Gov. Janet Napolitano delivered her State of the State address today, the first day of the 2009 legislative session. Her basic message was she can wipe out the state’s multi-billion budget deficits without huge cuts to just about any priority that someone has for state government:
“I have already given you a balanced budget plan for 2009; and as I have in every year I have served, I will present to the Legislature a detailed plan on how to balance next year’s budget, still protecting important investments and accomplishing that without raising taxes.”
Most conservatives and libertarians have a much different view of the outgoing governor’s record on the budget. I think she does deserve credit for publicly opposing new tax increases, when many other Democrats would like someone to champion that approach rather than some of the enormous budget cuts likely to come out of the Republican-controlled Legislature. But there’s simply no way to sustain a state government as envisioned by Napolitano in the near future unless tax increases were part of the package.
Meanwhile, the Arizona chapter of Americans For Prosperity has taken a different approach to its watchdog role for the Legislature this year. Americans For Prosperity is one of those groups that annually rate individual lawmakers based on their votes for bills and issues that each group supports or opposes. With its libertarian-leaning perspective, Americans for Prosperity favors less government spending across-the-board and lower taxes.
Traditionally, groups like Americans For Prosperity issue their “scorecards” several weeks or months after a session has concluded, but in time for lawmakers and other activists to use during the election season.
But this year, Americans For Prosperity is sharing a profile of its expected scorecard right now, so lawmakers know exactly what to do if they want to pick up a high ranking from this group. I do know that many lawmakers love getting AFP’s title of “Hero of the Taxpayer,” while others dread being called an “Enemy of the Taxpayer.” I wonder if watchdog groups from other perspectives will try something similar to elevate their own influence this year?
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