Arizona IRC gets more money
Legislators are moving to provide the state's redistricting commission with an additional $2.5 million, though some lawmakers complain that higher-priority programs may suffer as a result.
The Independent Redistricting Commission will use the money to pay legal bills and other expenses related to its drawing of new legislative and congressional districts and fighting to defend them from court challenges.
The commission was authorized to spend $6 million when it was created in 2000, and it had used nearly all of that money by last fall. The commission then requested an additional $4.2 million for its continuing legal fight and other expenses, but lawmakers late last year provided only $1.7 million. -- Redistrict effort may get $2.5 mil (Arizona Republic)