Arizona Governor Hobbs vetoes state budget bill

PHOENIX (KYMA, KECY) - Governor Katie Hobbs (D-Arizona) vetoed a partisan budget proposal Thursday afternoon.

The Office of the Governor Katie Hobbs said the proposal is Arizona Legislature’s one-sided budget that presents Arizonans with false choices.

“Arizonans deserve a budget that takes the real issues they are facing seriously. This do-nothing budget kicks the can down the road and it’s an insult to Arizonans who need their leaders to address affordable housing, invest in public education, and put money back into their pockets.

“Five weeks ago, I stood before the legislature and, invoking the words of the late Governor Rose Mofford, asked the members to work with me in making ‘difficult choices’ about the future of our state.

“Unfortunately, despite my call to take on these difficult choices and protect our state’s future, the budget approved by a slim, partisan majority in the legislature takes another path. An easy path. Rather than tackling difficult choices, this budget presents Arizonans with false choices. The purely-partisan budget says that we can’t invest in our state now and invest in our future. It says that we can’t address the challenges of today and save for the challenges of tomorrow. It says we can’t disagree with each other and work together in the best interest of the state.

“Now that this partisan exercise is over, I am asking the Legislature to genuinely and seriously work with me on a budget that puts people, not politics first. To that end I’m inviting all elected officials–regardless of party affiliation–to sit down at the table to work toward bipartisan solutions, and compromise. The people of Arizona demand it. So let’s get to work,” said Governor Katie Hobbs.

Governor Hobbs’ budget priorities can be read HERE.

You can also read the veto letter for S.B. 1523 and twelve other budget bills below.

House Democratic Leader Andrés Cano said in a statement:

"Let us be clear: Republican lawmakers unilaterally introduced a sham budget that they knew would be vetoed. This was a colossal waste of time by the GOP involved no opportunity for compromise or negotiation. Our doors remain open to Republican lawmakers who are serious about tackling the pressing needs of our state. We look forward to working on a bipartisan budget that will invest in our schools, tackle inflation, create jobs, and combat rising housing costs.”