Representative Chad Campbell, the leader of the House Democrats, voices his concerns about the new budget agreement between the Governor and Republican lawmakers.
Ted Simons: GOOD EVENING AND WELCOME TO "ARIZONA HORIZON." I'M TED SIMONS. STATE LAWMAKERS TODAY BEGAN HEARING A DOZEN BILLS THAT CONSTITUTE A BUDGET AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE GOVERNOR AND REPUBLICAN LEGISLATIVE LEADERS. REPUBLICANS TOUT THE NEW FISCAL 2013 BUDGET PLAN AS A BALANCE BETWEEN FUNDING THE STATE'S MOST CRITICAL SERVICES AND SAVING FOR AN EXPECTED DEFICIT IN 2015. IN ADDITION TO PUTTING $450 MILLION INTO THE STATE'S RAINY DAY FUND, THE BUDGET SPENDS $40 MILLION ON SCHOOL READING PROGRAMS, $39 MILLION ON SERVICES FOR THE SERIOUSLY MENTALLY ILL, AND IT SWEEPS $50 MILLION FOR PRIVATE PRISON BEDS, SWEPT FROM A FUND MEANT TO HELP EASE ARIZONA'S FORECLOSURE CRISIS TO PAY FOR 500 NEW PRIVATE PRISON BEDS. LAWMAKERS HOPE TO PASS THE $8.5 BILLION BUDGET TOMORROW. TODAY HOUSE DEMOCRATS SPOKE OUT AGAINST THE PLAN.
Chad Cambell: IT SHOWED A COMPLETE LACK OF VISION AND UNLIKE THE DEMOCRATIC BUDGET WHICH WAS FOCUSED ON PROMOTING THE LONG TERM ECONOMIC STABILITY FOR OUR STATE BY CREATING JOBS, FOCUSED ON IMPROVING OUR SCHOOLS THIS BUDGET DOES JUST THE OPPOSITE. THIS BAIT AND SWITCH BUDGET FALLS FAR SHORT OF WHAT OUR BUDGET NEEDS RIGHT NOW IN ARIZONA. IT HOARDS A LOT OF MONEY INSTEAD OF INVESTING IT IN TERMS OF SCHOOLS AND JOBS. AND IT ALSO SWEEPS FUNDS TO SUPPORT THE HOARDING WHICH IS SOMETHING WE WILL TALK ABOUT A LITTLE MORE IN DETAIL. SOME OF THE FUNDS THAT ARE BEING SWEPT ARE BEYOND BELIEF. WE ARE IN SHOCK ABOUT SOME OF THE PLANS THIS BUDGET CONTAINS IN TERMS OF THE FUNDS THEY WILL BE SWEEPING TO PAY FOR OTHER ASPECTS OF THIS BUDGET. THIS PLAN NEGATIVE ELECTS TO RESTORE FUNDING FOR KIDS CARE LEAVING THOUSANDS OF CHILDREN WITHOUT ADEQUATE HEALTH CARE COVERAGE. I HAVE TO STRESS AGAIN TODAY ARIZONA ITS ONLY STATE LEFT IN THE COUNTRY THAT HAS NOT REINSTATED FUNDING FOR S CHIP. THERE IS NO JUSTIFY ABLE REASON TO NOT FUND KIDS CARE. IT'S $7 MILLION. THAT'S ALL IT WOULD HAVE TAKEN TO FUND KIDS CARE. WE ARE THE ONLY STATE IN THE COUNTRY NOT DOING IT. AND I DON'T KNOW WHY THE GOVERNOR DOESN'T WANT TO FUND KIDS CARE. I DON'T KNOW WHY THE MAJORITY PARTY DOESN'T WANT TO FUND KIDS CARE BUT IT'S UNCONSCIONABLE AND EVERY ARIZONAN SHOULD BE CONCERNED THAT WE ARE NOT PROVIDING CARE FOR WORK PARENTS. IT DOESN'T PROVIDE FUNDING FOR THE STATE PARKS FUND. THESE ARE TWO MAJOR JOB CREATORS AS WE ALL KNOW AND WE HAVE TALKED ABOUT THIS AGAIN TIME AND TIME AGAIN DOWN HERE. SOMETIMES IT SEEMS LIKE MAJORITY PARTY AND THE GOVERNOR CUT OFF THEIR NOSE TO SPITE THEIR FACE. THERE'S NO LONG TERM PLAN IN NOT FUNDING THESE TWO AREAS IS GOING TO LEADS TO A LOSS OF JOBS ESPECIALLY IN RURAL ARIZONA. I GOT TO STRESS THAT. IT FUNDS MORE MONEY FOR PRIVATE PRISONS, AND YOU ALL KNOW HOW I FEEL ABOUT PRIVATE PRISONS. THERE'S NO REASON TO BE FUNDING PRIVATE PRISONS RIGHT NOW. WE ACTUALLY ARE SEEING EITHER A STEADY HOLD ON THE PRISON RATES OR FULLY A DECLINE IN PRISONERS IN THIS STATE AND THERE'S NO JUSTIFIABLE REASON TO BE FUNDING PRIVATE PRISONS.
Ted Simons: WE WILL HAVE MORE DETAILS AND DIFFERENT VIEWPOINTS ON THE STATE BUDGET AGREEMENT IN THE COMING DAYS.
