Governor Brewer Announces Re-Election Bid

Governor Brewer announced tonight that she is indeed running for a full official term as Governor. Her release, sent by email is below.

Governor Jan Brewer Announces Bid for Second Term

Former Attorney General Grant Woods and Former U.S. Secretary of Transportation Mary Peters announced as Campaign Co‐Chairs

PHOENIX –– Arizona Governor Jan Brewer today formally announced her candidacy for a second term as the Governor of the State of Arizona. Brewer, who took the helm as Governor last January in the midst of Arizona’s record financial crisis, pledged to continue to make the tough choices and renewed her steadfast commitment to serving the people of Arizona.

“When I took office, I inherited a budget deficit created from years of overspending and living beyond our means. We have worked hard to start fixing this problem, and made some very tough, but necessary decisions,” said Governor Brewer.

She said her decision to run for election next year is based on a simple philosophy. “I have always been a mother first and an elected official second and have made every decision to run for office based on whether I believed I could help people. I have never run for an office because I was looking to move on to some other office.”

Governor Brewer also proudly announced two distinguished supporters as the co‐chairs who will help lead her campaign committee: Former Attorney General Grant Woods and Former United States Secretary of Transportation Mary Peters.

Former Attorney General Grant Woods served as Arizona’s chief law enforcement agent and prosecutor from 1991 to 1999. During his time in office, Arizona reinstated the death penalty in Arizona. Woods was known as a populist Attorney General and a staunch consumer protection advocate and was selected by his peers as the nation's top attorney general in 1995.Woods said, “I have known Jan for a long time, and I can say that tough times call for a tough leader,” explained Woods, “She understands that the budget isn’t our only policy issue ‐ there are going to be more tough decisions to make, and she has pledged that over the course of her term, she will address the big challenges such as healthcare including mental health, transportation, infrastructure, and protecting our environment.”

Mary Peters, a fourth generation Arizonan, served as the United States Secretary of Transportation under President George W. Bush from 2006 to 2009. Prior to her appointment, Peters served as Administrator of the Federal Highway Administration from 2001 to 2005. She also headed the Arizona Department of Transportation from 1998 to 2001, where she started her career as an administrative assistant 16 years earlier. Throughout her career, Peters, has been a champion for more responsive and smaller government focused on delivering maximum value for taxpayers. She continues to be an advocate for solutions that engage both the public and private sector and shares Governor Brewer’s passion for driving solutions intended to help people.

Peters said, "Governor Brewer understands that we must create a business friendly climate to attract high paying jobs and business investment in Arizona. As we prepare Arizona for the next 100 years of economic growth, not only will we need tax reform, but education reform, creating more opportunities and a highly skilled workforce. Jan Brewer is the best candidate to lead Arizona for the next four years."

Governor Brewer thanked Woods and Peters for their long‐time service to the State of Arizona and the United States as well as for their willingness to serve as co‐ chairs in her bid for a second term. She also thanked all of her supporters for their already overwhelming response.

“There is still a lot of work to be done and it is clear to me to that this is the moment that I was born to serve. I am in this race to win and I expect great things for Arizona,” said Governor Brewer, “I would be honored for your vote.”

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Paid for by Governor Jan Brewer 2010

Special Session and a Bob Burns Editorial

Just because it is November, doesn't mean we can't welcome back our legislature with open arms. Come the week of November 16th we'll do just that. Reports say that is when lawmakers will return to fix almost a half a billion dollars in shortfalls with almost $300 million of that coming from cuts. This is just the beginning since the full year shortfall is approaching $2 Billion.

Senate President Bob Burns wrote an editorial yesterday in the Republic that in one page lays out the situation we are in. I encourage everyone to read it if you don't quite know what's going on, or even if you think you know what's going on. We're in trouble folks and there is no easy way out of it. A temporary tax won't fix it all, and there isn't enough to cut either. An exert from the editorial does a good job of summing it up in a sentence or two.

To maintain a General Fund budget of about $10 billion over the past few years of this recession, your state government - Republicans and Democrats alike - have depleted our savings, delayed payments, swept funds from other accounts, used one-time federal stimulus dollars, and gone deeper into debt. Our projected ongoing revenues are only $6.4 billion, meaning the budget has a structural deficit of $3.6 billion that will plague us in the future until we enact permanent solutions.

Now, we've hit the wall on short-term budget maneuvers and gimmicks. Those options are no longer available. We will have to cut spending or increase taxes or both. There is very little else of substance we can do at this point.

Arizona- Home to the nations two largest canyons

How fitting for Gov. Brewer to speaking about the budget deficit at one of the seven wonders of the world. At the Arizona Town Hall, Brewer took advantage of the scenic landscape to paint a picture not quite as beautiful but definitely as breathtaking. That picture would be the state's continuing budget crisis.

As we all figured would happen, Governor Brewer and legislative leadership are set to call a special session to begin fixing a portion of the $1.75 Billion deficit. It is expected the session will be called for sometime in the next few weeks. We are still a few months away from the next round of problems we face...the 2011 budget. Yes folks, it only gets worse.

At the event, there were two former legislators from California that know a thing or two about bad budgets. Both gave warning to relying on the very gimmicks and tricks that got us through the last session and got us here in the first place. Borrowing and relying too much on one source of revenue is the a recipe for disaster that we have learned the hard way in Arizona. Combine that with spending one time revenue on ongoing programs and you have the AZ budget crisis summed up in a few sentences.

Brulte, the former Republican leader in the CA Senate, said lawmakers need to be clear-eyed as they deal with huge deficits.

"If you paper over this problem, you'll be back here next year," Brulte said. "And in California, we're running out of paper."

I think our paper supply is running short in Arizona too.

Is this a Brewer momentum shift?

Jan Brewer's first term as governor was going to be short no matter what. After taking over after Janet Napolitano saw greener pastures, the longest Brewer's tenure could be was just a little under two years. Watching college football today, it came to me that Brewer is the replacement quarterback who had to take the reins after the first quarter, replacing the superstar starting QB who had 5 turnovers in the first quarter. After a bumpy 2nd quarter, it appears Brewer might be coming out of halftime with some fresh legs, a new running back and a solid attack plan.

Two great reads from this week sum up what I may be sensing. Robert Robb from the Republic details how this might be the Governors new start. A new Chief of Staff to help run the offense, and an even worse budget picture, making it clear some give and take will be necessary on both sides.

Speaking of both sides, Greg Patterson from Espresso Pundit points out the interesting timing of the Democrats. It seems like they are figuring out that the posturing from the last session isn't going to win very many points or prove they are actually doing anything. I'm sure Brewer wishes they were "on board" when she really needed them, or when new revenue could have helped this year.

Quote of the day goes to Patterson-

"Democrats may still get a tax increase, but the iron has grown cold. Cold, hard, stiff, unyielding iron is what they will likely face now. Remember that when the janitor brings that 40th desk into you kid's classroom."

How's that for visual?

The crowd is waiting in anticipation and the second half has started. Now it's Jan Brewer's time to show she's ready to take over and be our star QB.

Happenings on the 9th floor...including the budget

It was a busy week on the 9th floor. We are still processing the news and reactions to the departure of Chief of Staff Kevin Tyne. Most of the comments are positive towards Tyne but don't hide the fact that this will definitely make the next round of budget negotiations a much smoother process.

Some whisper this is a sign she will run for reelection. Either way, her schedule is much busier then it has been. She will even be the grand marshal for the ASU homecoming parade.

Speaking of budget negotiations, the outlook keeps getting worse. The estimated shortfall has risen to $2 Billion which is up about $500 Million from the last estimates. For those with 40 kids in your math class growing up, that makes the total shortfall for this year and next $5.3 Billion.

We're #4! We're #4!

We have to admit that usually we love the bluster and bravado of the stream of press releases we receive from PR Guru, Jason Rose. However, we have to admit that his latest attempt at spin left us confused:

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

KEEP YOUR EYE ON #7

OCT. 22, 2009. In a public opinion survey released yesterday by the real estate group NAIOP, Paradise Valley Mayor Vernon Parker polled ahead of Secretary of State Ken Bennett and Tucson lawyer John Munger, and was only 9 points behind Jan Brewer.

Survey results for the 2010 Republican Primary showed Brewer at 16 percent, State Treasurer Dean Martin at 14 percent, Valley businessman Robert Graham at 9 percent, Parker at 7 percent, Ken Bennett with 6 percent of the vote and Munger at 3 percent.

“Republicans will not beat a career politician like Terry Goddard with another one from the GOP,” said Parker. “We need a fresh voice, new message and someone who can fight on Terry’s turf rather than he on ours.”

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Is it just us or is Vernon Parker bragging about coming in 4th place behind Brewer, Martin, and Graham?

Eileen Klein to replace Kevin Tyne as Gov COS

Word just in that Kevin Tyne will be stepping down as Gov. Jan Brewer's Chief of Staff and will be replaced by Eileen Klein. This announcement is both surprising yet not. As Brewer moves forward, it had become clear something needed to move so that budget negotiations with the legislature did not start off right where they ended. With a new voice as the go between for the Brewer and leadership, it provides a second opportunity to have much better relations.

In addition, Brewer is also coming closer the time period where a decision on whether she will run next year must be made. While she has a few months to do so, trying to launch a campaign while mired in an expected 2011 budget crisis (and still fixing 2010) would be very tough.

UPDATE: Here is the press release from the Governor's office. It looks like Tyne has landed at the Republican Governors Association.

Cutting Government by 15%

From the Governor's office:

On September 18th the Governor's Deputy Chief of Staff of Finance and Director of OSPB, Eileen Klein, made the attached request to state agencies. The memo requests data from each state agency describing the ramifications and impacts of 15% reductions should the Legislature look predominately at cuts to close Arizona's state budget deficit. Please note that this is a data collection tool, and should not be construed as a proposed budget solution.

In an effort to provide this data to all concerned citizens, the information received by OSPB has been posted for review at www.ospb.state.az.us Updates to the online links will be made as OSPB receives additional submissions.

You can click here to see the list of all of the reports as they become available online. The Arizona Republic is focusing on Corrections, Healthcare, Public Safety and Education in their first review of the proposed cuts.

Critics will likely dismiss this as a scare tactic, but the question remains, what would they cut if these proposed cuts are just meant to "scare" people? These scenarios are not considered to be proposals, but one would guess that they will be the starting point for the next round of budget discussions.

Brewers Public Schedule

Here is the Gov's public schedule. Good to see she has a busy week ahead.

Public Schedule For Governor Jan Brewer
Week of October 12, 2009

Monday, October 12, 2009

· 11:00 a.m. – Governor to Speak at 13th Annual Sandra Day O’Connor
Awards Luncheon
Arizona Biltmore, Frank Lloyd Wright Ballroom
2400 East Missouri Avenue


Wednesday, October 14, 2009

· 10:00 a.m. – Governor to Hold Press Conference Regarding Future of
Luke Air Force Base
State Capitol, Executive Tower, 2nd Floor Conference Room
1700 West Washington

· 12:00 p.m. – Governor to Speak at Foundations of Leadership in Healthcare
Pointe Hilton Squaw Peak Resort, Conference Center Ballrooms
7677 North 16th Street

· 4:00 p.m. - Governor to Deliver Keynote Address at Saddlebrooke Republican Club Meeting
Desert View Performing Arts Theater
39900 South Clubhouse Drive, Saddlebrooke, AZ 85739


Friday, October 16, 2009

· 11:30 a.m. – Governor to Speak at SRP’s Women’s Interest Network Luncheon
Pera Club Pavilion
1 East Continental Drive, Tempe


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For additional information, please contact:

Paul Senseman
Director of Communications
Office of Governor Janice K. Brewer
1700 W. Washington St.
Phoenix, AZ 85007
Phone: 602.542.1342
psenseman@az.gov