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PHOENIX (AP) Arizonas legislature approved a bipartisan $18 billion spending plan early Thursday that will make substantial investments in public schools, build new highways and pay down long-term debts. The best states in the U.S. come from coast to coast. Even mail clerks at the states prisons are getting 20% premium pay. Lawmakers also agreed to technical changes in a formula for distributing money to schools and $4 million each for school testing and 2022 election costs. Ron DeSantis spends big in $99.7 billion budget proposal, Legislative session: Pay raises OK'd for state workers in Florida. $400 million to complete another 20 miles of upgrading I-10 to three lanes in each direction between Casa Grande and Sun Lakes; $50 million for communities outside Pima and Maricopa counties to leverage federal dollars for shovel-ready transportation projects; $92 million for building repairs and upgrades in the state prison system; $8.2 million to increase the number of Adult Protective Services caseworkers; $177 million for projects at state parks, about half for sewage treatment systems, though $118 million of that is coming from federal cash. Employees and managers can monitor annual leave balances by logging in to YES and clicking on, Agency Human Resources Contact Information, Public Safety Personnel Retirement System, Arizonas Employees Have New Tax Withholding Options. Please follow the steps below to log in: If you are not able to log in, please contact[emailprotected]or call (602) 542-4700, Option 4 for assistance. They apparently succeeded Tuesday, but still unclear in negotiations was whether teachers and staff in these districts would be eligible for the new school recognition awards. Only a handful of dissenters from each party voted against the package of bills, and Republican Gov. Ironically, it was the Legislatures most conservative lawmakers who forced the hands of GOP leaders when they balked at initial, smaller spending proposals. Hundreds of millions are set aside for water infrastructure as the state faces prolonged drought. 40 workers fired by ex-DES chief may get jobs back PHOENIX Arizona Gov. Every single budget's bad, Gray said. The plan includes a handful of small, targeted tax cuts for farm machines and private planes but no large scale reductions. Doug Ducey was expected to approve it. But many of his comments leave quest, For Star subscribers:Senate President Karen Fann tells the Star in a Q&A the plan is to set up a program to achieve short- to long-term g, Schools chief Kathy Hoffman called out Republican legislative leaders Tuesday for failing so far to ensure that schools across the state won't. The agency pays its starting troopers about $57,000 a year, and the new 15% stipend gets them to $65,000, Hawkins said. For the latest local news, download the FOX 10 News app. NOTE:Employees have the option to update their A-4 at any time during the tax year but are encouraged to consult with their tax advisor related to these new updates from AZDOR to determine how they may be affected. The state hopes a new computer program will increase efficiency and allow employees across agencies to work together better. Their agreement adds $80 million in combined additional funding for Arizona State University and Northern Arizona University, bringing their funding boosts in line with additional money already allocated to the University of Arizona. The improbable bipartisanship was enabled by an unprecedented surplus topping $5 billion, allowing for a broad array of new spending and savings. Several lawmakers already are angling for even bigger tax cuts. But that $150 is less than Ducey wants to give schools that already have an A rating, up to an extra $429 per student for schools with a high number of children in poverty and $241 for those with fewer students in need. Now, this budget isnt perfect. 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Arizona's unemployment payments haven't been raised in 17 years, but this year two bills are being considered by lawmakers that could move the state up a bit, from second-lowest pay to 38th place. Duceys office routinely issues news releases when he allocates cash from the pot of COVID-19 relief money he controls, but that wasnt done this time. Hundreds of millions are set aside for water infrastructure as the . The proposal also has $80 million in a salary reserve allowing. The state Department of Corrections, Rehabilitation and Reentry and the Department of Public Safety have been struggling to hire and retain officers, in part because of wages that are low or uncompetitive. This equals the increase in the Consumer Price Index, a key measure of inflation. pay raises that average 18 percent, or an $11,496 increase. 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With the increase, Fann's bill cuts benefits from 26 to 22 weeks once unemployment is back under 4.5%. The Phoenix City Council approved an ordinance that keeps landlords from discriminating against renters based on their source of income. A proposed expansion of a tax credit to subsidize private school tuition was removed from the must-pass budget, likely dooming it. Rowan has spent the last few months going through unemployment data from states, giving context to the problems we are seeing now. Have a story idea or tip? It allows state and local governments to. The Senates proposal excluded current Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried, a Democrat and candidate for governor, from having access to the funds. Due to this change, every employee isrequiredto fill out a new Arizona A-4 form effective for wages paid after January 1, 2023 unless they qualify to complete: A-4VVoluntary Withholding Request for Arizona Resident Employed Outside Arizona, WECWithholding Exemption Certificate for Arizona Nonresidents, WECIWithholding Exemption Certificate, Native Americans with Instructions, WECMWithholding Exemption Certificate for Military Spouses. Doug Ducey or his political appointees have a much better shot of getting a big pay boost. John Kennedy is a reporter in the USA TODAY Networks Florida Capital Bureau. The plan includes a handful of small, targeted tax cuts for farm machines and private planes but no large scale reductions. Doug Ducey's proposal to spend $1.1 billion on desalination and other water infrastructure ignores other potential , For Star subscribers:Gov. By clicking Accept, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies. Log in via YES. 2023 FOX Television Stations. May 4, 2022 PHOENIX Governor Doug Ducey today expressed appreciation and gratitude for state workers on Arizona State Employee Recognition Day, thanking them for their dedication to serving the residents of one of the fastest-growing states. For agencies, boards and commissions under the State Personnel System, the maximum number of annual leave hours an employee may carry over into a new calendar year is, hours for covered employees. Senate Bill 531 applies to teachers, school counselors, school service personnel and State Troopers. You have permission to edit this article. Check to see if your provider is on the plan and see the plan coverage by visiting. These cookies do not store any personal information. Ducey is seeking a permanent 15% raise for state troopers, 20% for juvenile and adult corrections employees and pay boosts for several other agencies that total nearly $250 million a year. Ducey, who last year offered teachers raises ofless than1 percent,has given 44 of his staff members raises of up to 20 percent each. That has proven a a nonstarter among lawmakers who have to go to those same homeowners every two years to get reelected. Arizona State Retirement System ECD employees participate in the Arizona State Retirement System (ASRS). The Legislature plans to return Thursday afternoon to take up legislation directing how the new water cash will be spent and other remaining bills, with an eye to adjourning for the year once those are completed. All rights reserved. There is a growing sense that fallowing will have to be part of the solution to the increasingly desperate drought in the West. The Evergreen State takes the top spot again in the U.S. News Best States ranking on the strength of its tech sector and other industries. As of April 8, 2021, both bills have passed where they were introduced and are awaiting full-floor discussions in the other. Jun 10, 2022 Updated Jan 20, 2023. . Senate Bill 1828(Laws 2021, Fifty-fifth Legislature, 1st Regular Session)amended the individual income tax withholding brackets. But still to be settled is more than $300 million in environmental spending earmarked by the Senate for the states rural and family lands program under the Agriculture Department. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. You do not need to re-enroll to keep your current coverage elections for 2023. It also eliminates the state equalization tax, a property tax for education, and backfills it with $330 million from the general fund. Watch a non-stop stream of breaking news, live events and stories across the nation. That includes money for grants to schools for needed repairs as well as cash to begin three new high schools at Marana, Pima and Nadaburg school districts. Lawmakers in the House and Senate ended a months-long impasse, working through the night to approve the budget shortly before sunrise. For. The Arizona Freedom Caucus announced it would be filing a lawsuit challenging Gov. But lawmakers have reduced that amount, targeting $209.5 million for housing initiatives, but limiting rental assistance efforts to about $100 million, with another $100 million establishing a hometown heroes program helping first responders, teachers and nurses with down payment assistance. Instead, a proposal that looked close to being accepted by the two sides would put the $200 million into a school recognition program that would reward faculty and staff in "highly productive" schools that excelled even amid the challenges of the pandemic. To see your current elections and enroll, click the Employee or Retiree button in the upper lefthand corner of the page. After losing support on the right, House Speaker Rusty Bowers and Senate President Karen Fann had to look elsewhere for votes, and they found them across the aisle. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. Duceys budget director, Matt Gress, informed the Republican Senate president and House speaker of his decision to tap the funds for premium pay in a Dec. 9 letter. DeSantis supported what advocates call the putting parents first initiative, which would have taken millions of dollars from some of the states biggest counties and send the money to Floridas 55 other counties that fell in line with the governor on mask policy. It also eliminates the state equalization tax, a property tax for education, and backfills it with $330 million from the general fund.