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A.G. candidates offer similar priority lists
LOU HIRSH
Managing Editor
Though they may rank them differently, the two candidates for Arizona attorney general have similar sets of priorities.
Responding to a Jewish News questionnaire sent to the candidates, Republican Tom McGovern said a top priority in office would be reducing the time it takes to carry out sentences in death-penalty cases "from an average of 15 years to five, which ought to be plenty of time to ensure that condemned killers were given a fair trial."
McGovern also cited child-protection cases as a top matter. "I have pledged to pilot a new way of handling child-abuse and neglect cases, in which the attorney general will represent the child rather than the state Department of Economic Security."
Democrat Janet Napolitano said her top priority would be children's issues, particularly child abuse. "I will reassign lawyers within the office for this purpose, so that we can 'fast-track' child-abuse cases to remove children from abusive homes and seek felony convictions for those who commit crimes against children." Napolitano said the child-abuse problem "links directly to the explosion of juvenile crime, and we must break that cycle of violence" by getting tough on first-time offenders, among other measures.
Following are excerpts from the candidates' responses on other issues:
Question: What can the Attorney General's Office do to improve services to women and children who are victims of abuse?
McGovern: The attorney general has a critical role to play in protecting the innocent and the vulnerable in our community. Abusers and stalkers must know that the full weight of the law and its punishments will be brought against them in Arizona. I will get that message out as attorney general.
Napolitano: Last summer, along with Sen. Elaine Richardson (D-Tucson), I unveiled a detailed plan to fight domestic violence by (1) creating a 24-hour-per-day, seven-day-per-week telephone hotline - (800) DONT HIT - that will provide crisis intervention, counseling and referrals to emergency services; (2) working for legislation that will allow prosecutors to file an added felony charge of child abuse (allowing prosecutors to seek an enhanced sentence upon conviction) if someone commits an act of domestic violence in the presence of a child; (3) making domestic violence offenders pay the cost of building more shelters; (4)seeking legislation raising criminal fines for domestic violence; and (5) earmarking these funds for building and maintaining shelters.
Question: In light of the recent killing of a gay man in Wyoming, alleged to be a hate crime, is Arizona's law sufficient to deal with such matters? Is federal legislation necessary?
McGovern: If that crime occurred here, it would be a death-penalty case under our laws, as I believe it should be. In addition, Arizona last year enacted hate-crimes legislation, which allows judges to aggravate sentences of those who commit crimes out of bigoted animus toward an identifiable group of people.
Napolitano: There are a number of existing Arizona statutes which an experienced prosecutor could use to address a situation like the one that took place in Wyoming. Federal legislation, while not essential, could be helpful.
Question: What can the attorney general do to improve consumer protections, especially in dealing with utilities and other public-service companies.
McGovern: Consumer protection has been put on the map by the Attorney General's Office, which I served before resigning to run for the top job. I will build on that record. Public utilities are of particular importance in the years ahead because of the evolution toward competition and away from rate-of-return regulation. As this evolution continues, it will be important for consumers to get straight information about the real impacts, positive or negative, they can expect on their billing rates and their service levels.
Napolitano: My plan requires that all customer utility changes be authorized with forms in plain, understandable language, that verbal authorization be followed up with written confirmation, (giving) consumers who agree verbally to change up to 14 days to reverse that. It guarantees that utility bills clearly outline all charges and include the name and telephone number of a regulator who can be contacted when there is a billing dispute. My plan will subject utilities to triple damages when unauthorized charges are assessed.
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