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PHEONIX, ARIZONA (BNO NEWS) – Governor of Arizona, Jan Brewer, proposed Friday a balanced state budget plan that includes extensive budget cuts.

The Governor presented the Arizona Legislature her specific and detailed recommendations to balance Arizona’s General Fund budgets for Fiscal Years 2010 and 2011. The budget proposes to make substantial and long-term changes to the way State government fulfills its mission to the citizens of Arizona by proposing to mitigate massive cuts to education and public safety with significant spending reductions and service eliminations across state government, a temporary revenue increase to bridge the fiscal crisis, and remaining stimulus spending targeted to job creation and public safety.

In the State of the State address on Monday, the Governor challenged all state officials to set aside partisanship and replace it with “[…] the higher calling of statesmanship when contemplating the decisions to restore and revitalize Arizona.”

The Governor’s budget proposal calls for the elimination of funding for non-formula programs such as: AIMS Intervention, Adult Education and GED, Chemical Abuse, Gifted Support, Early Education Block Grant, Vocational Education Block Grant, and Teacher Training.

It also proposes:

• Closing the Department of Juvenile Corrections and shifting responsibility to the counties;

• Closing 21 of 31 state parks;

• Reducing state employee pay by 5%;

• Shift of lottery funds;

• Reduces services for 17,000 seriously mentally ill adults – approximately half of that population;

• Eliminating Social Services Block Grant planning funds;

• Eliminates cash assistance for 10,000 families;

• Eliminating County Attorney Immigration Enforcement; and,

• Executive authority to reduce appropriations.

Despite the massive budget cuts, the State government will still have to borrow and defer $1.5 billion.

Governor Jan Brewer’s complete and detailed budget proposal can be fully reviewed at her website: http://www.azgovernor.gov/Budget2011.asp

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PHOENIX, ARIZONA (BNO NEWS) – Police officers responded to a school shooting in Phoenix, Arizona Thursday afternoon that left three people injured and led to the arrest of a sixteen year old suspect.

A little before three o’clock Thursday afternoon, Phoenix police began an investigation at the Esperanza Community Collegial Academy, a school that focuses on students learning English and prepares them for college or vocational schools. The officers arrived to find two victims with gunshot wounds, a nineteen year old male and female, the injuries are not believed to be life-threatening.

A ten year old boy who was also in the parking lot was hit by a pellet discharged from the shotgun that had been used to assault the two teenagers. Police believe that this was a gang-related crime.

Clear information from witnesses and the victims quickly led to the arrest of a sixteen year old suspect, a former student of the school. It is not yet known if he will be named, as he is a minor. There is no indication of what charges will be filed.

Esperanza Community Collegial Academy opened in the fall of 2005, and is a non-profit organization. It aims for all its students to have a high degree of literary in the areas of reading, writing, speaking, and listening in English.

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PHOENIX, ARIZONA (BNO NEWS) – Police officers responded to a school shooting Thursday afternoon that left three people injured and led to the arrest of a sixteen year old suspect.

A little before three o’clock Thursday afternoon, Phoenix police began an investigation at the Esperanza Community Collegial Academy, a school that focuses on students learning English and prepares them for college or vocational schools. The officers arrived to find two victims with gunshot wounds, a nineteen year old male and female, the injuries are not believed to be life-threatening.

A ten year old boy who was also in the parking lot was hit by a pellet discharged from the shotgun that had been used to assault the two teenagers. Police believe that this was a gang-related crime.

Clear information from witnesses and the victims quickly led to the arrest of a sixteen year old suspect, a former student of the school. It is not yet known if he will be named, as he is a minor. There is no indication of what charges will be filed.

Esperanza Community Collegial Academy opened in the fall of 2005, and is a non-profit organization. It aims for all its students to have a high degree of literary in the areas of reading, writing, speaking, and listening in English.