State of the State address focuses on the economy, education, water
By Phil Riske | Managing Editor
(STATE CAPITOL) – Arizona Governor Doug Ducey on Monday told a joint session of the Legislature the state’s economy has taken off, jobs have grown and taxes have been reduced.
“What a difference a year makes,” he said in his second State of the State Address. “The state of our state isn’t just strong, it is on the rise. The Legislature got the job done.”
Ducey noted that a year ago, Arizona “was broke,” jobs were scarce and education funding was tied up in court.
On Friday, the governor will release his proposed budget that will focus on education, child and public safety and further tax reductions, which, he said would continue for three years.
Ducey called for support of Prop. 123, which, he said “will unleash new dollars to teachers and students.”
The proposition will ask voters to approve the K-12 education deal lawmakers approved in an October special session, which will settle a five-year lawsuit over education funding.
The measure would pump $3.5 billion into K-12 schools, giving the education groups that sued the state in 2010 about 72 percent of the funding they sought in court, while creating safeguards to permit the Legislature to halt spending increases or cut funding under certain economic circumstances.
More than four-dozen statements in opposition to Proposition 123 have been submitted to the secretary of state. Opponents, led by Treasurer Jeff DeWitt, cite what they see as flaws in the measure.
In a message to whom Ducey called “cynics” against the proposition, Ducey said, “You can’t sit on the sidelines . . . please put politics and partisanship aside . . .”
The governor said Arizona has done a good job with water management, while proposing the hiring of experts and increasing funding for future water plans.
Ducey took the opportunity to fire a political salvo at California over its water and tax situations. “I thank my partner in the economy of Arizona, California Governor Jerry Brown” for sending Californians t Arizona.
Ducey questioned the role of state government in a call to “put the cuffs on” burdensome business regulations and licensing requirements. Are 20,000 laws and more than 1,000 bills (submitted in the 2015 session) “what government is supposed to do?”
Saying Sky Harbor International Airport is key to Arizona’s economy, he called on Phoenix city government to lift its restrictions on who may provide transportation services from the airport.
The governor said the nearly 19,000 kids in foster care keep him up at night. He called for legislation to provide more incentives to become foster parents.
At the same time, he dealt with dead-beat dads, proposing the identification of “these losers” go viral on social media.
As part of a plan for prison reform, Ducey proposed establishment in Maricopa County of a rehabilitative center similar to one in Pima County where people released from prison after serving sentences for drug violations could go for rehabilitation and “a second chance,” all to prevent them from going to prison again.
“Positive things can happen at this Capitol,” the governor concluded.
Related: Arizona’s Governor lays out plans for water conservation
