Arizona Budget Update

Flagstaff, AZ – The Arizona Senate has postponed a vote on a budget-balancing plan for the second time this week. As of yesterday, Republican legislative leaders hadn't gathered enough support for the spending plan. The hang-up continues to be a one cent sales tax increase proposed by Governor Jan Brewer. Also working against budget approval was the fact that one third of the Senate was absent from the capitol yesterday. The Senate will reconvene Friday. If the penny sales tax increase is to appear on the November third ballot, the Senate will have to approve a budget plan by Monday. Senate President Bob Burns says he tried to round-up enough Republican votes for the spending plan. But, he says some leaders wanted to make unspecified changes before approving it.