Burns' Gambit: Inside Senate President's Strategy in Arizona

Summary

---

Lawmakers and legislative staff members say there are two distinct sides to Bob Burns: The ideological Burns shows up in January, and the pragmatist Burns usually winds down the session.

That was the case this year on at least two fronts. Burns began the session by proclaiming repeatedly that he was firmly opposed to any measure that would raise taxes and that he planned to use his power as Senate president to stop all attempts to do so.

See the full content of this document

Extract

---

Burns' Gambit: Inside Senate President's Strategy in Arizona

After Gov. Jan Brewer told the Legislature she will seek a tax increase to generate $1 billion in revenue, Burns said he was going to oppose things he disagreed with.

"I may have to use some of the tools that I have available to make my point. That's just part of this process," he said then.

Indeed, Burns loaded a key budget committee last year with some of Arizona's most fiscally conservative senators. He wanted people that he believed would do something about what conservatives regard as overspending on the committee.

But in the end, Burns was caught in his own strategic web after making concessions to Gov. Jan Brewer on legislation that aimed to allow voters to decide whether to increase the state sales tax by 1 cent. The proposal was so unpopular among his colleagues that Burns turned out to be the lon...

See the full content of this document

---