Journalists’ Roundtable: State Budget

It is Friday, and that means it is time for another edition of the Journalists’ Roundtable. Joining us tonight to discuss this weeks topics are Howie Fischer of Capitol Media Services, Mary Jo Pitzl of the Arizona Republic, and Steve Goldstein of KJZZ.

This weeks topics:

• State Budget
• Valley Inflation & AZ Unemployment
• Dems Complain About New Districts
• Judge Hears School Funding Arguments
• Biggs, Gosar, Finchem Targeted in Suit
• Ed Buck Sentenced to 30 Years
• BOS whittling down County Attorney candidates to three
• Including a questionnaire on legitimacy of 2020 election

The house and senate at the state capitol were off today, and they were off yesterday. Nothing is getting done, but there is a lot to do.

Fischer: “Look, the fact is this is the worst scenario for law makers. Number one, they have got more money than they know what to do with. Everybody says, ‘Hey I have a priority. I have something I want. I want to get a tax cut, I want to pay off a debt, I want a bridge…’ At the same time, the Republicans have the barest of majority 916 senators and 31 reps) and each of them… becomes a veto. So now what they are talking about is a ‘skinny budget’ which is the equivalent of what congress has as a continuing resolution… you adjust for inflation, you adjust for growth and you get the heck out of Dodge.”

Pitzl: “And you may not get out of Dodge, following that scenario… I do not think a skinny budget is likely to happen.”

Goldstein says it is even more complicated due to redistricting. “Its a mess,” he says.

Will the Governor sign a Skinny Budget?

Fischer: “Not just no, but hell no… Here is the problem, this is his last year. This is his legacy. This is whether he ends his term with a bang or whimper.”