Napolitano brings message to Southern Arizona

TUCSON — Gov. Janet Napolitano delivered an abbreviated version of her “State of the State” address Wednesday in which she touted “historic investments” in education to the audience at the Tucson Convention Center.

Referring to the shortened speech as “selected highlights,” Napolitano said this was “a time of reflection, where we’ve been and where we’re going… fundamentally the state is very strong.”

Napolitano, who delivered the entire speech to legislators Monday in Phoenix, divided her address into five chapters, the first on education.

Comparing today to five years ago, she spoke about full-day kindergarten now being available to every Arizona family.

“We’ve made historic investments in early childhood education and in teacher pay. We’ve broken ground on an all-new medical campus….”

Speaking about today’s eighth-graders who will be the high school class of 2012, Napolitano said, “Let’s agree that any eighth-grader who pledges to stay out of trouble and maintains at least a “B” average in high school will be guaranteed free tuition at any of our community colleges or state universities…

“I call on our higher education institutions to work together and double the number of bachelor’s degrees they produce by the year 2020.”

Chapter two focused on economic prosperity and a diverse, knowledge-based economy. Napolitano spoke of an economy that isn’t so “housing dependent” and said “we must continue to invest in Arizona.”

Speaking about Arizonans who are stuck in the subprime-lending debacle, the governor said she’s met with major lenders and they have agreed “that buyers should have the chance to work out their loans with lenders and to stay in their homes; yet they must still meet their obligations to the businesses that lent them money.”

Chapter three was about Arizona’s future, security and public safety. Five years ago, the state lacked adequate counterterrorism resources, she said.

“Arizonans didn’t have a central place to go for information if a disaster struck… today, we have a 24-hour terrorism intelligence center and a statewide 2-1-1 system to disseminate public safety information,” Napolitano said.

She spoke of the need to pass legislation to authorize a second, optional driver’s license—a “3-in-1” card that serves as a driver’s license, as a passport for U.S. citizens crossing from Mexico and Canada and as proof of citizenship for purposes of the Employer Sanctions Law.

Chapter four focused on Arizona’s future transportation and growth. Napolitano said over the past five years, 652 new lane miles of freeway have been built.

Speaking of increased transportation systems she called for plans that include rail. “Imagine expanded freeways, more local transit, plus a Tucson-to-Phoenix rail line, and you’ll see how we need to write our transportation chapter,” the governor said.

Chapter five, the final chapter of her address was about Arizona’s health care.

“We have a new medical campus in Phoenix, we have nearly doubled enrollment in programs for registered nurses and the CoppeRx card has saved Arizonans millions on prescription drugs.

“More children than ever get well-child checkups, and more families can learn about health insurance for their children through KidsCare,” the governor said.

In closing, she spoke of the present downturn in the economy and said, “Downturns don’t last forever. We need to continue to invest so that when the downturn is over we’ll be on the upswing.”

Napolitano’s speech was sponsored by six participating Southern Arizona Chambers—including the Green Valley Sahuarita Chamber of Commerce. It was the sixth “State of the State” presented at the Tucson Convention Center.

Ellen Sussman is a freelance writer in Green Valley. Contact her at ellen2414@cox.net.