Mission Statement

Governing Arizona was a nonpartisan project of The Communications Institute supported of the Thomas R. Brown Foundations through the Economics and Public Policy Project. The research studies and educational materials from the project continue to be a resource for policy makers, media, and others interested in state governance. The principles learned through Governing Arizona are applicable to other governmental organizations. The formal project ended in 2010 following the Brown Foundation's decision to end its focus on public policy. The foundation funded TCI for five years. The project was designed to promote solid, objective answers to the critical issues facing the state and its citizens.

The Communications Institute is continuing its work in Arizona and will release an updated 2011 energy study. This objective, non-partisan project focused on the Arizona fiscal and tax system and will provide leaders in all sectors and the public with objective analysis on how state can best confront the critical issues and needs of the state in these difficult economic times.

The first goal of Governing Arizona was to provide solid analysis of Arizona’s fiscal condition to leaders in the public and private sectors, and put it in context with the situations in other states and the nation. A second goal was to educate a larger public through a variety of allied organizations serving state and individual communities. Enlisting the active involvement of the news media broaden the educational outreach beyond public officials themselves.

Governing Arizona was a nonpartisan project based upon previous work of the sponsors which involved the input and sponsorship of leaders from both parties including members of the State Legislature, the Governor’s Office, and the Arizona Corporation Commission.

The project included objective assessments of the spending and services provided by governments at the state and local levels, and the operation of the current tax system, primarily using previously-published previous research. Both the research and the programs will review alternative methods of financing including a business oriented “Return-On-Investment” (ROI) strategy where new revenue (taxes or fees) paid by the public are tied directly to benefits. The goal of the project is not to present a partisan point of view but to provide an educational service that would better serve the interests of Arizona’s citizens.


Research and Scholars - The Governing Arizona project was a natural extension of previous work done by TRBF and TCI. In the last three years, TRBF and TCI have conducted programs and research projects on immigration, sustainable growth, energy, and the economy. These programs utilized respected scholars and research from the following institutions:

• Arizona State University
• Brookings Institution
• Harvard University
• Heritage Foundation
• Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory
• Migration Policy Institute
• National Energy Technology Laboratory
• Pennsylvania State University
• Public Policy institute of California
• RAND Corporation
• Sandia National Laboratories
• United States Department of Energy
• University of Arizona
• University of California
• University of Pennsylvania
• University of Southern California

Partners – The programs have been cosponsored by:

• Arizona Capitol Times
• Arizona Daily Star
• Arizona Humanities Council
• Arizona Newspapers Association
• Arizona Republic
• Arizona State University
• Arizona Town Hall
• County Supervisors Association of Arizona
• League of Arizona Cities and Towns
• Southern Arizona Leadership Council
• University of Arizona

Governing Arizona programs would include many of the aforementioned academic/research institutions, as well as Arizona-based associations and news organizations.

Program Content

• Arizona in a National Context - Arizona's problems are not unique and are being experienced by other states as well. Additionally, decisions at the federal level have a direct impact on the state.
• Arizona's Fiscal Issues - Background on Arizona’s current fiscal condition focusing on spending, revenue, structural issues, and perspectives on needed change in current voter initiatives.
• Arizona’s Long-Term Outlook - Arizona is going to again grow economically. What does the future look like and how can the state prepare now for its future?

Educational Programs

• Conferences – Regional or statewide – intended for larger audiences.
• Presentations – Provided for other statewide organizations such as SALC or local Chambers of Commerce.
• Forums – Involving smaller groups of state and local government leaders as well as leaders from the public and private sectors to interactively discuss key issues in the state.
• Journalism Education – Working with our media partners, TCI would also conduct educational programs for Arizona journalists.
• Online Resources – A new website www.governingarizona.org provides ready access to project-related research and resources. The online portion of the project will include Governing Arizona Facebook and Twitter sites.