Speaker of the House Steve Montenegro blasted Governor Hobbs on Thursday in response to her announcement of a “legislative moratorium.”
Earlier in the week, Hobbs’ announced that she will halt action on bills after the Legislature failed to give her the money she needs to cure a financial crisis she created.
“Governor Hobbs’ decision to hold every bill hostage because she didn’t get her way on a blank check is not leadership—it’s political blackmail. She created this crisis by foolishly expanding the DDD program without legislative approval or funding in place, and now she’s throwing a tantrum because the Legislature is doing the responsible thing: funding services while putting guardrails in place to keep the program from collapsing,” said Montenegro. “Let’s be clear: House Republicans are already advancing legislation to fully fund the DDD program. What the Governor demands is no oversight, no reforms, and no accountability for the financial mess she clearly made. That’s not a solution.”
“If Governor Hobbs was serious about protecting families, she’d stop the partisan press releases, stop the threats, and finally come to the table. Until then, she’s the one playing political games—at the expense of every Arizonan waiting for her to do her job,” concluded Montenegro.
Hobbs has accused Reps. David Livingston and Matt Gress of orchestrating “manufactured chaos,” in response to her administration’s fiscal mismanagement, “to engage in political warfare.”
“Today, Republicans forced through their unserious proposal in a stacked committee to slash services for Arizonans with disabilities, threaten Medicaid programs for middle class children and people with severe mental illness, and gut down payment assistance for working families,” said Hobbs.
“It’s time for Reps. Gress and Livingston to stop playing games while Arizonans in need grow increasingly desperate for the lifesaving services provided by the Parents as Paid Caregivers Program,” continued Hobbs. “This political theater is an attempt to attack me and my administration, but the only people harmed are everyday Arizonans, including the ones who bravely spoke up in committee asking Republican lawmakers to acknowledge their right to live with independence and dignity.”
Hobbs’ moratorium follows the passage of a supplemental spending bill, sponsored by Livingston, to fund the Division of Developmental Disabilities (DDD) earlier this month.
“What we’re doing today is stepping up with a responsible, fully funded solution that protects families, restores order and keeps this from happening again,” Montenegro said in a statement after the bill was introduced on April 7. “We’re bringing compassion and common sense back into the process. Families deserve stability — not budget chaos and political excuses.”