Gov. Jan Brewer announced her “”four cornerstones for reform”” to help alleviate Arizona’s financial woes in a statement released on Tuesday.
Those four cornerstones, according to a release from the governor, are economic competitiveness, education, state government and renewed federalism.
“”During the next four years, Arizona will reclaim its historic position as a national leader in job growth and economic vibrancy, propelled by the four cornerstones of reform,”” Brewer said in the release.
By focusing on these four areas, Brewer hopes “”Arizona will, again, be a magnet for business relocation, formation and growth; capital formation and investment; employment and personal income growth; and prosperity for all Arizona businesses and citizens,”” according to the release.
A component of Brewer’s vision for restoring the state’s economic competitiveness is the creation of the Arizona Commerce Authority a new entity whose focus will be to attract new business, and expand and retain existing business interests in the state.
Brewer also addressed the value of education and her belief that an educated populace will lead to a stronger economy in the future. She also extolled the necessity of a modernized and centralized state government.
Brewer also declared her intention to pursue a policy of “”renewed federalism”” aimed at protecting “”the state and its citizens against an over-reaching federal government,”” according to the release.
Specifically, Brewer mentioned her goals to overturn the federal health care act passed last year, to limit federal oversight into state election procedures and to mandate the federal government to “”gain operational control of the border”” and reimburse the state for debt incurred while detaining, trying and incarcerating illegal immigrants.
“”The (s)tate must pursue all legal remedies to make the federal government live up to these responsibilities and to defend Arizona’s right to cooperatively enforce federal immigration laws,”” the policy brief reads. “”We can do no less.””
Brewer will also push to redesign Medicaid, giving the state a bigger say in how much funding the program receives. In her proposed budget for fiscal year 2011, Brewer proposed cutting Medicaid access to 280,000 low-income individuals in an attempt to balance the budget. State legislative committees voted to give Brewer permission to seek a federal waiver allowing to do so yesterday.
The full state House is expected to take action on the issue later today.
The idea of giving states greater control over Medicaid allotments is also the subject of a Supreme Court case Maxwell-Jolly v. Independent Living Center of Southern California, which challenges national legal precedent that state payments into Medicaid must be “”consistent with efficiency, economy, and quality of care and are sufficient to enlist enough providers so that care and services are available … to the general population.””