Janet Napolitano
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Janet Napolitano (born November 29, 1957) is the current governor of the U.S. state of Arizona, elected in 2002. Born in New York City of Italian heritage and raised in Pittsburgh and Albuquerque, she graduated from Santa Clara University in California and then University of Virginia law school (J.D.). Napolitano is a member of the Democratic Party.
Her early professional career was as a Phoenix-area prosecuting attorney.
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Political career
In 1993, Napolitano was appointed by President Bill Clinton as United States Attorney for the District of Arizona. She ran for and won the position of state Attorney General in 1998. Her tenure focused on consumer protection issues and improving general law enforcement. Later on, Napolitano was diagnosed with breast cancer, and underwent a mastectomy.
She won the gubernatorial election of 2002 with 46% of the vote, succeeding Republican Jane Dee Hull and defeating her Republican opponent, former congressman Matt Salmon who received 45% of the vote. Her strongest electoral support came from low-income, women, and Latino voters. Napolitano was the first US woman governor to succeed another.
Some experts and pundits initially considered Napolitano to be a possible running mate for presidential candidate Sen. John Kerry in the 2004 U.S. presidential election. Speculation ended after his eventual selection of Sen. John Edwards instead. She appeared at Kerry campaign events and spoke out against passage of Proposition 200, an initiative to limit state benefits to illegal immigrants that would go on to be approved by voters.
On major issues, Napolitano supports legal abortion and the death penalty for serious crimes. In early 2005 she proposed that a possible future vote on a state constitutional amendment banning same-sex marriage be held that year instead of in 2006, citing her questioning the validity of such a measure given that it was already banned under state law. This move instigated controversy with conservative legal groups planning to campaign for the measure.
Administration policies
As governor, Napolitano has promoted all-day kindergarten, restricting water usage, and increased public health spending. She has been a strong proponent of biotechnology development and public-private collaboration on related projects, especially within the state university system.
Arizona's security has been a prominent theme in recent events affecting her administration. In March 2003, amidst fears of a terrorist attack on targets in Arizona in the wake of the Iraq war, she dispersed US National Guard troops to the Palo Verde nuclear power plant facility west of Phoenix. Continued and growing illegal immigration along the Mexican border has led her to increase efforts in this area. The continuing statewide drought, reforming the troubled Child Protective Services system, and the January 2004 hostage crisis at Arizona State Prison Complex-Lewis (the longest in US history) presented serious challenges as well.
Napolitano's usual position on budget issues has been to defend education and health expenditures as "investing in what matters", citing the benefits of economic growth and some improvements in Arizona's generally low social indicators. She has emphasized the need to control the state's tax burden. The "Efficiency Review Initiative" launched early in her term urged reduced spending and streamlined government operations.
Quotes
"Renewing our schools, building a better economy, being good stewards of our water and our land, increasing the availability of health care and improving the security of our state: these are my goals and dreams for Arizona." (State of the State Address, January 10, 2005)
See also
- AHCCCS: Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System (state Medicaid program)
- AIMS: Arizona's Instrument to Measure Standards (state standardized test for high school students)
- Protect Arizona Now: Proposition 200
- Matt Salmon
External links
- 2002 Election (http://www.usatoday.com/news/politicselections/2002-11-11-napolitano-usat_x.htm)
- Napolitano Biography (http://www.governor.state.az.us/global/bio.htm)
- CBS News Article (http://www.cbsnews.com/elements/2004/07/23/in_depth_politics/whoswho631596_0_12_person.shtml)
- Napolitano: 'Invest in what matters' Governor's address urges unity for state agenda By Chip Scutari and Robbie Sherwood The Arizona Republic Jan. 11, 2005 (http://www.azcentral.com/specials/special12/articles/0111gov-stateofstate11.html)
- Impact of Napolitano's goals Jan. 11, 2005 The Arizona Republic (http://www.azcentral.com/specials/special12/articles/0111gov-grid11.html)
- GOP lawmakers say health-crisis monies like 'slush fund' for Napolitano by Chip Scutari The Arizona Republic Aug. 17, 2004 (http://www.azcentral.com/specials/special12/articles/0817crisisfund-ON.html)
- Seniors saving big on state's drug plan Year later, many tout program's simplicity By Chip Scutari The Arizona Republic Jun. 8, 2004 (http://www.azcentral.com/specials/special12/articles/0608seniordrugs08.html)
| Preceded by: Jane Dee Hull | Governor of Arizona 2003—present | Succeeded by: Incumbent |