On June 21, the Arizona Center for Law in the Public Interest filed a lawsuit on behalf of two Prescott residents, Howard Mechanic and Ralph Hess, against the State of Arizona and Arizona State Treasurer Kimberly Yee objecting to a $15.3 million appropriation included in the recently-passed state budget.
At the very end of budget negotiations this year, the Legislature included the payment to Prescott Frontier Days (PFD), which operates the Prescott Rodeo. The appropriation came with no strings attached and PFD made no contractual promise in exchange for the money.
The Center’s lawsuit argues the expenditure would violate both the Gift Clause and the Appropriations Clause of the Arizona Constitution. The state plans to begin distribution of the appropriation on July 1.
