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PHOENIX — Incoming Gov. Jan Brewer said Friday that raising taxes is an option to pull the state out of a $1.2 billion budget shortfall this year, as well as an even larger one predicted for next year.

The statement is a stark contrast to current Gov. Janet Napolitano's continued pledge not to raise taxes to balance the state budget.

And Brewer may have ample opportunity to invoke a tax boost, as Republican legislative leaders announced Friday they will not participate in a special session that would have given Napolitano one last turn at fixing the budget. See related story, Page B2.

Brewer, who has been cast by Democrats over the past few weeks as a conservative ideologue, said frequently during a Friday press conference she's willing to work across the partisan divide and consider all ideas for righting the state's economy.

Brewer, currently secretary of state and who is set to take over when Napolitano is confirmed as U.S. secretary of Homeland Security, criticized Napolitano's handling of the economic downturn, without actually identifying the outgoing governor by name.

"We ran headlong into this downturn, like so many other governments around the country, without prudence or caution," the Republican said in prepared remarks, criticizing increased government spending.

Brewer, though, painted an optimistic picture, saying she was prepared to "work hard" to "right the ship."

Asked later how the shortfall can be fixed without a tax increase, Brewer answered, "Raising taxes, of course, is an option."

"I don't know what that is going to take; I hope we can manage a lot of different ideas and plans," she said.

Later she clarified, saying, "I don't sit in the Legislature. I don't know what the answers are. I certainly don't have a record of being a taxer. That's not something I would like to happen in the state of Arizona. But at this point in time, I am not putting anything on the table or off the table."

Napolitano, a Democrat, has repeatedly said raising taxes is not an option. The governor did, however, veto a bill this year that would have permanently repealed the state property tax.

Republicans have argued such action is the same as a tax increase because a temporary repeal of the property tax is otherwise set to expire. Brewer has not taken a position on that issue.

Brewer said her comments did not mean there would be a tax increase, just that she's not yet prepared to say how the budget deficit will be solved. Brewer noted that she has not had access to the same information as Napolitano.

"She probably has a lot more on-hands information at her disposal," Brewer said. "She's been there for a while. I'm kind of the new kid on the block, and I'm not saying 'yes' and I'm not saying 'no.' I'm saying I want all the information."

Brewer also named both Republican and Democratic leaders of the incoming Legislature, saying she intends to work with both parties.

"There was too much bickering," Brewer said of previous legislative sessions.

"We have reached that line in time now where we're all going to have a come together and work together," Brewer said. "I will will reach out to both sides of the aisle and hope that we don't have that kind of fallout that we have seen in the past."

State Rep. Phil Lopes, a Tucson Democrat, has previously entertained the idea of a tax increase, which would take a two-thirds vote in the Legislature. With Republican control, that's been politically unfeasible.

Lopes said he wasn't sure what to make of Brewer's comments.

"I'll wait and see," he said. "She could mean any number of things. But what she may not realize is some 35 or 40 Republicans in the Legislature have signed a no-tax-increase pledge. I'll wait and see what she's talking about."

Brewer also introduced three key members of her transition team: J. Charles Coughlin, Jay Heiler and Douglas Cole. All worked in former Gov. Fife Symington's administration.