Where’s Terry? – Goddard "Officially" Has No Budget Plan

58 Days 58 Days 58 Days Failed





Democratic hopeful has no plan on the horizon and fails to weigh in on Prop. 100



Phoenix – A quick visit to Jan Brewer's website tells you that it's been 58 days since Governor Brewer proposed her decisive, balanced budget. In that time, democratic hopeful Terry Goddard has shied away from any opportunity to share how he would solve the state's massive fiscal crisis – pledging to make no budget recommendations and failing to weigh in on Proposition 100.



Goddard originally claimed that he would offer his budget solutions when he became an "official" candidate for Governor. Today, he announced that he was filing qualifying contributions and petition signatures. Missing from the fanfare was Goddard's plan for Arizona’s budget.



In fact, Goddard's plan may never come. According to the Arizona Capitol Times Yellow Sheet Report, Goddard will roll out his platform sometime in the near future, but his suggestions "won't include a complete budget plan."

"We saw this last year with Obama – light on positions, heavy on rhetoric. The state’s future is the most important issue we are facing and the voters of Arizona have no idea where Terry Goddard stands," said former United States Secretary of Transportation Mary Peters. "Once again, what we are seeing is Goddard's 'wait and see' attitude.
Governor Brewer has been making the hard choices and reducing the size of government while Goddard sits on the sidelines."

In early February, Goddard said that he would announce his position on Proposition 100 – the temporary sales tax increase to support education and public safety in "due time." That position remains a mystery as Goddard failed to file a statement for or against Proposition 100 in the publicity pamphlet. Governor Brewer and several other candidates for Governor weighed in on the issue.



The Proposition 100 publicity pamphlet will be sent to every voter in the state prior to the May 18th election. Following its bipartisan support to place the issue on the ballot, the pamphlet features 96 letters of support from a diverse group of local leaders, educators, business leaders, and many others.



"As the top law enforcement official in the state, one would think that Goddard would be supporting maintaining funding for public safety," said Brewer Campaign Spokesman Doug Cole.





"Is he in favor of Proposition 100 or is he opposed to it? At least the other candidates weighed in against so the voters know where they stand. Goddard continues to stand silent on the important issues facing our state."

Jan Brewer is the only candidate for Governor to propose a realistic and comprehensive budget plan to help solve the state's problems. Key provisions of Brewer's budget will be adopted next week.

She has also been open for suggestions; Brewer made a request to all in her State of the State speech: "Tell us clearly how you would solve a $5 billion problem over the next 17 months. The suggestion box is wide open."



Goddard watched as former Governor Napolitano rapidly expanded government and drove the state to near collapse and did nothing about it. To date, Goddard has offered no clues to how he would guide the state's fiscal future.