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Brewer draws fire from four challengers
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| Gubernatorial candidates, clockwise, from top left: Dean Martin, John Munger, Matt Jette and Hugh Kealer. (Ed Honda / Wick Communications) |
By Bill Hess/wick communications
SIERRA VISTA - The lack of leadership at the highest level of Arizona is complicating the state's economic recovery, and adding to the problem is the Republican-controlled Arizona Legislature, four GOP candidates for governor said Tuesday.
However, a surrogate for Republican Gov. Jan Brewer said she is doing more than yeoman's work in addressing the state's budget woes.
Speaking before a luncheon meeting of the Thunder Mountain Republican Women, candidates Matt Jette, Hugh Kealer, Dean Martin and John Munger, plus Grant Woods, representing Brewer, made their pitch to the audience. Another candidate, Owen Miller, was snowbound in Prescott and could not attend the event.
Calling for a change in leadership in the state's top elected office, Jette said the inept direction of the governor is leading to a continuing bleak budget picture in the state.
"If you want better government, elect better people," he said.
If a better system of government is wanted, the existing system "has to step aside" Jette said.
The state's budget problems cannot go on, he said.
"We must do better; we can do better," Jette said.
Kealer said it is time to stop talking about the issue and "time to talk about solutions."
Part of the problem is that the federal government has assumed Arizona's sovereign rights, dictating how money can be spent, to the detriment of the state, which is a major part of the state's economic problem, he said.
"We've got to stop taking money from the federal government in order to balance the budget," Kealer said.
To solve the problem is to live within constraints under which state leaders spend less than the amount of revenues coming in, he said.
Balancing the budget will be difficult, but it can be and must be done, Kealer said.
Martin said he was "frustrated by the lack of long-term planning."
Currently the state treasurer, he said the governor and legislators must follow business models where companies look far out instead of "short-term planning," he said.
As for a proposed sales tax increase, he said, "you don't balance the budget by taking more money from the taxpayers."
The state must push the federal government to reimburse Arizona for what local taxpayers are paying to incarcerate illegal immigrants and for educating children of illegals, which would help balance the state's budget, Martin said.
Munger commented that looking at how Arizona's leaders operate, it is no wonder the state is in a financial mess.
Even though the Legislature is GOP-controlled, it acquiesced to former Democratic Gov. Janet Napolitano and addressing state money problems is being done by "crisis management," he said.
The state has too high a tax structure, which is particularly hurting corporations, the providers of future jobs, along with the small-business community, Munger said.
"We need to be more business-friendly," he said.
Woods countered the four candidates at the meeting, calling Brewer a career public servant who inherited a financial mess when she assumed office after Napolitano left to become the U.S. secretary of homeland security.
Saying he doesn't fault her for the state's financial woes, he said Napolitano had the support of some Republican legislators in spending $4 billion more each year than was available.
But Brewer "pulled up her sleeves and took the hits for it," Woods said about her trying to solve the state's budget deficit. She should be credited with trying to find solutions instead of being criticized by members of her own party, Woods said.
Looking out at the audience, he reminded them they were at a Republican club meeting and said every member of the GOP should solidify against the Democratic threat.
When all the candidates and the governor's surrogate were asked if they supported Brewer's 1-cent sales tax hike for three years, which will be on a statewide ballot in May, only Woods said yes.
However, a surrogate for Republican Gov. Jan Brewer said she is doing more than yeoman's work in addressing the state's budget woes.
Speaking before a luncheon meeting of the Thunder Mountain Republican Women, candidates Matt Jette, Hugh Kealer, Dean Martin and John Munger, plus Grant Woods, representing Brewer, made their pitch to the audience. Another candidate, Owen Miller, was snowbound in Prescott and could not attend the event.
Calling for a change in leadership in the state's top elected office, Jette said the inept direction of the governor is leading to a continuing bleak budget picture in the state.
"If you want better government, elect better people," he said.
If a better system of government is wanted, the existing system "has to step aside" Jette said.
The state's budget problems cannot go on, he said.
"We must do better; we can do better," Jette said.
Kealer said it is time to stop talking about the issue and "time to talk about solutions."
Part of the problem is that the federal government has assumed Arizona's sovereign rights, dictating how money can be spent, to the detriment of the state, which is a major part of the state's economic problem, he said.
"We've got to stop taking money from the federal government in order to balance the budget," Kealer said.
To solve the problem is to live within constraints under which state leaders spend less than the amount of revenues coming in, he said.
Balancing the budget will be difficult, but it can be and must be done, Kealer said.
Martin said he was "frustrated by the lack of long-term planning."
Currently the state treasurer, he said the governor and legislators must follow business models where companies look far out instead of "short-term planning," he said.
As for a proposed sales tax increase, he said, "you don't balance the budget by taking more money from the taxpayers."
The state must push the federal government to reimburse Arizona for what local taxpayers are paying to incarcerate illegal immigrants and for educating children of illegals, which would help balance the state's budget, Martin said.
Munger commented that looking at how Arizona's leaders operate, it is no wonder the state is in a financial mess.
Even though the Legislature is GOP-controlled, it acquiesced to former Democratic Gov. Janet Napolitano and addressing state money problems is being done by "crisis management," he said.
The state has too high a tax structure, which is particularly hurting corporations, the providers of future jobs, along with the small-business community, Munger said.
"We need to be more business-friendly," he said.
Woods countered the four candidates at the meeting, calling Brewer a career public servant who inherited a financial mess when she assumed office after Napolitano left to become the U.S. secretary of homeland security.
Saying he doesn't fault her for the state's financial woes, he said Napolitano had the support of some Republican legislators in spending $4 billion more each year than was available.
But Brewer "pulled up her sleeves and took the hits for it," Woods said about her trying to solve the state's budget deficit. She should be credited with trying to find solutions instead of being criticized by members of her own party, Woods said.
Looking out at the audience, he reminded them they were at a Republican club meeting and said every member of the GOP should solidify against the Democratic threat.
When all the candidates and the governor's surrogate were asked if they supported Brewer's 1-cent sales tax hike for three years, which will be on a statewide ballot in May, only Woods said yes.
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