Marsha Arzberger

State Senate President Tim Bee: Campaign photoPHOENIX -- A day after Arizona House Speaker Jim Weiers (R-Phoenix) announced a proposal to resolve the roughly $2 billion budget shortfall the state faces in fiscal year 2008-2009, the state Senate has followed suit, rolling out its own plan to cover the gap. State Senate President Tim Bee (R-Tucson) and state Senate Minority Leader Marsha Arzberger (D-Willcox) appeared jointly at a capitol press conference to announce the Senate version, which Legislature Democrats and Gov. Janet Napolitano are likely to find more palatable.

"We believe this budget is reasonable, responsible and sustainable," said Bee at the press event announcing the breakthrough.

The Senate proposal calls for a $361 million in cuts to state agencies - $140 million less than what the House plan calls for. It also includes a K-12 rollover, in which payments to public schools are delayed by four weeks, which has the effect of pushing some payments into the next fiscal year. Coupled with reductions in building renewal, bonding for new school construction and $106 million in transfers out of the Highway Users Revenue Fund, the budget package totals $2.02 billion, which should make up the projected shortfall.

Yesterday Rep. Jennifer Burns (R-Avra Valley) announced she won't seek a fourth term. With Democratic Rep. Manny Alvarez (D-Elfrida) going after the State Senate seat Marsha Arzberger (D-Willcox) is termed out of, that leaves open both House seats and the Senate seat.

At the moment there are two Democratic candidates and one Republican running for the House seats, while no Republican has yet come forward in the Senate race, leaving this fertile territory for the Democrats to pick up one of four additional House seats they need to control that chamber.