Statement by Governor Jan Brewer

STATEMENT BY GOVERNOR JAN BREWER

“Today, Members and Leadership of the Arizona House of Representatives joined with their colleagues in the Senate and demonstrated their faith in the judgment of Arizona voters. The House and Senate have now shown that statesmanship is the path to preparing a better future for all of Arizona.

“At long last, the voters get a voice. It is a voice key Members of the legislature and I have fought for, a voice for our children and our future, and it was worth the effort.

“Still, much budget work remains to be done. Additional steps are still required to close the FY’10 deficit, as well a substantial restructuring and streamlining of state government to resolve the even larger FY’11 budget deficit. As I stated beginning in March of 2009 and throughout the summer and fall of last year, delay in enactment of balanced budget proposals will result in larger deficits, further debt, and the need for even greater spending reductions beyond the historic reductions I have already proposed and implemented.

“However, we should mark this day as the day Arizona began its recovery in earnest, as Republicans and Democrats took courageous action to ensure that additional reductions in funding for public safety, education, and health services can be mitigated with a
temporary revenue increase, which I hope and believe will receive approval of the voters.”