By Alia Beard Rau and Mary Jo Pitzl | The Republic | azcentral.com
A year ago, Gov. Jan Brewer promised she’d leave office with a structurally balanced budget. Instead, she’ll hand incoming Gov. Doug Ducey a budget shortfall that could top $1 billion.
Brewer’s staff says there’s no way a year ago they could have imagined how slowly Arizona would recover from the Great Recession. But they aren’t washing their hands of the problem.
Brewer on Monday announced she will develop her own budget. Ducey can then choose to use all or parts of it, or provide something entirely his own. He is required by the state Constitution to release a budget proposal by Jan. 16.
