Gov. Jan Brewer Monday vetoed Rio Nuevo legislation that Tucson businesses wanted to help with downtown redevelopment.Gov. Jan Brewer Monday vetoed legislation that would have eased business involvement in downtown Tucson redevelopment.
In her veto letter, the governor said she vetoed HB2647 because it would have allocated state revenues beyond what is allowed under the law.
"Regardless of the potential benefits of this legislation, it is unwise to enact legislation that has a fiscal impact or changes tax policy until we have reached an agreement on projected revenues and appropriated expenditures as part of a state budget for fiscal year 2013," Brewer said in her veto letter.
The bill would have required the city of Tucson to waive impact fees within the Rio Nuevo district and respond to building permit applications within 30 days.
It also would have expanded what the state-appointed Rio Nuevo Board can do with sales tax revenue in the district and allow Tucson to exempt new businesses in the district from sales taxes.
Tucson business leaders pushed the legislation, but city officials were lukewarm on it.
Brewer's veto letter ran two pages and included a wide-ranging discussion that could be seen as her line in the sand on the state budget.
It included a rundown of her fiscal restraint policies and her call for legislators to adequately fund schools, Child Protective Services and projects for "the most vulnerable of Arizona's citizens."
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