Phoenix, Arizona - Governor Doug Ducey this year continued to be a leading voice on the issues that mattered most to Arizonans: the economy, public health, border security, tax reform and targeted investments for our collective future.
In local and national publications, the Governor shared his thinking on public policies that directly impact people’s lives and livelihoods. On six different occasions over in 2021, he reached out to the readers of newspapers like The Wall Street Journal and Arizona Republic. Excerpts from each of these guest opinions are below.
The Wall Street Journal: Biden Wins Arizona, Then Turns on It
November 11, 2021
For more than two decades national Democrats spent big trying to replicate Bill Clinton’s 1996 Arizona win. After succeeding in 2020, you’d think President Biden would be working overtime to keep the state in the blue column. But less than a year into his administration, his record shows the opposite. If anything, Mr. Biden has inexplicably gone out of his way to antagonize, alienate and frustrate us here in the Grand Canyon State.
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If you want to know why the president’s poll numbers are tanking, look at Arizona. We’re a case study in how active hostility from the Washington ruling class is alienating real people. Unless this changes, you can take Arizona out of the Democratic column in 2024.
The Phoenix Business Journal: Our View: Arizona taxpayers need much-deserved relief
June 23, 2021
President Ronald Reagan once said, ‘You can’t be for big government, big taxes, and big bureaucracy and still be for the little guy.’
Well, in Arizona, we are fighting for the little guy. We’re reducing the size of government, slashing regulations and cutting taxes.
The pandemic left no one in America untouched, but today, Arizona is open for business and our economy is thriving.
During the pandemic, many Americans from ultra-liberal states that embraced lockdowns relocated to Arizona so their kids could still go to school in person and their small businesses could survive. Hundreds of companies are moving or expanding here. And when these companies relocate to Arizona, they’re bringing high-paying jobs.
“There’s a reason that Arizona has become a beacon of economic prosperity. People and companies are tired of burdensome overregulation and high taxes, and they’re moving their operations to a place that embraces free enterprise.”
The Washington Post: Arizona and Texas governors: The border crisis in our states was created by the Biden administration
April 14, 2021
The Biden administration recently made an astonishingly out-of-touch statement: “The border is secure.”
The president himself needs to take a trip to our states.
Unlike President Biden, we’ve both been to the U.S. border in our respective states, Texas and Arizona, and the situation is much different from what Washington politicians and bureaucrats are telling Americans.
The U.S. Border Patrol is overwhelmed. Local law enforcement and mayors are calling out for help. Citizens in border communities are concerned for their safety. And nonprofits, left to pick up the pieces of a broken federal policy, are strained.
The Orange County Register: Leaving California? Don’t forget why
March 8, 2021
For generations of Americans, California represented the American dream with its majestic landscape and coastal views. It’s the state that brought us Hollywood, the Beach Boys, Disneyland and Ronald Reagan.
Today, we see something very different coming out of California. Largely, policies that are crushing small businesses and families, and pushing people and jobs out of the state at a record rate. The pandemic has made things worse, but the Golden State’s luster wore off some time ago.
In my second State of the State address here in the Grand Canyon State, I thanked my partner in growing Arizona’s economy: California Gov. Jerry Brown. It was in jest, but still, based on the facts.
We see them all the time in our state. Californians who have had enough.
Enough of the burdensome policies that are driving businesses away.
Enough of the skyrocketing costs that have put the American dream out of reach for far too many.
Enough of the silly, politically correct obsessions from elected leaders who should be focused on more important things.
It doesn’t have to be this way. There are states that work to keep costs low on people and businesses. States that don’t believe government is the answer to every problem. States that embrace new ideas while respecting our history. I should know. Arizona is one of them.
Arizona Republic: These targeted investments will help Arizona emerge from the pandemic even stronger
January 25, 2021
I’m calling for an investment of nearly $400 million immediately to help catch Arizona kids up. On top of this, we aim to increase our overall investment in K-12 education by an additional $250 million for the coming year.
We’re using every tool available to close the achievement gap in our schools: high-impact learning tools like tutoring, summer school and one-one-one instruction. In total, we’re putting $389 million behind these efforts to prevent any additional loss in learning.
And for our most vulnerable students who need extra support, we’re providing an additional $4 million to scale our most innovative learning programs.
The Hill: DC should look to states and governors for path forward
January 20, 2021
In Arizona, our citizens are essentially evenly divided between registered Republicans, Democrats and independents, and that reality shapes our approach to public policy. There are extremes at both ends of the spectrum, to be sure. But our willingness to cross the aisle for the greater good has enabled us to achieve once-in-a-generation water conservation reform, American civics as a requirement to graduate from high school and the nation’s first universal recognition of occupational licensing. Our aggressive action against the opioid epidemic received the support of every single member of our Legislature, Republicans and Democrats.
This wasn’t window dressing — it was real policy. When’s the last time that happened in Washington, D.C.? In fact, more than 90 percent of all legislation I’ve signed as governor has passed with bipartisan support.