Dear Fellow Arizonan,
We face a state fiscal crisis of unparalleled dimension – one that is going to sweep over every single person in this state as well as every business and every family.
…we ARE faced with some of the worst days in our 97-year history.
…We must accept that we ARE where we ARE.
So here’s the TRUTH:
· The state has a budget deficit for the current fiscal year of $1.5 billion.
· Next fiscal year, 2011 — a budget year that begins in just six months — is even worse. Next year’s budget deficit stands at $3.4 billion. As of today — right now, that MUST change.
…This problem did not happen overnight.
· Five years of spending nearly doubled state government.
· The economic recession has reduced state revenues by almost 40 percent in just 3 years.
· Population growth in school children, university students, health care and welfare populations and inmates in our state prisons has fundamentally ruled out simplistic solutions like rolling the state budget back to levels from five, six, or more years ago.
· Federal and voter mandates prevent us from touching nearly two-thirds of the state budget.
· And procrastination, denial, and lack of will have allowed these problems to fester.
We owe it to the citizens of this state — our children and grandchildren — to adopt and approve a solution.
Sincerely,
Governor
