business
•  Giving preference to married couples for adoption. •  Establishing Arizona

362
•  Requiring certain counseling for couples before separation or divorce. Commerce Authority and dividing
Law and order some Department of Commerce
•  Permitting faculty with concealed weapon permits to be armed on university duties among other agencies.
and community college campuses. •  Capping what juries can award
Number of bills introduced last •  Giving similar permission for students. in medical malpractice and some
regular session (not including •  Revamping the criminal code and mandatory sentencing. other civil lawsuits.
miscellaneous resolutions and •  Altering how judges are selected for the Arizona Supreme Court, Court of •  Deciding whether to extend

338
memorials) Appeals and superior courts in Pima and Maricopa counties. special tax breaks for the film
•  Regulating “K2” and other forms of synthetic marijuana. industry.

58
Bills sent to the governor •  Determining whether to expand the use of private prisons. •  Debating a special assessment
•  Adjusting drunk driving laws to deal with medical marijuana. on unemployment premiums to repay
•  Expanding stalking laws to cover use of electronic devices. the federal government.

14
Bills signed by the governor Education
•  Revamping the university system in a bid to ensure that more students graduate.
•  Pushing four-year degrees at community colleges.
•  Adopting additional accountability measures for public schools.
•  Giving public schools more flexibility in spending to be able to make up for reduced state aid.
General government
•  Revamping state pension systems.
Veto record, set in 2006 by Janet Napolitano •  Altering or eliminating merit protections for state employees.
•  Recrafting voter-rejected measure to create post of lieutenant governor.

0
•  Limiting the ability of the Arizona School Boards Association to lobby legislation or ballot measures.
•  Barring local governments and school districts from using public money to sue the state.
Bills enacted without signature •  Deciding whether to privatize the state parks system.

Bills vetoed entirely 0 Bills subject to line-item veto


•  Setting up a volunteer border militia.

MATH
winners in tax cuts are the rich. 250,000 from the program. eowners then borrowing against sure, too, with Arizona paying,
“It’s their money,” he said. There’s another legal hurdle, their higher values. as Pearce suggests, to “medicate,
FROM PAGE A1 Gov. Jan Brewer has expressed however. Then the real estate bubble educate and incarcerate” illegal
a similar sentiment. “Gone are It was voters who expanded burst. immigrants.
empt from state sales taxes. the days of the open checkbook AHCCCS eligibility in 2000 to “I would argue that part of the Even if the current fiscal prob-
One of the biggest class of sales when every feel-good program cover everyone below the fed- reason the recession was so deep lems are solved, there’s another
not taxed are for services. and project were funded.” eral poverty level, about $18,300 is because we didn’t have proper ticking financial time bomb for
Campbell and other Democrats But the current budget mess a year for a family of three. And tax policy in place,” he said, one the state: its four retirement sys-
have singled out what they say are means there isn’t even enough to the Arizona Constitution makes that promotes a diversified econ- tems.
the more outrageous examples of sustain the services the state now initiatives off-limits to legislative omy. Adams said the current tax Arizona operates a “defined
untaxed items, like beauty salons, provides. tinkering. system hits manufacturers, who benefit” plan, where each work-
spa treatment and even “doggie Most visible have been cuts al- But Rep. John Kavanagh, R- have some of the highest wages, er’s pension is a set percentage
day care. They say users of these ready made to the Arizona Health Fountain Hills, said it was un- particularly hard, providing a of salary depending on length
services benefit while the state is Care Cost Containment System derstood that expansion would disincentive for them to locate of service and age. But the re-
(AHCCCS), the state’s Medicaid be funded with Arizona’s share and expand here. tirement plans have made their
slicing education funds.
program. That includes changes of a nationwide settlement with Campbell agreed that busi- money in the past through huge
And Campbell said the system
in what transplants that will be tobacco companies, “supplement- ness taxes are too high. But he
is inherently unfair. investment returns. When the
funded, a change that may al- ed, as necessary, by any other wants any cut in business taxes
“Some businesses have to pay stock market fell back and when
ready have resulted in the deaths available sources.” to be balanced with tax hikes
and others don’t,” he said. “The interest rates plummeted, the
of two people knocked off the “As of now, there are no other elsewhere to save education and
government is picking which earnings collapsed.
waiting list. available sources,” Kavanagh health care from further spend-
businesses get to pay a sales tax Lawmakers tinkered a bit with
Brewer wants even deeper cuts. said, saying that takes the state ing cuts to pay for those business
and which businesses don’t make At the governor’s behest, law- off the hook. tax reductions. the systems last year. But a major
a sales tax.” makers voted last year to elimi- That struggle between lower A fight could be looming with overhaul of benefits may be nec-
Pearce, however, said that’s nate than 300,000 people from the taxes and funding state programs Brewer. She wants no tax cuts for essary to prevent the plans from
not the answer. “I believe govern- AHCCCS rolls of about 1.1 mil- is also at the heart of a bid by Re- business until the voter-approved going broke.
ment has more money than it lion in a bid to save about $1 bil- publicans to slash business taxes. one-cent hike in state sales taxes One option is to go to a “de-
should have. That money comes lion a year. Adams has a plan to cut corpo- expires in 2013. And Brewer said fined contribution” plan like
from people who earn it.” But the new federal health care rate income taxes from nearly 7 she will reject any plan that shifts many companies have: Workers
He argued government has law bars states from reducing percent to 4.5 percent and make the tax burden from businesses to and employers contribute a fixed
grown too big. Pearce said the eligibility from current levels or sharp reductions in business homeowners. amount into 401(k) plans that the
state started and expanded pro- lose all federal Medicaid funds. property taxes. But Adams said Immigration remains a front- employees invest.
grams simply because the money Facing that $7 billion threat, the that won’t reduce state revenues. burner issue, with the main pro- One problem, though, is that a
was there. Legislature backed down. He said the recession hit Ari- posal being to set up a challenge 1998 constitutional amendment
“It is legal plunder of the fruits Brewer now is seeking a waiv- zona hard because of the state’s with the federal government over forbids lawmakers from taking
of the labor of those who earn it,” er from that “maintenance of dependence on growth. Cheap whether children of illegal immi- away benefits already earned. So
he said. And Pearce doesn’t flinch effort” provision, one her aides credit led to overbuilding, a grants are entitled to citizenship. any changes would be prospec-
from criticism that often the big said would let Arizona cut about sharp hike in prices and hom- Pearce said this is a budget mea- tive only.

HERE Funeral
tax voters approved in May. state bringing in more money In 1998, for example, lawmak-
Expenses, however, are $9.5 bil- than it needed, Republican Gov. ers agreed to assume the respon-
lion. Fife Symington sought — and sibility for building new schools.
FROM PAGE A1

number of people demanding


The nearly $1.9 billion dif-
ference is what’s known as the
lawmakers enacted — a series of
tax cuts, sharply trimming the
individual income tax rates by 25
That reduced the tax burden
on local districts. But legislators
never instituted a commensurate
Notices
“structural deficit.”
state services, like free health Sure, the books were theoreti- percent. increase in state taxes. Dorothy Herden
care, goes up. cally balanced. But that was done The same thing happened in The annual expense for that, Dorothy Herden, 76, of Yuma,
And Napolitano said that when through borrowing, including 2006, the last time the state had the Morrision Institute says, has
the state’s economy recovers, Ari- a surplus. Republican legisla- been as high as $500 million. died Jan. 5, 2011, in Yuma.
some accounting maneuvers to She was born Dec. 9, 1934,
zonans don’t want to be “spend- put off paying bills. Lawmakers tors demanded a new 10 percent Then there’s the 2000 decision
ing all of our time making up for also raided some special funds. across-the-board cut in rates. by voters to expand the Arizona in Milwaukee, Ill., and was a
the hole we’ve dug for ourselves And Napolitano went along in Health Care Cost Containment housewife.
yet again.” And the state has benefitted
from $2.4 billion in federal stimu- exchange for using some of the System (AHCCCS), the state’s Viewing will be held from
Asked whether basing a budget surplus for her priorities, includ- Medicaid program, to provide
on a prediction of a short-term lus funds in the last three years, 10 a.m. Tuesday until noon by
ing state funding for full-day kin- coverage for everyone below the
problem is risky, Napolitano re- money that will soon be going dergarten. federal poverty level, currently funeral services at Funeraria Del
sponded, “I will always bet on the away. The Morrision Institute, in a about $18,300 a year for a family Angel Chapel. Burial will be at
future of Arizona.” The current problems might be recent study, figures the accumu- of four. Before that, with certain Desert Lawn.
Napolitano is gone, having quit seen as a logical outgrowth of the lated effect of those changes re- exceptions, AHCCCS coverage
two years ago to become Home- economic cycles Arizona has re- duced state revenues by $1.7 bil- was limited to those making just
land Security chief in the Obama peatedly weathered, though this lion. Accounting for population a third of that figure. Mary Rutledge
administration. And that fiscal recession has been much longer growth and inflation, the study Proponents of the measure ar- Mary Rutledge, 95, of Yuma,
pothole has turned into a canyon. and much deeper than any in the says, raises the difference to $2.9 gued the additional cost would died Jan. 7, 2011, in Yuma.
How deep? recent past. billion. come from Arizona’s share of a Born June 16, 1915, in Yuma,
In the current year, the state is But that regular cycle of boom But even as lawmakers were nationwide settlement of law-
or bust has also contributed to she was a homemaker.
anticipating collecting about $7.6 cutting income in the fiscal good suits with tobacco companies.
billion in revenues. That even in- the current problems in a differ- times, they also were increasing But last year that settlement pro- Services are pending.
cludes the nearly $1 billion pro- ent way. expenses, and not just for kinder- duced just $118 million out of the Johnson Mortuary is handling
duced from the temporary sales In the early 1990s, with the garten. $1.1 billion AHCCCS budget. arrangements.

También podría gustarte