Post by Logan on Jan 30, 2016 3:56:55 GMT -6
Ducey seeks authority to cut costs without Legislature's approval
Gov. Doug Ducey is asking lawmakers to surrender oversight of state spending between regular sessions, if falling tax revenues put Arizona's budget in the red.
The proposal, tucked in the governor's $9.5 billion spending plan, troubles some Republicans and Democrats in the Arizona Legislature, who expressed concern it could overstep the Constitution's separation of powers.
Currently, when midyear budget adjustments are required, the governor calls lawmakers into special session. The governor cannot on his or her own withhold from any agency money appropriated by the Legislature, except to the Governor's Office.
"The only job the Legislature is actually supposed to do, by statute, by the Constitution, is pass a balanced budget. To give up on part of that?" said Sen. Steve Pierce, R-Prescott. "If he (Ducey) wanted to call us in in six months and say, 'Things are going south, we need to change this,' I think that would be more appropriate than giving him the authority to do it. Otherwise, why is there a Legislature?"
Read more: www.azcentral.com/story/news/arizona/politics/2016/01/27/doug-ducey-seeks-authority-cut-costs-without-legislature-approval/79078252/
Gov. Doug Ducey is asking lawmakers to surrender oversight of state spending between regular sessions, if falling tax revenues put Arizona's budget in the red.
The proposal, tucked in the governor's $9.5 billion spending plan, troubles some Republicans and Democrats in the Arizona Legislature, who expressed concern it could overstep the Constitution's separation of powers.
Currently, when midyear budget adjustments are required, the governor calls lawmakers into special session. The governor cannot on his or her own withhold from any agency money appropriated by the Legislature, except to the Governor's Office.
"The only job the Legislature is actually supposed to do, by statute, by the Constitution, is pass a balanced budget. To give up on part of that?" said Sen. Steve Pierce, R-Prescott. "If he (Ducey) wanted to call us in in six months and say, 'Things are going south, we need to change this,' I think that would be more appropriate than giving him the authority to do it. Otherwise, why is there a Legislature?"
Read more: www.azcentral.com/story/news/arizona/politics/2016/01/27/doug-ducey-seeks-authority-cut-costs-without-legislature-approval/79078252/