Hourly Update

Ex-House speaker Groscost dies of heart attack

Former state House Speaker Jeff Groscost died today after suffering a massive heart attack. The 45-year-old Republican served four two-year terms in the House before losing his bid in 2000 to move to the state Senate. His loss was widely attributed to his role in pushing through a tax credit on alternative fuel vehicles - a credit that had to be quickly repealed when it was discovered it could cost the state hundreds of millions of dollars. Even with the repeal, taxpayers were left on the hook for close to $150 million, far more than the $10 million legislators were told at the time. Groscost's role went far beyond being the architect of the legislation. He also lobbied the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to extend a regulation which allows vehicles to be converted to use alternative fuels without going through an expensive certification process. The move was successful, opening the door for thousands of conversions - and millions in state tax credits - that might otherwise not have occurred. Groscost's actions led then Gov. Jane Hull to accuse him of "premeditated taxpayer fleecing.'' Hull, however, could not bring herself to urge voters in Groscost's Mesa largely Republican legislative district to instead support Jay Blanchard, his foe in the bid for the Senate seat. But voters did that anyway, choosing the Democrat by a wide margin.