Arizona's legislature approved a bipartisan $18 billion spending plan early Thursday that will make substantial investments in public schools, build new highways and pay down long-term debts. The budget also includes a provision that caps the revenue the state receives from sports betting at 10%, which Kingman Republican Rep. Regina Cobb said it was needed to keep the state competitive with states like Nevada. Thirty states have state versions of the credit. The final budget adds about 20 staff members to his Border Strike Force within the Department of Public Safety, and the $200 million-plus for border security includes: $20 million for a jail in Cochise County, $10 million for the Arizona National Guard, $53 million to retain and hire sheriffs officers, $15 million to transport asylum seekers outside of Arizona, as well as other priorities. When the dust settled on the budget, it was education funding that persuaded Democrats. State employees will get a raise, many for the first time in a decade. Copyright 2021 Scripps Media, Inc. All rights reserved. December 9, 2014 Leave a comment. Also on Thursday evening, Senate made its way through its calendar, completing action on six additional bills and passing 11 others that will need to be finalized by the House. December 9, 2014 Leave a comment. Each year includes a 2.5% general wage increase, as well as a step hike for all but the most senior workers. By: Jim Small and Jerod MacDonald-Evoy - June 23, 2022 5:24 am. But for Democrats, this may have been the last chance for the foreseeable future to make an imprint on the state budget. They also agreed to technical changes in a formula for distributing money to schools and $4 million each for school testing and 2022 election costs. Likely there will be some sort of compromise concerning the two state bills. For 2023, lawmakers approved a 4% raise for state employees. That hesitance sent GOP leaders looking for Democratic votes, which they got as they crafted a rare bipartisan budget. WebFY 2022 Appropriations Report - General Fund Salary Adjustments for State Employees Since FY 2012 and Salary Adjustments for Elected Officials Created Date 8/4/2021 4:55:37 PM SB 1411 was introduced by Republican State Senator Karen Fann. 0. And Lamont reported this week that the current fiscal years budget is projected to close on June 30 with an unprecedented $3.95 billion surplus, equal to nearly 20% of entire General Fund. March 10, 2022. Arizona state employees get raises without needed OKs. 0. Ducey is seeking a permanent 15% raise for state troopers, 20% for juvenile and adult corrections employees and pay boosts for several other agencies that total nearly $250 million a year. Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. Tax cuts are a staple of the annual budget. They also agreed to technical changes in a formula for distributing money to schools and $4 million each for school testing and 2022 election costs. Its also done with the best financial interests of the state at heart.. "However, the opportunity to truly invest in our public education and secure a brighter future for Arizona students cannot be overlooked. This is what our state, where voters are nearly evenly divided by party affiliation, has long asked of us to work together, said Rep. Reginald Bolding of Laveen, the top Democrat in the House. The budget is not sound and its not reflective of my conservative values, Ugenti-Rita said. The Associated Press learned of the moneys use when an updated report on the governors use of virus relief funds was posted by the Joint Legislative Budget Committee, which provides non-partisan analysis of state finances to lawmakers. WebRaise Corporate STO Cap by $2 M; Increase Individual STO cap by $250/$500 in FY 24 (2.0) (11.9) (13.0) 10 Expand Vets Property Tax Exemption to all Disability Levels (Savings in '24) (Separate Bill) Yes - see ADE Yes - see ADE Yes - see ADE 11: Eliminate State Equalization Tax Rate see ADE see ADE see ADE Ducey listed water, education, and border security as his priorities. GOP minority says taxpayers got a raw deal, Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window), Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window). This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Ironically, it was the Legislatures most conservative lawmakers who forced the hands of GOP leaders when they balked at initial, smaller spending proposals. Only a handful of dissenters from each party voted against the package of bills, and Republican Gov. Duceys office routinely issues news releases when he allocates cash from the pot of COVID-19 relief money he controls, but that wasnt done this time. By: Jim Small and Jerod MacDonald-Evoy - June 23, 2022 5:24 am. Our priorities are so misplaced if were saying we are conservative, she said. by Jim Small, Arizona Mirror June 23, 2022. But for me, its encouraging that we have actually come together.. Instead of one rate for district schools and a higher rate for charter schools, the money will instead be distributed per student at identical rates. That includes $544 million for border security, roughly half of it for a wall, and $1 billion for highway construction, including widening Interstate 10 north of Casa Grande. Every single budgets bad, Gray said. The package of budget bills passed with overwhelming support, highly unusual in the modern era. The Senate completed action on a bill Thursday evening that will provide pay raises for state employees whose wages are outlined in state code. The Senate gave final approval Friday to a four-year package of raises for state employees that includes $3,500 in bonuses to help stem a surge in worker retirements. It raises pay in January 2022 to $300 and raises employer premiums. Sen. Martin Quezada, a Glendale Democrat, spoke out against plans to spend $335 million for a wall on the southern border, which he said would be useless in stopping people from crossing. In a letter to agencies explaining the increases, the board said about 7,500 employees are topped out in their current pay range, and the turnover rate exceeds 17%. State employees will get a raise, many for the first time in a decade. A second teenage boy has been arrested in connection with a fatal drive-by shooting earlier this month in midtown Phoenix, authorities said Monday. Republicans last year cut $1.7 billion in income taxes. All Rights Reserved. Kay Ivey approved of the step changes prior to the boards decision. It also eliminates the state equalization tax, a property tax for education, and backfills it with $330 million from the general fund. She noted that West Virginia recently granted state employees a 5% raise while Arizona bumped pay for its correction officers by 20% and for workers in many other departments by 10%. Doug Ducey was expected to approve it. The House is adjourned until tomorrow, March 1 at 9:30 a.m. Ducey hailed the deal, saying his policies of limited spending and regulation cuts can be credited for the surplus, although massive federal COVID-19 relief money also was a major contributor. This is really just getting on a soap box and vilifying immigrants and creating a political point, Quezada said. State employees will get a raise, many for the first time in a decade. Arizona state employees get raises without needed OKs. Senate Bill 531 applies to teachers, school counselors, school service personnel and State Troopers. The added funding includes phasing in funding for low-income students starting at $50 million in the upcoming fiscal year and growing to $100 million in three years and special education. Agencies are not required to give the increases. The House, where Democrats also hold a majority, approved the package 96-52 on Thursday. Our stories may be republished online or in print under Creative Commons license CC BY-NC-ND 4.0. Every single budget's bad, Gray said. WebThe Arizona State Retirement System Board of Trustees announced Friday, November 12, 2021 that qualified retirees will receive a Permanent Benefit Increase (PBI) to their monthly annuities, beginning with their July 2022 benefit check. This year, it comes in the form of the elimination of the state equalization tax, which is levied against properties. The budget is not sound and its not reflective of my conservative values, Ugenti-Rita said. Tab will move on to the next part of the site rather than go through menu items. Contents of this site are Copyright 2023 Kingman Miner and Western News&Info, Inc. All rights reserved. Connecticut is facing pressure from the private sector, municipalities and other states for its workers, Osten said, adding that the pandemic has made many state jobs less attractive. Senate Bill 531 applies to teachers, school counselors, school service personnel and State Troopers. May 6, 2022 Updated May 7, 2022. Not everyone was happy with the plan to spend most of the state's surplus, as conservatives balked at the spending and called the budget bloated and more befitting of a Democratic product. State employees have stepped up and answered the call of She says one day, federal money will run out, so states need to start thinking long-term. The plan also allocates $1.25 billion for state debt and pension obligations. Hundreds of millions are set aside for water infrastructure as the state faces prolonged drought. I had a bill I really cared about that I wanted included in the budget, a tax cut for low-income working families, Bowie said. Lawmakers in the House and Senate ended a months-long impasse, working through the night to approve the budget shortly before sunrise. I dont think we have a competitiveness problem here in Arizona, Rep. Kelli Butler, D-Paradise Valley, said, citing the, made in the state since its implementation and the states meager tax collections. Arizona Gov. State lawmakers worked overnight and passed a $15.6 billion budget in the early morning hours of June 23. And the minority party convinced Republicans to strip an expansion of the states school tuition organization program out of the budget. This is what our state, where voters are nearly evenly divided by party affiliation, has long asked of us to work together, said Rep. Reginald Bolding of Laveen, the top Democrat in the House. Only a handful of dissenters from each party voted against the package of bills, and Republican Gov. With the increase, Fann's bill cuts benefits from 26 to 22 weeks once unemployment is back under 4.5%. That includes $544 million for border security, roughly half of it for a wall, and $1 billion for highway construction, including widening Interstate 10 north of Casa Grande. ", Education:House vote puts Arizona on cusp of largest school voucher program in US. Ducey released a recovery-focused budget for Fiscal Year 2022, and he plans in making investments in K-12 education, public health, public safety, wildfire prevention, infrastructure and more, while also providing tax relief to residents. The Blog of the West Virginia Legislature, The Official Blog of the West Virginia Legislature, House Passes Classroom Camera Review Process Bill, House Floor Session, Rejection of Senate Bill 230, Senate Completes Equal Protection for Religion Act, House Rejects Bill to Create Commission on Cost-of-Living Adjustments, House Advances Equal Protection Religion Act, Senate Passes Bill to Contract Retired Teachers. Boyer, who started as a Senate staffer and has been a lawmaker for a decade, said this is the first bipartisan budget in at least 15 years. We ask that you edit only for style or to shorten, provide proper attribution and link to our web site. It allows state and local governments to boost pay by up to $13 per hour for essential workers and allows a maximum per-employee amount of $25,000. Average annual pay before overtime for non-supervisors is just over $70,000. Left and right arrows move across top level links and expand / close menus in sub levels. Additionally, the States workforce has declined by more than 1,500 employees in the last two years. Our stories may be republished online or in print under Creative Commons license CC BY-NC-ND 4.0. 2021. Contents of this site are Copyright 2023 Kingman Miner and Western News&Info, Inc. All rights reserved. Photo by Jerod MacDonald-Evoy | Arizona Mirror. Pass it along to the KTAR News team here. News Release. 1228 Magnolia Curve, Montgomery AL, 36106. Despite an eventual agreement on the budget, Democratic members tried but failed to introduce a number of amendments to budget bills to introduce a litany of policy changes such as, extending family and medical leave benefits, UPDATED Trumps fake electors: Heres the full list, How David Stevens is making Cochise County a 'laboratory', A GOP showdown over the debt limit could grip Congress and. Across the Capitol complex, most of the bills in the Senate won the approval of at least 18 of the 30 senators. That will save property owners a collective $300 million. Photo by Jerod MacDonald-Evoy | Arizona Mirror. As part of House Bill 1, also known as the executive branch budget, state employees will receive an 8% across-the-board raise in the next fiscal year. KTARs Community Spotlight focuses on the Boys & Girls Club of the Valley and the work to incorporate esports into children's lives. The Senate gave final approval Friday to a four-year package of raises for state employees that includes $3,500 in bonuses to help stem a surge in worker retirements. For the latest local news, download the FOX 10 News app. I believe this is the best Democratic, bloated-full-of-pork budget that our money could have ever paid for, Rep. John Fillmore, R-Apache Junction, said in the early hours Thursday as he voted against the budget. 0. Doug Ducey is expected to sign the $18 billion budget approved by the Legislature this week. But for Democrats, this may have been the last chance for the foreseeable future to make an imprint on the state budget. These class-specific raises are in addition to the 3.25% raise and lump-sum payments and will also go into effect July 1, 2022 and be reflected on the July 25 paycheck. Tiny majorities in both chambers meant opposition from a single Republican lawmaker was enough to sink the budget if Democrats were united in opposition. Fazio said it reflects the pull unions have on state government, and that taxpayers will end up footing the bill. After losing support on the right, House Speaker Rusty Bowers and Senate President Karen Fann had to look elsewhere for votes, and they found them across the aisle. Both measures will allow laid-off workers to take on more part-time work. Sen. Greg Albritton, R-Range, the Senate General Fund budget committee chairman, said he wasnt aware of the increases until after their approval. Nobody loves a budget once all the compromises are made, said Senate Majority Leader Rick Gray, R-Sun City. Their agreement adds $80 million in combined additional funding for Arizona State University and Northern Arizona University, bringing their funding boosts in line with additional money already allocated to University of Arizona. 0. "Frankly, a majority of this budget does not align with the priorities of Democrats," Senate Minority Leader Rebecca Rios, D-Phoenix, said in a statement. State employees will get a raise, many for the first time in a decade. Tune in to FOX 10 Phoenixfor the latestnews: By clicking Sign Up, I confirmthat I have read and agreeto the Privacy Policy and Terms of Service. PHOENIX (AP) Arizonas legislature approved a bipartisan $18 billion spending plan early Thursday that will make substantial investments in public schools, build new highways and pay down long-term debts. Nobody loves a budget once all the compromises are made, said Senate Majority Leader Rick Gray, R-Sun City. The Lamont administration, labor leaders and other supporters of the increases have said they believe unions could have gotten even larger raises had they rejected the states offer and gone to arbitration. Please see our republishing guidelines for use of photos and graphics. State lawmakers worked overnight and passed a $15.6 billion budget in the early morning hours of June 23. The Senate gave final approval Friday to a four-year package of raises for state employees that includes $3,500 in bonuses to help stem a surge in worker retirements. And it puts another $425 million in the rainy day fund to help the state weather a potential recession. The annual budget creating a political point, Quezada said All rights reserved, 2022 am. 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