By Howard Fischer
http://stream.publicbroadcasting.net/production/mp3/knau/local-knau-870004.mp3
Phoenix, AZ – Governor Jan Brewer is expected to make it official today that
she wants a full term of her own as the state's chief executive.
Arizona Public Radio's Howard Fischer reports.
Multiple sources say Brewer intends to file the legal papers
necessary today to start collecting money and signatures for the
2010 campaign. Brewer already faces a primary against two fairly
well-known Republicans: former state party Chairman John Munger
and Paradise Valley Mayor Vernon Parker, with state Treasurer
Dean Martin also weighing a gubernatorial bid. A September survey
by Behavior Research Center showed that only 24 percent of
registered voters rated her performance so far as excellent or
good. But pollster Earl de Berge said she should not be counted
out.
"She's one of the few who really championed from the very
beginning the concept that a balanced budget depends not just on
cutting cost but also on securing revenue that's suitable for the
task ahead of them. I think that it's going to prove to be pretty
wise advice. And I think the voters are going to evaluate that
carefully before before they just jump into the notion that she
did a bad job."
She wants to let voters decide if they want a temporary sales tax
hike to bridge part of the deficit instead of just cutting. De
Berge said the results of Tuesday's election, where most school
budget overrides passed, proves that voters are willing to tax
themselves to support priorities like education.