Over the past several months I’ve spent a fair amount of time with governors from both parties. The advice from all of them has been consistent:
“No matter what, get your state’s budget balanced first. Once that’s accomplished then you can tackle everything else.”
Working with the Arizona Legislature we did that this week, passing a budget that puts us on the path to structural balance for the first time since 2007.
It wasn’t easy. We made real reductions to government spending and accomplished permanent decisions that reform government – rather than just biting around the edges.
Not only will we have a leaner government; we’ll have a better one, more accountable to the taxpayers.
And we did all this WITHOUT raising taxes.
Naturally, the spending lobby and special interests don’t like it. They just assume government gets bigger and spends more.
I happen to believe government shouldn’t spend money that doesn’t exist.
One thing I’m particularly proud of is that we did all this while protecting education. Here are three facts I’d like you to know about state support for education spending:
1. This budget is the most Arizona has EVER spent on education in our state’s history
2. 49% of the state’s $9.1 billion budget will go to education (K-12 and universities combined)
3. This budget includes more than $600 million in general fund dollars for universities, representing 7% of the state’s budget
Our budget is values-based. We set priorities and trimmed back where it matters, protecting the areas that I know we all care the about most.
Thank you for reading this, and thank you for your ongoing support. Angela and I are grateful for all the expressions of support we get from friends every day, and we appreciate it more than you know!!!
Thank you!
Doug