PHOENIX (Fox Phoenix)
July 7, 2010
—
Governor Brewer is getting criticism from Arizona's neighbors, the governors of California and New Mexico.
They aren't happy with her decision to pull a yearly meeting between Mexican and U.S. governors of states along the border.
The upcoming Border Governor's Conference, slated for Phoenix in September, was canceled by host governor Jan Brewer as a result of the immigration controversy.
Six of the Mexican governors said they would not come if the event remained in Arizona, so Gov. Brewer canceled it as this year's chair.
In a letter to the six Mexican governors, she said she felt no choice but to cancel the event and expressed regret that it came to this.
"...I sincerely believe the gathering of governors in Arizona would have presented a great platform to initiate dialogue about the legislation, and other topics of great importance to the border region."
Brewer asked her fellow border governors to support her decision, but two of them are not.
California governor Arnold Schwarzenegger and New Mexico governor Bill Richardson want the meeting to go on.
Richardson said, "Governor Brewer doesn't have the authority to cancel the Border Governor's Conference.
She may not want to host it for political reasons, but that's not a reason to sidestep the tough issues that border governors must address."
Brewer said she isn't ruling out attending the conference in another location, but her attendance would depend on when the meeting is held.