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PHOENIX — Congress may be trying to get rid of "earmarks" in the federal budget.

But the practice is alive and well at the state Capitol as legislators carved out nearly $29 million of next year's $10.6 billion spending bill approved by the Senate Monday night for their own spending priorities — many for their home districts.

The budget had no real changes from the plan hammered out last week. That includes $11 million in tax cuts, mostly for business.

But the details, not unveiled until Monday, found all sorts of provisions sought by individual legislators, including:

● $1 million this year and the same next year to build a welcome center in Yuma sought by Sen. Amanda Aguirre, D-Yuma.

● $150,000 pushed by Rep. Jerry Weiers, R-Glendale, to help the Department of Public Safety enforce new laws on copper wire theft.

● $100,000 sought by House Minority Leader Phil Lopes, D-Tucson, to assist in construction of a World War II memorial in his home community.

● $250,000 to employ teens during the summer, a program pushed by Sen. Victor Soltero, D-Tucson.

● $194,000 in state aid for the community college on the Tohono O'odham Reservation, a priority of Senate Minority leader Marsha Arzberger, D-Willcox.

● $2 million for a mulitpurpose facility on the Navajo Reservation requested by Sen. Albert Hale, D-Window Rock.

That $29 million is what was left after lawmakers dealt with the basic budget, normal increases in spending and any overall legislative priorities.

Senate President Tim Bee said the list reflects priorities of individual members. But he said they are not designed to "buy" votes for the budget.

And each legislator who spoke with Capitol Media Services said his or her program was a valid use of state dollars. Bee, R-Tucson, managed to put a few items of his own into the package, including $100,000 for a grant to the Boys State and Girls State civics training programs for high schoolers which he said have until now been supported largely by donations.

Others also got a piece of the budget pie.

House Speaker Jim Weiers, R-Phoenix, got $1 million for a criminal justice program at the west campus of Arizona State University.

Sen. Linda Gray, R-Glendale, said the $400,000 she got inserted in the budget will help train school administrators both how to retain good teachers and fire bad ones without getting sued.

A $1.8 million addition to expand health care for pregnant women was pushed by Sen. Barbara Leff, R-Paradise Valley. Leff said providing more care for women who otherwise earn too much for free health care will save money for the state in the long run as there will be fewer babies born with birth defects.

And Sen. Carolyn Allen, R-Scottsdale, defended the $500,000 she got added to provide "respite care." That provides some relief for family members taking care of seriously ill relatives who are at home.