We forecast in this week’s Skinny that Gov. Jan Brewer’s proposed budget cuts would be brutal.
We were right.
- RAND CARLSON
- Gov. Jan Brewer’s budget proposal: Goodbye to all that
We’ve gotten our first look at the governor’s budget proposal.
The grim news: Even with a one-cent sales-tax increase, state government is going to decimated.
We’ll have more analysis and reaction soon, but here are some highlights:
In FY 10—the current fiscal year that ends in June—Brewer wants to cut $92 million. In FY 2011, which starts in July, Brewer wants to cut $1.159 billion.
All-day kindergarten is gone.
Programs for gifted students are gone.
AIMS intervention programs are gone.
Early education block grants are gone.
Vocational education block grants are gone.
Support for teacher training is gone.
Money for school repairs is gone.
Additional assistance for charter schools is gone.
Support for universities will drop from $9,480 per pupil to $7,100, with state funding at the 2006 level.
Support for community college will drop the 2006 level.
KidsCare, which provides health-care insurance for 46,800 children, is gone.
Health-care insurance for low-income Arizonans will be cut back.
The Arizona Department of Juvenile Corrections will be shut down completely, with responsibility for juvenile inmates transferred to the counties.
State employees are looking at 5 percent pay cuts.
Programs for the mentally ill are gone.
Support for grandparents caring for their grandkids is gone.
Programs that support the developmentally disabled are gone.
More to come.
This article appears in Jan 14-20, 2010.
As a state employee, I’d like to suggest that pay cuts are detrimental in areas that are hit hardest in the next budget, like education. Even during these times, we should be trying to increase funding for education, teachers, and educational support staff.
What in the h*ll is happening to this USA? All over the budgets are fixed while roads, education and health is put on the death watch? When can we impeach and start over with new politico’s as well as put Congress on trial? Congress is the money funder now, how come? Bill clinton in his final months gave Banks freedom from restraints and gave unions and ACLU power to manage this corruption we are now entrenched in our states. Follow that money.
The h*ll that is happening in this USA is that we the people are too busy looking for who to blame rather than telling our legislators that these are not acceptable cuts from either side of the aisle. During hard times, all – the people and our legislators – must all work TOGETHER to find solutions that do not harm the weakest of our citizens merely because they do not have a voice.