Monday October 15, 2001

Jane Hull

Legislature has final say, but Hull will fight for 4 percent cap on UA cuts

Arizona Gov. Jane Dee Hull will do everything in her power to ensure the UA's budget cut burden does not exceed 4 percent, although the state Legislature will make the final decision as to where the cuts come from, Hull's spokeswoman said Friday.

Francie Noyes, the governor's press secretary, said Hull will do everything she can to "hold the line" so that the proposed cuts do not slice more than $13.8 million from the University of Arizona's 2002 fiscal year budget.

The university cuts comes as a result of a current state deficit, which may amount to statewide budget cuts approaching $1.6 billion over the next two years.

Noyes said the full damage of the weakened state economy - including numbers from after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks - will not be known until later this month.

Hull warned officials two weeks ago that last month's terrorist attacks would have serious effects on the state's economy.

"Early numbers should concern everyone," she stated in a press release. "We had signs before Sept. 11. Now it is much more difficult to get our arms around them. The only thing we know for sure is that the state's economic situation got considerably worse on Sept. 11."

Once the damage is assessed, Hull will release her set of budget cut recommendations, which will be reviewed by the state Legislature when it convenes for a special session Nov. 13.

"The clock is ticking on the next special session," she said. "If our budget base continues to erode, we must be prepared to address it."

Hull's spokeswoman said the governor would like the cuts for all three state universities to remain at 4 percent despite the growing deficit.

"The governor is trying to protect education," Noyes said. "She has already made it very clear that (kindergarten through 12th grade funding) will not be cut."

Greg Fahey, UA vice president of government relations, said the governor's university liaison called the UA Tuesday afternoon to announce Hull's message.

He said the announcement is not a guarantee the cuts won't inflate in November, but he said the governor is willing to look at other options and steer away from university cuts as much as possible.

"The governor is the single most important person in this process," Fahey said.

He said the governor's options include bonding of new school construction funds and dipping into the state's "rainy-day fund."

Ultimately, however, the decision belongs to the Legislature, not Hull, Fahey said.

Jenny Rimsza, co-director of the Arizona Students' Association, said the announcement from Hull to attempt to cap budget cuts brings some optimism. However, Rimsza stressed that final numbers are still unknown at this point because the governor is not the one who will determine the size of the cuts.

She said ASA will meet with student lobbyist groups from Arizona State University and Northern Arizona University over the next few weeks to discuss the cuts, but the group plans to fight any cut larger than 4 percent.

Rimsza said ASA will provide UA students with transportation to the special session on Nov. 13.

Arlon Rahn, chairman of the legislative board of The Parents' Association, plans to encourage parents to go up to Phoenix.

"We're going to get as many people to go there as we can," he said. "We need to make our wishes known to the Legislature and the governor."