Arizona State Representative Steve Montenegro said on April 13 that ‘Arizona needs a balanced budget built on honest numbers, not press stunts and invented revenue,’ as the state faces an ongoing impasse between Republican legislative leaders and Governor Katie Hobbs over the state budget.
The dispute centers around stalled negotiations after Governor Hobbs announced a freeze on bill signings amid disagreements with legislative leaders. The statement by Montenegro was issued through the Arizona House GOP Conference website in response to Governor Hobbs’ announcement freezing bill signings amid the breakdown in budget negotiations. House Republicans remain at the state Capitol prepared to continue governing and produce a responsible plan. The release underscores the legislature’s continued work on fiscal matters while calling for resumed talks, according to the Arizona House GOP Conference.
Montenegro said, ‘Governor Hobbs quit the budget talks more than three weeks ago after it became clear her numbers did not add up, and now she is trying to distract from that failure with a bill-signing freeze. That is political theater. Arizona needs a balanced budget built on honest numbers, not press stunts and invented revenue. The Governor can end her sideshow anytime by coming back to the table, doing her job and dealing with reality.’
Recent Joint Legislative Budget Committee baseline projections indicate Arizona General Fund revenues around $17.58 billion with spending estimates near $16.65 billion leading to a positive ending cash balance. Education funding requirements continue to drive significant portions of state expenditures including growth in empowerment scholarship accounts. These figures provide the backdrop for legislative efforts to maintain fiscal responsibility in state appropriations, according to Joint Legislative Budget Committee projections.
Arizona’s General Fund accounts for nearly 95 percent of discretionary spending directed toward core agencies such as education and health services according to economic analyses of state budgets. The state also receives substantial federal funding that supplements but does not replace General Fund appropriations in the overall budget framework. Such revenue and spending patterns reflect broader challenges faced by states in balancing mandatory formulas with available resources, according to economic analyses.
Montenegro first elected to the Arizona Legislature in 2008 has served multiple terms in the House of Representatives and held leadership roles including Speaker Pro Tempore and House Majority Leader. He represents Legislative District 29 in the West Valley and previously worked as a teacher and district representative before entering public service. A graduate of Arizona State University he immigrated legally from El Salvador as a child and maintains active involvement in community and educational initiatives, according to Ballotpedia.
