Tom Jenney

The Maricopa County Board of Supervisors is getting heat from two figures who traditionally line up on different sides: tax reform advocate Tom Jenney and supervisor candidate Ed Hermes.

As county supervisors met to finalize a budget for the 2008-2009 fiscal year, Hermes, a Democrat running to replace Supervisor Fulton Brock in District 1, slammed the board for overspending, and Jenney railed against a proposed increase in the tax levy.

Hermes took the Board to task for what he called "irresponsible spending," saying that money for county employees to visit China and Honduras, and for "giant billboards to promote politicians" are a waste of county assets. He further took issue with a pay increase of $5,626 per year the supervisors voted themselves. 

Gov. Janet Napolitano: Getty Images PhotoSince the story broke last week of Gov. Janet Napolitano's deal with the Home Builders Association of Central Arizona, there's been a massive outcry from Napolitano's critics.

Opponents charge that the agreement -- where the homebuilders would pledge support and $100,000 for a ballot initiative that would raise the sales tax by one cent, while they would get let off the hook for paying part of a proposed $42 billion transportation plan -- is tantamount to "extortion" and represents a "scandal."

Today, on KJZZ, Napolitano refuted such claims, and said the sales tax represents the "simplest and best" option for the state. She dismissed the notion that the deal was unethical and chose instead to address the upside of moving the initiative forward.

Tom JenneyThough Governor Janet Napolitano's veto of the property tax elimination yesterday saw great remonstrations from the Republicans, Tom Jenney, head of Arizona's chapter of Americans for Prosperity and perhaps the leader on the issue of lowering taxes in the state, doesn't see the veto as the end of the road in doing away with the $250 million tax. In fact, Jenney is hopeful that a lot of reforms can get passed this year to ease the burden on taxpayers.

Governor now holds the power to decide whether to the $250 million tax will be permanently eliminated or reinstated this January.