Efforts to enact a new state budget just a day before the deadline stalled at least temporarily Monday as some Republican lawmakers pushed to send Gov. Jan Brewer a spending plan she doesn't like -- and essentially dare her to veto it and shut down government.
"We have a budget," said Sen. Jack Harper, R-Surprise, referring to the package adopted June 4 with only Republican votes. He called it "a pretty good budget" and said Brewer should sign it.
That budget, however, does not include something Brewer wants -- and some Republicans will not support: Putting a measure on the November ballot asking voters to hike the state sales tax for the next three years. That one-cent levy would cost taxpayers $1 billion a year.
The fiscal year ends at midnight, and if Brewer hasn’t signed a budget, presumably a wide swath of state agencies will lack the authority to keep operating.
State parks already were closing this afternoon and Motor Vehicle Division offices could be locked up tight tomorrow. However, school districts should expect to receive their share of a $600 million payment that’s due, and public higher education campuses plan to stay open because they are funded from a variety of sources besides those monies appropriated by the Legislature. Brewer’s office has yet to disclose how other state agencies will be handled if a budget doesn’t exist on Wednesday.
Arizona legislators are playing to populist sentiment while ignoring the cultural and generational changes occurring in the state. Lowering taxes on the wealthy and implementing a sales tax increase is an act of egregious regression. I would rather pay a higher income tax rate and lower the taxation rate on the truly impoverished and the middle class; doing otherwise is morally and ethically reprehensible. Additionally, I would not vote for any sales tax increase during November, 2009 since it would have a negative effect on business and Arizona's economy.
I have to wonder.....where is Senator McCain during this catastrophe?
UPDATE: State fails to reach budget deadline