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Enough with political blame game, it's time to fix Arizona budget mess

• AZcentral.com
 
It is a testament to the severity of the state's budget woes that the magnitude of the deficit exceeds the magnitude of the blame each side heaps on its political adversaries for it. This year, state general-fund revenues, including the temporary sales-tax increase, are expected to total $7.6 billion. State general-fund spending is budgeted at $9.5 billion. So, that's a structural deficit - the difference between same-year revenue and expenditures - of $1.9 billion. It's being papered over with federal funds and stealing money from other state accounts. But even that understates the true structural deficit. There is an additional $960 million in statutory funding formulas the state is either suspending or ignoring. Call these lawsuits waiting to be filed once the state has a dime to spare. So, the true structural deficit is closer to $3 billion.

1 Comments in Response to

Comment by Powell Gammill
Entered on:

You just have to laugh.  What is the solution?  What must the legiscritters do to save the government?  Why balance the budget.  Freeze spending levels.  Stop spending more than they take in.  The fiscally conservative Republicans can't even accomplish this year after year.  They sure as heck aren't going to do what needs to be done and what a pussy AZ Republic columnist who knows better but fails to state:  Cut spending by zero budgeting whole departments of government on a massive scale.  Repeal the myriad of regulations and taxations placed upon businesses and employees in this state.  Rid us of you.  Good luck getting the ruling class to pass that.  I am waiting to  watch as the economy rids them for us.



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