Planning Ahead: Read the Fine Print

Konopnicki critical of Legislature's budget work

By Diane Saunders
Staff Writer
Rep. Bill Konopnicki

In a presentation that often criticized the Arizona Legislature for its handling of the state budget crisis, District 5 Rep. Bill Konopnicki also said he is opposed to privatizing the state's prisons.

Konopnicki, a Republican from Safford, presented a legislative update Friday to members of the Graham County Chamber of Commerce. The update covered several topics, including the sale of state assets, privatizing the state's prisons, a proposed temporary 1-cent sales tax, public education and a fuel research project.

He said while he is a fiscal conservative he believes the "hard-right Republicans" have carried conservatism too far and "have shafted every citizen of Arizona."

The main reason Arizona has a nearly $4 billion budget deficit is because of declining tax revenues. The lack of money could cause 12 state agencies — including the Department of Agriculture and the Registrar of Contractors — to run out of money by the end of September.

While revenues declined, the number of people requiring services from the Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System — the state's Medicaid program — grew by 60 percent.

The proposed sale of state assets, including the Capitol building in Phoenix and the state prisons, is aimed at raising cash for the state. The state would then rent the facilities for $57 million a year "when we don't even have 50 cents."

The sale of state assets was a component of the June 30 budget, of which Gov. Jan Brewer vetoed many line items. Konopnicki said he did not vote for the budget because it "was horrible for rural Arizona."

The representative also believes there is room for private prisons in Arizona because the state's prison population is growing by about 2,000 inmates a year. Privatization should be a way to add prisons, not take over the state prisons, Konopnicki said.

Arizona leaders should look forward when dealing with the state budget, he said. For example, the Legislature withdrew funding for the Science Foundation of Arizona. This was significant because the foundation was partnering with Arizona State University, British Petroleum and the U.S. Air Force on a research project that would convert algae to biofuel.

The state stands to receive $500 million a year in royalties from the project. Konopnicki said a court action was required to return the funding to the foundation.

Despite the financial problems, Konopnicki said, "It's not all gloom and doom" because conservatism — not the hard right — is "alive and well" in Arizona.