Today, the Joint Legislative Budget Committee (JLBC)* issued this estimate of what future budget years will look like if the current budget passes.All posted JLBC budget documents are available here; the July 2009 Monthly Fiscal Highlights report is here.
Scenario 1 - The Sales Tax Referral is PASSED by the voters
Ending balances
• $367 Million in FY 2010
• $-892 Million in FY 2011
• $-2.2 Billion in FY 2012
• $-2.7 Billion in FY 2013
Folks, that's if the sales tax measure is approved by the voters. Which i can't imagine would happen, since no voter wants to pay more in taxes so that corporations and the rich pay less (which is what this budget does).
Scenario 2 - The Sales Tax Referral is REJECTED by the voters
Ending balances
• $624,900 in FY 2010 (yes, that's thousands)
• $-1.9 Billion in FY 2011
• $-3.0 Billion in FY 2012
• $-3.1 Billion in FY 2013
Yes, the little "-" signs mean NEGATIVE. As in, deficit. As in, a big huge hole, just like we've got now. See the concern here people???? This budget doesn't fix ANYTHING! It makes things worse!
So, why would anyone who wants to protect education, health care, social services, or public safety vote for this budget? I CANNOT fathom.
In fact, this budget looks like a great recession expander. For those who just think the recession might end too quickly, this budget is your fix. Watch the recession linger for years and years in Arizona...
Now would be a good time to call your Senator (heck, call all of them) and show them the money. http://www.azleg.gov/MemberRoster.asp?Body=S
*(P.S. JLBC are the non-partisan staff economist smartie guys and gals who do all the number crunching for the Legislature).
Monday, August 10, 2009
What will the future look like if this budget passes? Here's the answer (warning, it's scary).
Copied from Rep. Kyrsten Sinema's Facebook page, with a few links added at the end for those who want to do some further research -
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1 comment:
I'll just point out that I want good education, health care, social services, or public safety but that I don't think forcing taxpayers to pay for those services is a good idea.
Government education can be good but that isn't the only way to provide education. Government health care can be good but providing it largely without cost brings some horrible unintended consequences to the table. Government social services are not always a good thing and perhaps today is the day that we the people should return to the idea that government can't always do everything. As for safety, government can't assure safety for anyone and it is possible for some people (maybe even most people) to provide for their own defense.
These difficult times are not best addressed by more taxes and more government programs (in my opinion).
As it is nobody knows for certain if there are one or two ballot propositions or if they will be conditional on the other.
Deadline, what deadline?
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