On August 11th, Arizona Governor Katie Hobbs issued a declaration of emergency intended to earn her media coverage that portrayed her as responsive and concerned about the well-being of Arizonans. It has instead opened her up to substantial ridicule because her state of emergency extended from June 30th through July 30th of this year, meaning she waited almost two weeks after the end of the emergency to declare the emergency and to make funds available to help Arizonans deal with it.
Arizona State Representative Justin Heap sarcastically pointed out the glaring error in Hobbs’ declaration in a tweet:
So let me see if I’m reading this right? Today Katie Hobbs granted herself Emergency Powers that expired 9 days ago? The $200,000 she’s taking from the general fund is to retroactively cover expenses incurred before she granted herself powers? Or does it just go to buying the DeLorean & Flux Capacitor?
So let me see if I'm reading this right? Today Katie Hobbs granted herself Emergency Powers that expired 9 days ago? The $200,000 she's taking from the general fund is to retroactively cover expenses incurred before she granted herself powers? Or does it just go to buying the… pic.twitter.com/c6W4ZS3Rml
— Az State Rep. Justin Heap (@azjustinheap) August 12, 2023
Several experts contacted seemed to believe that the Governor’s powers when it comes to emergency declarations are very broad, and there is nothing to stop her from allocating money, even to disasters that occurred in the past. But there was some disagreement about this particular declaration because it writes of the past period as though it was current and instructs that the money be spent to deal with the emergency.
“If her point is we’re in an emergency right now and this money must be used to deal with this emergency in the moment, then the fact that the emergency is actually over, according to her own declaration, may seriously complicate the legality of expending the funds.”
Other politicos took a more light-hearted approach to the confusing language.
Is it too late to ask Hobbs for an emergency declaration to help I-10 in light of the historic floods of Sep 2014? Its apparently never too late to go back and help, so it might be worth considering. Lord knows Maricopa County is always looking for more transportation funding!
Is it too late to ask Hobbs for an emergency declaration to help I-10 in light of the historic floods of Sep 2014? Its apparently never too late to go back and help, so it might be worth considering. Lord knows Maricopa County is always looking for more transportation funding! https://t.co/0OJzxOSahO
— Constantin Querard (@CQuerard) August 12, 2023