Katie Hobbs' job is to set the tone for Arizona government. So far, she has failed
- Oops!Something went wrong.Please try again later.
The festivities marking Katie Hobbs’ first week in office – from the private swearing-in on Monday to a public one on Thursday to a gubernatorial ball on Saturday – represent moments celebratory and ceremonial.
They also represent an opportunity for Hobbs to build transparency and public confidence from which to govern.
That’s not insignificant.
The Democratic governor won a narrow election following a campaign in which she avoided debates in the primary and general elections and provided generalities and bromides in place of policy. She faces a tall task in dealing with a Legislature that’s still controlled by Republicans – and likely, a more conservative and resolute group than previous years.
Hobbs will need a supportive public if she’s to successfully govern.
Hobbs is making all the wrong headlines
But she’s drawing all the wrong headlines during her first days in office. Instead of a media blitz for somebody who defeated a populist Republican rival, Hobbs is drawing a different kind of attention – questions over who’s paying for her inauguration bash.
The festivities should be a brief news story buried amid the excitement over a new administration, especially one that has promised to usher in a new era of government accountability. There’s nothing wrong with grand celebratory events, including the first ball since Republican Fife Symington took office in the 1990s.
The problem? The incoming administration has chosen to keep it all under wraps – to limit media access to this important moment of Arizona history and deny the public’s right to know who’s footing the bills.
The ball “is a private event not being paid for with public funds,” Hobbs’ press aide Murphy Hebert told the Arizona Capitol times.
The problem isn't the funds. It's the secrecy
That’s not good enough.
Private donors aren’t shelling out tons of money for the inauguration out of the goodness of their hearts. They’re buying access to the new administration.
Previous governors have tapped private dollars for their bash to avoid spending tax money for that purpose. Hobbs isn’t doing anything unique.
What to watch:As Katie Hobbs takes power
Democratic Gov. Janet Napolitano, for instance, raised some $150,000 while Hobbs’ predecessor, Republican Doug Ducey, also tapped private donors and sold off special seats, the Capitol Times notes.
The difference here is Hobbs’ secrecy, which doesn’t bode well because it hints at how she intends to govern for the next four years.
Livestreaming a glimpse isn't good enough
Hobbs was wrong to allow just one pool Associated Press photographer at Monday’s swearing-in for her, Attorney General Kris Mayes, Secretary of State Adrian Fontes, Treasurer Kimberly Yee, Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Horne and Mine Inspector Paul Marsh.
Why not allow journalists from other news outlets to witness and document this important moment?
The fact that it was livestreamed on Facebook isn’t good enough.
Hobbs shouldn’t expect Arizonans to merely turn to social media to catch a glimpse of what she’s doing. As a candidate, she pledged transparency and accountability, and she must begin by setting the example.
Another view:Hobbs outsmarted Lake, again, with private swearing-in
Disclosing financial details of inaugural events and letting reporters do their jobs is an important first step in setting the tone of a transparent administration and a willingness to work with everyone to benefit all Arizonans.
The best thing Hobbs can do now is to reverse this initial refusal to let Arizonans get a real glimpse of her incoming new government – from who’s funding an inaugural ball to more substantive and complex challenges facing Arizona.
Hobbs can't address key issues on her own
The governor has pledged to protect abortion rights, fund public education and bring equity and accountability to government. She can’t do any of that on her own.
Hobbs needs to build a broad coalition to show that she’s ready to work with everyone on behalf of all Arizonans – those who voted for her and those who did not.
It’s in her best interest to not be a media obstructionist, especially in today’s toxic political environment that threatens to keep poisoning our way of life.
Arizonans are hungry for a governor who can forge a united front to combat everything from housing affordability to border security to water shortages.
Hobbs has a unique opportunity to articulate the state’s values and set the example for how we should treat each other as individuals by treating us – Arizonans – as equal partners.
She needs everyone, which means she needs trust
Nothing matters more than trust. Hobbs is unnecessarily risking losing the trust Arizonans bestowed upon her on Nov. 8 just as her administration is getting off the ground.
There’s a lot of work to be done, including bringing accountability into the free-for-all voucher system that threatens to derail K-12 public education and dealing with a human catastrophe at the U.S.-Mexico border.
We must not be distracted over who’s paying for the inauguration, but that’s up to Hobbs.
The new governor holds the keys now. She’s been telling Arizonans what she wants to accomplish during her tenure. It’s now time for her to lead by example.
Abortion, inflation, school funding:The Gaggle looks at what's ahead for Arizona in 2023
This is an opinion of The Arizona Republic's editorial board.
This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Katie Hobbs' inauguration secrecy nixes the trust she needs to govern
