Republican’s are endangering public safety with politically motivated cuts to AG’s Office

The Republican controlled state legislature is once again targeting the Attorney General’s Office with disproportionate budget cuts for political reasons. The present budget proposal is a direct assault on public safety in Arizona. By seizing additional money from key funds through excess budget transfers – far above and beyond the across-the-board cuts – the budgets of public safety offices, particularly the Attorney General’s Office, are hurt in a vastly disproportionate way.

This proposal will jeopardize Terry Goddard’s efforts to fight organized crime, stop border violence and provide for the safety of Arizona’s citizens. Recent budget cuts have taken more than a fair share of funds from this Office. The Attorney General’s Office represents less than 2/3rds of 1 percent of the State’s budget. Under this proposal, we are taking 5 percent of the overall cuts and over 10 percent of the excess budget transfers. The total cut to the AG’s budget is over 14 percent – almost double the 7.5 percent, across-the-board cut to state agencies.

The cumulative impact of recent budget cuts to the AG’s Office has been severe. The total of 482 fulltime employees at the start of this fiscal year was 129 fewer appropriated fulltime positions than a decade ago. Dollars to the Office from the State’s general fund for this fiscal year were fewer than any year since 1995. This new round of cuts would take us back to the level of funding in 1990. General fund appropriations to this Office are down 23 percent in the past 18 months.