Brewer Hails $9.2B Arizona Budget

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DALLAS — Arizona's $9.2 billion budget for the fiscal year 2015 beginning July 1 adds $100 million in spending, 438 new positions to child protective services and maintains funding for public schools and higher education at previous levels, according to Gov. Jan Brewer.

The governor signed the budget legislation April 11 but eliminated about $4.7 million of spending through line-item vetoes.

"This budget keeps us on the path to restoring the state to a structurally balanced budget by 2016 and protects the rainy day fund while addressing critical priorities like child protection, public safety and education," Brewer said.

Craig Sullivan, a lobbyist for the Arizona Association of Counties, told the Arizona Republic that Brewer's veto of $1.3 million for counties was disappointing.

The funds were intended to make up for sales-tax revenue counties would lose under new law eliminating the state's sales tax on energy sold to manufacturers.

Gila County, home to two smelters whose electricity usage generates $300,000 a year in sales taxes for the rural county, will be particularly hard hit, Sullivan said.

House Minority Leader Chad Campbell, D-Phoenix, said that his party hopes to improve the budget in a special session that will be called to create a new child welfare agency.

"We've got the money," Campbell told the Republic. "I'm hopeful, when we go back into session, the governor will work for restoring some of the services that have been cut."

Arizona carries issuer credit ratings of AA-minus from Standard & Poor's and Aa3 from Moody's Investors Service.

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