The rest of the nation probably thinks Gov. Janet Napolitano is the only sane politician in Phoenix.

What other conclusion could they reach after reading four recent reports from there?

1. Education Week ranks Arizona public schools 44th in achievement, 46th for providing students a chance of success and 49th in per-pupil spending.

So some legislative leaders support an Arizona Chamber of Commerce and Industry move to permanently repeal the only statewide property tax earmarked for schools. That’s like putting a starving man on a diet to buy fudge for a fat guy.

Arizona sales and income tax collections have fallen in the past year, so we have less money because we have no state property tax to level the ship.

We should tax all of the state’s resources, wherever they are, to help educate all Arizona children. Kids and high-value property are rarely in the same school districts.

Without a state tax for education, many school districts must either raise their tax rates even higher to keep up with inflation or cut programs that already are underfunded.

2. A committee of top Arizona scientists has warned that state officials must act quickly to save − and increase − the $250 million a year we receive from astronomy and space research.

Some legislative leaders have ignored that. Instead, they criticize the governor’s modest proposals to bolster science and math teaching.

That won’t improve education, attract better jobs or help firms find better employees.

3. Too many Arizona youngsters drop out before they graduate from high school, and too many graduates don’t know everything they should.

We have more students each year. Classes are crowded, and teachers aren’t always as good as they should be.

Napolitano has proposed keeping kids in school until they’re 18, continuing to build new schools and providing more resources for their teachers.

But some legislative leaders want to stop building more classrooms, deny funds to attract and retain better teachers, and search for more cuts in education.

4. Because our universities have been forced to raise tuition and fees by 10 percent or so each year, Napolitano has suggested giving high school graduates in Arizona’s Centennial year of 2012 a free ride through community colleges or universities if they have a B average, stay out of trouble and perform community service.

But State Rep. John Kavanagh, R-Fountain Hills, has introduced a bill to require all college students to pay at least 40 percent of the complete cost of their education. The only poor kids who could get a full-ride would have to be incredibly bright students or outstanding athletes.

Napolitano’s positions are right. Investing in the education of Arizona’s youngsters from kindergarten through college is good for the state and its economy.

Declining educational quality is a prescription for social, economic, crime and health problems that hurt the entire state.

Fortunately, most anti-education zealots in the Legislature come from Maricopa County. Nearly everyone in Pima County’s delegation, regardless of party, generally supports education, and especially the University of Arizona.

Southern Arizona is lucky to have Republican Senate President Tim Bee on its team.

Last year, he joined other moderate Republicans, Democrats and Napolitano to stifle some outrageous proposals from Maricopa conservatives. Presumably, they will work together for similar successes this year.

If they can’t, the results will be disastrous for Arizona - and even worse for Pima County.

E-mail comments for publication to editor@azbiz.com. Steve Emerine, a Tucson resident since 1960, has run Steve Emerine Strategic Public Relations since 1994. He is a former local newspaper reporter, editor and columnist and served as Pima County Assessor from 1973 to 1980. He is a regular Monday guest on the John C. Scott radio talk show, which airs from 7 a.m. to 8 a.m. weekdays on The Voice, KVOI 690-AM. This column appears weekly in