The transition to a new governor will be complicated because Napolitano plans to stay in office until her confirmation as homeland security secretary, apparently fully participating in legislative initiatives and even giving the State of the State speech which normally involves laying out plans for the future.
It is understandable that Napolitano wants to remain in office until she is certain of her new position, but it does put the state at a disadvantage, especially at this critical fiscal stage. Napolitano needs to recognize this and draw Brewer fully into the legislative planning process …
We're not quite sure what to make of Gov. Janet Napolitano's desire to stay on in January to deliver the State of the State address and a draft state budget. …
But now that Napolitano is herself a lame duck, Republicans might decide to wait and ram through budget revisions soon after the governor steps down in late January. The longer they wait, however, the harder it is for universities and other state agencies to make major spending cuts.
East Valley Tribune:
[M]any Arizona Democrats feel abandoned as their standard-bearer will pass the torch to Secretary of State Jan Brewer … But the reality is divided government has played a significant role in the state’s budget crisis, the issue that will dominate Arizona politics through the 2010 elections. …the political tug of war between Napolitano and the Legislature has delayed tough choices on long-term solutions. With Brewer at the helm, state government is more likely to approach buget solutions from a common perspective to pursue necessary spending cuts. It also means Republicans will reap all the rewards and all the blame for those decisions.
Brewer's move to the governor's office could cause upheaval in state agencies and their policy directions. The Arizona Legislature is dominated by Maricopa County Republicans and Napolitano provided an effective backstop to their efforts to slash necessary state services, such as public education.
We call on Brewer to respect the wishes of Arizona voters who elected Napolitano, and to resist the urge to replace agency directors or make significant changes to policies. Brewer was not elected to the post: Voters chose Napolitano, who differs from Brewer on many issues.
An accomplished pragmatist, Napolitano supported a temporary-worker program and signed the nation's toughest employer-sanctions law. She found a centrist path through an explosive issue and never stooped to vilify illegal immigrants.
Barack Obama should make Napolitano his point person in what we hope is an immediate push by his administration for comprehensive reform.
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