Wendy Rogers, R-Flagstaff said.īut it also sparked complaints of political pork, as many of the transportation projects supersede the long-term planning the Arizona Department of Transportation does. "This is the first time I’ve been able to list the critically needed things that my poor district needs," state Sen. They represent the wishes of individual lawmakers, who say it allowed them to address needs in their districts. Those dollars are why the budget bulged with 50 transportation projects, as well as 26 local projects. To garner support, leaders offered lawmakers a slice of the state's estimated $2.5 billion budget surplus, amounting to $20 million to $30 million per Republican member, with a lesser amount for Democrats. The budget framework is what apparently led to its success, but not without fueling discontent. Katie Hobbs prioritizes education in 2023 State of the State speech Lawmakers got millions to spend, securing votes “Whoo! That sounds like a success to me.” “25 ayes, 5 nays – bipartisan,” Senate President Warren Petersen, R-Gilbert, said as the vote on the main budget bill in that chamber concluded around 4:30 a.m. GOP leaders also celebrated the budget, which won the votes of the unified Republican caucuses. "Not everybody got what they wanted, but I’m thankful legislative leaders were able to set aside their differences, compromise, and support a bipartisan deal that makes historic investments in affordable housing, builds roads, bridges, and public transit, expands access to health insurance for Arizona’s children and creates critical new ESA accountability measures." “I’m glad the House passed the bipartisan budget and I look forward to signing it into law," she said in a statement. What's in Arizona's state budget? Money for families, education, housing, water and more Hobbs praised the votes after the House concluded work mid-afternoon Wednesday. The Senate was invited to join but declined. Andrés Cano, D-Tucson, announced the creation of a committee to examine the best way to provide oversight of the Empowerment Scholarship Account program. In a concession to those concerns, House Speaker Ben Toma, R-Glendale, along with the minority leader, Rep. Of particular concern was lack of action on the state's rapidly growing private school voucher program, which Hobbs in January vowed to roll back. The votes give Hobbs a big win in her first budget foray even as she faced criticism from her own party, whose members felt she didn't fight strongly enough for some Democratic priorities. Katie Hobbs negotiated with Republican legislative leaders. The lopsided approval, with more than two-thirds of the lawmakers on board, overshadowed Democratic discontent with the plan that fellow Democrat Gov. State lawmakers approved a $17.8 billion budget Wednesday on strong bipartisan votes that will provide tax rebates to families, fund millions of dollars of road projects, increase K-12 education funding and create a new state park. View Gallery: Arizona Legislature 2023 session
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