Brewer wields veto pen

Lawmakers passed a budget early Wednesday morning, but without the temporary sales tax hike Gov. Jan Brewer had insisted on.

Within hours Brewer signed the basic budget bill, saying that a shutdown of government services wasn't in the state's best interest. But she then used her line item veto pen liberally on the basic budget bill, slashing specific cuts to the departments of Economic Security, Health Services, Economic Security and Education.

Afterwards she outright killed seven other companion budget bills, setting up a scenario where lawmakers will have to meet in a special session to pass a complete budget.

Brewer has called for that special session on Monday, July 6 to address making budget changes and approving her temporary one-cent sales tax increase, to help reduce budget cuts.

But it's not clear if a quorum of lawmakers will be available for the special session, let alone have the interest or desire to support a sales tax increase, even if it's only temporary.

The temporary three-year, one-cent sales tax hike to help reduce some of the budget cuts to education and social services was a key element that Brewer insisted on in return for her signature on the budget. But neither the House or the Senate could muster up the needed votes to pass the issue onto voters in November. A plan to create a flat tax, which was seen as an incentive to get GOP votes for the sales tax, also died.

Rep. John McComish (R-Ahwatukee Foothills) said that in negotiations with Brewer, lawmakers said they would try to get the sales tax on the November ballet, and she said she would get the votes from Democrats.

"I'm disappointed because we negotiated in good faith," McComish said before leaving town for a long, scheduled vacation to visit his grandchildren.

Rep. Rae Waters (D-Ahwatukee Foothills) said that several Democrats were brought into the Speaker's Office to meet with Brewer and Speaker of the House Kirk Adams (R-Mesa) and were offered pricey pork barrel projects for their legislative districts in return for a "yes" vote, but all refused.

"It was the most unreal process I've ever seen," Waters said. "There was nothing normal about this session."

Lawmakers wrapped up the legislative session around 7:30 a.m. after a grueling 24-hour marathon.

Brewer's signature on the one budget bill, House Bill 2643, despite the line item vetoes, means that government will continue as usual, at least for a while.