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Op-Eds
What must
Arizona do to fix its budget deficit? - 01/11/10
GOP refuses to
close state's tax loopholes - 01/10/10
What must Arizona do to fix its
budget deficit?
By David Lujan
Jan 11, 2010
Arizonans have watched Republican lawmakers and the governor fail
multiple times this year to solve one of the biggest budget deficits in
history as they take our state down the wrong track.
It’s not surprising Arizonans are aggravated with the Republican
majority of lawmakers and their wrong priorities - driving our state
into more debt, eagerly cutting public safety, education, jobs and
health care and harming middle-class families across our state.
We begin 2010 with more than $3 billion in the red because Republicans
and Gov. Jan Brewer refused and failed to employ common sense and
responsible solutions.
Republican lawmakers and Gov. Brewer need to stop leading our state down
the wrong track toward economic ruin and look at common-sense solutions
to the state’s continued budget crisis.
It makes no sense that country club memberships and spa treatments
receive tax breaks, while middle-class families pay sales tax on clothes
and school supplies. Closing these kinds of loopholes are smart, simple
budget-balancing solutions, but Republicans refuse to use them.
Republicans also chose to cut funding to the Department of Revenue,
which resulted in cuts to staff who go after tax cheats. Due to those
cuts, Arizona is losing $220 million in collections and is set to lose a
projected additional $300 million.
Currently, big corporations receive thousands of dollars in tax
accounting credits just for filing their taxes, while most middle-class
families pay an accountant to do their taxes.
Big corporations and the rich should pay their fair share in taxes, but
Republicans continue to give away tax breaks to corporations and the
rich, while middle-class families pay for it. Eliminating these tax
loopholes would save the state millions.
We could also work on legislation that makes it easier to tap Arizona’s
could-be No. 1 money maker - the sun. Solar businesses are a huge part
of Arizona’s economic future and making our state more attractive to
solar businesses can jump start our state’s economy.
Businesses would also benefit with affordable health care for them and
their employees, but the current cost of health care also is too high.
Republicans massively cut health care during tough economic times and
now many Arizona families and children can’t even afford to go to the
doctor. We need to make sure that all Arizonans have access to quality
and affordable health care. It’s wrong to take away health care from
children and seniors while giving tax breaks to big corporations and the
rich.
Republicans also have failed to deal with crime and violence along the
border, which also affects our economy.
We need tough immigration reform that cracks down on human smugglers,
the illegal sale of weapons to drug cartels and other violent criminals,
and we need to give police the tools they need to secure our borders.
Phoenix is the kidnapping capital of the nation and we should do
everything we can to make sure police can do their job and protect our
kids and neighborhoods.
Arizona’s budget deficit is too big to solve from one side of the aisle,
and if Republicans would agree to work in a bipartisan way on a
comprehensive approach in a transparent manner, we could solve the
budget without doing irreparable harm to Arizona’s future.
Republican lawmakers and Gov. Brewer have taken a piecemeal approach,
fighting against each other, and accomplished next to nothing.
It's time to get rid of what's not working and get Arizona on the right
track.
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GOP refuses to close state's tax
loopholes
By David Lujan
Jan 10, 2010
Arizonans watched Republican lawmakers and the governor fail last year
to solve one of the biggest budget deficits in history - and they
continue to take our state down the wrong track.
It's not surprising Arizonans are aggravated with the Republican
majority of lawmakers and their wrong priorities, driving our state into
more debt, eagerly cutting education and jobs and harming middle-class
families across our state.
We begin 2010 with more than $3 billion in the red because Republicans
and Gov. Jan Brewer refused to employ common-sense solutions.
It makes no sense that country-club memberships and spa treatments
aren't subject to sales tax, while middle-class families pay sales tax
on clothes and school supplies. Closing loopholes is a smart
budget-balancing solution that Republicans refuse to use.
Republicans also cut funding to the Department of Revenue, resulting in
cuts to staff who go after tax cheats. Arizona now is losing $220
million in collections and is set to lose a projected $300 million more.
Currently, big corporations receive thousands of dollars in accounting
credits for filing their taxes, while most middle-class families pay an
accountant to do their taxes. Eliminating this tax loophole would save
the state millions.
The budget is too big to solve from one side of the aisle, and if
Republicans would work in a bipartisan way, we could balance the budget
without doing irreparable harm to Arizona's future.
Solving the budget and protecting middle-class families and kids
requires making cuts to wasteful non-essential services, using federal
stimulus dollars, closing tax loopholes and implementing tough
immigration reform.
But Republican lawmakers, who have been in office for too long, and
Brewer, refuse to meet us halfway.
It's time to walk down the middle of the road toward a stronger Arizona.
David Lujan of Phoenix is House Democratic leader.
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