After a sizable speed bump last week, the Arizona Legislature returned to the Capitol today to adopt budget cuts of $300 million to education and welfare services to reduce a $2 billion projected deficit. Sen. Thayer Verschoor, R-Gilbert, offered an apology for his disappearing act and then shocked observers by providing the essential 16th vote to pass the budget bills and enable the Legislature to close its fourth special session.
Key lawmakers already are talking about yet another budget session in December. So it wasn’t surprising that a vigorous debate broke out in the House of Representatives even though Republicans had plenty of votes to send the bills to Gov. Jan Brewer.
However, just as the debate seemed to be winding down, Rep. Ray Barnes, R-Phoenix, launched into a rambling and oddly angry rant. Somehow, earlier comments from Democrats about taking away education funds hit a sensitive nerve, and Barnes offered an absurd litany of fake administrative jobs to illustrate that school districts have too much overhead and can afford to see their budgets reduced.
Then, Barnes made reference to a recent conversation with a constituent who urged him to protect education spending. Barnes said he responded by saying the state could just go into bankruptcy protection and let a court-appointed trustee make the budget cuts instead.
“You couldn’t do that,” Barnes quoted the constituent as saying.
“Yes, we can, and maybe we should,” Barnes finished.
I don’t know what exactly got Barnes so worked up, as Democrats didn’t say anything different than they have been saying for months. But it’s shocking for any lawmaker to suggest that the Legislature just throw up its collective hands and walk away from its most important task.
UPDATE: Rep. Barnes’ speech now has been posted online:
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The hands they throw up will be tied together because of the voter mandates. The Legislature walked away from the task of money management long ago, when they allowed these unconstitutional entitlements to strip their authority away.
There is a major backlash brewing against the education establishment for first, getting us to this point and second, for trying to make it worse.
if the state goes bankrupt, will they have to change the name? what name will they “do business as”.
It is painfully obvious that our legislature and Governor have absolutely no clue when it comes to money management. If they did, we would see consistent cuts across all state agencies, pay cuts for top paid administrators, and a budget based on revenues realized. What we have are a bunch of self serving career politicians who care only about their re-elections. They stopped serving us some time ago. You would think they would turn the entire budget over to an outside company, run by economists, to look for efficiencies, including pay cuts, furloughs, etc. No, instead they simply take the path of least resistance, and cut money and positions from low level agencies, that are beneficial to the public.
I find it a real shame they can’t be consistent in their budgeting. Our freeways still get cleaned, but we can’t pay for teachers to educate our kids. They would rather put money into infrastructure we no longer need and cannot afford, than invest in our future through educating our children.
Don’t think for a minute they haven’t raised taxes. Have you seen your water bill? Electric bill? Property Tax? Ask yourself one question: If the state were my “business”, and my customer base had diminished, would I still need all the employees and managers? To them the answer is yes. They believe that since their customer base has eroded, raising prices is the only thing to do. If it were your business, this approach would most certainly lead to bankruptcy.
Maybe they SHOULD let a bankruptcy judge decide. After all, about any drunk on the street could do a better job.
They say they want to run the state like a business, well, If you can’t meet expenses for the services rendered and you have cut those services off, you have nothing to offer. A business would improve servicea and raise prices (taxes) to meet the expenses and fire the clowns who are running the place now.
[...] nearly worthless to respond to his “facts,” but Le Templar has a good take down of one: the state can’t go into receivership. I wouldn’t expect most people to know this, but a guy that has been in the legislature for [...]
Take how much money is coming in and subtract what is owed. If there is any money left put some aside for a raining day. If you have just enough look for ways to cut spending. If there is not enough you have to reduce or eliminate something