Catching Up ~ Abeit Briefly

UPDATE: Arizona Federation of Taxpayers also came out against the Mason Solar Tax Credit bill. Mason has decided to hold the bill at this point.

Forgive my lack of posts over the last two days. We are more than knee-deep in garbage here at the Capitol and instead of pressing forward to negotiate a responsible budget we are passing out bills that without question will result in increased taxes.

Two of these bills I am referring to are provisions that were in the now defunct job stimulus package: Lucy Mason's Solar Tax Credit and Pima County's Cactus League~Spring Training Bill. Unfortunately for the taxpayer, both of these bills passed out of committee despite objections from such groups as the Arizona Free Enterprise Club, the D.C. based Taxpayer Foundation, and the Arizona Restaurant Association. The Mason Solar-Energy Tax Credit received a thorough beating during our recent republican caucus so perhaps there is a ray of hope (get it?) that it will go down in flames.

As you have probably read by now, the Senate passed out their horrific budget proposal last night ( or rather, at 5:33 this morning) that includes $2 BILLION DOLLARS IN NEW BORROWING besides the fact that we are currently facing a $2.3 BILLION DOLLAR SHORTFALL! Ugh! Props to my good friend and seatmate, Senator Ron Gould for seriously doing all he could to protect the citizens of Arizona and prevent the Senate from successfully passing the budget. Senator Gould got almost no assistance from his fellow republicans...it is a shame that he has to take heat from his colleagues for taking seriously his oath of office.

Oh, surprise, surprise...house leadership just put the APPALLING Senate Budget Feed Bill (HB 2209) on the "Board of Truth" and the bill passed with the assistance of the following republicans:

Lucy Mason
Jennifer Burns
Michelle Reagan
Pete Hershberger

Without these REPUBLICANS ( though now perhaps, RINOS), the outrageous Senate Budget Feed Bill would not have passed and we would have then had the opportunity to negotiate a more fiscally responsible budget on behalf of the taxpayers.

FYI, I will list the travesties of the Senate Budget in a later post...must pay attention to the bills as they are voted. Can you believe that I am receiving emails from district 3 AEA members pleading me to vote in favor of this Senate budget? Increased gambling, increased photo radar, increased borrowing...and AEA members believe this is prudent?