Late July Update

As the Republican Campaign for Governor heats up, as suspected, the top two Republication candidates, Christine Jones and Doug Ducey, continue to try to outdo each other in their run to the right on border security. Jones claims she going to “deploy 1,200 troops to the border, use technology to monitor who’s coming and going, finish the fence, and send Obama the bill”. So where are the troops coming from? Arizona has troops? Even if the National Guard were used, the state would foot the bill unless the Federal Government agreed to help.

Even Jones admits her plan will cost the state $270 million. Personally I’d triple that: I estimate building a secure, East Berlin like Wall would cost at least $500 million using the length of the border and per mile prices on a building project like two lanes of interstate for the length of the border. And 1,700 troops is about 1/3 of what would be needed, and that the deployment of 1,200 troops during Operation Phalanx (2010-2011) cost $11o million according to a blog posting by Stephen Lemons in the Phoenix New Times. So total on-going costs in the range of $400 million a year.

Ducey chides her for this, but has no counter plan, other than “using every resource at my commend”, including “fencing, satellites, guardsmen, more police and more prosecutors.” But without indication of what the cost would be or how he would pay for it. All this, while lowering taxes, according to his Web site, “with a goal of pushing income tax rates as close to zero as possible.”

It would be amusing if it weren’t so cynical and ultimately tragic for the state if either gets elected. But don’t count it: it’s likely that one of them will be the Republican candidate. And in Arizona, that’s more than half the battle.