Conservative Republicans will start flexing their newly found political muscles when the regular state legislative session begins Monday.


Republican lawmakers, bolstered by surprising success in the 2004 elections, are crafting a conservative strategy that conflicts with Gov. Janet Napolitano’s victories from the first half of her four-year term.

One of Governor Janet Napolitano’s first actions, upon taking office early in 2003, was to set up extensive “Efficiency Reviews” of several state agencies. The reviews were based on a process implemented by Ann Richards in Texas in the early 1990s. Napolitano had predicted some $300 million in efficiency savings in the first year alone.

PHOENIX -- The wait is on for Arizona leaders, competing with Oregon and other states to land a major economic development project tied to Intel.


Arizona has agreed to give income tax relief to Intel Corp. and other manufacturers but only in exchange for substantial new investment in the state in the next 2 1/2 years.

Voices of dissent regarding a proposed $233 million city of Phoenix bond to bankroll Arizona State University's downtown expansion are growing louder. They are coming from conservatives and tax watchdogs who are questioning the effectiveness of another publicly financed center city project and why a local government is funding a state university.

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. Top legislative leaders offered cool assessments of Governor Napolitano's performance on budget issues and suggested that they expect the GOP-controlled Legislature to be at odds with her on spending and tax issues during the upcoming session.


Senate President Ken Bennett told a business-oriented tax lobbying group that the state's fiscal picture is brightening but that the state would be in relatively poor shape if lawmakers had gone along with past Napolitano proposals on spending and borrowing.

Republican leaders suggested Friday that the GOP-controlled Legislature would be at odds with Democratic Gov. Janet Napolitano on spending and tax issues during the upcoming election-year session.


Senate President Ken Bennett told a business-oriented tax lobbying group that the state's fiscal picture is brightening.

But he said the state would still be in relatively poor shape if lawmakers had gone along with past Napolitano proposals on spending and borrowing.

"We can't afford that Christmas list," agreed House Speaker Jim Weiers, R-Phoenix.

Former Tempe mayor and Democratic state senator Harry Mitchell is getting some help from Arizona Gov. Janet Napolitano in his bid upend Scottsdale Congressman J.D. Hayworth.


Hayworth has been an outspoken nemesis of Napolitano and considered challenging her in this year's race for governor before deciding not to run.

Napolitano will host a fundraiser for Mitchell May 9 in Tempe. The event will also feature former state attorney general Grant Woods, noted real estate attorney Grady Gammage Jr., Democratic consultant Fred DuVal and Slade Mead.

A five-year effort to establish a statewide program for early childhood education and health care is on the ballot this fall in the form of Proposition 203, which would raise the tobacco tax by 80 cents per pack of cigarettes to generate upwards of $150 million a year for the programs.


But a conservative tax watchdog group says the proposition has many flaws, including potentially violating a constitutional amendment approved by voters two years ago that prohibits ballot measures from affecting the state's General Fund.

The process of "ballot-box budgeting," where special-interest groups sidestep the state budget process to earmark taxes for their pet projects, has been much abused in Arizona.


This year's effort comes in the form of Proposition 203, an initiative that calls for a dramatic 68 percent increase in tobacco taxes.

The continued efforts of special-interest groups to use the initiative process to receive guaranteed and permanent funding for their programs is bad public policy and should be rejected.

Of all the oddball ideas on next month's ballot - and there are a bunch - none is more bizarre than Proposition 203. Or sadly, more of a sure thing.


Proposition 203 is like pitting Pee-wee Herman against the Terminator, like calling up a tee-baller to pitch to Barry Bonds. Like inviting a leper to run against the Gerber baby.