Arizona Speaker of the House, Andy Tobin, invited democrats to be part of the budget process this Legislative session. The democrats responded with a demand for legislation that “reflects Democratic values.”
Tobin said that if democrats were really serious about seeing the AHCCCS freeze lifted, they would be wise to lobby the state’s congressional Dems, the White House and the US Dept of Health and Human Services for increased matching funds for states that partially expand their Medicaid population, according to the Yellow Sheet.
The Yellow Sheet reports that Tobin suggested that “if they were serious about jobs, they would “make a pitch for the land swap legislation that has stalled in the US Senate (which has caused Superior Mine to cut jobs) and voice support for the Navajo Generating Station in the face of new EPA standards, as Kirkpatrick has done.”
Tobin told the Yellow Sheet, “Yeah, these are things they could help with. I mean, they want to be helpful and these are big Arizona issues. I do feel there is great hope with a lot of these new members who are coming in – they don’t want to say no. And, let’s face it, we think we’re at the point where we won’t be cutting anything this year, so it’s all about can we find ways together to improve the economy. So, I have hope they won’t be the party of no, they’ll be the party of yes.”
In response democrats said they didn’t want to be the party of “no” but would be if they had to be.