Statement on proposed Republican budget by Arizona Center for Economic Progress Director Joseph Palomino
Joseph Palomino, director of the Arizona Center for Economic Progress released the following statement Tuesday:
"There is one thing that is clear from the proposed budget dropped by the Legislature this week: The wells of revenue have run dry, and while the proposal doubles down on ill-targeted and costly tax cuts, such policies are a mirage that neither meaningfully address affordability or work to equitably grow our economy.
"The budget includes significant cuts to agencies, such as the Department of Economic Security. That choice is reckless and irresponsible as DES navigates the bureaucratic burden of H.R. 1 that has already seen 450,000 Arizonans lose their SNAP benefits. Moreover, the budget includes dangerous SNAP restrictions and unnecessary requirements such as reducing the state’s payment error rate to 3% without additional resources to do so.
"The budget does little for families struggling with housing and utilities and simply maintains a child care investment that is merely a trickle of what the state needs to help families and get people working.
"The budget is an import of bad federal fiscal policy that drains Arizona’s coffers and makes Arizona’s economy less dynamic while those struggling the most are left with little opportunity and resources.
"It’s a budget that dries up hope as the dust storm of bad zero-sum federal policy (tariffs, ICE raids, increasing federal deficits to pay for tax cuts for the wealthiest) eclipses the state and national economy.
"Arizona’s future is no longer a question of stopping bad tax cuts; it’s an imperative to implement good tax policy.
"To do so will require a reality check and responsible action by lawmakers to reverse the flat individual income tax that has primarily benefited the wealthiest Arizonans and has failed to grow our state’s economy.
"Arizona needs real, people-first investments in K-12 public education, health care, housing, child care, and water to drive growth for the long term so everyone can benefit. And it needs the revenue to do so."
