Arizona Economy
Napolitano rejects criticism on budget
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PHOENIX — Departing Gov. Janet Napolitano isn't taking responsibility for the state's budget crisis but says she is stepping up in her final days in office to suggest ways to solve it.
Napolitano is expected to resign later this month to become U.S. homeland security secretary. Before then, Napolitano gives her final State of the State address on Monday and later releases budget proposals.
Napolitano said during an interview with The Associated Press on Friday that lawmakers don't have to listen to her but that she's fulfilling her responsibility by providing plans to close the current big shortfall and to balance the next budget.
Republican legislators blame Napolitano for championing spending that the state can't afford.
The state faces a shortfall officially estimated at $1.2 billion, but key lawmakers said Thursday a revised forecast to be announced next week by the legislative budget staff will put the gap in the $9.9 billion budget at nearly $1.6 billion.
"The problem isn't a lack of revenue. It's spending," said incoming Senate Appropriations Chairman Russell Pearce, R-Mesa. "What she's doing is bankrupting the state."
But the Democratic governor said none of her counterparts nationwide knew their states' budgets would be hit so hard by the poor economy.
"It's their right to listen or not," Napolitano said of lawmakers. "I find pointing fingers of blame is not helpful."
Napolitano told The Arizona Republic's editorial board on Thursday that the state could receive $1 billion in federal money that could help solve the state's immediate fiscal crisis. But the state shouldn't count on that specific amount because the federal stimulus package is still in the works, she said.
"It could be more," she added during the AP interview on Friday.
Napolitano said her address Monday afternoon to a joint session of the Legislature will both look back and ahead.
However, it won't include a full legislative wish-list. That wouldn't be appropriate under the circumstances, she said.
During the interview, the imminent departure of Napolitano and her remaining staff was evident in her ninth-floor office of the Executive Tower.
"We're running out of boxes," an aide said as she walked down a hall before the interview started.
Inside the office, most personal items are already gone and packed, including framed photos that included one of her deceased mentor, Phoenix attorney John P. Frank.
"It's weird," Napolitano said of the experience of moving out of the governor's office.
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The Rebel
Jan 11, 2009 @ 9:25pmBet she said, I'm rubber your glue :) -
OklaWildcat
Jan 11, 2009 @ 6:50amHey Janboy, its the job of elected officials to ANTICIPATE that not every expenditure will be funded in even a SLOW market turn down. At home we cant PROJECT our pay checks 12 months out so we need to save some back, keep our new car urges constricted & pay debt down. THATS WHAT YOU DIDNT DO!!!. The fact that your NJ, MA, NY CA counterparts are stupid too doesnt mean you are a genius. GO PALIN 2012!!! -
The Rebel
Jan 10, 2009 @ 3:42pmDon't cut the UofA!
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