PHOENIX — A long-running budget standoff between Arizona’s Republican-controlled Legislature and Democratic Gov. Katie Hobbs may finally be nearing a resolution.
Read more Juror removed in Ian Mithcham penalty phase, deliberations to start over
After weeks of public attacks and competing spending plans, lawmakers and the governor are now signaling that negotiations are moving forward behind closed doors — and with noticeably less political hostility.
Three weeks ago, legislative Republicans unveiled and passed their own $17.9 billion budget without Democratic support.
“The House and Senate Republicans are here today with a clear message: Arizona’s responsible budget deserves the governor’s signature,” House Speaker Steve Montenegro said during a May 5 press conference.
Hobbs quickly rejected the plan, calling it “reckless” and vetoing the budget package.
Arizona lawmakers must approve a state budget before the fiscal year deadline on June 30 to avoid a state government shutdown.
The Republican proposal included additional tax cuts and a 5% reduction to most state agencies. Hobbs’ proposed budget totals about $18.7 billion and prioritizes education funding and changes to Arizona’s rapidly growing Empowerment Scholarship Account program.
Since the veto, lawmakers have been largely out of public view on budget matters while private negotiations continued at the Capitol.
Read more Phoenix police investigate deadly, fiery crash near 35th Avenue and Bell Road
“I’m not going to get into the details of negotiations,” Hobbs said this week. “I put out my budget in January. We always knew there would be a compromise to get to a budget that would pass.”
Neither side has publicly disclosed what concessions may be under discussion.
One of the governor’s major priorities is renewing Proposition 123, the education funding measure approved by voters in 2016 that expired last year. Then, Republican Gov. Doug Ducey and the GOP-controlled Legislature supported Prop 123, but some conservative Republicans now oppose it, believing it could help Hobbs as she seeks re-election in November.
Hobbs also wants reforms to the state’s ESA voucher program, which has seen explosive growth and increased scrutiny over costs and oversight.
Senate Majority Leader John Kavanagh, one of the Legislature’s chief budget negotiators, told 12News the talks have been going “smoothly,” though he declined to discuss specifics.
Lawmakers and the governor agreed to keep negotiations private as discussions continue.
Kavanagh said a final agreement could come as early as next week, while Hobbs suggested negotiations may take a bit longer.
“A lot of what we see in the public is political gamesmanship,” Hobbs said. “And we’ve had that before, and we’ve gotten past that and gotten to the table in negotiations, and I feel confident we will do that.”
Read more Matthew Perry assistant who injected him with ketamine faces final sentencing in overdose case