Equity's Hot in Arizona.

• Author: Fischer, Howard

Arizona's 15-15 tie in the Senate was resolved when a few Republicans joined up with the Democrats and put Republican Randall Gnant at the helm. Now, personal conviction drives decisions rather than party ideology.

When Arizona voters last fall gave Senate Democrats their first taste of power since 1992, many observers expected gridlock as a result of the chamber's 15-15 partisan split. But what emerged instead was a rather remarkable ability to debate and move legislation via "floating coalitions," with membership based on approach to issues rather than party lines.

The first of those coalitions came together within hours after the election with the selection of Republican Senator Randall Gnant as president. As architect of this power-sharing, Gnant began laying the groundwork last session when he hinted at a coup to oust then-Senate President Brenda Burns. Also a Republican who had held the office since 1997, Burns was known for her power-wielding management style.

"In the traditional power structure, 'to the victor goes the spoils,'" explains Gnant. "It's a hierarchy in which power is at the top, directions come from the top and rewards are handed out from the top to those who, down below, do what they are told." Gnant says he and fellow Republican Sue Grace were stung by that system a year ago when they opposed leadership and publicly pushed for more funds for mental health care, something the state had been court-ordered to do.

He says Burns made sure all of their hills were killed that session.

"I did not like the notion that individual members could not freely advocate their beliefs and their positions," he says.

The process-savvy legislator from Scottsdale, author of a booklet that explains the legislative process in Arizona to the public, says, the public is better served under the new arrangement whether or not voters had chosen to put an equal number of Republicans and Democrats in the Senate. So far, pollsters say public confidence in state lawmaking is warming. An alternative fuels fiasco in 2000 that will cost the state half a billion dollars more than projected had left the Legislature with a black eye. The appearance of a cozy financial relationship between former House Speaker Jeff Groscost and the owner of a fuel conversion firm cost Groscost the Senate seat he was running for in an otherwise Republican-solid district, and gave Democrats a longed-for even advantage in the Senate.

THE FIRST COALITION

Within hours after the polls closed last Nov. 7, Gnant huddled with Democratic leaders to hatch a plan that would make him the new Senate president of the tied body, but give Democrats key positions of power.

Leaving little to chance, they worked out a "memorandum of understanding."

Some of it was obvious. For example, someone had to be the floor leader, making procedural motions. Democrat Jack Brown got that job.

There also was the question of who runs the committees.

The Democrats got the first two picks. But they were allowed to take either the...