12/3/2009 4:35:00 PM State wrong to shift budget problems on local government
We can disagree with some of the decisions taken by our local municipalities, schools and Yavapai County to balance their budgets in these recessionary times.
In particular, it's fair to be critical of Cottonwood, Clarkdale and now Jerome for upping the ante on the local sales tax levy without the consent of voters. Ditto for increased fees for students to participate in band, chorus, and sports in our local schools.
But where we have to give credit to our local governments is that they did what they believed they had to do to establish a working budget. And, they did it within the timelines established under Arizona law.
We cannot say the same thing about the Arizona Legislature. To date, the Legislature still does not have a working budget. Even worse, the state continues to spend money faster than it is coming in.
So we should not be surprised to see state lawmakers and budget planners coming up with plans that force our local governments -- cities, towns, school districts and the county - to absorb the costs associated with the state's inability to establish a spending plan, and abide by it.
This week, for example, Yavapai County officials learned of a proposal to shift financing for judges' salaries from the state to the county. If approved, this adds a new $600,000 burden to the county's already approved budget.
This news comes after the county has gone through the penny-pinching process of creating its own spending plan for fiscal 2010. The county began its budget-adoption process early in the year. The county supervisors forced its staff to make tough financial compromises. Hiring and out-of-state travel freezes became policy. In the end, the county adopted a budget within the timeframe established by Arizona law.
Should the Legislature now dump judicial salary requirements on the county, it will be back to the drawing board for the supervisors.
The county should prepare for the worst. Ditto for our local school districts and cities and towns.
