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Arizona lawmakers were polite and dismissive of Gov. Janet Napolitano at Monday's opening of the state's 49th Legislature.

The Republican leadership referred to Napolitano's State of the State speech as a curiosity and listed it has a "Farewell Address" on the House's opening day ceremony agenda. Republicans seldom applauded during her speech.

Trivializing the governor's ideas is unfortunate and does not serve the people of Arizona.

Even though Napolitano is expected to be confirmed as U.S. secretary of Homeland Security, resign her post and hand the reins to Secretary of State Jan Brewer, many of her views are embraced by a significant chunk of Arizona's population and are worthy of consideration.

Opening day of the Legislature is packed with formality and tradition — the swearing-in of legislators wearing red carnation boutonnières; officially electing the leadership; introducing family and friends on the floor and in the gallery for the ceremony.

The governor is required to report the condition of the state to the Legislature and submit a proposed operating budget with specific dollar-amounts requests.

But Republicans were glib.

"It was important that she have an opportunity to give a farewell address," said House Speaker Kirk Adams, R-Mesa, "Is it relevant to the upcoming session? No."

Napolitano plans to submit a budget this week, which we expect will be equally embraced by the Republicans and immediately dropped into the trash can without serious consideration.

The state's looming $1.5 billion budget shortfall is without question the Legislature's top priority. As many Republicans are powering up their chainsaws to hack away at the budget, we believe every option for the future of our state and balancing the budget must be on the table. With six years of experience, Napolitano's viewpoints have value.

Yet Republicans appear to be biding their time until a Republican is in the executive office.

Rep. David Gowan of Tucson, a Republican who is new to the Legislature from District 30, told us Monday he'd rather hear from "who's going to be governor" so that the state and Legislature can move in the direction that Brewer will put forth.

Brewer, who attended only Napolitano's speech and was whisked into and out of the chamber, gave no analysis of the speech. To her credit, Brewer has not issued sweeping policy statements.

In her speech, Napolitano said she and Brewer had been working on the transition of the governorship. She asked lawmakers — Republicans and Democrats alike — to join with Brewer to help our state move forward. To which Brewer mouthed, "Thank you."

The Democrats are looking for a cooperative, reasonable approach to the budget and governance.

Rep. Phil Lopes, a Tucson Demo-crat from District 27, said the Legislature must have reasonable budget options that allow it to grow out of the recession.

In this regard, we are encouraged that Republicans are looking to successes in the public and private sectors to help shape a budget.

Today, Adams and Senate President Bob Burns, R-Peoria, will chair and moderate a business-group panel that includes executives from nine businesses, such as U.S. Airways, Wells Fargo and E.B. Lane.

The panelists will discuss efforts to deal with the downturn in the economy and the impact on their budgets. A panel of city and county governments will discuss the same topic on Thursday.

We hope fresh, creative ideas percolate from these discussions. We applaud the Legislature for looking to the business community for advice and counsel. State government could use some adaptation of business principles, such as productivity, into its operation.

We also caution legislators to recognize the differences between business and government. A business, for example, is not constitutionally obligated to ensure operation.

The Republicans and Democrats are not going to join hands and sing a budgetary and legislative kumbaya.

However, balancing the state's budget and effective legislation require the deft hand of a Legislature that collects and considers ideas and is not dismissive of thoughtful concepts because of the source.