Citing the mixed messages coming from her administration, the leaders of the Arizona Legislature, Speaker of the House Ben Toma and Senate President Warren Petersen, sent a letter to Governor Katie Hobbs inviting her to better participate in the state’s budget process, and reminding her that she needs Republican help to pass a budget.
The two Republicans invited the Governor to sit down with them to discuss the matter.
“Legislative leadership is struggling with the contrary messaging coming from your office in the past week. Last Tuesday, and merely 50 days into your term as Governor, you created and committed funding to your “Flip the Leg Fund,” wrote the two leaders. “As characterized by the Arizona Republic, “the timing of the announcement brought criticism in itself. Hobbs needs at least some Republicans to pass a budget, but the new ‘Flip the Leg’ fund provides a potential disincentive to work with her.” The very next day, we received a request from your office to discuss priorities and identify differences to avoid a government shutdown.”
The two men say they remain open and hope to avoid a government shutdown, which would be inevitable if the trio do not arrive at a consensus and pass a budget the governor will not veto.
Already this session, the governor has vetoed over a dozen bills including a state budget and another bill that would have provided much needed relief for residential renters. The veto of the elimination of the rental tax was especially unpopular among Maricopa County voters, home of Phoenix, which has some of the highest rent rates in the country.
“The Legislative Budget you vetoed on February 16th represented shared, ongoing funding priorities,” the two men advised the Governor in their letter. “That budget would have prevented a government shutdown, while leaving the available one-time funds untouched for executive and legislative negotiation of priorities. Our budget was the responsible approach to governing in a time of economic uncertainty.
Hobbs previously called the budget the Legislature sent her “awesome” before deciding to veto it.
In their letter, the two leaders ask Hobbs to reconsider her stated position that she is not open to negotiations.
“In our first and only meeting to discuss the budget, your office stated it was unwilling to receive feedback or take questions. Obviously, we need some level of agreement to pass a budget,” argued Toma and Petersen. “We believe we can achieve most of our priorities and include yours that are reasonable. For example, we have several members who support additional funding for School Facilities Building renewal, the Division of Developmental Disabilities (DDD), and transportation projects.”
Hobbs has been dismissive in the past of any and all efforts, including bipartisan efforts, by the Legislature to address essential funding and election integrity reforms.
Letter from Toma and Petersen in its entirety:
Dear Governor Hobbs,
Legislative leadership is struggling with the contrary messaging coming from your office in the past week. Last Tuesday and merely 50 days into your term as Governor, you created and committed funding to your “Flip the Leg Fund.” As characterized by the Arizona Republic, “the timing of the announcement brought criticism in itself. Hobbs needs at least some Republicans to pass a budget, but the new ‘Flip the Leg’ fund provides a potential disincentive to work with her.” The very next day, we received a request from your office to discuss priorities and identify differences to avoid a government shutdown.
The Legislative Budget you vetoed on February 16th represented shared, ongoing funding priorities. That budget would have prevented a government shutdown, while leaving the available one-time funds untouched for executive and legislative negotiation of priorities. Our budget was the responsible approach to governing in a time of economic uncertainty.In our first and only meeting to discuss the budget, your office stated it was unwilling to receive feedback or take questions. Obviously, we need some level of agreement to pass a budget. We believe we can achieve most of our priorities and include yours that are reasonable. For example, we have several members who support additional funding for School Facilities Building renewal, the Division of Developmental Disabilities (DDD), and transportation projects.
That being said, we are open to meeting to discuss how a budget process may move forward. Our offices will reach out to schedule a meeting time.