Janet Napolitano

After three years on the job, Susan Gerard is resigning as director of the Arizona Department of Health Services. Gov. Janet Napolitano's office announced the decision today.

"I think this is the right time for me to move on," said Gerard in a statement. "I'd like to thank Governor Napolitano for giving me the opportunity to work at my dream job for the last three years."

Gerard served as a Republican state representative and senator from LD18 before being appointed to the DHS directorship in 2005 by Napolitano. At that post, Gerard spearheaded enforcement of the Smoke Free Arizona Act and was credited with increasing the agency's access and transparency.

The AP is reporting Governor Janet Napolitano has vetoed the revised late-term abortion bill after the legislature made changes to her previous vetoed bill.  One insider told Inside Edge they may consider trying to have the bill put before the voters.

John McCain just barely outpolls undecided voters in his home state.  Find out who joins McCain as a winner or loser this week in Arizona. 

The latest Cronkite-Eight poll shows John McCain leading Barack Obama in Arizona 38% to 28% with a whopping 34% undecided.  Most national polls have an undecided sample of about 10-15%.  With 34% undecided in McCain’s home state, Arizona may actually be in play. 

The poll also asked if Arizona state government shuts down because the governor and the state legislature cannot agree on the budget, who do you think is most responsible for the impasse – the governor or the state legislature?  52% said the legislature while only 19% said Governor Janet Napolitano. 

State Senate President Tim Bee: Campaign photoPHOENIX -- A day after Arizona House Speaker Jim Weiers (R-Phoenix) announced a proposal to resolve the roughly $2 billion budget shortfall the state faces in fiscal year 2008-2009, the state Senate has followed suit, rolling out its own plan to cover the gap. State Senate President Tim Bee (R-Tucson) and state Senate Minority Leader Marsha Arzberger (D-Willcox) appeared jointly at a capitol press conference to announce the Senate version, which Legislature Democrats and Gov. Janet Napolitano are likely to find more palatable.

"We believe this budget is reasonable, responsible and sustainable," said Bee at the press event announcing the breakthrough.

The Senate proposal calls for a $361 million in cuts to state agencies - $140 million less than what the House plan calls for. It also includes a K-12 rollover, in which payments to public schools are delayed by four weeks, which has the effect of pushing some payments into the next fiscal year. Coupled with reductions in building renewal, bonding for new school construction and $106 million in transfers out of the Highway Users Revenue Fund, the budget package totals $2.02 billion, which should make up the projected shortfall.

One week before the deadline set forth by the Arizona constitution, Arizona House Speaker Jim Weiers (R-Phoenix) announced that Republicans will be sending a budget package to committee on Wednesday. The announcement comes after months of wrangling between Democrats, led by Gov. Janet Napolitano, and the Republican-controlled Legislature over what adjustments would be needed to plug the nearly $2 billion gap the state government faces in the coming fiscal year.

The proposal includes over $500 million in lump sum state agency reductions and $500 million for new schools to be procured through bonding. The remaining $1 billion or so would be made up through delaying some building repairs and shifting funds from elsewhere into the general fund.

Weiers said the budget proposal represents "exactly what the state of Arizona is looking for," saying the plan works without burdening "future generations" of Arizonans.

Despite recent reports of doom and gloom in regards to the budget being passed and signed in time for the July 1st deadline, insiders are confident a deal will be in place. Inside Edge has noticed that almost all of the reports over the last week have been about the breakdowns so we decided to reach out to some of the insiders. Despite those breakdowns insiders feel good about the process as a whole and believe an agreement will be reached in which Governor Janet Napolitano will sign. After talking to a staff member from both sides of the isle and a house member on background, all sides seem confident it will come together.

A debate is brewing around the country over the future of the new federal government plan for Real ID.  Democrats and Republicans around the country are concerned the Real ID program is opening the door and moving towards a national ID program.  Arizona has now joined the growing list of states that have rejected the Real ID program.

A late-term abortion bill, which Governor Janet Napolitano had earlier vetoed, was resurrected in the senate today.  The measure has been changed to allow a doctor to request a hearing if the procedure is needed to save the life of the mother, which was a concern for Napolitano.  The bill now heads to the house.