GOV JAN BREWER - I will continue to fight the healthcare bill and its massive costs to our state budget

I will continue to fight the healthcare bill and its massive costs to our state budget

“Sunday, the Democrats in the United States Congress approved a more than 2,000 page healthcare bill that is financially devastating to the State of Arizona, as well as many other states across the nation. Despite my opposition and the opposition of a vast majority of Arizonans, and although it is clear that the costs of these programs are completely unsustainable, every single Arizona Democrat in Congress voted for this bill and its massive costs to our state budget. They are personally and directly responsible for growing our state budget deficit. This federal bill is not even 24 hours old, and yet some of Arizona’s legislative Democrats are already proposing a tax increase to pay for its increased costs.

“As passed by the U.S. House of Representatives, this over $1 trillion federal government takeover of healthcare is paid for on the backs of state governments. With its back-room loopholes, it will cost the citizens of the State of Arizona at least $1 billion in 2012 and more than $1 billion in 2013.

No one knows yet, with certainty, what the cost will be to Arizona’s taxpayers in this current fiscal year 2011 budget because the true costs of this federal bill have been hidden away in other pieces of federal legislation that have not yet been approved.

The state deficit hole they have created could be over $400 million in fiscal year 2011. In fact, this bill does not provide enhanced federal funding for KidsCare until 2014, nor does it provide enhanced federal funding for the Proposition 204 AHCCCS population until 2014.

It provides new mandates immediately, and just the hope that Congress will have money to pay for them in three years.

“I will continue to coordinate and vigorously pursue with other leaders from across the U.S. any and all legal remedies to prevent this massive new entitlement from enactment and to protect our children and our families from relentless federal intrusion into their lives.”