The CAFR includes all funds of the State (primary government), as well as its component units. Blended component units, although legally separate entities, are in substance part of a government's operations. Therefore, data from these units is combined with data of the primary government. Discretely presented component units are shown separately to emphasize that they are legally separate from the primary government and to differentiate their financial position and results of operations from those of the primary government. Discretely presented component units prepared in accordance with the Governmental Accounting Standards Board are reported in a separate column in the government-wide financial statements. Discretely presented component units prepared in accordance with the Financial Accounting Standards Board are presented as separate financial statements immediately following the government-wide financial statements to emphasize that they are prepared in accordance with accounting standards other than those promulgated by the GASB.

Public finance—taxes and other revenues collected by government and the expenditure of those revenues—always has been somewhat controversial because of wide philosophical differences among residents regarding the role that government should play in providing public services and in collecting taxes and fees from its residents. Recently, public finance in Arizona has become a prominent public issue due to the need to resolve the deficits that afflict state government and most county and municipal governments in Arizona.

Arizona is emerging from one of the worst state budget crises in the nation. Entering 2003, its projected deficit, measured as a percentage of the general fund, was the fifth largest in the country.1 The state had slashed spending in 2002 in the face of a $900 million deficit, but still faced a $400 million shortfall for fiscal year 2003 and an estimated $1 billion deficit in fiscal 2004. Although improved revenues have reduced the anticipated gap, fundamental underlying problems remain concerning the ability of lawmakers to control the budget. Some observers consider this a revenue problem, others a spending problem. Our concern in this paper is whether state lawmakers have enough control over either revenue or spending.