PHOENIX — The Arizona House of Representatives passed a continuation budget late Tuesday night to avoid a government shutdown ahead of the June 30 deadline.
The budget will next head to the state Senate.
“The House acted decisively today to prevent a government shutdown and protect Arizona taxpayers,” Speaker of the House Steve Montenegro said in a statement. “Once it became clear the budget deal negotiated by the Senate and Gov. Katie Hobbs lacked the votes and failed to meet our standards for fiscal discipline and transparency, we advanced a continuation budget to keep state services operating past June 30 and allow time for further negotiations.”
Hobbs on Saturday responded to a continuation budget proposed by Montenegro by alleging House leaders “abdicated their responsibility” during the negotiation process.
“I remain committed to having conversations about improving our budget, but let me be clear: any kind of partisan ‘continuation budget’ will immediately meet my veto pen, if it even has the votes to reach my desk,” Hobbs said.
Montenegro on Tuesday said the budget passed by the House two weeks earlier was balanced in prioritizing public safety, infrastructure and responsible oversight before it was “ignored.”
“We owe it to the people we serve to take the time needed to get this right — and that means standing by policies that reflect fiscal responsibility and the priorities of Arizona families,” Montenegro wrote.
“This continuation budget ensures state services remain funded while giving lawmakers the time to work toward a better, more responsible solution for all Arizonans.”
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