PHOENIX — The newly signed budget for the fiscal year beginning Tuesday contains some significant items that got agreement from lawmakers and the governor.
Public safety
• 5% pay raise for state troopers
• 15% more in pay for state firefighters
• $30 million for fire suppression
• $8 million to help law enforcement fight drug smuggling and human trafficking
• A one-time 4% bonus for corrections officers
• $5 million to sheriffs for border security
K-12 education
• $183 million for schools to use for major repairs
• $66 million in additional funds for equipment, technology and textbooks
• Full funding for the voucher program
• $500,000 in grants for defibrillators for high schools with sports and athletic teams
Higher education
• $16 million more for scholarships for in-state students
• Authority for universities to borrow an additional $325 million, including for a new medical school and nursing school
Social and health
• $49 million in state funds and $81 million in federal dollars to expand child care access
• $3.8 million to eliminate co-pays for reduced price school meals
• $4.2 million to support critical access to hospitals in rural and underserved areas
• $100,000 to expand Medicaid to cover traditional healing services for tribal members
• $16.5 million for services for housing services including eviction prevention and shelter operations
• $1 million set aside for potential litigation over rights to Colorado River water
Tax breaks
• No property taxes for veterans who are 100% disabled
• Allows businesses to exempt $500,000 of equipment from property taxes, up from $270,000
Major and minor construction projects
Below is a partial list of projects. View the entire state road and highway budget by clicking here.
• $54 million to finish work on State Route 347 between the edge of Phoenix and Maricopa
• $35 million for an “emergency evacuation bridge” in Lake Havasu City
• $27 million to widen Interstate 10 in the Buckeye area
• $25 million to study plans for Interstate 11 through Maricopa County
• $15 million to study a north-south corridor in Pinal County
• $14 million to study the Sonoran Corridor connection between I-10 and I-19 in Pima County
• $10 million to Tucson to improve the Drexel Road bridge
• $10 million to Marana to design an interchange at I-10 and Cortaro Road
• $9 million to improve SR 83 in Santa Cruz County
• $8 million to build turn lanes along SR 95 near Bullhead City
Howard Fischer
Mr. Fischer, a longtime award-winning Arizona journalist, is founder and operator of Capitol Media Services.