ARIZONA FEDERATION OF TAXPAYERS
A STATE CHAPTER OF
AMERICANS FOR PROSPERITY
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE February 13, 2008
Spending limit bill passes House Appropriations Committee
PHOENIX—The Arizona Federation of Taxpayers, a state chapter of Americans for
Prosperity, today lauded the majority on the House Appropriations Committee for voting in favor of HCR 2038, a referendum bill that would allow Arizona voters in November to reduce the state’s existing constitutional spending limit from 7.41 percent of state personal income to 6.4 percent. (Vote detail below.)
“The Arizona budget has been a dangerous rollercoaster ride,” said AFT-AFP state director Tom Jenney, referring to the huge spending increases enacted by the Governor and legislative majorities in recent years—and to the large spending cuts required to balance the FY 2008 and 2009 budgets. “HCR 2038’s spending limit would slow down that rollercoaster,” Jenney said.
Jenney testified this afternoon before Committee members, refuting several claims put forth by the Children’s Action Alliance in a “fact sheet” on HCR 2038. Contrary to the Alliance’s claim that “the proposed limit would force cuts in education, health care and public safety,” Jenney pointed out that the bill allows agency budgets to grow at the same rate as the state economy, which in most years is significantly faster than the rate of growth of population plus inflation.
“HCR 2038 is a fiscally moderate proposal,” Jenney said. “If a Legislator believes that government should get larger as a portion of the economy, he or she is a Big Spender, not a fiscal moderate.” According to figures from Arizona’s Economic Estimates Commission, every budget from FY1998 to FY2005 would have qualified at the 6.4 percent level. Also, HCR 2038 would allow the Legislature to lift the cap in emergency situations with a two-thirds vote.
AFT-AFP encouraged taxpayers to send notes of thanks to the committee members who voted in favor of the bill:
Rep. Kirk Adams (R-Mesa), kadams@azleg.gov
Rep. Andy Biggs (R-Gilbert), abiggs@azleg.gov
Rep. Judy Burges (R-Surprise, Sun City West/Grand), jburges@azleg.gov
Rep. Doug Clark (R-Anthem, North Phoenix), dclark@azleg.gov
Rep. Trish Groe (R-Lake Havasu City), tgroe@azleg.gov
Rep. John Kavanagh (R-Scottsdale, Fountain Hills), jkavanagh@azleg.gov
Rep. Nancy McLain (R-Bullhead City, Mohave County), nmclain@azleg.gov
Rep. Rick Murphy (R-Glendale, Peoria, Sun City), rmurphy@azleg.gov
Rep. Russell Pearce (R-Mesa), rpearce@azleg.gov
Rep. Jerry Weiers (R-Litchfield Park, Goodyear), jpweiers@azleg.gov
The committee members who voted against the bill were:
Rep. Olivia Cajero Bedford (D-West Tucson), ocajerobedford@azleg.gov
Rep. Cloves Campbell (D-South Phoenix), clcampbell@azleg.gov
Rep. Linda Lopez, (D-South Tucson), llopez@azleg.gov
Rep. David Lujan (D-Central Phoenix), dlujan@azleg.gov
Rep. Pete Rios (D-Pinal County), prios@azleg.gov
Rep. David Schapira (D-Tempe), dschapira@azleg.gov
Contact: Tom Jenney, Arizona state director, Americans for Prosperity
tjenney@afphq.org (602) 478-0146
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