The Range: The Tucson Weekly's Daily Dispatch
Blog Categories: Politics | News | Music | Chow | Do This! | Media | TV | Arts and Culture | Snapshot | Cinema | Fun in General | Just Plain Dumb | more categories»
Thursday, June 4, 2009
Politics State Budget Passes Senate, Off To House
Posted by Jim Nintzel on Thu, Jun 4, 2009 at 11:27 AM
The Arizona Senate stayed up past bedtime last night to knock out a budget in time for Sen. John Huppenthal to go to San Diego today. It had the bare minimum 16 votes, all Republican. Howie Fischer has the details here.
The House is expected to pass it today.
Gov. Jan Brewer isn't saying what she'll do, although it's far from what she wants. Will she veto it or will she blink?
Comments (1)
Showing 1-1 of 1
The GOP lawmakers slipped a provision into the proposed state budget that would strip state workers of domestic partnership benefits.
A provision in the budget would legally define "dependents" of state employees who are entitled to coverage as a spouse or a child younger than 19 — or younger than 23, if a full-time student. Changing the law would override regulations adopted last year that added domestic partners and their children to the list.
Setting aside the question of marriage — which is not at issue here — the provision ignores reality and reflects tunnel-vision thinking. Only about about 750 workers have signed up for the benefits, according to Arizona Capitol Media, so it wouldn't save a lot of money to cut them out.
The benefit does, however, help our universities recruit talent. Perhaps lawmakers think universities can put together pay packages that will compensate.
But wait! They're also proposing to cut $40 million more from universities beginning July 1.
Domestic partner benefits don't cost so much, and they might make the difference in attracting talented teachers and researchers to Arizona.
What it comes down to is this, the GOP have proven time and again that they are against anyone not str8 and white and religious, this is just another cheap, dirty trick, played by the GOP to burn students and the GLBT communities.
Fire ALL GOP in 2010!
like
dislike
Previously in the Range
-
Fighting for Family Unity and Immigration Justice
- May 16, 2012
-
Federal Judge to Tombstone: No H20 for You!
- May 16, 2012
-
Running Against Grijalva? No Voter Database for You!
- May 16, 2012
- More »
More by Author
Popular Content
- Federal Judge to Tombstone: No H20 for You! (The Range: The Tucson Weekly's Daily Dispatch)
- Mega Food-Truck Action Tonight and Friday (The Range: The Tucson Weekly's Daily Dispatch)
- Running Against Grijalva? No Voter Database for You! (The Range: The Tucson Weekly's Daily Dispatch)
- You'll Enjoy This Justin Bieber Article More Than You'd Think (The Range: The Tucson Weekly's Daily Dispatch)
- Overlay Zone Challengers Go Back to Court (The Range: The Tucson Weekly's Daily Dispatch)
