Governor Jan Brewer

Janice K. Brewer took the oath of office as Governor of Arizona on January 21, 2009. Governor Brewer took control of a State budget crisis deemed the nations worst, as well as an economy bleeding jobs by the tens of thousands. She vowed to bring Arizona back from the brink. Conservative leadership, free-market principles and a willingness to make tough decisions. First, Governor Brewer and the Arizona Legislature shrank government to a size the State could afford. Governor Brewer also has been a consistent voice for the rights of states as part of her support for new federalism. This was perhaps best illustrated by her signing of SB 1070, a measure intended to give law enforcement more tools with which to combat illegal immigration. She also recruited some of Arizonas top business leaders to participate in the new Arizona Commerce Authority. She has also kept State regulations lean and worked with legislators to trim taxes and incentivize the creation of quality jobs, helping Arizona stand out in the worldwide competition for capital investment and corporate relocation. Under her leadership, Arizona now ranks #1 nationally for entrepreneurs, according to the Kauffman Index, and CEO Magazine said Arizona is among the Top 10 states in which to do business. Financially, the State budget went from a $3 billion shortfall to an $800 million surplus in just four years.