Other
transcripts
Transcripts
January 10, 2005
Host:
Michael Grant
Topics:
· Governor Napolitano's 2005 State of the State
Address
In-Studio Guests:
· Chuck Coughlin, political analyst and president,
High Ground;
· Alfredo Gutierrez, Tequida and Gutierrez
>> Michael Grant:
Tonight on "Horizon," Governor Janet Napolitano delivers
her third state of the state address to the legislature. We'll
show the speech in its entirety and reaction to it. Those stories
in just a moment. Good evening. I'm Michael Grant
>>.Michael Grant:
Welcome to "Horizon." The first regular session of the
47th legislature commencing today with Governor Janet Napolitano's
third state of the state address. The governor's theme this year,
"moving Arizona forward," allowed her to touch upon
the issues promising to be high on the legislative agenda such
as full-day kindergarten, the AIMS test, water and land policy
and, of course, the state's budget. Governor also talking extensively
about homeland security saying previous governors didn't have
to talk about that issue in state of the state addresses but the
times have changed. We'll have reaction and analysis later in
this special hour-long "Horizon," but first here is
the speech in its entirety.
>> Ken Bennett:
Member of the legislature and public, please welcome the honorable
Janet Napolitano. Governor of the State of Arizona.
>> Janet Napolitano:
Thank you. Thank you! President Bennett, speaker WEIRS, honorable
senators and representatives, chief justice Jones and members
of the Supreme Court, members of our congressional delegation,
honored guests and my fellow Arizonans, two years ago on a beautiful
Arizona day I was privileged to take the oath of office as your
governor. On that day during a time of challenge in our state,
I said these words... With a mixture of hope and skepticism Arizonans
are asking will anything really change? Today I stand before you
to say, yes, a lot has changed, is changing and will continue
to change for the better. Arizona is moving forward, and if we
work together, we will keep it moving forward. The people of this
state work hard. They're building businesses. They're saving and
struggling to educate their children. They are doing their part.
They want us to do our part. We here in this chamber do not have
the luxury of partisanship or defeatism. The choice we face is
not between Republican or Democrat, but between those who say,
no, not ever, and those who say, yes, we can. Can we continue
to renew our schools from those for the youngest child to world-class
community colleges and universities? Some say, no, not ever. I
say, yes, we can. Can we build an Arizona economy with more high
wage jobs and more highly trained people to fill them? Some say,
no, not ever. I say, yes, we can. Can we be true stewards of our
water and our land while encouraging responsible growth? some
say, no, not ever. I say, yes, we can. I know we can. Just look
at the progress we've made together. Two years ago I was a new
governor joined by a huge class of new lawmakers. Our economy
was down and our state was swimming in red ink. We promised the
citizens of Arizona we would spend money more carefully. We wouldn't
just preach fiscal responsibility; we would practice it. We would
make government work better and cost less, and that is what we
did. We erased $1.3 billion in shortfalls and balanced the budget.
The national financial rating agencies have now removed their
negative outlook for Arizona, which, in turn, saves us money on
long-term capital projects. And because we have been careful with
money, we will have a surplus in our rainy day fund of more than
$100 million this fiscal year. [APPLAUSE ] We balanced our budget
and eliminated our deficit without cutting education or gutting
vital services. We did it without raising taxes. And we did it
while making the most profound investment we can make, in the
education of our children. This is the discipline I intend to
continue and that this year's budget will embrace. Now, our government
not only lives within its means, it invests in what matters. For
instance, we created the copper card to provide discount drugs
for our seniors, and we did it with a pioneering partnership between
government and business. Today, nearly 50,000 Arizona seniors
have saved millions of dollars. And our effort is now a model
for the entire country. We invested substantially in our universities
while launching a top-to-bottom review so we can redesign our
higher education system. That redesign has a simple goal... To
prepare our students for the 21st century. And we are bringing
together in a way no other state has the resources and the drive
necessary to maintain Arizona's and the nation's security. In
this country we've witnessed the horror of an attack by air. We
cannot live with a border too weak to withstand infiltration from
the ground. [ APPLAUSE ] We're making these investments by shifting
resources from government waste and inefficiency to government
productivity. My efficiency review teams are combing the bureaucracy.
We're changing the way state government works from how it buys
paper and pencils to how it provides health insurance. We're not
done. We will never be done. Efficiency review is now an established
part of the way we do state business in Arizona, and over five
years we will save the citizens of Arizona hundreds of millions
of dollars. Too often these days politicians shout at each other
about big government, small government. In Arizona, we're showing
that what matters is smart government, efficient government, effective
government. We're showing the rest of America how it's done. Yes,
Arizona is moving forward, and we should all be proud of what
we have achieved, but this is not a record to rest on. It is a
record to build on. We have much more to do if we are to continue
to move Arizona forward. This Friday I will send you my proposed
budget. I will propose no tax increases. I will protect vital
services like homeland security. And I will continue to invest
in what matters for our long-term future. Our first priority today
and always is education. [ APPLAUSE ] I know, I would not be standing
here but for the love of learning imparted by parents, the public
schools I attended, the high standards set by my teachers and
I have a hunch that's true for many of us here in this room, but
as our state is changing, our economy is changing, and our schools
must change. So one of our most vital missions must be to extend
all-day kindergarten so it is available to every child in every
school in every community. [ APPLAUSE ] All-day kindergarten is
voluntary. Making it one of the largest school choice programs
in state history. And today the parents of nearly 10,000 children
in the toughest schools have the choice of all-day kindergarten.
I propose to make it available for the parents of 10,000 more
children this year. [ APPLAUSE ] [ APPLAUSE ] And I challenge,
I challenge all parents and grandparent, teachers and principals,
and the business leaders who fought so hard for this priority,
please join with us to shine a light on this program. Hold it
accountable and hold us accountable. But voluntary all-day kindergarten
does not end our mission to renew our schools. Here is my guiding
philosophy. There is no substitute for high expectations. We will
demand more of our students, but we must do more for them, too.
We must insist on wide opportunities and high standards from the
first day of preschool to the last day of college. As you know,
this year's junior class will be the first that must pass the
AIMS test to graduate. But more than half of them haven't done
it yet. That's unacceptable. We must expect success from every
child, but we have to help them, too. To provide that help, the
Superintendent of Public Instruction and I have redirected $10
million to provide one on one tutoring for high school juniors
who are struggling with AIMS. [ APPLAUSE ] Let me add one more
thing... Special education students who have individual education
plans should not have to add AIMS to the hurdles they already
face. I ask you to support legislation to ensure these students
do not have to pass a test that never was designed for them. Another
hurdle that faces far too many families is child care, quality
child care. Parents need to be able to go to work knowing their
children are safe and are nurtured. We have more than 2,000 child
care centers in Arizona. Some are spectacular. Some, not so spectacular.
I have instructed the Arizona school readiness board to continue
its work with both the private and nonprofit sectors to create
a quality rating system for child care centers. My budget also
includes funding so that children of low-wage, working parents
can obtain quality child care without spending months on a waiting
list. [ APPLAUSE ] Let's also continue our drive for early literacy.
The early ability to read and write in English. It is such a pleasure
to me to give the gift of a book. Last month more than 80,000
first graders received a volume of poetry called "confetti."
This year 4th grade students will receive the book "coyote
school news" as they learn about Arizona history. I want
to thank the schools and districts that distributed the books
and the businesses that paid for them, and today I'm pleased to
reaffirm my commitment to Arizona that so long as I am governor,
all children in the 1st grade and now the 4th grade will receive
a book to enjoy as their own and for their lifetime. [ APPLAUSE
] As we know, next to a child's family, the most important element
in raising student achievement is a qualified, experienced teacher
in the classroom. So this year we will implement a statewide master
teacher program to ultimately put at least one master teacher
in every school, and with the leadership of Northern Arizona University,
we will fix our outdated system of teacher professional development,
and we'll continue to move money from administrative overhead
outside the classroom and put it into the classroom so that low
rates of teacher pay can be addressed. [ APPLAUSE ] We can't just
stop when our students graduate from high school. They need to
be ready to go on to enhanced career and technical education,
a community college or a university. And our universities have
a responsibility to make sure their students graduate, particularly
in the fields of nursing, teaching and engineering. I am asking
the Board of Regents to direct funding to universities that increase
the number of students who earn their degrees in a reasonable
time. And I also want to help ensure that no qualified Arizona
student is precluded from a higher education because of money.
Accordingly, I propose that we double our state's investment in
student financial aid. [ APPLAUSE ] If we are serious about expanding
opportunity, we must recognize that it depends on high skills,
higher education and learning that lasts a lifetime. Today, and
even more tomorrow, Arizona's children compete with children around
the world. Every time a 1st grader can't read, or a 9th grader
has not had algebra, we fall behind. The challenge in our schools
is not just for poor neighborhoods or for our inner cities, it's
not their children, it's our children. This is a perfect example
where we must put politics aside and work together. We cannot
let education be paralyzed by politics. Can we work together for
positive change? Yes, we can. [ APPLAUSE ] Education is our most
vital mission, but it is not our only great goal. We have more
to move Arizona forward. Our strong progress and fiscal discipline
today give us an opportunity to build and plan for the future,
inspuring long-term economic growth, in stewardship of our natural
resources, in modernizing healthcare and in strengthening our
security. To expand opportunity, we must focus on economic growth.
As we widen the pool of highly skilled workers, we should encourage
businesses to create high-wage jobs. Jobs can be in many fields,
from tourism to small business to high-tech companies. That's
why I will propose a series of tax relief measures from guidelines
for tax exemptions to actual tax credits to spur Arizona's competitiveness
for new jobs. [ APPLAUSE ] There are some tax cuts we can now
afford and should pass. We should expand the research and development
tax credit for business that partner with our state universities.
We should phase out the personal property tax for small business.
And we should give tax relief to industries that manufacture goods
in Arizona and export them all over the nation and all over the
world. [ APPLAUSE ] Let's export our goods, not our jobs. [ APPLAUSE
] Arizona's growth cannot continue unless we deal realistically
with water. We're a desert state in a prolonged drought. Yes,
we've seen much-needed rain over the past weeks, but the experts
tell us that it will take many years of average rainfall to replenish
our reservoirs. I will propose legislation that will let the state
do a far better job monitoring water conditions. We need your
support to revitalize Arizona's department of water resources
so it can help rural communities to plan better. I will urge every
community, no matter what size, to adopt a long-term water conservation
plan to ensure our families and businesses have the water they
need. And we must continue to fight to make sure that Arizona
gets its fair share of water from the Colorado River. [ APPLAUSE
] And with our three universities, we are creating a virtual water
university to demonstrate to the world how to sustain vibrant
communities in a desert environment. We also must move forward
together to be better stewards of the earth God gave us, the undeveloped
land that gives Arizona its breath taking beauty. In the past
two years we have seen two devastating fire seasons. We need to
prepare aggressively for fire and give Arizona homeowners the
tools they need to prevent it. I will ask you to create a consolidated
Arizona office of fire and life safety that will bring fire response,
preparedness and planning together in a single focused effort.
And I will include in my budget funding for even more inmate crews
to fight fires throughout the state. [ APPLAUSE ] Many of our
state's natural treasures are within the 9 million acres of state
trust land. We have a duty to use these lands wisely and to find
the right balance between development, preservation and generation
of resources for our schools. Today the laws governing the trust
are old and rusty. There is no mechanism to protect our natural
resources and to better manage lands that we need to conserve
and enjoy as open space. We don't have an effective way to market
land for the highest return. It is pastime to give the State Land
Department the rules and tools that are relevant today. We don't
need to start from scratch. Last year much was accomplished by
a diverse group of citizens that included businesses, developers,
educators, conservationists and ranchers alike. Their plan is
a good place to start. I am asking you to place state trust land
among your highest priorities, and then allow the voters to make
their decision. [ APPLAUSE ] Much as we care for our land, we
must care for our people. More families need the security that
comes from affordable healthcare. Costs are soaring. Nearly three
quarters of a million working people in Arizona lack health insurance
coverage altogether. They are one serious illness or injury away
from catastrophe. All over the state small business owners are
priced out of the private health insurance market. That's why
this year we revitalized healthcare group and 13,000 Arizonans
enrolled in healthcare group. That is not enough. Many employers
in Arizona are small businesses that cannot provide health insurance.
It is my goal with your help to expand healthcare group with new
and affordable products to allow even more of our hard working
people to find a way to buy affordable health insurance. [ APPLAUSE
] But health insurance means nothing if there's no one to take
care of you. Won't surprise anyone that there is a shortage of
healthcare professionals in Arizona. We need more nurses and doctors.
This year we're already educating more nurses at our colleges
and working to keep the ones we already have. And we are moving
quickly toward a new medical school that can and should become
part of a larger medical center. We've set aside old rivalries
to join together Arizona State University and the University of
Arizona to create an environment in which new medicines, new treatments
and new cures will be born. Breakthroughs in diseases like autism
and diabetes and cancer. Phase I is to provide funding so that
one small class of new medical students can start in 2006. And
for phase II I propose that we establish our own state medical
center savings account so that as plans are completed we have
the financial wherewithal for a truly world-class medical center
that includes education, research and clinical facilities. If
we do this, we will improve the quality of life for all Arizonans
and leave a legacy for generations to come. [ APPLAUSE ] And quality
of life means nothing without security, and security starts at
home. We have done much to address the safety of families in Arizona.
The first-ever state plan for domestic violence prevention, antibullying
programs in our schools to keep our children safe and initiatives
to combat elder abuse. And I will continue with the important
job of reforming Child Protective Services. Arizona families deserve
our continued support to keep them safe and secure. We must also
focus on security for the entire state. Previous governors have
not had to talk about homeland security in state of the state
addresses, but we know these are not ordinary times. Three years
ago America was attacked by terrorists who still plot to do us
harm. Two years ago we went to war. We are deeply proud of the
thousands of Arizonans who have served not only in the active
military, but also in reserve units and the Arizona National Guard.
[ APPLAUSE ] And our hearts break and we owe the greatest gratitude
to those who have died or been wounded in the service of our country.
These military men and women are neighbors and friends. They've
taken time out their lives and are giving everything to protect
us. Two members of the Arizona National Guard are with us today,
and I'd like to ask each of you to stand. [ APPLAUSE ] Staff sergeant
Sylvia Wessell mobilized to Iraq in 2003 and serve for a year
operating supply convoys throughout country. Your husband Douglas
and your children Brittany,Tess and Tanner waited with pride and
anxiety for you to come home. It was a long year. Major Alejandro
Navarette was deployed to Iraq in 2003. The unit under your command
provided much needed air traffic control in three different locations
in that country. Your wife Claudia and children David and Victoria
held the home together while you were away. Staff sergeant Wessell,
major Navarette will your families please stand and join you.
[ APPLAUSE ] You have given us much and you honor us by being
here today. We are so proud of you and all who serve with you,
and together all of us say simply, "thank you.". These
men and women have sacrificed for us. The least we can do is to
live up to our own duty to protect the state. Arizona has proudly
been host to military bases and installations for decades. Over
the past two years working with you in the legislature we have
positioned Arizona so as to keep our military bases and installations
intact. We've also worked with the military to keep sharp focus
on their missions. We are determined to preserve these missions
and the thousands of military and civilian jobs as well as the
billions of dollars the military brings to Arizona. [ APPLAUSE
] Because Arizona has such a large military presence, we have
a large population of veterans. To them we owe no less than this...
First, we must finish the job and open a second state veterans
home in Southern Arizona. Second, we must acquire the land necessary
for a veterans cemetery in Northern Arizona. And third, we must
continue to support the ongoing public-private partnerships that
create places for homeless veterans to live, to heal and to find
work. And while -- [ APPLAUSE ] And while we here in Arizona will
do our jobs, we need to insist that the people in Washington D.C.
do theirs. The federal government has a long and nearly unbroken
record of misunderstanding our region and our state. It continues
to impose policies that may make sense in Washington D.C. but
make little sense here. When it comes to homeland security, we
read a lot of bold talk in the newspapers, but when it comes to
resources, federal policy is nothing less than timid. Since I
became governor, we adopted the first statewide homeland security
plan in the nation. Arizona opened the first state consolidated
intelligence center so we can tell whether what appears to be
an isolated crime is, in reality, part of a terrorist pattern.
We've conducted some of the largest training exercises in the
country. Yet last year Congress cut Arizona's homeland security
appropriation by 35%. Has the terrorist threat really declined
by a third? All of us, regardless of party, should demand that
Washington give the states what we need to protect our people,
and I will continue to work with our congressional delegation
on this important priority. [ APPLAUSE ] And Washington must meet
its responsibility to control our borders. If our borders remain
undefended, the next time terrorists enter the country it may
not be by airplane. Arizona has more people illegal crossing our
southern border than the other three border states combined. It
is time for the national government to step in, devote the resources
and do its job of protecting the border. It is time for real immigration
reform. And while we work well with our neighbors in Mexico on
so many issues, it is time for the Mexican government to do its
part to control illegal immigration. [ APPLAUSE ] Our broken border
has real financial consequences. Did you know that today Arizona
taxpayers pay to imprison nearly 4,000 people who were already
here illegally and who broke our state's laws. Federal law requires
the federal government to either pay for these prisoners or take
them off our hands. They're doing neither. In October I requested
the United States Attorney General to reimburse Arizona for these
prisoners. I still haven't gotten a straight answer. Let's give
Washington our answer... take responsibility, live up to the law
and protect Arizona's borders. Today I've set out some big priorities,
key areas in which we must continue to move forward. Let me talk
about how to do it. For years politicians postponed problems,
spent money and passed to laws without ever looking at the costs
and consequences for our state. Over the past two years we've
achieved fiscal discipline. It hasn't been easy, but we won't
give up. Let's all agree to continue the fiscal discipline we've
demanded of ourselves the past two years. We should neither spend
money nor cut taxes unless we can afford it. Our budget and tax
debates should all seek to move Arizona forward, not to score
political points. [ APPLAUSE ] Renewing our schools, building
a better economy, being good stewards of our water and our land,
increasing the availability of healthcare, and improving the security
of our state, these are my goals and dreams for Arizona, and I
often think of the earliest Arizonans, the people who were here
at the beginning of recorded time. They knew the challenges of
this difficult but beautiful land, and they created new and innovative
ways to work it and make it prosper. I think two of the men and
women who came here in the 19th century, these pioneers who trekked
across forbidding seemingly barren desert were also not afraid
of challenges. They didn't pack up their families and belongings
and cross the desert because it was easy. They felt guided by
a Northstar of possibility they saw nowhere else. Opportunity
wasn't a slogan, it was God-given and very real. I believe our
mission must be nothing less, to build on these same values of
freedom and opportunity that brought the settlers here. Tough
times, tough terrain didn't stop them. They kept moving forward,
and so will we. Can we do it? Will we keep Arizona moving forward?
Yes, we can. We must. And we will. Thank you. [ APPLAUSE ]
>> Michael Grant:
As you heard the governor has promised no tax increases. She also
announced a surplus in the rainy day fund of more than $100 million
this fiscal year. Afterward, Republicans said they thought the
speech sounded like Republican values. Democrat said it's not
about Ds and Rs but about Arizona.
>>Senate President Ken Bennett:
We were very optimistic to hear the governor's state of the state
address and hear her embrace apparently so many of the important
principles that we have been stressing in our Republican majority
program and in some of the things we have been trying to do for
the last couple of years. We're checking to see if she has reregistered
as a Republican yet, but she certainly is embracing a lot of the
things that I think are important for this state, you know, balancing
the budget, eliminating the structural deficit. Unfortunately
those terms were used as though that has been done already. Having
government work better and cost less. We're anxious to see that,
but as of yet government continues to cost more. I think in the
two years during this administration, spending has gone up almost
$1.5 billion, and many of those dollars went into areas of priority
that both Republicans and Democrats embraced, but to certainly
say that spending is -- that government spending down seems a
little bit of a stretch. So we're anxious to hear her talk about
moving forward, balancing the budget, living within our means,
allowing people school choice. We hadn't quite thought of all-day
kindergarten as the fullest concept of real school choice, but
I think the concept of school choice is a good one and we need
to continue to move forward on that as well. So we're anxious
to see the evidence of some of the things that she said come in
the budget on Saturday -- or Friday, or whenever she can get it
out to us, and we're anxious to see the actions go along with
the talk that we heard today.
>> House Minority Whip Pete Rios:
What they need to realize is that we have a very smart and a very
bright governor. She understands the reality of economic development.
She understands the reality of who provides the jobs in the State
of Arizona. And it's not typically the big companies, the big
corporations. It's the small businesses. So when she can provide
incentive and tax relief to small businesses, then it behooves
everybody to support her because that's where the jobs are at.
She wants to provide good-paying jobs to the citizens of this
state so that they can support their families, send their kids
to the best schools, the best colleges, the best universities,
and so long as we're moving in that direction, my hope is that
my Republican colleagues would not be so petty as to say, oh,
she's stealing one of our issues, look at her. They should say,
great, she's helping with an issue that's good for the State of
Arizona, and good jobs and good pay don't have a D or an R behind
it. It's good for the state, and I'm very glad that the governor
is addressing that point.
>> Michael Grant:
Joining us now to talk about the issue, the governor focused on
and to analyze the speech are Chuck Coughlin, political analyst
and president of high ground and Alfredo Gutierrez of Tequida
and Gutierrez. Gentlemen, happy new year.
>> Chuck Coughlin:
Happy new year to you, Michael Grant.
>> Michael Grant:
We don't do this frequently enough.
>> Chuck Coughlin:
Once a year.
>> Michael Grant:
Once a year.
>> Alfredo Gutierrez:
That should be enough already.
>>Michael Grant:
Alfredo, she looked very, very -- this was her third state of
the state address and we were commenting she looked very comfortable
up there.
>> Alfredo Gutierrez:
Very comfortable, very confident, and as she should be. The past
two years have been one of great mastery over that legislature,
even though she's face add Republican majority. And at times quite
a confrontational one. She's proven to be a very competent leader
vis-a-vis that legislature, and I think she was very comfortable
and very confident in the speech.
>> Michael Grant:
Now, however, in both the primary and also the general the cards
of that deck kind of got reshuffled and stacked a little bit more
in front of the 9th floor. There was a right drift here. You think
she's trying to move more to the center, to -
>> Alfredo Gutierrez:
This was -- this was a very traditional speech. It was a litany
of things I've done and things we're going to do together, and
all of those things we're doing together are excised of anything
that might be controversial and offensive. Even the Republican
leadership, whose role is to attack her, found it very difficult
to do. It was a very cautious speech. It was very thoughtful.
It was a very nice traditional litany of that we have accomplished,
that we will accomplish. It was very purposefully done in a fashion
that seemed to co-op not Republican values but Republican rhetoric.
We talk about kindergarten as choice. We talk about appropriating
for a medical school as a medical savings account. In both instance
we simply -- she simply took the rhetoric of the right and refashioned
it for what -- for what one would say is a democratic purpose.
>> Michael Grant:
Chuck, balanced budget, business tax cuts -
>> Chuck Coughlin:
Yeah, she talked -- I think that caught a lot of people by surprise
that she talked about reducing the tax burden on business, property
tax burden on business, but as senator Bennett said in your wrap-up
section there, we're going to see a lot more on Friday when she
delivers her budget. Spending, state spending, has gone up 22%
in the last two years, $1.3 billion in increase. She stacked some
more programs out on that today and then also talked about tax
cuts. So, you know, how those public policy objectives meld is
going to be, I guess, an interesting side show at the legislature.
Or the main show.
>> Michael Grant :
And I understand the points fiscally and I'm sure that the Republicans
will continue to hammer on them, but, you know, a lot of those
points don't resonate real well with John and Jane six-pack.
>> Chuck Coughlin: No, and I think it comes down to tend
of the day there's a lot of programs out there that most everybody
would applaud. We were talking earlier that she talked a real
smorgasbord of issues that are fairly popular throughout the state.
Nobody is going to be against education. Nobody is going to be
against some of those things. Where the rub comes in and where
we found it in the Republican primary is the issue that resonated
there where you're spending more than you take in. There's about
a $740 million structural deficit. We have carry-forwards. Our
finance payments on school first are going to be more than the
actual -- the debt for coming up here by 2010. There's big bills
coming due, and I think there's a real desire on the part of the
Republican leadership and the legislature, I think senator burns
had an OP Ed piece in the paper a couple weeks about using this
upturn in the economy to right the state's fiscal ship. Yet she
continues to drive the boat on some spending programs which are
fairly popular.
>> Michael Grant:
But if to a certain extent, Alfredo, you're kicking off your reelection
for 2006 in January of 2005 with your state of the state address,
isn't the course that she chose a pretty darn safe course?
>>Alfredo Gutierrez:
Oh, absolutely. I think there's very little here to criticize.
Water, for example, immensely divisive issue in this state when
you get down to the details because clearly if we're going to
add active management areas, immensely divisive issue, but to
simply say we're for water is going to -- who is going to oppose
that? I think we all want water, we want clean water, too. None
of that dirty water for us.
>> Michael Grant:
And we're not going to let California take any of that Colorado
water.
>>Alfredo Gutierrez:
None of those Hollywood yuppies are going to be drinking our stinking
water. The structural deficit as it is comes about because of
students first, because we transferred local debt to the state,
and that transfer of debt has to be paid for. And, yes, she didn't
specifically refer to that, and Republicans try not to refer to
that because it was a Republican program, but ultimately, that's
the structural deficit we're talking about, this transfer of debt
from local school districts -
>> Michael Grant:
Certainly a hefty chunk -
>>Alfredo Gutierrez:
It's a substantial portion of it. Without that we wouldn't have
this crisis that senator burns and others are talking about, which
they voted for, by the way.
>> Michael Grant: You know, Chuck, I was a little surprised
she didn't lead off with, I think we need a constitutional amendment
banning gay marriage and why don't we load that thing up for a
special election in 2005.
>> Chuck Coughlin:
I think she threw that off the ship last year and it didn't get
any wings. I think it dove right off the front of the deck. She
talked about trying to get on that a special election this fall.
I think most everybody read that as trying to get that issue out
of her election cycle, out of the next senatorial election cycle
with Senator Kyl on the ballot, and I think the legislature responded
saying, we're not going to pay for a statewide special election.
>> Michael Grant:
Is this legislative session going to be a session of -- in addition
to other things that we've talked about and will talk about, but
of wedge issues like that, like abortion measures, those kind
of things?
>> Chuck Coughlin:
I think both the leadership in the house and the Senate see opportunities
to do that. She's going to continue to talk about spending and
priorities and children and education and healthcare, which are
all resoundingly popular issues with the electorate. Republicans
are going to turn around and talk about fiscal accountability,
being able to afford those programs and some of those social issues
which they'll want to line up on the deck for '06, which are wedge
issues.
>> Michael Grant:
Agree, Alfredo?
>>Alfredo Gutierrez:
Not really. Fiscal accountability is not a wedge issue anymore.
It was when there was insufficient funds. I think where die agree
is you will see the gay issue, gay marriage issue driven and driven
hard. There are going to be attempts at abortion becoming a divisive
issue. And those instances, I do agree those are going to be issues
that are pushed at her and pushed very hard. In the case of the
abortion issues, she's going to be faced with vetoes. Very divisive.
Very difficult for a democratic governor to deal with. In the
case of the gay rights issue, it's going to pass right by her.
It's going directly to the people. She does not have an opportunity
to veto. So she's going to miss that bullet now but she will be
facing it, of course, in -- at the election.
>> Michael Grant:
Although she's indicated that she does not support gay marriage.
>>Alfredo Gutierrez: That's correct. If you're supportive
of gay marriage you lose a certain constituent. If you are not,
you at least disappoint a certain constituency and that disappointed
constituency is democratic. Now, one can make a political judgment,
they have nowhere else to go, but nonetheless you have a disappointed
constituency.
>> Chuck Coughlin: And there's actually two halves to that.
There's the definitional issue of what marriage is, and then it
becomes, then, what other benefits will you define for folks in
a civil way that -- are you going to define those are you not
going to define those? So there's really two halves to that question.
On the electoral point I respect my colleague over here a lot
-
>> Alfredo Gutierrez:
As he should.
>> Chuck Coughlin:
There was a lot of electoral casualties last September because
of fiscal issue in the Republican primary. In fact -
>> Michael Grant:
About a half dozen.
>> Chuck Coughlin:
About nine of them took a bullet because they had voted for a
budget where it's a very simple principle in Republican politics,
you only pay for things that you can afford. You only pay for
things that you have money for, and that's a very simple talking
point -
>> Michael Grant:
That's a primary result.
>>Chuck Coughlin:
But it also resonates on the level of with Joe average voter in
a general election. You only pay for what you have money for.
>>Alfredo Gutierrez:
I think that's very accurate Republican principle of a decade
ago. I think George Bush has changed all that. You pay for --
and Social Security is each more. What you do is you spend. You
just simply spend -
>> Michael Grant:
Republicans are the party of borrow and spend -
>>Alfredo Gutierrez:
Republicans are the party of borrow and spend.
>> Chuck Coughlin:
God help us if you're right.
>> Alfredo Gutierrez:
Chuck is just having a little bit of difficulty coming to grips
with that, that overwhelming -
>>Chuck Coughin:
I think -
>>Alfredo Gutierrez:
Most of the Republicans support -- Republicans support George
Bush and his budget like Jon Kyl, these are borrow and spend Republicans.
>> Michael Grant:
Let's move to some of the specific proposals. All-day kindergarten,
obviously the GOP did not like that, but it's been launched. I
don't think they're going to turn that ship around at this point
in time, are they?
>>Chuck Coughlin:
I do not believe it's going to be part of the bigger budget discussions.
I think senator burns, who is the chairman of the appropriations
committee in the Senate put in an editorial in the paper in the
republic during December. He said simply, it's not going to go.
It's not going to go as an alone item. If it goes it will go as
part of a budget package which we can afford. So, you know, last
session there was some discussion after the session about some
interest groups going to the ballot with their own initiative.
I believe that's where we'll probably end up after this session
as well.
>> Michael Grant:
Legislature going to reverse course on all-day K or not?
>>Alfredo Gutierrez:
No, no, it's just not going to happen. They're going to grunt
and make threatening noises and take the right leg and kick dust,
but at the end of the day --
>> Michael Grant:
Maybe tinker with the phase-in period -
>> Alfredo Gutierrez: Say it has to be part of a larger
budget package and declare victory because some other poor program
will get cut by $10 million and we're going to fund this thing.
It isn't going to go away. It's now a reality. It makes sense
to the people and it's going to happen.
>> Michael Grant: On the AIMS program, the governor doesn't
care for the high-stakes test concept but she's stuck with AIMS,
talked about the $10 million in tutoring and then just simply
talked about we should exempt special education from AIMS.
>> Alfredo Gutierrez:
One more example of sort of stepping away from the bullet here.
The issue this year is going to be the repeal of AIMS, but she
wants us to repeal the AIMS requirement for special he Ed, $10
million for tutoring, and she kept silent on the overall question
of whether we should have it or not. I think that's going to be
a very divisive issue and she's going to have to deal with it.
It's a bipartisan issue as well. Democrats and Republicans are
prepared to repeal it and Democrats and Republicans are prepared
to support it. It's going to be a difficult issue in -- for this
legislature.
>>Chuck Coughlin:
I think you'll see leadership from Tom Horne on that issue. He's
already advanced proposals for tutoring for providing additional
resources for those students that still have yet to pass the test.
He is committed to holding onto it with both hands throughout
the legislative session. He is committed to not dropping the ball.
I believe with his leadership, Alfredo's right, there is a coalition
of interests here that one would call unholy in some respects
because you have very conservative Republicans and most of the
education establishment coming out against and trying to repeal
it, in the middle of the road is trying to hold onto it. Very
unusual set of circumstances, and one which will create lot of
discussion.
>> Michael Grant:
It's a touchy game of brinksmanship because you get right up to
that -- now, supporters of the AIMS test say this will not happen
but you get right up to that brink and you look at 20, 25, 30%
of your senior class failing, politically that cannot stand.
>>Alfredo Gutierrez:
That cannot stand. You also have a situation of -- there's consequences
to having youngsters without high school diplomas, or nonfunctional
high school diplomas, as one of Tom Horne's proposals, they are
going to be red or something, just -- that's going to be -- some
sign of evil here. One of those consequences, we know for example
in term of violence, just totally unrelated subject, but young
people without high school diplomas are more apt to commit violence
than those with. There are lots of consequences to not educating
a child, not going forward with a child and simply saying, look,
this is Wednesday, you take the test, you fail, good-bye, is a
foolish way to do business.
>>Michael Grant:
Chuck, taxes, we have been talking about eliminating the personal
property tax on business and also the tax relief for businesses
that manufacture goods but mostly sell them outside the state,
for years and years. When a Democrat governor proposes to that
a Republican dominated legislature, does that mean 2005 is the
year for some action on those two proposals?
>> Chuck Coughlin:
It's an invitation to the Senate finance committee. Dean Martin
already has some proposals that he's worked up. I anticipate seeing
some proposals with phase out or phase down of those business
personal property taxes based on financial triggers in the budget.
When we hit numbers then those phases will start to take place.
Clearly she opened the door to it. So you'll see some discussion
on it but again, it's colored by the larger picture of what's
happening on the spending side of the equation, and can we get
a control on the type spending we're doing.
>> Michael Grant:
Not an aggressive package of tax reform, though. She's got --
from the governor's tax review commission, who if I recall reported
in about February of last year, there was an aggressive shopping
list there, and these are really a couple of issues on the fringes.
>> Alfredo Gutierrez:
Well, they were on the fringes and they were part of a balance,
a baffle getting rid of substantial number of loopholes before
you add new ones.
>> Michael Grant:
Now we're talking a new one -
>>Alfredo Gutierrez:
In this instance we're going to add new hoop loopholes. Now, are
they going to pass? Of course they're going to pass. The only
discussion is what the governor is going to negotiate. But of
course they're going to pass. It's like a great big piece of red
meat that's been thrown out there, and the consequence of this
big peace piece of red meat may be funding for kindergarten, may
be some other proposals but of course it's going to pass.
>> Michael Grant:
Chuck, you thought it was good politics for her to kind of go
off after Washington, maybe even the congressional delegation,
on issues like immigration, cutbacks in the federal funding for
homeland security -
>>Chuck Coughlin:
That was one of the things I said last year. I said, she didn't
address the delegation's stance on immigration, she didn't talk
about base closure issues last year. This year she did. She lined
them up and said you haven't done your job, and, you know, good
for her. They need to pay attention to what's going on here in
the state. I think the numbers she used today were more people
are crossing our border illegal than all the other places in California,
Texas and New Mexico combined. Those are the kind of issues that
she can develop a lot of capital on here in the state, put the
delegation on notice that we want answers in Arizona and we want
you to control that -- paying for the prison population. It was
an old drill out of our administration when I was working for
Fife. We would throw that that they need to pay for that and low
and behold we went back and got money for it.
>> Michael Grant: Overall, if you were grading the speech,
Alfredo, what would you give pit.
>>Alfredo Gutierrez:
I would grade the speech in terms of launching a campaign, and
in that context this was very good. This was a good place to begin
that long debate for reelection.
>> Michael Grant:
Chuck?
>>Chuck Coughlin:
You know, it didn't surprise me. I think what we've known -- what
I have expected from her over time is that she is a lawyer, and
she approaches things very tactually and she presented a list
of issues she wants to work on and those are issues there is going
to be work on this session. So it wasn't great political foresight,
it wasn't great stuff but it was a workman's job and she did a
good job.
>> Michael Grant:
Excellent workmanlike job, Chuck Coughlin. Alfredo Gutierrez.
Thank you very much.
>> Thank you, sir.
>> Paul Atkinson :
Governor Janet Napolitano outlined her priorities for the legislative
session. How did the Democrat's state of the state address go
over with Republican leaders? Senate President Ken Bennett and
House Speaker Jim Weiers respond to the speech and outline their
legislative agenda Tuesday at 7:00 on "Horizon."
>> Michael Grant:
Wednesday Democratic leadership from the State House and Senate
will give their response and reaction to the Governor's state
of the state address and their priorities for the upcoming session.
On Thursday we'll take a look at the question is Dr. Martin Luther
King, Jr.'s dream more of a reality or still more of a dream in
our state. And Friday, of course, it will be the Journalists Roundtable.
Thanks much for joining us on this Monday evening. I'm Michael
Grant
>>. Have a great one. Good night.
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