PHOENIX -On Monday, Democratic Gov. Janet Napolitano gave a hint of what she wants this session of the Arizona Legislature to accomplish.
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Part of the recommendations in her budget includes more money for the Water Protection Fund to include $5 million to help with riparian areas like the San Pedro River.
She also hopes to have an undetermined amount of money in the fund to help rural areas do more logical development involving water with a 30-year payback with low interest, Napolitano said.
The water money will help places such as Sierra Vista and Fort Huachuca, especially since the latter is important to the state's economic well being, she told the Herald/Review in a Thursday telephone interview.
The fort has been under the gun in the past and continues so today as it strives to ensure the river survives.
As part of the Upper San Pedro Partnership, the post and the city of Sierra Vista have to bring the Sierra Vista Subwatershed's water deficit into balance by 2011.
Not doing so could be a problem if the Department of Defense decides to hold another round of base closures.
Napolitano said there are many interconnected issues to help the state as it continues to grow and that is why having a Growth Cabinet - another of her proposals - of heads of state agencies to direct Arizona is important.
Many of the proposals "will strengthen Southern Arizona," the governor said.
It also helps that Southern Arizona has leaders in top positions in the Legislature, such as Senate President Tim Bee, R-District 30, and Minority Leader Sen. Marsha Arzberger, D-District 25.
The governor believes legislators have been given direction, both from state voters and nationally, to be bipartisan.
Even through her party did not gain control of the Legislature, the Democrats did cut into the Republican' majority, Napolitano said.
At the end of this year, Napolitano said she wants to be able to sit back knowing her water, growth, transportation and education priorities passed.
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