August 24, 2008
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VOUCHERS PLEA: Brendan Fay of Tucson explains why his 14-year-old daughter, Rebecca, needs a special program at Father's Heart School that he could pay for with state vouchers until the new budget for this fiscal year excluded the funds. Fay said Rebecca was not getting the services she needed from Tucson's public schools.
Capitol Media Services |
East Valley Tribune Editorial
House Speaker Jim Weiers never gave up, and now 300 Arizona students will continue to attend schools of their choice instead of being summarily dumped back into a public campus that might be unprepared to handle their special needs.
As Capitol Media Services reported Friday, Weiers and state Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Horne finally found a way to keep funding two private school vouchers programs designed to serve disabled students and children in state foster care. The Legislature and Gov. Janet Napolitano eliminated $5 million in funds to help balance the state budget after it appeared the courts had barred the programs as unconstitutional.
But this swing of the budget ax turned out to be premature as the state Supreme Court said the programs can continue to function — at least until the highest state court reaches its own conclusions about the legality of these vouchers.
That prompted Weiers to offer to replace the funding from $9 million that the House has stockpiled in the past few years. But state Attorney General Terry Goddard said that would be illegal unless Weiers received approval from the entire Legislature. So Weiers asked the governor to call a special session to get that approval, but she rejected the idea.
Now, Horne and Weiers say they have legally shifted funds around in a state education budget that approaches $4 billion to put $5 million into the voucher programs. Assuming they didn’t miss anything, Weiers deserves praise for his persistence and Horne should be recognized for his flexibility.
We still believe voters ultimately will need to change the state constitution to clearly allow private school vouchers. But we never wanted the state to needlessly deny aid to students who could be served by the current programs. As long as the high court doesn’t intervene, the education of these students shouldn’t be a victim of Capitol politics.
Monday, March 10, 2008
House Speaker Jim Weiers authored an op-ed for both The Arizona Daily Star and the Arizona Republic on the Legislature's action on the freeze of excess spending.
Last week, the Legislature took the second step toward correcting the state’s fiscal woes.
We passed a freeze of excess spending that hits the governor’s desk today, which comes on top of the hiring freeze the Legislature initiated last week. It is my sincere hope Gov. Napolitano signs this spending freeze, which amounts to less than a 2 percent freeze of state spending. It’s the least we can do.
The spending freeze is reasonable. Freezing $212 million in spending out of a $10.6 billion budget ensures to a good start to solving our fiscal crisis. And agencies still have a full quarter to deal with these adjustments.
Two weeks ago, the House passed a statewide hiring freeze. Hours before that action, the governor said a hiring freeze wasn’t needed. However, the very next day she agreed with the Legislature.
This isn’t the first time the governor changed her position following legislative action.
A couple years ago, the governor refused to entertain the Legislature’s permanent stimulus package for Arizonans. Yet, tax filers are sending in their forms now and realizing the fruits of our work. The 10 percent income tax cut is helping Arizonans deal with the current economic downturn. The Legislature implemented a stimulus package long before Washington, D.C. politicians recognized the need.
With that history in mind, I hope the governor considers signing the bill that freezes excess spending.
It’s reasonable that the Department of Weights and Measures can do with $100,000 less. And would Arizonans notice a $150,000 reduction in the Department of Racing?
To be sure, there are significant freezes. The Department of Economic Security must freeze $30 million in spending - from a budget of $800 million.
Some tough decisions must be made. The desire to hold off for a few years, betting on a quick economic rebound flies in the face of virtually every economic forecast.
But this is just a start. As we have seen throughout Arizona, cities and counties and businesses are making the hard decisions, cutting services to deal with declining revenues. I agree when the governor says the state should handle the budget deficit like the average family. And those families are making the necessary spending reductions.
Arizona will weather this downturn and emerge stronger.
I will stand firm in providing our dedicated state employees with the resources they need. But we must all realize that resources are finite and a troubling economy demands sacrifices.
Freezing less than 2 percent of spending is the least we can do. I hope the governor will join the Legislature as we work to get through this economic downturn.
Thursday, March 6, 2008
(STATE CAPITOL, PHOENIX) – Coming on the heels of a bill to implement a statewide hiring freeze, the Legislature approved a measure Thursday instructing state agencies to freeze some spending to help deal with the $1.2 billion deficit.
House Bill 2857 passed the Legislature and is moving up to the governor for her signature. The move is necessary to slow spending and ensure these funds are available once a final budget agreement is reached.
“Budgets are a process,” Senate President Tim Bee, R-Tucson, said. “We will continue our bipartisan negotiations. This is simply a measure to help stop the flow of cash as we work to reach consensus.”
“We have to put the brakes on the state’s spending and so far there has been little desire to do that by the governor,” House Speaker Jim Weiers, R-Phoenix, said. “So just like we offered legislation to institute a hiring freeze, we will also offer this as a piece of the budget solution.”
The bill freezes about $324 million contained in funds throughout state agencies. It also instructs state agencies to refrain from spending $212 million, about 2 percent of general fund spending for the current fiscal year.
“Quite frankly, we need to stop the bleeding,” said Senate Majority Leader Thayer Verschoor, R-Gilbert. “We need to ensure that the measures we need to take to balance this budget are available once we reach a final agreement.”
“With a $1.2 billion deficit looming, holding aside about 2 percent of the state’s general fund seems prudent,” said House Majority Leader Tom Boone, R-Peoria.
All Republican House and Senate members unanimously supported the bill.
Monday, March 3, 2008
House Speaker Jim Weiers' bill to ban the sale of dogs, cats and other pets on the side of the road passed the House Monday. HB2485 passed with 50 votes.
“This bill provides one more disincentive to operate inhumane puppy mills. Consumers deserve better than taking the risk when buying an animal from a street vender,” Weiers, R-Phoenix, said. “There are plenty of for-profit and non-profit groups that guarantee the health of animals sold.”
Thursday, February 28, 2008
The Navajo Code Talkers receive their own monument in Wesley Bolin Plaza Thursday. They also spent time on the House floor before the official unveiling. Navajo code talkers have been cited as being instrumental to military success during WWII and are often credited for saving numerous lives by using their coded language to assist in military battles in places such as Guadalcanal, Iwo Jima, Tarawa, Okinawa and Saipan.
Monday, January 14, 2008
As the gavel came down on the opening of the session Monday, House Republicans immediately moved to implement an aggressive agenda to improve Arizona.
House Speaker Jim Weiers filed a bill to permanently repeal the statewide property tax set to hit property owners next January. The bill will be heard in the House Ways and Means Committee Thursday. A companion bill in the Senate is sponsored by Sen. Jim Waring, R-Phoenix.
“I will not balance the budget on the backs of hardworking homeowners,” Weiers said.
The state Veterans Home, the subject of two damning inspections by the Department of Veterans Services and two fines by the federal government, must undergo significant change.
“We need to do something other than what the governor has tried and failed,” said Weiers, R-Phoenix. “Neglecting our veterans is unacceptable and the situation will change this year.”
Child Protective Services is another area where legislative leadership is needed.
Hearings into the deaths of three Tucson kids revealed lapses within CPS that led to the tragedies. Reps. Kirk Adams, R-Mesa, and Jonathan Paton, R-Tucson, plan to push reforms to open up CPS and make changes to prevent future deaths.
Opening government to the people is another priority. To shine the light on state employees who don’t follow the law or policies, Republicans will push to open state employee records to public view.
“Nothing works to keep government honest like the light of day and state employees need to be accountable to the public,” House Majority Whip John McComish said.
Arizona’s abundant sunshine makes the state uniquely situated to take the lead in solar energy. Republicans will look to make solar energy more accessible and cheaper for state residents.
“The House Republicans will focus on improving the situation of those least able to fend for themselves,” House Majority Leader Tom Boone, R-Peoria, said. “And we will not lose sight of the people who work hard to fund government. We will be good stewards of taxpayer funds and ensure their money is spent wisely.”