Volume I: Facts
Analyses of Arizona state government finance, using data of the Arizona Joint Legislative Budget Committee, and of the combined finances of all state and local governments within Arizona, using data of the U.S. Census Bureau. A historical perspective is provided for both datasets. For combined state and local government finance, comparisons are made to other states and to the national average. In addition, other measures of the tax burden by state are examined.

Volume II: Concepts and Issues
Addresses the conceptual and empirical relationships between taxes, government revenue, and economic growth. Also discusses current issues specific to Arizona state government finance. This is a revised version of the report "Tax Reductions, the Economy, and the Deficit in the Arizona State Government General Fund," incorporating new and updated material.

Volume III: Options for Managing the Arizona State General Fund
Presents options and offers recommendations for managing the Arizona state government general fund. The near-term budget deficit is addressed as well as ways to prevent budget deficits from recurring every time economic growth slows.

The Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System has provided home and community-based services to long-term care beneficiaries through a waiver from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services since 1989. Through its Arizona Long Term Care System, AHCCCS provides comprehensive coverage for members residing in their own homes or approved alternative residential settings, such as assisted living facilities or group homes. Covered services include care such as home health nursing, attendant or personal care, and home-delivered meals. Members may designate a family member or friend to provide attendant care; after completion of training, these caregivers can be paid by AHCCCS.

The potential impact of diabetes on the Arizona Long Term Care System is of significant concern to AHCCCS. Based on this and previous studies conducted by AHCCCS, the prevalence of diabetes among ALTCS members is approximately 20 percent. With the number of Arizonans age 65 and older increasing 40 percent in the last decade, the proportion of ALTCS members with diabetes is likely to increase as well.

This report includes data on preventive health and chronic disease management services provided to members enrolled with nine publicly and privately operated managed care organizations, referred to as Contractors, that contract with AHCCCS to provide services under the AHCCCS ACUTE-care program. Performance measure results for services provided through the Department of Economic Security’s Division of Developmental Disabilities are reported in a separate section of the report. Results should be viewed as indicators of utilization of services, rather than absolute rates. These data allow AHCCCS and its Contractors to identify areas for improvement and implement interventions to increase the use of preventive and evidence based chronic disease management services.

The Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System (AHCCCS) is the State's Medicaid and KidsCare program offering the following behavioral health services: Title XIX (Medicaid) Acute and Long Term Care, Acute Care, Arizona Long Term Care Services (ALTCS), Federal Emergency Services Program (FESP), and Title XXI (KidsCare).

For more information concerning comprehensive medical services and additional information regarding behavioral health services refer to the AHCCCS Medical Policy Manual.

The purpose of the stabilization fund is to reduce the fluctuations in general fund revenue caused by the economic cycle. These fluctuations result in large budget surpluses in some years and large deficits in other years. Without considering the structural deficit, the budget stabilization fund almost certainly will not have the funding necessary to offset the cyclical reduction in revenue that will occur during the next recession.

This is a summary of several reports related to government finance in Arizona that have been produced by the Office of the University Economist since December 2008. Some new information has been added in an attempt to provide a complete picture. The format of this report is a brief summary by issue, sometimes accompanied by a table or chart. References are provided to the report and the page number where additional detail can be found.