The consequences of the state's financial woes are sinking in as we read through the details of the governor's budget released yesterday afternoon. The headline of the Daily Star newspaper here in Tucson was about the 20% cut for universities. Tucson is home to the University of Arizona, a major economic center for the region.
A couple of slides from the Governor's budget office presentation grabbed my attention. The current budget (Fiscal Year 2011) for prisons in Arizona is $938.7 million. For universities, we are spending $855.6 million.
But look at the loss of jobs in Arizona in this recession compared to the previous 6. It's sobering.
