State Capitol News

Phoenix, AZ – Reports with the Secretary of State's Office show backers already
have collected more than $400,000, including $100,000 from the
Professional Fire Fighters Association and nearly $80,000 from
the Arizona Campaign for Arts and Culture. But the Ax the Tax
Campaign opposing that temporary one-cent hike in the sales tax
hasn't reported any contributions so far. Despite that, Sen.
Russell Pearce who chairs the campaign said he's not worried.

Phoenix, AZ – State law generally limits interest on loans to no more than 36
percent a year. But an exception created a decade ago permits
lenders to charge $17.85 for each $100 borrowed for two weeks.
That translates out to more than 400 percent. That exception
expires in June. And an industry-funded initiative in 2008 to let
payday lenders stay in business was defeated. Rep. Debbie McCune
Davis said that should be the end of it.

Phoenix, AZ – The plan slashes spending by $1.2 billion. Democrats found fault
with most of the provisions, including eliminating free health
care for about 310,000 people below the federal poverty level and
cutting off state funds for full-day kindergarten. But Rep. Steve
Farley said the package has a host of smaller cuts that affect
people, like raiding lottery proceeds that help fund local bus
and dial-a-ride services.

Phoenix, AZ – The proposal makes more than $1 billion in cuts and sweeps half a
billion from special funds. Among the changes are elimination of
state-funded full-day kindergarten, kicking 300,000 off of the
health care plan for the poor and cutting pay of most state
workers. Democratic Sen. Paula Aboud complained that Republicans
weren't looking at an obvious alternative: Forcing those who got
tax breaks in prior years to give them back.