Economist: Sequester won’t put Arizona into recession

PHOENIX — The White House said Arizona’s defense industry and education system will take about $80 million in cuts but Jim Rounds with Elliott D. Pollack and Company said Arizona can take that hit.

At least 10,000 civilian Department of Defense workers will be furloughed. More than 300 teachers could lose their jobs.

“We’re going to add 60,000 to 70,000 new jobs this year in Arizona so if we lose 10,000 to 15,000 from sequestration we’re still going to have decent growth,” Rounds said.

Arizona Republican Sen. Jeff Flake said he has little doubt that the sequestration will take effect Friday because “Senate Democrats and the White House have been unwilling dance partners.

“We got out of the fiscal cliff by simply punting on spending cuts and we can’t continue to do that.”

Flake said federal spending must be cut but this is a clumsy way to do it.