By admin 
PHOENIX (AZFamily) — Layoffs are hitting the Arizona State Capitol, but it isn’t the politicians who are losing their jobs. Instead, the cuts are falling on the everyday workers who keep the building running and the lights on.
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The Arizona House of Representatives slashed about 10% of its staff. The staff reductions span vital, non-partisan and administrative roles, ranging from secretaries and security personnel to legislative analysts.
According to House sources, the layoffs are a direct consequence of recent state budget cuts. An internal email dated Aug. 6 confirms that 11 staff members have lost their jobs. Three other employees were demoted from full-time status to seasonal help.
However, the selective nature of the staffing cuts raises sharp questions about how legislative leaders are managing their accounts.
While the state Senate and Governor’s Office suffered similar budget reductions, neither of them have let any employees go.
The House staff cuts come just two months after state leaders hammered out a new state budget. The bipartisan agreement mandated a 2.5% budget cut across nearly every state agency, including the legislature.
The resulting reductions broke down as follows:
- Governor’s Office: $203,000 cut
- State Senate: $450,000 cut
- State House: $544,000 cut
Over the past several years, House leaders have spent big money on capital improvements and legal battles.
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They authorized expenditures for upgrades to building security and equipment; aesthetic remodeling, including brand-new carpeting on the House floor; and $640,000 for a state-of-the-art media studio designed for lawmakers to record podcasts and produce promotional videos.
Additionally, taxpayer dollars have increasingly flowed toward outside legal fees. The Republican-controlled legislature spent about $1.2 million on private attorneys and lawsuits last year.
Because the layoffs are treated as a personnel matter, House officials declined to comment on the record for this story.
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