Graphic by Sam PresleySince his inauguration on Jan. 5, Arizonans have been speculating about what Gov. Doug Ducey will accomplish during his term.
Part of Ducey's campaign was the “Arizona Roadmap to Opportunity and Freedom,” which is a detailed outline explaining how his administration will tackle problems facing Arizona today.
“It’s the question I get asked the most. ‘As governor, what will your agenda be?’” Ducey stated in the opening of the outline.
In his inaugural speech, Ducey said one of his biggest challenges in office will be to follow through on promises made during his campaign.
“It’s not the promises we bring to office that count the most,” he said. “The true measure is taken in the work we finish, the good we do and the commitments we keep.”
In his plan, Ducey focused on several issues, including job creation, improving education and guarding the lives of Arizonans. However, his inaugural address didn't focus on solutions to many of these issues.
Here's a breakdown of the issues outlined in the Roadmap and his response to them in his inaugural address.
Restoring economic growth
In his roadmap, Ducey stated that Arizona has only recovered about half the jobs lost since the recession started in 2007. As a solution, he said persuading employers to expand in Arizona as opposed to high-tax states such as California will promote economic growth.
During his inaugural speech, Ducey did not offer specific solutions to expanding the economy. Instead, he said Arizonans must build up business in their home state.
“By focusing our effort we will see new investment, more companies moving here, growing here, starting here and many new jobs added these next four years,” he said. “Fellow citizens, it is time we go back to our strengths, break away from the pack and make Arizona the pace leader in the competition for the very best state in America to do business.”
Improving education
One of the consistencies between Ducey’s roadmap and inauguration speech was the promise to expand the option of attending high-performing schools to those who would not otherwise have the opportunity, but lacked in explaining specifics.
“For as long as anyone can remember, we have heard ringing promises of a day when every Arizona parent could count on equal access to good public schools,” Ducey said in his inaugural address. “As it is, we’ve got some great public schools, among the best in America, but Arizona’s children do not yet have equal access. I cannot and will not accept this inequity.”
Escaping federal government control
Ducey is coming into office already facing several challenges, including the continuing budget crisis.
Since he has been elected, Ducey has not spoken much on his plan to solve this issue. However, he used his inaugural address to expand on his solution.
Keeping with historical accuracies, Ducey said any solution to the budget crisis would be met with opposition from legislators, who would argue to raise taxes instead.
As a former state treasurer, Ducey said the only solution to expanding the economy comes from cutting ineffective spending by the government.
"It will be said that the state has already found all the savings that can be found, cut every line item that can be cut, and now, every option exhausted, it is for the people to pay for the shortfall with higher taxes," he said. "I can assure you that a more efficient government is not only necessary, but sensible. In the plainest terms, it’s not that the people are taxed too little; it’s that their government is spending unwisely."
Guarding the lives of Arizona citizens
Outlined in his roadmap, Ducey said protecting Arizona’s citizens comes with stricter child protective services, emphasizing the need for more effective mental health practices and appropriately punishing criminals who commit gun crimes.
However, he did not specifically address any of these in his inauguration speech.
“Guarding public health, protecting children, supporting higher education, building roads where we develop and preserving natural lands where we don’t, these too are among the fundamentals, and they must be done wisely and well,” Ducey said in his speech.
Promoting an accepting society
As a border state, Arizona has had many issues in securing the border to Mexico, which helps contribute to the spread of drugs and the overpopulation of illegal immigrants throughout the state.
This issue is only outlined slightly in his roadmap and was not touched on at all during his speech. However, in his campaign Ducey emphasized the need to secure the border while also expanding on legal immigration.
Ducey will continue to expand on the issues he sees in Arizona and his plans to fix them during the State of the State address, which will be held Monday at 1:45 p.m. and will be live streamed.
Reach the reporter at Jlsuerth@asu.edu or follow @SuerthJessica on Twitter
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