As governor, I'm not just talking about Arizona's problems. I'm fixing them
That vision is the Arizona Promise — the one Arizonans elected me to deliver.
The Arizona Promise means families feel safe in their communities and our border is secure, that Arizonans have the opportunity to get ahead without working two or three jobs, that we have the freedom to live our lives as we see fit without government interference.
It's what Arizona, at its best, has always stood for, but for too long politicians have let it slip away. I have taken definitive, measurable action to restore the Arizona Promise.
So, it was disappointing to read a recent Arizona Republic editorial that did not acknowledge its own paper's reporting on the work my administration has done to secure our water future, protect Arizona from wildfires and create good-paying jobs by securing historic semiconductor industry investments.
On top of that, my executive budget takes common sense steps to grow on our success by cutting costs for working families and investing in public safety.
And I'm not just speaking loudly about these critical issues — contrary to what the editorial board suggested — I'm taking decisive action.
I have used my 'bully pulpit' to protect groundwater and fight for our fair share of the Colorado River.
In fact, after I traveled to the Willcox basin, witnessed family farms going dry and saw houses cracking in half due to overpumping, I took action without hesitation. I enacted the first governor-led Active Management Area in the Willcox basin to protect our water.
When foreign corporations were pumping a rural county dry, I again took action to protect Arizona families and farmers. I ended Fondomonte leases in the Butler Valley. I did this without hesitation, before the editorial board made this recommendation.
I'm proud to say I've done more to protect our groundwater than any governor in the last four decades, since Bruce Babbitt passed the historic Groundwater Management Act.
I'm also fighting to protect our Colorado River water.
As reported many times by this very news organization, I've already secured a deal on the Colorado River to protect Arizonans through 2026 from federally mandated, draconian cuts. Thanks to my leadership, no Arizonan will be forced to cut their water use.
And while we work toward a long-term Colorado River compromise, my executive budget sends a clear message that Arizona is ready to fight for our fair share, with a $3 million litigation fund.
The Arizona Promise also means we stand ready to fight wildfires.
I've already secured $29 million to build wildfire resiliency. And my proposed budget includes another $30 million to bolster our Wildfire Suppression Fund.
Most importantly, it includes a 15% raise for our state firefighters, who work tirelessly to prevent disaster and remain willing to run toward danger.
Opinion: Hobbs' budget is out of touch
The editorial board also suggested I help put our state in a position to recognize and maximize opportunities from the CHIPS Act. I couldn't agree more.
In fact, as reported in The Arizona Republic, my administration helped secure $3 billion in federal funding for Arizona's first national laboratory, a facility that is certain to help attract billions of dollars in further business investment and create thousands more good-paying jobs for Arizona workers.
All of this is in addition to my commitment to secure the southern border.
I deployed the Arizona National Guard and stood up Task Force SAFE, which has stopped 8 million fentanyl pills from coming across the border and poisoning our communities, in addition to more than 2,000 pounds of cocaine, meth and other drugs.
When I travel the state, Arizonans talk about the cost of housing, child care and food. They worry about water, fires and immigration.
My plan lowers the cost of child care by two-thirds and lowers the cost of housing by cutting red tape and helping working-class people buy their first home.
My budget provides even more resources to secure the border and stop the flow of drugs. It offers pay raises for state police and firefighters because they need to be paid what they're worth.
I also set out an ambitious plan to end veterans' homelessness with a down payment into the Homes for Heroes fund to support the men and women who have given so much to our country.
I've heard from the people of Arizona, and I'm committed to standing with them. I know these aren't Republican issues or Democratic issues — they're Arizona issues — and it's why I've taken them on.
While there remains much to do, I'm delivering. Like the editorial board wisely suggested.
Katie Hobbs is governor of Arizona. Follow her on X, formerly Twitter, @GovernorHobbs.
This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Katie Hobbs is taking strong action on water, fires, border | Opinion
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Politico
39 minutes ago
- Politico
States are trying to keep disasters apolitical in the new Trump era
'This decision was petty. This decision was partisan, and this decision was punishing.' Moore said. And after the Los Angeles wildfires in January, California Gov. Gavin Newsom was quick to propose that politics could play a role in Trump's approval or denial of funding for his state. 'He's done it in the past, not just here in California,' Newsom said on Pod Save America. 'The rhetoric is very familiar, it's increasingly acute, and obviously we all have reason to be concerned about it.' A review by Seattle-based public radio station KUOW in June found that FEMA denied six of the 10 major disaster requests that Democratic states filed between February and June, while denying just one of 15 requests from Republican states. Asked about the analysis, a White House official said that 'Democrat state requests were denied in the first six months because they were not disasters. In the past, states have abused the process. President Trump is right-sizing FEMA and ensuring it is serving its intended purpose to help the American people.' Democratic Arizona Gov. Katie Hobbs became the rare governor to criticize the federal government's disaster management in mid-July when she called for an investigation following a destructive fire on federal land that burned down a beloved Grand Canyon lodge. Hobbs said that she does not intend her call for an investigation to be viewed as a criticism of the Trump administration. 'I don't, and I think it's really important,' Hobbs said in an interview, adding that good working relationships between officials managing tribal, federal and state land are key. 'This is not intended to undermine that collaboration, but … we need to look at what led to that decision being made.' Steve Ellis, former deputy director of the Bureau of Land Management who worked for the agency and the U.S. Forest Service under multiple administrations, said that any federal agency involved in managing a fire of the magnitude and destructiveness as the one in the Grand Canyon should be launching an investigation without a governor's need to call for it.
Fox News
4 days ago
- Fox News
Arizona senate president calls on FCC to revoke state's PBS license over 'viewpoint discrimination'
The president of the Arizona state senate is asking the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to investigate Arizona's PBS station (KAET) for "viewpoint discrimination" over claims it wrongly influenced the state's contentious 2022 governor's race. "As President of the Arizona State Senate, I write to request an investigation into the broadcast license for Arizona PBS," Arizona state senate president Warren Petersen said in a letter to FCC Chairman Brendan Carr obtained by Fox News Digital. "Recently uncovered documents show that Arizona PBS violated legal rules, contractual requirements, and long-standing traditions to improperly put its thumb on the scale of the 2022 Arizona governor's race," Petersen added. "Just like its investigations into ABC News' slanted 2024 debate moderation and CBS News' hidden 60 Minutes interview of then-Vice President Kamala Harris, the FCC should investigate whether Arizona PBS violated its duty to act in the public interest when it engaged in viewpoint discrimination against a candidate for governor," he said. In 2022, during the Arizona gubernatorial race between Democrat Arizona gubernatorial candidate Katie Hobbs and Republican Kari Lake, Hobbs declined an invitation to debate Lake. Hobbs and Lake did participate in a town hall-style event where each candidate was questioned separately during a forum hosted by the Arizona Chamber of Commerce, but Hobbs subsequently refused to debate her opponent. She cited concerns that a debate with Lake would become similar to the Republican primary debate, and would support erroneous claims that the 2020 election was rigged. Lake, a former TV news anchor, had also expressed fears that Democrats would cheat in the 2022 election. The Arizona PBS station gave Hobbs what Petersen called "an unprecedented 30-minute interview" but Lake's solo interview with the outlet, set for Oct. 12, 2022, was canceled hours before it was set to begin. AZ Central reported that "The Arizona Citizens Clean Election Commission backed out of the event that was to be hosted in partnership with Arizona PBS (KAET) after the television station agreed to a separate, similar interview with Democrat Katie Hobbs." Petersen alleged that the day after Arizona State University's president "questioned the long-standing tradition that would have provided Kari Lake with a solo interview because of her positions on election integrity, university officials internally predicted that Hobbs would win the election." The letter quotes emails between Arizona State's Media Enterprise head, Mi-Ai Parrish, who said, "Katie is getting roasted hard, but I don't think it will matter," and a response from the university president's chief of staff, which said, "I don't think it matters either." In his letter, Petersen said that it took Arizona State University "more than two years—743 days—to produce the internal emails exposing these partisan conversations." "Based on the emails between top university officials, Arizona PBS made broadcast decisions based on how it viewed Kari Lake's positions on election integrity and Katie Hobbs' electoral prospects," Petersen wrote. "Arizona PBS did not act in the public interest because it exhibited 'broadcaster favoritism' for Hobbs and acted 'in a partisan, discriminatory fashion' that was 'designed to serve the political advantage of a candidate,'" he added. The Arizona state senate president is asking the FCC to investigate KAET for "PBS' blatant viewpoint discrimination against Kari Lake and partisan calculations designed to benefit Katie Hobbs," and the revocation of their license. Fox News Digital reached out to the Arizona PBS station and Arizona State University for comment. Arizona State University directed Fox News Digital to this webpage addressing Arizona PBS, which said, in part, "As one method of delivering information on candidates, Arizona PBS had an arrangement with Arizona Clean Elections Commission to host and broadcast debates among candidates for state offices. While the Clean Elections Commission was the producer of the debate, Arizona PBS continued to maintain its responsibilities under its license and to its viewers by providing coverage of the elections separate from and in addition to the debates. Debates are not the sole mechanism for informing the public about elections." It added that, "In 2022, one of the planned debates was for the office of Governor of Arizona between Republican nominee Kari Lake and Democratic nominee Katie Hobbs. When Hobbs decided not to debate Lake, the Clean Election Commission's plan to proceed with a one-party debate conflicted with Arizona PBS's licensing requirements. Arizona PBS was prepared to move ahead with a different format with the Clean Elections Commission to allow each candidate to speak and be interviewed about their candidacy on Arizona PBS. Hobbs chose to accept the interview invitation. Lake ultimately decided not to do so." Earlier this month, the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB), which provides funding to PBS and NPR, announced it would be shutting down following Congress passing legislation to revoke taxpayer funds from CPB.
Chicago Tribune
6 days ago
- Chicago Tribune
Gov. JB Pritzker again makes Nazi comparisons after President Trump threatens DC-like takeover in Chicago
Gov. JB Pritzker on Monday likened President Donald Trump's call for possible National Guard troops occupying Chicago to when the Nazi Party in Germany 'tore down a constitutional republic' in the 1930s. One day after after Pritzker said he wouldn't rule out a presidential run in 2028, his remarks at a north suburban school district continued his war of words with Trump, who earlier in the day actually elevated Pritzker's presidential aspirations by saying of Pritzker 'maybe he has a chance' even as he insulted the Democratic governor. Trump brought up Chicago — as well as the major Democratic cities New York and Los Angeles — as he announced he was mobilizing the District of Columbia National Guard to address crime in the nation's capital, even though the crime rate in the city has fallen in recent years. 'If we need to, we're going to do the same thing in Chicago, which is a disaster,' Trump said before calling Chicago's mayor 'incompetent' — without naming Mayor Brandon Johnson — and saying the same of Pritzker and then poking fun at the governor's presidential ambitions. 'And now I understand he wants to be president. But I noticed he lost a little weight, so maybe he has a chance, you know? You never know what happens,' the president said Monday of the governor. 'But Pritzker's a gross incompetent guy.' Pritzker's political team didn't miss a beat, posting on the social media site X, 'Donald, thanks for the compliment!' before adding: 'Let's not lie to the public, you and I both know you have no authority to take over Chicago. By the way, where are the Epstein files?' — referring to the ongoing controversy regarding the investigative files of deceased sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein that reportedly include Trump's name. At the school event in Wheeling on Monday, Pritzker said Trump 'has absolutely no right and no legal ability to send troops into the city of Chicago, and so I reject that notion,' before further criticizing the president for his felony conviction last year in a hush-money case in New York, accusing him of defrauding his business partners, and saying, 'He cheats at golf, too.' 'You've seen that he doesn't follow the law,' Pritzker said. 'I have talked about the fact that the Nazis in Germany in the '30s tore down a constitutional republic in just 53 days. It does not take much, frankly, and we have a president who seems hell-bent on doing just that.' Pritzker previously made a comparison between Trump's second term and the rise of the Nazi Party in Germany. During his State of the State speech earlier this year, the governor, who is Jewish, likened the actions of Trump and his administration to the quick rise of Nazism in Germany, adding that he was 'watching with a foreboding dread what is happening in our country right now. … The authoritarian playbook is laid bare here.' The back-and-forth occurred one day after Pritzker said on NBC's 'Meet the Press' that he 'can't rule anything out' when asked about the possibility of running for president even as he runs for a rare third term as Illinois governor. On Monday, Pritzker said he loves the job as governor and insisted the 'only decision' he's made so far about his political future is his bid for a third term as governor. 'My comments about anything else really were that I am guided to a large degree and almost everything I do in my life about what I think is best for the people of the state of Illinois, and I continue to be guided by that,' he said. Mayor Johnson also fired back at Trump following the president's comments about him and Chicago, accusing Trump of spreading misinformation about crime in major cities and saying that 'if President Trump wants to help make Chicago safer, he can start by releasing the funds for anti-violence programs that have been critical to our work to drive down crime and violence. Sending in the (National Guard) would only serve to destabilize our city and undermine our public safety efforts.' Earlier this summer, Trump sent troops to Los Angeles, another Democratic enclave, to crack down on some unrest that resulted from protests over federal immigration authorities trying to carry out mass deportations. But on Monday in San Francisco, a trial began to determine whether the president violated federal law by deploying the guard to LA without the approval of California's Democratic governor, Gavin Newsom, another ardent Trump critic and possible 2028 presidential contender. Chicago, New York, Los Angeles and Washington, D.C., have all seen drops in crime and violence. For example, Chicago's 240 homicides recorded through Aug. 3 are 48% lower than the 463 slayings the city tallied during the same period four years ago, according to official Chicago Police Department statistics. Total shootings — fatal and nonfatal — have dropped by 57% compared with the same period four years ago, the statistics show. At the event in Wheeling, Pritzker also took on Trump's Health and Human Services secretary, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who has been often accused of peddling falsehoods about immunizations. At an event encouraging students to get immunized before the school year begins, Pritzker touted the benefits of getting vaccinated during childhood against measles, whooping cough and other diseases. 'Given what's happening at the federal government's health department, it's fitting that we are hosting this event as our children head back to school, because frankly some of our leaders in Washington need to head back to school to educate themselves about the safety and effectiveness of vaccines,' Pritzker said, flanked by various health and education officials in Wheeling. 'We teach our kids to listen to experts rather than conspiracy theorists. The kids here are well-educated so that they won't make bad decisions in life. We hope they won't, and they're taught not to. 'But I hope the uneducated skeptics, like maybe a Cabinet secretary or two, are out there listening,' Pritzker said, without mentioning Kennedy by name. 'So, I can offer them a quick reminder: Routine childhood vaccines are undeniably effective.'
