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Tuesday, August 4, 2009

O Arizona: Budget Vote Delayed Again; Absenteeism Part of the Problem

Senate Postpones Budget-Balancing Vote - Politics News Story - KPHO Phoenix
For the second time in a week, the Arizona Senate postponed a vote on a budget-balancing plan Tuesday because Republican leaders hadn't gathered enough support.

Leaders say the sticking point is a sales-tax increase proposed by GOP Gov. Jan Brewer. Another problem on Tuesday was that one-third of the 30-member Senate was absent from the Capitol. The Senate will reconvene on Friday.

Senate President Bob Burns, a Republican from Peoria, said he was trying to round up enough votes to pass the plan and noted that leaders may have to make unspecified changes to win approval.

The plan to close the state budget deficit, estimated at $3.2 billion to $3.4 billion, had cleared the House Friday morning.

It includes holding a Nov. 3 special election on a spending cap, new authority for lawmakers to ease voter-approved spending mandates and Brewer's proposal for a sales-tax increase.


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