Brewer makes smart first impression
Give Governor-in-Waiting Jan Brewer high marks for taking a realistic approach to her new role in one of her first public pronouncements. She refused to rule out tax increases while the state deals with its budget crisis. All options are on the table, Brewer said.

That's as it should be. Some from the Republican Right are having fits already, but they don't understand the role of an elected leader. Brewer can't hobble herself and her office by sticking to hardline positions that sound great in an election but which might make governing responsibly very difficult.

The truth is Brewer will resist any tax increases. But this is no simple budget downturn. Something more than "cutting the fat" will be necessary. She -- and the Legislature -- can't rule anything out at this point.

Read the Arizona Republic story here.

Janet's departure -- a mini-scandal
Greg Patterson (Expresso Pundit) has uncovered a dirty little secret in the Governor's office:

"Then there's the fact that Governor's office didn't cap the vacation hours. Most state employees are limited to 240 hours of accrued vacation, but uncovered employees can save up to 320 hours. Quite a few of the Governor's staff are over this limit, with several of them in the 500 hour range and one staffer has more than 1,000 hours of unused vacation. That one person will get a check for nearly $40,000 upon leaving service."

This looks particularly embarressing in light of the current budget crisis. You'll be seeing a lot about these figures from Republicans in the coming weeks.

Editorial reaction to Napolitano's departure

Yuma Sun:

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 …

Arizona Daily Sun, Flagstaff:

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.

Arizona Daily Star, Tucson:

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.

Arizona Republic:

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. 

Infrastructure sags as the future looms
It's hard talking about the need for increased spending when the economy is fragile and all levels of government face budget crises. But the future looms, as a recent study fro ASU's W.P. Carey School of Business ("Preparing for An Arizona of 10 Million People") reminds us:

"State and local government policymakers, and indeed all Arizonans, will be deciding the future of Arizona in the next few years. Arizona has the opportunity to expand its significance as an economic center and to promote economic growth and prosperity. But it must be willing to invest in the state to reach these goals."

A recent editorial in Tucson's Arizona Daily Star sums up the situation well. You can read it at this link. Here are a couple of points from it to keep in mind as we face our state's future:

Arizona's infrastructure is deficient and will not improve without decisive leaders willing to make tough, often unpopular decisions. ...

Economic slow times are an opportune time for developing infrastructure: When the economy rallies, the foundation will be set.