By Howard Fischer
http://stream.publicbroadcasting.net/production/mp3/knau/local-knau-843538.mp3
Phoenix, AZ – Governor Jan Brewer is set to file suit against legislative leaders
at the state Supreme Court this morning in the latest dust-up
over the state budget. Arizona Public Radio's Howard Fischer
reports.
Brewer and Republican leaders have been unable to reach an
agreement on how much the state should spend this coming budget
year and on what. So GOP lawmakers approved their own plan more
than a week ago hoping to force the governor's hand. Brewer
thinks that's a bad idea.
(It puts the state of Arizona and the people of Arizona certainly
at severe risk. And I believe that now is the time that we move
forward. I will not allow, as I said earlier, to allow Speaker
Burns to hold the people of Arizona hostage.)
Brewer figures she needs to review -- and presumably veto -- the
bills to get negotiations moving again. But Burns, who actually
is Senate president, doesn't want to do that.
(If we send the bills and the bills are vetoed, then where are
we? We're back at Step One in a position we were in three months
ago. And so I think it's critical that we hold on to as much as
we can of what we've done to date.)
The constitution does require lawmakers to send all measures
they've passed to the governor, though it doesn't say how quickly
that has to occur. Brewer wants the state Supreme Court to
conclude that 12 days -- what it is today -- is too long and,
more to the point, illegal.