Governor Napolitano is in a league of her own when it comes to vetoes of bills passed by the Legislature.

Ms. Napolitano left her predecessors far behind this year when she set a new record, vetoing 58 bills passed during the recently ended legislative session.

The vetoed bills covered a wide range of topics, including allowing guns in establishments where alcohol is served, creating public school tuition vouchers and having the state try to build a private prison in Mexico.

Ms. Napolitano’s veto total this year is more than double the previous record for the number of bills vetoed in one session. Republican Jane Hull held the record with 28 vetoes in 2001.

An Average Of 27.6 A Year

Ms. Napolitano’s 2005 total still tops Mrs. Hull’s single-year record even after being adjusted for the fact that Ms. Napolitano’s vetoes included a March budget package with 17 bills.

With her 58 vetoes this year, Ms. Napolitano now has averaged 27.6 vetoes annually since taking office in January 2003.

That puts her well ahead of Mrs. Hull (17.5) and Democrat Bruce Babbitt (12.7), the two other recent governors with the highest veto averages, according to figures compiled by the Arizona Capitol Times.

Several observers said Ms. Napolitano’s high number of vetoes wasn’t surprising. They cited her political self-confidence, the fact that she and most legislators belong to different parties and Republican lawmakers’ increasing willingness to pass bills they know will draw vetoes.

“The Legislature has become more confrontational over the last decade,” said former state Sen. Randall Gnant, a Scottsdale Republican who wrote a book on the legislative process.

The Legislature’s Republican majority has seen an ideological shift, Mr. Gnant said. “In the minds of some people, it is less important that you enact good legislation than you fight for a cause or make a point.”

Capitol Watcher Says Governor Has Strong Support

The head of a Phoenix-based public-policy think tank said the vetoes indicate that Ms. Napolitano feels she has a strong base of support among Arizona voters.

“She feels empowered to take some fairly strong action,” said ThinkAZ President Rita Maguire, noting that Ms. Napolitano’s approval ratings are much higher than those of the Legislature.

Also, Ms. Napolitano’s background as a former prosecutor may have helped shape a management style that lends itself to decisive action, Ms. Maguire said.

“I’ve got to believe that’s how she views her role in government,” said Ms. Maguire, an attorney who served as state water resources director for eight years under two Republican governors.

GOP Leaders: Vetoes Put Napolitano On Record

Republican legislators acknowledged during the session that some bills they passed were attempts to put Ms. Napolitano on record on controversial issues in advance of the 2006 election, and Ms. Maguire said the vetoes give the public an opportunity to see different viewpoints between a majority of the Legislature and Ms. Napolitano.

“There’s no subtlety there,” Ms. Maguire said. —

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