Photo by Rob Schumacher/The Arizona Republic/USA Today Network | Pool photo
In the not-so-distant past (two years ago), Gov. Doug Ducey praised a budget that paid down the state’s debt, claiming “it’s the responsible thing to do.”
He also promised debt reduction would free up monies that could be used for “things that matter most” to Arizonans, “like K-12 education, enhancing public safety and updating our state’s infrastructure.”
But an unexpected budget surplus seems to have shifted the governor’s priorities. He’s currently working with Republican legislators on a budget focused on massive tax cuts for the state’s wealthiest households instead of one that pays down debt or invests in the “things that matter most” to Arizonans.
In a previous column, I detailed how Ducey’s flat tax proposal would decimate the budgets of cities and towns, effectively defunding public safety. It seems two Republican legislators agree and are withholding their votes on the budget until it lessens the harm to local governments.