In the 2006 legislative session, I will be supporting a number of proposals to reduce crime and better protect consumers. The meth epidemic, identity theft, human smuggling and price gouging are my top targets for this year in working with the State Legislature.

Meth. I believe we must have a comprehensive plan that will protect our children, neighborhoods, local police and firefighters from the dangers of methamphetamine labs. It should emphasize prevention, aiming to keep cold tablets out of the hands of local meth cooks. The plan will also continue to fight the importation of meth from Mexico, educate children and parents about its perils and expand treatment options for those who fall into this pernicious drug's grip.

Last year, a similar proposal was approved by the House but never voted on in the Senate. A much weaker bill was passed. Since then, cities and towns across Arizona have adopted meth ordinances similar to our proposal. I hope the Legislature will agree this year to put partisan wrangling aside and adopt a meaningful state law as the best way to attack the meth scourge.

ID Theft. To curtail identity theft, I'm seeking laws that will give citizens important new protections: one, require increased security of consumers' financial records; two, require effective corporate disposal of financial documents; and three, provide mandatory notification to anyone whose financial information has been compromised. I also support having Arizonans be able to place a freeze on their credit, if they wish to give themselves an extra measure of protection against identity theft. Taken together, these restrictions will close off many opportunities for ID theft in our state.

Human Smuggling and Auto Theft. I support tougher penalties for using stolen vehicles to bring undocumented immigrants across the border. My office has established a Border Trafficking Team to prosecute "coyotes" for human smuggling-related crimes that include kidnapping, auto theft, assault, money-laundering and the sale of fake IDs.

Anti-Price Gouging. I will again work for a bill to stop price gouging in supply emergencies. Last year's sharp run-up in gasoline prices after Hurricane Katrina was a warning shot. I'm not proposing that the government regulate prices; instead, this measure would be limited to emergency situations when some outlaw businesses decide to rip off vulnerable consumers to reap unprecedented profits. In addition, I will again push for better protections against predatory lenders. The majority of states already have both price-gouging and predatory lending laws – Arizona consumers deserve as much.

Pay Raise for State Employees. I definitely support a significant pay raise for state employees. People at the Attorney General's Office are highly dedicated and have demonstrated they can and will do the highest quality work for significantly less than their private sector counterparts. However, there must be limits to their sacrifice – serving the people of Arizona must be a professional, not a charitable, undertaking. We have experienced a high turnover at the AG's Office directly related to the much higher level of pay offered by the private sector, and even by local governments. This Office needs the pay increase to retain and attract top-notch attorneys and support staff.

Terry Goddard