Here is a letter to the editor of the Biz Journal of Phx.

The Business Journal of Phoenix - December 16, 2002
http://phoenix.bizjournals.com/phoenix/stories/2002/12/16/editorial4.html

From the December 13, 2002 print edition

Letter to the Editor

Napolitano's D.C. lobbying office sets wrong tone

Dear Editor,

And so it begins. The incoming Napolitano administration will wring its hands over the lack of funding for biotech, but, according to The Business Journal, our new guv wants about a half-million dollars to open a lobbying office in D.C.

The justification?

According to Napolitano's press secretary, a former Arizona Republic reporter, it's to get more dollars out of Washington.

The highly respected and nonpartisan Tax Foundation (http://taxfoundation.org/taxspending.html), says Arizona already gets more tax dollars out of the federal government than it sends — $1.12 per $1.00. It's currently ranked in the middle of all states, at No. 25.

Sure, the state's excess receipts are dropped from a decade ago, but we still (as of the most recent statistics available) get a 12 percent surplus.

Proponents of more government dependence point out that Arizona "contributes more tax dollars than it receives back in (some) areas, such as … health care."

I'm not sure how many federal tax dollars we pay for health care beyond Medicare taxes, and I've never heard that Arizona seniors receive less Medicare coverage than seniors in other states.

Apparently, neither have the lobby proponents, since all they can cite is Arizona's ranking — about in the middle, at 27th — for National Institute of Health funding.

As The Business Journal points out, Arizona's senators and congressional delegation support sensible government spending and oppose pork-barrel projects that gouge other taxpayers. Looks like our new governor will try to undermine their efforts. Is this any way to start off a new administration?

During the campaign, people wondered if Napolitano was just using the statehouse as a stepping stone to a senate seat in Washington. As her plan seems to focus on D.C., and ignore legitimate state issues such as biotech development, it looks like she's playing leap frog instead.