Arizona Gov. Katie Hobbs says GOP budget proposal is ‘dead on arrival’
With the deadline to pass a state budget looming, Arizona Gov. Katie Hobbs said the initial proposal submitted by House Republicans is a nonstarter.
Watch: The truth about Arizona's water shortage and your bills | 11 mins
PHOENIX – With the deadline to pass a state budget looming, Arizona Gov. Katie Hobbs said the initial proposal submitted by House Republicans is a nonstarter.
“This reckless and partisan budget is dead on arrival,” the Democratic governor said in a statement Thursday. “It slashes $255 million from Medicaid, gutting health care coverage for countless Arizonans.”
Hobbs said the proposed GOP state budget wouldn’t fully cover K-12 public education. She also criticized it for failing to fund her proposed child care initiative and a program that supports veterans experiencing homelessness.
GOP says state budget proposal delivers for families
On the other side, House Speaker Steve Montenegro touted the proposal – filed Wednesday as House Bills 2947-2961 — for its focus on public safety, infrastructure and taxpayer protections.
“This is a sound, disciplined budget that delivers safe communities, strong families, and a government that lives within its means,” Montenegro said in a press release.
“We’re raising pay for our state law enforcement officers, reducing tuition at public universities, fully funding school choice, fixing critical infrastructure and roads and protecting taxpayers.”
The budget bills passed the House Appropriations Committee on Thursday and are set for consideration by the full house on Friday.
Hobbs, who said she has been working to find common ground, accused House Republicans of playing politics. Meanwhile, the state-mandated June 30 deadline to pass a budget for the next fiscal year is less than three weeks away.
“From day one of the budget process, I have worked with leaders of both parties in both chambers to craft a bipartisan, balanced and responsible budget. This reckless and partisan budget is not that,” she said.
State budget negotiations are pushing up against the deadline for a second straight year. In 2024, Hobbs signed the current budget on June 18.
However, that budget had to close a $1.4 billion deficit, adding a degree of difficulty.
Related
Arizona Gov. Katie Hobbs' 2026 fiscal year budget proposal includes ESA program overhaul
Chunk of Arizona school funding delayed for June due to $200M state budget shortfall
Arizona Gov. Katie Hobbs signs $16.1 billion budget for 2025 fiscal year
Andy Biggs explains why he picked Sine Kerr as his running mate in bid for governor’s seat
Andy Biggs picks Sine Kerr as running mate in 1st Arizona election with lieutenant governor
Katie Hobbs won’t debate Andy Biggs in governor’s race
Comments
5 Comments
Scrap the fraudulent ESA program
It’s a great day, loud mouth senator gets floored and cuffed. Also the democrats got their arsh handed to them on the ball field. Maybe the dems need more trannys on their team.
Market up , inflation down.
Bad day for the leftist propagandists.
We’re raising pay for our state law enforcement officers, protecting taxpayers.
Does anyone feel protected by law enforcement or is this just another tool of oppression?
Fully funding school choice, a voucher program that is draining our budget and riddled with fraud in order to give public money to people who were already sending their kids to private school anyway.
Fixing critical infrastructure and roads. By "fixing" do you mean a neverending widening of roads that will never fix the problem you are trying to address? That's another waste of public money.
I look forward to seeing a budget that actually benefits all Arizonans.