(The Center Square) – The Republican majorities in the Arizona Senate and House are backing two different budgets.
Both say their plans help the state without raising taxes. But Senate leaders say their version has more bipartisan support and is more likely to be signed by Democratic Gov. Katie Hobbs.
Republican senators are proposing what they call a balanced state budget with investments in schools, public safety, transportation, water and public health. The legislation is scheduled to go before the Senate Appropriations Committee on Tuesday and be voted on by the full Senate Wednesday. Then it will be forwarded to the House, which passed the 15 bills that make up its version of the budge on 31-0 vote Friday night. Democrats headed home before the vote after waiting the day for Republicans to bring the bill to the floor. Republicans hold 33 of the chamber’s 60 seats.
Speaker Steve Montenegro praised the House budget for cutting tuition by 2.5% at public universities with a three-year tuition freeze and raising pay by 5% for state public safety and corrections officers. He also noted it features $94 million for infrastructure, including improvements for Interstate 10 and Highway 347. And the House budget finances updating voter rolls.
Additionally, the budget fully funds school choice, the Parents as Paid Caregivers program, and developmental disability services, according to a House news release.
The House budget helps Arizona’s small businesses by eliminating the personal property tax under the $500,000 threshold, Speaker Pro Tempore Neal Carter said.
Senate Majority Leader Michael Carbone said the Senate plan cuts waste and demands better results for taxpayers’ dollars.
The House version has been forwarded to the Senate, which, as mentioned previously, has its own plan for the budget.
According to the Tucson Sentinal, Hobbs said the House budget fails to fund K-12 public schools adequately and has millions of dollars in Medicaid cuts. She also has noted it doesn’t fund her childcare affordability initiative.
The Senate bill boosts pay for public safety personnel and increases public safety resources to make communities safer, Senate President Warren Petersen said in a news release. He also noted the budget would finance important road projects and other infrastructure improvements and safeguard Arizona’s water future. The budget also addresses gaps in Arizona’s public health system.
“We’re doing all of this without raising taxes on our hard-working citizens,” Petersen said.
Senate President Pro Tempore T.J. Shope said neither Republicans nor Democrats can get everything they want but noted the Senate version does a good job of financing Republicans’ priorities.
