Arizona Legislature
1700 West Washington, Phoenix, Arizona 85007-2844
Senate President Ken Bennett (R-1)
602-926-5584
House Speaker Jim Weiers (R-10)
602-926-4173
June 21, 2006
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Historic Tax Cuts, Border Security and Highway Funding Top
Long List of Republican Accomplishments
(State Capitol, Arizona) – Six months
ago, Republican legislative leaders pledged to provide sweeping
tax relief, secure our border and reduce gridlock on our roadways.
The Republican-dominated Legislature
delivered big on all three priorities and did so much more.
The Legislature set out to have
a positive impact on Arizona and improve the quality of life
for the more than 5 million people who call the Copper State
home. The results were impressive.
The desire to follow-up on last
year’s major business tax relief package led to a combination
of tax relief that would result in protection for property
owners against a spike in valuations and income tax reduction
that would further spur Arizona’s thriving economy.
The result – the largest
tax cut in Arizona history.
The Republican Legislature was
also determined to reintroduce and expand on legislation vetoed
by the governor last year to address Arizona’s nightmarish
illegal immigration.
The result -- several key measures
were passed and sent to the governor, including the most comprehensive
state illegal immigration bill in the nation. Unfortunately,
the governor again vetoed all border security legislation.
However, the Legislature went back to work, sending several
measures aimed at illegal immigration directly to the people
as ballot measures.
After several years of using
gimmicks and tricks to balance the state budget, Republicans
resolved to force a balanced budget on the Democrat governor
that paid off past gimmicks and used no new smoke and mirrors.
The result – a balanced
budget that provides tax relief, pays for our needs and saves
money for future downturns.
Competition in the business community
provides consumers with lower prices, better products and
improved customer service. The same holds true for schools.
This year again, the Republican Legislature sought to provide
increased choice to parents facing some of the toughest education
challenges so their children would have access to schools
that give them the best opportunity for success.
The result – Lower and
moderate income families will have more scholarships available
through expanded business tuition tax credits, while disabled
children may have the opportunity to attend a private school
that can cater to their needs and foster families may have
the opportunity to use a new voucher to send their children
to a private school.
“This will go down as one
of the most productive legislative sessions in recent memory,”
said House Speaker Jim Weiers, R-Phoenix. “We took care
of the needs of Arizona, protected Arizonans from an intrusive
government and took action against illegal immigration. And
we did it all while giving the largest tax cut in state history.”
Senate President Ken Bennett
said, “This session was defined by enormously big issues,
from English Language Learners to illegal immigration to the
largest tax cuts ever in Arizona. This legislature distinguished
itself by tackling the toughest issues with tremendous results
for our citizens. I’m proud to have been a part of it.”
Senate Majority Leader Tim Bee
said, “Republicans should be proud of what they accomplished
for all Arizonans in this session. We set out to provide ground
breaking tax relief, improve the education system, roads and
public safety in our fast growing state and address the illegal
immigration nightmare – we did all of this and more.”
Said House Majority Leader Steve
Tully, R-Phoenix; “The only disappointment was that
the governor decided that being an obstructionist was better
than providing public safety and relief from the problems
associated with illegal immigration. The Legislature did its
job but the governor failed.”
Highlights of the legislative session include:
$9.9
billion balanced budget
• $310 million in permanent income tax reductions
over two years and suspension of the $215 million state
property tax for at least the next three years. This fuels
Arizona’s vibrant economy while returning money to
the Arizonans who earned it in the first place.
• A $345 million increase for highway and road construction
throughout the state, an investment that is critical for
a rapidly growing state.
• An 11% increase – over a half-billion dollars
-- for the K-12 education system. This includes an additional
$100 million this year to increase teachers salaries and
$160 million doled out over the next two years to fully
fund all-day kindergarten should local districts choose
to do so. There is also $18 million to expand school choice
for lower income, disabled and foster children.
• $128 million for investments in public safety, including
money for more meth interdiction, hiring 46 DPS officers,
a $5,300 annual pay increase for corrections officers and
more prison beds.
Border security (VETOED)
• Providing for technology to
address the flood of illegal border crossers with $50 million
over the next two years to provide for a high-tech radar
detection system at the border.
• Denies public benefits to illegal aliens and prohibits
any government entity in Arizona from accepting any identification
unless it was issued by a state or federal authority, or
federally recognized Indian tribe.
• Grants to local agencies of $55 million to assist
in border interdiction, enforcement and detention. Grants
are awarded by the Arizona Border Enforcement Security Team
made up primarily of local law enforcement officials.
• Fixed the English Language Learner lawsuit that
the governor lost when she was Attorney General. Provided
new money for children learning English while mandating
districts create plans to ensure children deficient in English
learn the language within two years. (Vetoed several times
before finally passing into law without the governor’s
signature).
• In an effort to get at least some measures addressing
illegal immigration around Governor Napolitano’s record
setting veto stamp, the legislature passed several ballot
measures on the final day of the session, including the
denial of public benefits to illegal aliens.
Protection against government
intrusion (VETOED)
• Prevented government from seizing guns from law-abiding
individuals during a state of emergency. While the bill
was vetoed by the governor, the Legislature put the issue
on the ballot.
• Protected property owners from government seeking
to seize private property to use for non-governmental purposes.
Again, the governor vetoed this bill.
Protection
of the State Land Trust
• Placed a measure on the ballot
that modernizes the operations of the State Land Department,
while safeguarding the school land trust that is worth billions
of dollars to the present and future funding of our public
school system. The legislature accomplished this by providing
mechanisms for the sound planning for all uses on state
trust land, including development and conservation.
The Republican legislature achieved
this extraordinary measure of accomplishment in the face of
the greatest obstacle to sound policy in the history of the
state in Gov. Janet Napolitano. The governor shattered the
previous record of obstruction set by former Democrat Gov.
Bruce Babbitt – and she did it in less than half the
time. Governor Napolitano’s mountain of vetoes included
many significant measures impacting Arizonans. The governor’s
vetoes this session carried the same themes that Arizonans
have seen throughout her tenure: a refusal to address the
border; a refusal to restrict abortions; a refusal to hold
government accountable or to curb its influence over the people;
and a refusal to support school choice.
Please see the attached for a
further detailed accounting of the work accomplished by the
Republican legislature in this session.
###
For further information contact:
Nick Simonetta, Communications and Policy Advisor to the Majority
Arizona State Senate
Office: (602) 926-5418, e-mail: nsimonet@azleg.gov
OR
Barrett Marson, Director of Communications
Arizona House of Representatives
Office: (602) 926-3233, e-mail: bmarson@azleg.gov