-Caveat Lector- Fallout widens from Arizona's backfired alternative-fuel plan By PAUL DAVENPORT, Associated Press PHOENIX (October 31, 2000 7:00 a.m. EST http://www.nandotimes.com) - Gary King suspects he knows just how the state will recoup the runaway costs from its botched subsidy program for alternative-fuel vehicles: his wallet. "We're all going to have to pay for this one," said the planning consultant from suburban Chandler as he stood in an absentee voting line Monday. Instead of cleaning Arizona's air, the program has backfired, sullying the state's Republican party, blemishing the governor's record and leaving many residents fuming. The expanded program, approved this year by the Legislature, offered people large incentives to use cars that run on so-called clean fuels, such as natural gas or propane. It proved unexpectedly popular: So many residents rushed to take advantage of the tax breaks offered by the state that the program's costs have spiraled nearly out of control. Thousands of Arizonans poured into dealerships to buy or convert an estimated 22,000 vehicles, pushing the cost of the program to an estimated $483 million. It was supposed to cost about $3 million when legislators passed it earlier this year. It has left people like Phoenix school teacher Evangeline Rivera shaking her head. "I can't believe they didn't run a projection - a well thought-out projection - before they started this," she said. The fallout could be more than just public disgust, judging by the near-daily rounds of criticism on radio talk shows and newspaper editorial pages. "This is an embarrassment to the whole Republican Party," Sen. David Petersen said. "Not only do we have the speaker involved, we have a number of legislators who voted for it and a governor who didn't catch this early on." State Attorney General Janet Napolitano launched a criminal investigation that could involve allegations of fraud, bribery and conflict of interest. She declined to identify potential targets. House Speaker Jeff Groscost, the program's chief architect, faces ethics scrutiny because he has purchased and leased several vehicles from a conversion company whose president was involved with drafting the law. Groscost has denied that he personally profited from his work on the issue and said his only motives were to reduce air pollution and dependence on foreign oil. While Republicans have a comfortable 40-20 lead in the House, they only have a 16-to-14 margin in the Senate. Understandably, the GOP has tried to widen the blame beyond their party. "The votes were across party lines," said Senate President Brenda Burns, a Republican. "Everyone regrets that the costs were phenomenal and no one could have ever imagined that. That lays at the feet of everyone equally." Over the summer, Democrat Jay Blanchard, an Arizona State University professor and former Marine pilot, admitted that he would need a miracle to beat Groscost on Nov. 7. "Things have changed dramatically," Blanchard said last week. "Sadly, we've got the miracle and the miracle is a half-billion theft from the state treasury." Gov. Jane Hull, who requested and got legislators to approve a moratorium on the program during a special session earlier this month, is looking for ways to rein in the costs. Hull, who acknowledged Monday that the responsibility is ultimately hers because she signed the bill into law, said the unexpected price of the legislation has been dwarfed by bigger toll. 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