Arizona State Treasurer Dean Martin said Thursday, Oct. 1, he is seriously considering running for governor in the 2010 election.
“I’m running in 2010. There’s no question about that,” Martin said. He will run for either reelection at his current post or governor of Arizona.
Martin spoke at the Republican Men’s club meeting Oct. 1 and they wanted to know if he plans to try his luck for governor on
the ballot.
“I’m convinced there needs to be a change,” Martin said, but he’s less concerned with who does it than he is with something being done.
He told the group he can’t make an official statement until Jan. 1. If he declares his candidacy prior to the election year he would be forced to resign from the treasurer position.
If Martin were governor now, he said he would handle the state’s economic situation differently than Gov. Janet Brewer.
First, he said he’d bring spending levels back to where they were before the housing bubble burst. He would call an immediate special session and readopt the state’s fiscal year 2005-06 budget.
His office is currently running on 75 percent of its FY 1991-92 budget, according to Martin. Other state departments should be able to cut back to FY 2005-06 levels.
“You just don’t spend more than you make,” Martin said.
Mandatory rainy day funds for every department would become a ballot measure if Martin where governor. State departments need to be encouraged to save their surplus rather than spend it but the money needs to be voter protected. A state statute wouldn’t protect savings from being raided.
Establishing separate funds for each department would make it possible to determine if a department can afford its current programs before adding new ones, Martin said.
Lastly, if Martin were governor, he said he’d lower commercial property tax to attract more businesses to Arizona. Businesses are moving to Utah and Texas and skipping right over Arizona.
Ultimately, the governor and Legislature need to clean up the mess, not the taxpayers.
“Why should you have to pay for their mistakes?” Martin asked.
However, all Martin can do is advise at this point.
“I’m like the dealer at the poker game,” Martin said, “but I don’t get to play the game.”
