Senate Republican leadership on March 2 unveiled its version of an economic recovery plan in the face of record-breaking budget deficits and ahead of Gov. Jan Brewer’s speech to the Legislature urging higher taxes.
But a number of majority members apparently did not know about the four-pronged economic recovery plan until GOP leadership called a press conference to announce it.
One lawmaker, in particular, was visibly upset.
“When did we as a caucus talk about this four-point plan before you go to the press and announce this≠” Sen. Carolyn Allen, a Republican from Scottsdale, asked colleagues during a meeting March 4. “It sounds like we are sabotaging our governor.”
A member of Senate leadership admitted that they did not brief each caucus member about the plan itself, but said the general outline had been presented during previous discussions within the caucus.
The four-point plan, according to several Capitol insiders, was an attempt by Republican leadership to warn Brewer that the caucus would not support a tax increase.
On March 4, Brewer did, indeed, urge the Legislature to consider a temporary tax increase that would generate roughly $1 billion annually. She did not specify which taxes to raise, and said it could be accomplished via ballot initiative or legislative action.
Majority Republicans, however, were expectedly cool to the idea.
“I don’t want to raise taxes on a struggling economy,” Senate President Bob Burns said. “The governor said everything is on the table. I think that’s a way to address this issue. We put everything on the table. But in my opinion, the tax increase would be the very last thing that would go on the table.”
Allen said they should work with Brewer — not be at odds with her – if they want the governor to be successful.
“I personally resent that this was said in a press conference format and that we are supposed to be working with this governor, and this is the kind of cooperation that we are giving her,” Allen said. “I know they are used to attacking the governor but they forget that this is our governor now.”
Brewer is a Republican who succeeded Democrat Janet Napolitano when the latter left Arizona to join President Barack Obama’s Cabinet.
“Because you have a different idea you are preempting somebody≠” Burns asked. “The whole idea around this place is to float ideas especially in a situation like we are in now. We have to bring ideas forward and we have to work them out. They are not all going to be the same ideas. Just because they are not the same doesn’t mean they are in opposition.”
Senate Majority Whip Pamela Gorman said the four-point economy recovery plan was based on the majority plan, which outlines the GOP’s priorities and hews closely to the Republican ideas of less regulation and lower taxes. Allen should be aware of that plan, Gorman said.
“It would be true that she had not heard the title ‘economic recovery plan,’ but the concepts contained in it—she should have been very aware of as a member of the caucus,” Gorman said.
Gorman said the announcement was not intended to preempt the governor, adding that premise of the plan was in place before Brewer became governor.
“There is no intention to cut anybody off at the knees. I would assume that a Republican governor with a good conservative record would find it refreshing that we stepped forward and finally started talking about the positive things, the good ideas that we have, to get this economy running,” she said.
If leadership did discuss the subject with caucus members, Allen wasn’t the only one who missed it.
Sen. Jay Tibshraeny, a Republican from Chandler, said he didn’t know about the plan. The senator said he learned about it by reading the paper.
Sen. Linda Gray, a Republican from Glendale, also said she did not know about it, although Gray emphasized she has no problem with the plan since it is still inclusive of what Republicans generally support — lower taxes, less regulation and smaller government.
One senator, Sylvia Allen of Snowflake, said she received a memo about the plan last week.
Sen. Thayer Verschoor, the Senate President Pro Tempore, said he found out about it in a leadership meeting just before the press briefing on March 2.
Perhaps an indication of how little the four-point plan was discussed outside of leadership, some lawmakers could only cite one its components. Others could not immediately recall what exactly those four points were.
The GOP’s economic recovery plan hews closely to the ideas of small government, fewer regulations and lower taxes. It involves easing regulatory burdens, creating a stable tax structure, preventing “arbitrary” fee increases by the state’s political subdivisions and getting the state government “out of the business of competing with business.”
The GOP plan made it clear that the White House is not the only entity that sees an opportunity in the country’s economic woes to push a sweeping economic agenda.  
A clear departure from the direction Obama wants to take the nation, the state Republicans’ plan is based on the conservative view that getting government “out of the way” is the way to prosperity.
Gorman provided few concrete details of the Senate GOP-backed economic recovery plan. What is in the works is a piece of legislation that would set up a commission that would comb through state businesses and see areas that may be better run by the private sector. 
Gorman mentioned doing public private partnerships — and not just necessarily in the area of toll roads. She also mentioned potentially privatizing state-run mental hospitals, but making sure the contract is done right and with a private entity or entities with a proven track record.
Democrats said those ideas have been tried, and all ultimately failed.
“I don’t know what that means,” Senate Minority Leader Jorge Garcia said, referring to the regulations component of the economic recovery plan. “Does that mean no health inspections≠ Does that mean no building inspections≠ Does that mean that the banks get to run amok with our money again≠”
Gorman said what they are looking at is “more about freezing the regulations.”
“The governor put a freeze on but it is temporary,” she said. “We would like to see that become permanent and only with exemptions where it is actually for the health and safety of consumers.”
Republicans have said they plan to move the economic recovery plan ahead of the budget.