PHOENIX — Wednesday morning Governor Doug Ducey toured Arizona's Connected Workspace. It is a new state-of-the-art hub for the more than 15,000 state employees who work remotely. It offers them a place to hold meetings, huddle with colleagues and provide a workspace when their job requires them to come to the capitol. Ducey, who promised he would shrink government and grow businesses during his first state of the state address in 2014, said the Connected Workspace "exceeded my expectations."
After the tour Governor Ducey spoke about the Connected Workspace and other issues of the day.
Watch the video in the player above for Ducey's full responses.
Topic 1: Shrinking the size of the government - 2014 expectations and 2022 reality.
"The idea was to shrink a government and grow an economy. It was to have a government that was more effective and efficient and we could do it by not firing anyone."
"...We’ve done it all by cutting taxes every year and adding to the rainy day fund."
"This has exceeded my expectations. I have to give an incredible amount of credit to Director Andy Tobin and to other leaders in our agencies for taking a vision, an idea and bringing it to life. That is what you are seeing today"
Topic 2: Ducey's visit to Taiwan and South Korea and TSMC
"So not only did we meet with the leaders of Taiwan Semi Conductor, The President of Taiwan, but we met with the entire supply chain and distribution network. Many of them are going to be replicated here in Arizona. So, you are going to see a little city within a big city of some of the best possible jobs available at every skill level."
"There is always political uncertainty."
"And I think for governors and other elected leaders certainly at the federal level we’d like to see peace on all fronts so that is what we are promoting but others have a say in this as well."
Topic 3: Arizona's water future
"Arizona has made a historic investment in our water future. Nobody is better in the country than the state of Arizona [on] water. We use less water today than we did in 1957."
"The first thing I would point to is this investment of over a billion dollars into Arizona’s water future allows the state to acquire water."
"We have the Central Arizona Project. So, if we can bring more water to that project we will be the big brother to the lower basin states. And we will be able to actually help others with their water needs because we’ll have abundance."
Topic 4: 2022 race for governor, debates
"I was remembering back in 2014, I debated my opponents five times and in 2018 I debated my opponent twice. I believe it is part of the process. It's part of how a candidate presents themselves to voters."
"Debates are a part of it. It’s not the largest part but it’s been part of the process at least in the modern era."
