Temporary Injunction to Stop DES Cuts in Arizona

This is being posted in follow-up to my February 25, 2009 post An Open Message to Gov. Jan Brewer and the AZ Legislature

Statement Regarding Court Ruling on DDD Budget Reductions
PHOENIX – (March 11, 2009) Today, Maricopa County Superior Court Judge Joseph Hellman issued a preliminary injunction against the Department of Economic Security (DES) preventing the agency from implementing $16.8 million in general fund reductions, including the suspension of non-residential, state-funded services to more than 4,000 children and adults with developmental disabilities and various rate reductions to providers of services to those individuals.

The following is the Department’s statement regarding today’s ruling:

The Department will, of course, abide by the court’s ruling, however, we intend to appeal the decision and ask the court to stay the injunction.

The Department’s planned $16.8 million reduction was a result of the lump sum reduction and fund transfers that were part of the special session, as well as unfunded, caseload-driven shortfalls in various programs. The total reduction to DES in the 2009 fiscal year was approximately $153 million.

Information about the budget reductions and impact to children, adults and families is available on the Department’s Web site, www.azdes.gov .

Source: AZDES

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