Katie Hobbs, the Democratic governor of Arizona, reaffirmed her determination to challenge MAGA supporters in a post on X, formerly Twitter, on Tuesday. On Jan 12, a few days prior, she released her proposal for Arizona’s fiscal year 2025 budget.
Ceding no ground
“I refuse to back down in the face of those who want to criminalize doctors and outlaw abortion,” Hobbs posted on X. “As long as I am governor, it is not happening on my watch.”
Prioritizing healthcare
Hobbs’s proposed budget prioritizes healthcare, including a $100 million investment in child care and continuing access to reproductive health services. According to a paper released by the governor’s office, Arizona families lose $3 billion annually due to a lack of access to childcare.
Strengthening care
“It’s clear Arizona needs more accountability in healthcare settings,” Hobbs’s office stated. “The governor will seek changes to help root out fraud, waste, and abuse in healthcare settings and enact common sense reforms to protect vulnerable Arizonans.”
Preempting controversy
“We’ve invested millions to support free, fair, & secure elections ahead of 2024,” Hobbs posted two days after announcing her budget proposal. Arizona was one of the states at the center of the unsuccessful Republican attempt to challenge the 2020 election.
At risk
Lawrence Joseph, for example, was recently charged by the Washington DC bar with making false claims in court about Arizona electors. Joseph told a court that a “competing slate” of electors in Arizona had voted for Trump, a claim that had “no basis in fact,” according to the bar’s filing.
Further controversy
In 2022, Hobbs defeated Kari Lake, a Trump-endorsed Republican who spread false claims about the 2020 election in Arizona’s gubernatorial election. Lake refused to concede and unsuccessfully attempted to challenge the results in court.
Defamation
Lake is currently being sued for defamation by a senior election official and Republican in Arizona. Lake accused the official of interfering with ballot printers and adding hundreds of thousands of fake ballots to the count.
Unacceptable conduct
Lake is “allowed to insult me,” the official stated recently. “She is not allowed to say that I did something that was criminally unlawful, something that has been adjudicated by multiple courts as absolutely, positively not happening.”
Try, try again
Lake is running again this year to represent Arizona in the Senate. The incumbent, Kyrsten Sinema, left the Democrat Party in late 2022 and has not stated whether she will run again. Rep Ruben Gallego is the leading contender for the Democratic nomination.
Focusing on what’s needed
Hobbs stated on Jan 12 that her budget proposal cuts “wasteful taxpayer spending while making critical investments that will help middle-class families.”
Closing the gap
Hobbs estimated that Arizona would face a budget deficit of $464 million at the end of this year’s budget, which would rise to almost $900 million in fiscal year 2025. She stated that her budget proposal for that year “closes the current budget shortfall.”
Miscalculation
The deficit is due, in part, to significant differences between expected state income, which was used as the basis for the year’s budget, and actual income. In December, the state’s Joint Legislative Budget Committee reported that revenues had declined by more than 9% compared with the previous year.
Staying the course
Despite the growing deficit, Hobbs seems committed to achieving her policy goals. Her budget “makes significant investments in the issues most affecting everyday Arizonans,” she claimed.
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