GATHERING STRING FOR FIRST PROGRAM'S KEY TOPIC

posted by Michael Chihak

Arizona Week's first program on Jan. 14 will focus on the state's budget issues. In that, the week of Gov. Jan Brewer's State of the State address and the opening of the legislative session, we will explore the depths of what is clearly a dire fiscal situation.

Legislators must cut $825 million from the current fiscal year's budget, and do it quickly. Then they must turn around and construct a budget for 2011-12 that will take another $1.4 billion from where they end up for this fiscal year. That's a total of $2.25 billion in cuts for the next 18 months, or 23 percent less than the current fiscal year's original operating expenditures, as enumerated by the Joint Legislative Budget Committee.

On the Jan. 14 program, we will ask the governor and legislative leaders how they plan to make those cuts, and how the cuts will affect you and me. We have asked for an interview with Brewer, and we have confirmed an interview with Senate President-Elect Russell Pearce.

After hearing what they have to say, we will ask two veteran journalists to analyze and comment on the plans and what the impact will be. We'll let you know who those journalists are as soon as we confirm with them for the Jan. 14 program.

It will without a doubt be an important program to watch, as we strive to explain the fiscal situation and the consequences of what the Legislature and the governor must do.