by Jonathan Eberle | Jun 26, 2025 | News
By Jonathan Eberle |
Arizona Governor Katie Hobbs on Tuesday vetoed a continuation budget passed earlier in the day by the state House of Representatives, sharply criticizing House Republicans for what she called “pointless political grandstanding” just days before the June 30 budget deadline.
The House-passed stopgap measure aimed to keep the government operating past the end of the fiscal year while negotiations continued over a full budget agreement. But Hobbs swiftly rejected the proposal, calling it a “sham budget” that threatens critical state services and derails the bipartisan progress already made in the Senate.
“For months, I worked with leaders of both parties, in both chambers, to craft a bipartisan, balanced, and fiscally responsible budget that the majority of Senate Republicans support,” Hobbs claimed in a statement. “That budget has pay raises for State Troopers and firefighters, cuts taxes on small businesses, invests in combatting Veterans homelessness, and makes childcare more affordable and accessible.”
The governor’s veto comes amid rising tensions between the House and executive branch. House Speaker Steve Montenegro (R-LD29) had framed the continuation budget as a responsible step to avoid a shutdown after the Senate-negotiated agreement failed to garner enough support in his chamber. “We owe it to the people we serve to take the time needed to get this right,” Montenegro said. “This continuation budget ensures state services remain funded while giving lawmakers the time to work toward a better, more responsible solution.”
Governor Hobbs, however, dismissed that reasoning and accused House Republicans of endangering essential state services for political gain. “I have long made clear that both of the partisan and reckless House Republican budgets are unacceptable,” she said. “They gut public safety, slash health care for Arizonans, harm businesses, fail to lower costs, and leave our Veterans out in the cold.”
With just five days remaining before the state’s fiscal year ends, the legislature remains without an approved budget. Hobbs urged lawmakers to abandon political brinkmanship and adopt the bipartisan budget already passed by the Senate.
“Now, it’s time for House Republican leadership to move past their political stunts and work productively with their colleagues before they force an unnecessary state government shutdown of their own creation,” she said.
Jonathan Eberle is a reporter for AZ Free News. You can send him news tips using this link.
by Jonathan Eberle | Jun 22, 2025 | News
By Jonathan Eberle |
With less than two weeks before Arizona’s fiscal year ends, a deepening budget dispute between the state House and Governor Katie Hobbs escalated Saturday, as House Speaker Steve Montenegro announced plans to introduce a continuation budget to keep state government running past the June 30 deadline.
Montenegro said the House would move forward with a stopgap measure after determining that the Senate-passed executive budget, negotiated by Hobbs and Republican Senate leaders, lacks sufficient support to clear the House.
“The executive budget plan passed in the Senate does not have the votes in the House—with bipartisan opposition from Republicans and Democrats,” Montenegro said. “Now, with time running out and no viable path forward for their plan, it’s our responsibility to act to prevent a shutdown.”
He added that House Republicans had already passed their own budget last week, which he said focused on public safety, infrastructure, and government accountability—but that proposal was “ignored by the Senate.”
“The House is not going to be forced into a take-it-or-leave-it deal that doesn’t reflect the will of our members or the people we represent,” Montenegro said. “We will do what responsible legislators should do: take action to keep government running and protect Arizona taxpayers.”
A continuation budget, currently being drafted, would maintain current funding levels to preserve essential government operations while lawmakers continue to negotiate. However, the governor swiftly condemned the plan and signaled she would veto any such proposal.
In a statement, Governor Hobbs accused House Republicans of abandoning bipartisan talks and attempting to “jam through an irresponsible and partisan ‘budget.’”
“For months I have worked with leaders of both parties, in both chambers, to craft a bipartisan, balanced, and fiscally responsible budget,” Hobbs said. “Sadly, House Republican leadership abdicated their responsibility and refused to meaningfully participate in those bipartisan conversations.”
Hobbs warned that the continuation budget would gut pay raises for state troopers and firefighters, slash childcare and education funding, raise taxes on small businesses, and eliminate key investments in veterans’ services and wildfire mitigation.
“Speaker Montenegro knows this, yet he has chosen to continue with this farce as an exercise in pointless political grandstanding,” she said. “His reckless actions jeopardize basic government functions with potentially devastating consequences.”
The governor also criticized House Republicans for seeking an increase in their own per diem pay while proposing cuts to public safety and education programs.
“This irresponsible House Republican budget will raise costs and make our state less safe, less secure, and less competitive,” she added. “It’s time for House Republican leadership to come back to reality, stop wasting everyone’s time, and show some common sense by working with their colleagues in a productive fashion.”
With the June 30 deadline approaching, the battle over Arizona’s budget now hinges on whether either side can reach a new agreement—or whether the impasse will trigger a government shutdown.
Jonathan Eberle is a reporter for AZ Free News. You can send him news tips using this link.
by Jonathan Eberle | Jun 16, 2025 | News
By Jonathan Eberle |
The Arizona House of Representatives passed a structurally balanced, conservative budget on Thursday, advancing a financial plan that focuses on strengthening public safety, reducing costs for families, and increasing government accountability.
Speaker Steve Montenegro (R-LD29) called the budget a reflection of voter priorities. “This budget delivers safe communities, strong families, and a government that works for the people — not the other way around,” he said. “It cuts tuition, raises pay for law enforcement, fixes critical roads, and reins in waste — all without raising taxes.”
Key components of the budget include a 5% pay raise for Department of Public Safety and corrections officers, $94 million for repairs to major highway infrastructure, and a 2.5% in-state university tuition reduction alongside a freeze for the subsequent two years. The budget also fully funds school choice programs and clears a backlog of Empowerment Scholarship Account applications.
Additional funding is designated to keep voter rolls accurate and up to date, fully fund payments for parents acting as caregivers, and provide developmental disability services. An expanded adoption tax deduction is also included.
“The House-passed budget puts the House Majority Plan into action,” Majority Leader Michael Carbone said. “We’re protecting opportunity by lowering costs for students and parents. We’re backing public safety with strong support for our law enforcement officers. And we’re holding government accountable by cutting waste and demanding better results — this is the kind of leadership Arizona voters asked for.”
Speaker Pro Tempore Neal Carter stressed the budget’s potential for boosting small business. “The House-passed budget gives long-overdue relief to Arizona’s small businesses by eliminating the administratively burdensome business personal property tax under the $500,000 threshold,” Carter said. “This helps local job creators grow, hire, and invest in their communities — and makes Arizona a more competitive place to do business.”
The budget package — HB2945 through HB2961 — now moves to the Senate for consideration.
Jonathan Eberle is a reporter for AZ Free News. You can send him news tips using this link.
by Jonathan Eberle | Apr 29, 2025 | News
By Jonathan Eberle |
In a bipartisan show of gratitude, the Arizona House of Representatives honored Major General Kerry L. Muehlenbeck last week for her decades of service to the state and nation. The ceremony, held on the House floor, also marked a new effort to support Arizona National Guard members currently deployed overseas.
Republican Representative Walt Blackman (R-LD7), a U.S. Army combat veteran and Chairman of the House Government Committee, led the recognition. Lawmakers from both parties signed a tribute to Muehlenbeck, who recently retired after more than 30 years of service, including her tenure as Commanding General of the Arizona National Guard and Director of the Arizona Department of Emergency and Military Affairs.
“Major General Muehlenbeck embodies everything we strive for in public service—courage, integrity, and a relentless commitment to those she leads,” Blackman said during remarks. “We thank her for her service and the legacy she’s leaving behind—a Guard that’s more prepared and more capable than ever.”
Muehlenbeck made history as the first woman to command the Arizona National Guard. House members praised her leadership through key operations such as border security missions, wildfire suppression efforts, and pandemic response initiatives. They also highlighted her parallel career in legal services and education.
The tribute ceremony was accompanied by a large donation drive to benefit deployed service members. Representative Teresa Martinez (R-LD16) organized the collection of snacks, hygiene items, and personal care products, with contributions coming from House members, staff, and their families.
“We’re grateful to Representative Martinez for organizing this drive to support our men and women in uniform,” said Blackman. “The Guard follows leaders like General Muehlenbeck into some of the toughest assignments. This is one small way for us to send a piece of home to those currently serving abroad.”
Photos posted by the Arizona House GOP on X showed the House members presenting Muehlenbeck with the signed tribute while standing before a large display of care packages. The event drew praise online for its bipartisan spirit and for spotlighting the service and sacrifice of both senior military leaders and rank-and-file troops.
The tribute was signed by Representatives Walt Blackman, Teresa Martinez, Nick Kupper, Dave Marshall, John Gillette, Stacey Travers, Aaron Márquez, and Mae Peshlakai. A copy of the tribute, photos of the ceremony, and images of the donated supplies were made publicly available following the event.
Jonathan Eberle is a reporter for AZ Free News. You can send him news tips using this link.
by Daniel Stefanski | Feb 20, 2025 | News
By Daniel Stefanski |
A citizen-safety bill has cleared its first chamber of the Arizona Legislature.
On Monday, the Arizona House of Representatives approved HB 2684, which “prohibits pedestrians from congregating or soliciting in dangerous areas such as painted or raised medians, highway entrance and exit ramps, and other locations without safe pedestrian access.”
In a statement that accompanied the announcement of the bill’s passage, State Representative Joseph Chaplik, the sponsor of the legislation, said, “Arizona ranks among the highest in the nation for pedestrian fatalities, and too often, people are standing or sitting in traffic medians, freeway ramps, and other places where no pedestrian should ever be. This law will prevent senseless tragedies by ensuring that pedestrians stay out of harm’s way, while also protecting drivers from the devastation of hitting someone in traffic. Public safety is not partisan – it’s common sense.”
According to the release from the Arizona House of Representatives, the bill stipulates that “law enforcement officers will issue a warning for a first violation, a civil traffic citation for a second offense, and a class 1 misdemeanor for repeat violations.”
Chaplik added, “With the passage of this bill, House Republicans continue delivering on our promise to make Arizona a safer place. The governor vetoed this bill last year, but we’ve addressed her concerns by adjusting penalties while keeping the focus where it belons – on safety. I hope she reconsiders and signs it into law this time.”
On the Arizona Legislature’s Request to Speak system, representatives from Rural Arizona Action, American Civil Liberties Union of Arizona, AZ National Organization for Women (NOW), AZ Attorneys for Criminal Justice, and Arizona Coalition for Working Families, signed in to oppose the proposal from the House Republican.
Earlier this month, HB 2684 was approved by the House Committee on Regulatory Oversight with a 3-2 vote. All three Republicans voted in favor of the bill, while both Democrats joined together in opposition.
HB 2684 will now head over to the Arizona Senate for consideration.
Daniel Stefanski is a reporter for AZ Free News. You can send him news tips using this link.
