GOVERNOR CANDIDATES DIFFER WIDELY

The two leading candidates for governor oppose a drug initiative that would
have highway cops handing out medical marijuana.

That's pretty much where the agreement ends between Republican Matt Salmon
and Democrat Janet Napolitano.

And with early voting scheduled to begin Thursday, Arizonans will be
hearing a lot about their differences as the candidates rev up their
advertising.

Salmon touts himself as a Reagan Republican, while Janet Napolitano is a
centrist Democrat. Former President Clinton appointed Napolitano as
Arizona's U.S. attorney, while Salmon, as a congressman, voted to impeach
Clinton after the Monica Lewinsky scandal. Salmon is anti- abortion, and
Napolitano is pro-choice.

The stark contrast is steering the debate as it heads to the Nov. 5 vote.
But the battleground hasn't been abortion, it has been taxes and spending.

Each politician is trying to convince voters that they have the best plan
to fix Arizona's projected $1 billion budget deficit, which has the state
in a financial mess.

The timing of the budget battle is crucial. Because early ballots will
account for nearly half the entire vote, the state parties' TV ads are
launching verbal grenades at the candidates.

The Democrats' ad attacked Salmon's voting record on health care and
prescription drugs. Not to be outdone, the state GOP fired back with a
television spot hitting Napolitano for being a tax-and-spend liberal.

Attorney General Napolitano took the first swing at the fiscal crisis,
releasing a 15-page plan that calls for mix of budget cuts, intense
lobbying for federal relief, and new revenues in the form of closed
corporate tax loopholes and taxes on services like massage, telemarketing
and hotel shampoos.

Napolitano also released an economic-development plan to make higher
education more accessible to working people, nurse start-up businesses into
prosperity and eventually lower some corporate taxes. She said Salmon has
no concrete ideas on the state's fiscal situation, just vague Reagan-era
promises to cut taxes, balance the budget and personally attract 500,000
high-paying jobs.

"The next governor of this state is going to inherit a mess and is going to
have to hit the ground running," Napolitano said. "And you can't do that by
simply saying you are going to cut taxes and increase money for education."

Salmon mocked Napolitano's proposal as "a plan for a plan."

"For her to go out and brag about this is kind of comical," Salmon told The
Arizona Republic. "I can have my daughter scribble crayon on the paper,
too, and then we'll have something equally impressive as what Janet has
done. Janet has a one-track mind; it's called gouge the taxpayers."

Another gubernatorial candidate, Independent Richard Mahoney, has unveiled
the most specific budget-balancing plan.

He outlines $333 million in actual savings, including the elimination of
the Tourism Office and Commerce Department. Mahoney also said he'll take a
10 percent pay cut as governor and sell the state plane. A former secretary
of state, Mahoney said Napolitano and Salmon "have to get real."

"Janet likes to study and deliberate over things, but there isn't time for
that," Mahoney said. "Matt's insight is if I mention the platitude in an
Orwellian way about no taxes at least 17,000 more times, then I will be
elected. And I'll deal with the budget when I get there.

"Matt is faking it, and Janet is sugarcoating it. They are dodging the issue."

The Libertarian candidate for governor, Barry Hess, whose party opposes
income taxes, says on his Web site: "I intend to start with an extreme
audit of our entire state government to identify and eliminate waste,
corruption and redundancy. My goal is to cut 35 percent off of the current
budget without sacrificing vital services."

In an interview, Hess said he is still putting together a budget plan, and
that offices of Tourism, Commerce, Indian Affairs and Excellence in
Government should be closed.

Hess said he also favors a gradual end to all state education funding,
which consumes nearly two-thirds of the budget, to be replaced by private
schools.

Salmon said he will release a detailed budget plan this week that also
includes long-term changes to Arizona's fiscal policies. He said Napolitano
has identified only $13.8 million in specific cuts.

He also criticized Napolitano's use of a citizen committee that's charged
with finding an additional $300 million in spending cuts. Salmon and the
Arizona Republican Party couldn't contain their glee when Napolitano said
that she would "look at everything" when asked about raising income taxes.

"Janet will raise taxes; I won't," Salmon said. "That's the most important
thing."

Napolitano says Salmon is living in a dream world. She said the state's
expected $1 billion deficit cannot be erased, and vital government services
spared, without closing corporate tax loopholes and taxing some services
like telemarketing, massage parlors and hotel toiletries.

"Here's a word for Matt, when you assume the office of governor, they don't
give you a magic wand," Napolitano said. "You've got to have a plan, and
you've got to have a way to get it there."