2/10/2010 9:27:00 AM Governor gives state of the state in Cottonwood (with video)
Video length 3 minutes See part of an interview between Governor Jan Brewer and VVN/Jon Hutchinson
Most of Gov. Jan Brewer's speech at the VFW Hall in Cottonwood Tuesday spoke of what the administration has done to head off an economic collapse and balance the budget in one of the states with the deepest deficit per capita. VVN/Jon Pelletier
Gov. Jan Brewer came to Cottonwood Tuesday. She was singing to a choir of supporters visiting the Mingus Mountain Republican Club. But, she was also on the defense, campaigning to sell the 1-percent state sales tax increase she proposed that is on the ballot May 18th. At the same time, there was a little campaigning for a full term. Click here to purchase this photo
COTTONWOOD - Gov. Jan Brewer came to Cottonwood Tuesday. She was singing to a choir of supporters visiting the Mingus Mountain Republican Club. But, she was also on the defense, campaigning to sell the 1-percent state sales tax increase she proposed that is on the ballot May 18th. At the same time, there was a little campaigning for a full term.
"When I came into office, this state was on the brink of collapse," Brewer told her audience. "Jan Brewer did not create this crisis."
Most of her speech at the VFW Hall in Cottonwood spoke of what the administration has done to head off an economic collapse and balance the budget in one of the states with the deepest deficit per capita. But Brewer also pointed repeatedly to her conservative record.
"What went wrong," said the governor, "was during the five high-rolling years before I took office, the system was designed to grow government as large as it could."
"Budget deficits reached $5 billion over two fiscal years."
She added, "What is wrong is the federal government's unfunded mandates and sweetheart deals. What is right is telling the hard truth. Arizona's better days are still ahead of us, if we make the right decision."
Brewer said that she will be a "truth teller."
"There are no grays, only black and white. We must choose to either serve others or serve yourself."
"No other governor has cut as much as I have."
Brewer gave a laundry list of those decisions. "We reduced government spending by over $1 billion. We reduced the state workforce by over 10 percent. We are working to transfer back to the federal government all non-violent criminal aliens now housed in state prisons."
But she warned that this is not the end yet.
"More state jobs are going to be shed and more services are going to be curtailed. The depth of the problem is so severe that we cannot recover by cuts alone. We must raise more revenue."
"These are hard choices and tough consequences."
Brewer said the services that are important to maintain are public safety and education.
"We must hold cuts to public safety and education to 2006-levels," Brewer insisted.
Those two accounts demand 60 percent of General Fund revenue.
"Still we have 300,000 more students and mandated Medicare expenses."
Brewer countered the claim that there is "no temporary tax." Brewer said approval of the initiative on the May 18 ballot for a three-year 1-percent sales tax increase would include wording "in the constitution with a date certain" when the tax would expire.
"Public safety and education will be set back many years if we fail."
Brewer was asked about what the state was doing to prevent the closing of the State Parks.
She did not give specifics, but said, "The state is now trying to deal with the federal government about that and also bring in concessionaires."
She was questioned about her appointment to Barack Obama's new 10-member Council of Governors, intended to strengthen preparedness between the federal government and the state in times of national emergency.
She admits that "while honored when the White House called," she wondered why, "knowing that the former governor was not fond of me."
She said she knows that Arizona is the gateway to drug trafficking and illegal immigration.
"I always believe, that if you are not at the table, you will be on the menu."
Brewer has served 28 years in public office in Arizona serving as both a House member and State Senator over 14 years becoming majority whip.
Brewer served as a chairman of the Maricopa County Supervisors and was elected Secretary of State in 2002.
When former Governor Janet Napolitano was named to the Barack Obama cabinet, Brewer succeeded her as Arizona's Governor.
Reader Comments
Posted: Thursday, February 11, 2010
Article comment by:
New 2AZ
This woman is terrifying.
Posted: Thursday, February 11, 2010
Article comment by:
Robin Kyle
Gov. Brewer has cut Public Safety and it's ugly! She has cut Public Safety so that there is no longer a State Fire Marshall. No more Fire Marshalls? nice goin' genius!
Posted: Tuesday, February 09, 2010
Article comment by:
AZ Cowboy
Sounds like Governor Brewer has a lot of spunk and is doing what is best for our state.
