I hope that Lattie Coor will excuse me for borrowing the title of a superb study recently done by his civic group, the “Center for the Future of Arizona”.  The greatest asset that we have in this state is the spirit of its citizens.  It is a great pride that groups such as the above, the Morrison Institute for Public Policy in Arizona, the O’Connor House Project with retired Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O’Connor among several others have risen to the occasion and offered logical forward-thinking plans to resurrect the State of Arizona.  These civic contributions are motivated by civic responsibility for the betterment of the state and not by self-serving interest.  These contributions are the models of civic involvement that all citizens should honor and emulate. 

With the frameworks provided by our homegrown citizen groups, the course of State government would seem to be quite clear.  However, thus far, these groups appear to sitting on the bench watching as players on the field flounder with inaction.  Meanwhile, the fans have lost confidence in the first string.  Quoting the Arizona Republic, “When Arizonans look at their elected leaders, they see people with priorities far different from their own.”

The Center for the Future of Arizona recently commissioned the Gallup group to conduct a survey of what the citizens want in this State.  Overwhelming, the responses indicated the desire for the scenic beauty and other lifestyle qualities that brought many of us here in the first place.  We also want a diverse economy and high-quality education.  We are indeed a precious group that knows what it wants.