Tim Bee

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PHOENIX — When Tim Bee was elected president of the state Senate by fellow Republicans late last year, everyone was quick to talk about how mild-mannered he was.

Civil, friendly — those words came up, too, in a way to suggest that the Tucson Republican would steer the ship but not necessarily change the course of the Legislature.

Then came the splash.

Within weeks, Bee fired senior staff members in the Senate, saying that with decades of experience, they were more in control than term-limited legislators.

Promising to give Southern Arizona a stronger voice, the former small- business owner shook up committees to reflect the complexity of the state.

Next was the tidal wave. Bee invited Democrats, a long-ignored minority, to negotiate the state budget directly, bucking the conventional route.

That brought suspicion from both sides, but responding to the reality that Democrats had gained numbers in both chambers — and that Gov. Janet Napolitano had veto power — Bee ultimately outsmarted GOP leaders in the House.

The product is a budget short on state spending — and to the dismay of some in his party, slim on new tax cuts.

As the 2007 legislative session ended last week, Bee sat down to talk about that:

A. Members of the Republican caucus made it clear to leadership they did not want to go through the process of having multiple budget efforts. They just wanted us to work on one budget and get it done. And historically, we've passed a budget, Republicans get their priorities in, the governor vetoes it … then you sit down and negotiate with the Democrats and governor and the price of the budget goes up. So our goal was to try and work together from the very beginning and not wait until the end. And I believe that ultimately it did result in a lower budget.

A: We could have done more in the area of tax cuts, or perhaps more in the area of school choice. But there's always things about a budget that everyone loves or hates. And it's a process of compromise, and overall I think the broad support demonstrated people were happy with it.

A: I certainly haven't had a sense of that from Southern Arizona or the members of the Senate. The budget was designed and supported by our most conservative members. I think that what we have created is a model of cooperation. I think the public has been tired of the lack of accomplishments we've had over the years because of the bickering. I think there will be tremendous pressure on the House to operate in a similar fashion. And I think that speaks to the success of our process.

A. I haven't had the opportunity to review it in great detail. I know there are a lot of discussions out there about it. … They were probably trying to wage a comprehensive proposal. They should have begun with just a measure to secure the border first. And then once the border is secure, start to deal with some of these other issues. Sometimes you have to take things in steps.

A: Growth. Immigration is one of our biggest issues, but we're having to deal with infrastructure for roads, schools. The impacts on water, the environment. We're the fastest-growing state in the nation, so we're experiencing the pains of growing very fast.

A: I'm a true believer in the Legislature and our role in the process. We're the branch of government that is closest to the people of this state, and we've seen a deterioration of our influence over the years. It's been one of my goals to restore some dignity and civility to the process.

A: No. Occasionally. But my time here at the Senate everyday is very consuming. Normally when I'm away and have time, if I'm riding in my car, I'll put music in instead.

A: I like public service. I like the opportunity to work with people. My family has been in Arizona for three generations. I love Arizona. I want my kids to grow up here. I want them to have good schools. I want them to be able to get high-paying jobs. I want us to have a vibrant, healthy state. To be able to be part of creating the future for our state is a very exciting thing.

A: We all have our own faith, whether it's one religion or another, it's part of who you are and what you bring to the table. Personally, I'm a person of strong faith. I try to employ those principles as I work with others.