I especially wanted to start my term as your Attorney General here in Tucson -- at this courthouse. My first memories connected with the law come from right here. My father's first law office was just across Court Street, in an old adobe building -- now part of the Library's lawn.

I remember my awe and excitement as a small boy, about my son Kevin's age, stepping down into Dad's office and seeing the profusion of books and papers. The spectacular dome of this courthouse across the street seemed to me a symbol of the best in our community.

Today, I have the privilege to become Arizona's 24th Attorney General. I am excited about the great challenges and the great opportunities that come with this job.

On the challenge side, at no time in memory have the storm clouds of budget reduction been so threatening. For over a decade, successive Attorneys General have managed with essentially flat funding and met rapidly rising service demands and a proliferation of state agency clients. Now, after a decade of state budgetary mismanagement, every part of government faces tough financial challenges. The Legislature has ordered serious cuts in every agency.

Of course, all parts of State government must bear a share of meeting the budget shortfall. But, my message against further reductions of Attorney General staff will be simple. I will ask the Governor and the Legislature to remember that it is the lawyers at the Attorney General's Office who must take on the most challenging criminal cases - those on the cutting edge of technology and financial sophistication. And, it is the lawyers at the Attorney General's Office who keep State agencies out of trouble, who avoid expensive litigation and, once in court, minimize harm from adverse judgments. Shortsighted cut-backs will cause long-term harm to our State.

The financial challenges are formidable, but they will not divert my attention from the great opportunities. I am excited about the opportunity to build and protect Arizona communities. We hear much about community, that intangible tie that binds us together as neighborhoods, as cities and towns and as Arizonans. Community is hard to define, but we all know when it is missing. Growing up in Tucson, serving as Mayor of Phoenix and working for HUD, I learned some critical lessons about community building.

Community is as fragile as it is precious. Crime and exploitation will shatter the highest quality of life. Make no mistake, the challenge of crime in Arizona today is very real. One ranking where our state is among the national leaders is crime rate. Unfortunately, we stand at number 4.

Here below spectacular mountains in the high Sonoran desert, it is easy to see why Tucsonans respect natural beauty. Arizona's phenomenal growth has made the challenge of natural resource protection more critical than ever. We have the opportunity to maximize the value of state lands, parks and recreation areas and to assure our economic future, by doing a much better job of resource management. I am especially concerned about our water supply - its quality and security. I will use all the skills available to protect our natural resources - to assure that Arizona is growing not just bigger -- but better.

Arizona enjoys unmatched scenic vistas and a unique blend of strong cultures seen in the remarkable buildings and unique places throughout our State. Unfortunately, some would illegally plunder or bulldoze these precious reminders. We have the opportunity to stand up, in court and at the ballot box, for our heritage. I hope one legacy of my time as AG will be greater respect for and preservation of Arizona's heritage.

Equal opportunity for all Arizonans is the special responsibility of the Attorney General. Protection against housing discrimination and other unfair practices requires constant investigation, sensitive mediation of disputes and, if necessary, diligent prosecution. My goal must be nothing short of assuring that all Arizonans enjoy equal opportunities in a fair marketplace.

Our challenges are great. Our opportunities are greater. With your good wishes, with your continued support -- I am confident I can meet the one and make the very most of the other. Let's get started.