TV debate focuses on border

GOP candidates for governor spar on issue, solution
By Howard Fischer
CAPITOL MEDIA SERVICES
TEMPE — Arizona should consider the benefits to the state from undocumented workers before spending more taxpayer dollars in an effort to cut down on illegal immigration, Republican gubernatorial hopeful Gary Tupper said Thursday.
In a televised debate, Tupper chastised various proposals by his three primary foes who all support doing more — at state expense — to try to stop people from coming across the border illegally. Those include stationing Arizona's National Guard units in Southern Arizona, buying radar to spot border crossers and allowing — if not requiring — local police to arrest those not here legally.
Lost in all those plans, Tupper said, is the question of whether there are benefits from having at least some of these illegal workers here.
"I think we have to figure out who is contributing and who isn't contributing," Tupper said on the debate, televised on KAET-TV, the Phoenix PBS affiliate. The debate also will run on KUAT-TV in Tucson, but it wasn't known when as of Thursday night.
"How much is this going to cost and is it worth taxpayer money?" he asked.