PHOENIX — Gov. Katie Hobbs rolled out her fourth executive budget proposal Friday with a spending plan that focused on bread and butter affordability issues she believes are critical for helping Arizonans — and to help the Democrat to win a second term.
But the $18.7 billion spending plan relies on political sleight of hand and some good luck to be balanced, including leaning on President Donald Trump’s administration to dole out nearly $760 million to reimburse the state for money it has spent on border security since 2021.
She also relies on the Republican-controlled Legislature to raise taxes, something they are politically opposed to, and to cut spending on the universal school voucher program that GOP lawmakers consider sacrosanct to make the math work.
