Arizona Republicans have gotten most of what they wanted this year – The Arizona Republic

Opinion: It is both amazing and at times downright depressing what the Republican Legislature has accomplished this year. This, with the barest of majorities and a Democratic governor.

As the Arizona Legislature takes yet another vacation, let us pause to consider the many accomplishments of the Republicans who run the joint.

No, really.

Theres been a fair amount of focus on the 72 (and counting) times Democratic Gov. Katie Hobbs has infuriated Republicans by vetoing their various bad bills and a few good ones.

But consider what this, the most conservative Republican Legislature in my memory, has been able to accomplish with the barest of majorities and a Democrat on the Ninth Floor for the first time in 14 years.

Everybody (OK, well, me) expected the far-right Republicans who comprise the Arizona Freedom Caucus to be rolled over as the year wore on and sanity prevailed sometime in the wee hours of late June, right before a state government shutdown.

Everybody (OK, me again) expected the partys more pragmatic Republicans to team up with Hobbs and the Democrats to make a deal, as happened last year when Republican Gov. Doug Ducey was at the helm.

Instead, Republicans have stuck together all year, making Democratic legislators look largely irrelevant and on occasion, downright silly. (See: the tamale bill wherein 12 Democrats enthusiastically voted for the bill before they suddenly voted against it to spare Hobbs the embarrassment of a veto override.)

Consider the culture war bills. Not surprisingly, Republicans have spent endless hours doing battle with drag queens and transgender children and public school teachers who they apparently believe lay awake nights plotting to groom their children.

None of their bills will become law, thanks to Hobbs and her veto stamp. But thats almost better for Republican lawmakers as they prepare to hit the trail next year to try to preserve their slim majority.

The campaign pitch writes itself.

Consider teacher pay. Rep. Matt Gress, R-Phoenix, has been pushing a bill that would boost teacher pay by $10,000 over the next two years, catapulting Arizonas public schools out of the subbasement and onto the upper floors of teacher compensation in America.

Democrats oppose the bill, saying its a poorly written proposal that contains no guarantee of funding beyond 2025 and could lead to layoffs. Besides, they say, it wouldnt apply to other educators and school staff.

Democrats have pointed to some legitimate problems with this bill, especially the need for flexibility in the event of a downturn in the economy. But theyve also declined thus far to work with Gress to address those problems.

This, as Arizona continues to face a critical shortage of qualified classroom teachers.

Consider the budget. Hobbs negotiated a $17.8 billion spending plan with Republican legislative leaders, leaving her Democratic allies on the outside looking in.

I know not everyone got what they wanted, including me, Hobbs said on Monday, during a press conference to highlight a $150 million deposit into the Housing Trust Fund, an amount more than double the previous largest contribution.

Actually, it appears Republicans got exactly what they wanted.

Their No. 1 priority was to protect their universal voucher program from a governor who had vowed to repeal it, warning that it would likely bankrupt the state.

They didnt even have to accept so much as a minuscule cap to the program that was supposed to cost $33 million year and is now at 10 times that and growing.

Instead, Hobbs stunned her fellow Democrats and public school supporters by agreeing to continue the runaway program.

How money talks: Hobbs, Ducey got bipartisan budget deals differently

She also caved on her campaign vows to exempt diapers and feminine hygiene products from the state sales tax and to offer an annual $100-per-child tax credit to low-income Arizonans.

Hobbs did win a huge pot of mostly one-time money to boost public schools and a sizable budget to help with affordable housing and the homeless.

Meanwhile, Republicans not only protected their constituents who want public money to pay their kids private school tuition, they won a one-time $250-per-child tax rebate for Arizona families (maximum $750 per family), a plan spearheaded by the Freedom Caucus.

They even managed to attach language to the budget that prevents Hobbs from trying to take any credit for the tax rebate.

To wit: No letter relating to the Arizona families tax rebate issued under this section shall be sent from the governors office, be sent on the governors letterhead or reference the governors office.Freedom Caucusers were all smiles on Monday and for good reason.

While Hobbs tax credit for the poor wilted and died, their tax credit for the non-poor funded solely with Republicans share of the budget surplus is now law, with a promise of more to come next year from Freedom Caucus Chair Jake Hoffman, R-Queen Creek.

Arizona families are hurting while they attempt to pay for the most basic necessities each month , he said on Monday, during a press conference to highlight the $260 million tax rebate. In the meantime, government is flush with cash and in the position to give back to our honest, hardworking taxpayers.

The money wont reach the neediest Arizonans, the ones who dont earn enough to pay taxes.

Or to taxpayers who wipe out their state tax liability by making charitable contributions that qualify for a tax credit.

But itll be an effective bullet on Republicans reelection brochures, as will the substantial slab of bacon they delivered to their districts in the form of road and bridge projects.

All this, they got without having to agree to allow Maricopa Countys transportation tax to be put to a public vote next year.

And without Hoffman and his fellow Republican senators having to agree to stop gumming up the works as Hobbs tries to fill out her Cabinet.

Certainly, both sides got something out of the budget.

But theres a reason Hoffman, one of the Legislatures most conservative members, signed on as a primary sponsor of this years budget bills.

Reach Roberts atlaurie.roberts@arizonarepublic.com. Follow her on Twitter at@LaurieRoberts.

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Arizona Republicans have gotten most of what they wanted this year - The Arizona Republic