Thread: AZ Governor Prioritizes:Economy Trumps Illegals

November 14, 2008 - 6:45PM

Governor prioritizes: Economy trumps illegals
Howard Fischer, Capitol Media Services


Gov. Janet Napolitano is not counting on a new president to finally pay the bills she has been sending to Washington for years to cover Arizona's cost of imprisoning illegal immigrants. At least not immediately.

Napolitano said she's going to continue to push for the federal government to pay money she believes Arizona is owed. But she said that has to take a back seat to the most pressing issue: the economy.

"I think we all have to agree that getting people back to work and getting this economy rolling again, getting construction projects moving, getting deals being done, getting jobs being created, that's got to be his top priority," she said. "And that's important for Arizona, too."

But Napolitano said she eventually expects the new president - and the new Congress - to honor its commitments.

A federal law, the State Criminal Alien Assistance Program, requires the U.S. Department of Justice to reimburse states for the cost of incarcerating people in this country illegally who have been convicted of violating state laws. If there is no contract, the law says the U.S. government will "take the undocumented criminal aliens into custody."

Neither has happened.

In the meantime, Napolitano continues to send bills to the federal government on a regular basis. And the latest one to U.S. Attorney General Michael Mukasey is now approaching $501.3 million for costs Napolitano said go back to 2003.

The bills are currently accumulating at the rate of about $10.2 million a month.

That is based on the state's contention that the cost of the average inmate runs $58.21 a day. And there are more than 5,600 inmates who are here illegally - more than 14 percent of the approximately 39,000 people behind bars in state prisons.

Napolitano has said repeatedly that much of the state's current $1.2 billion deficit could be solved if the government made good on its debt. And she said Friday that the failure of the feds to pay up is particularly unfair now, given Arizona's budget crunch.

"We are subsidizing the federal government where immigration is concerned," she said.

http://www.eastvalleytribune.com/story/130484

If you vote in cow dung into office then you get what you pay for Arizona.

If would suggest a majority of your state wake up to the political corruptness in your state

Dont Worry, Florida is starting to see the light

Originally Posted by AirborneSapper7

If you vote in cow dung into office then you get what you pay for Arizona.

If would suggest a majority of your state wake up to the political corruptness in your state

Dont Worry, Florida is starting to see the light

We have been trying.

Originally Posted by LuvMyCountry

Originally Posted by AirborneSapper7

If you vote in cow dung into office then you get what you pay for Arizona.

If would suggest a majority of your state wake up to the political corruptness in your state

Dont Worry, Florida is starting to see the light

We have been trying.

The War and Illegals = Much of The Economy!!
CA would have a balanced budget if they didn't have an open arms policy on illegals..

Gee, why isn't she putting pressure on her boy McCain to help get these bills paid?

Gov. Janet Napolitano is not counting on a new president to finally pay the bills she has been sending to Washington for years to cover Arizona's cost of imprisoning illegal immigrants. At least not immediately.

So, why not determine the country of origin for each illegal alien imprisoned and sue that country for the cost of incarceration? It might not get any money out of the countries in question, but it ought to make headlines and prompt the Feds into paying up. Moreover, when the total costs are compiled (think of California, Texas and New Mexico jumping on board, not to mention non-border states like Georgia, Colorado, etc.) and publicized, maybe the US government and the US people might get a clearer idea of just what the costs of illegal immigration truly are.

These Govenors should be all over the United States Congress and the President Elect with this message, the cost to the taxpayers and jobs lost for Americans!

It should have been bought up at the G20 meeting. America should have reminded Mexico, China, and many other nations, that illegal immigration is costing America billions upon billions of dollars, and each country is responsible for picking up the tab for their citizens that are in our jails because of crimes. And that is one of the reasons our economy is so screwed up.

After the bailout money is all gone, there isn't going to be squat left for the states and cities to be at least reimbursed for the expenses that
ILLEGAL ALIENS are causing city and state governments.

Do you hear me now, Judge?

Originally Posted by SOSADFORUS

These Govenors should be all over the United States Congress and the President Elect with this message, the cost to the taxpayers and jobs lost for Americans!

What was Palins position on illegals? I see that they are being deported out of Alaska at a pretty good rate now..

Al the governors need to work on attrition together and brain storm some ideas.
Of course their vote comes down to money for their state and not the effects it has on us Americans..