I wonder what life in Arizona would be like if our legislature cared at all about the clearly expressed will of the voters. For example, in 2018 Arizona voters rejected a measure to publicly fund private school tuition by a measure of almost two to one. A few years later the Arizona legislature approved universal Empowerment Scholarship Accounts which siphon millions of dollars each year from Arizona public schools to subsidize private school tuition for the wealthy. The state now faces a $1.6 billion budget through FY 2025 which many attribute to the runaway spending for this program.
In November, voters will be presented with a slate of 11 legislative referrals that again and again and again . . . seek to overturn the will of the voters. One legislative referral would retain our partisan primary election processes (an attempt to cancel the “Make Elections Fair” Initiative). Two other proposals undermine the Initiative process; one would make the Initiative process more difficult and another would subject it to additional challenge before it is voted on. A third proposal would redirect state law enforcement resources to immigration enforcement. It’s as though our legislature is unaware that Arizona taxpayers have already forked over roughly $250 million to settle the lawsuits generated by the last state immigration enforcement effort, SB1070. This is even more galling when you consider that comprehensive federal immigration reform was recently voted down at the behest of former president Trump and with the full throated support of Senate Republicans. These Republicans are VERY, VERY, VERY concerned about illegal immigration, just not during an election year.
When you go to the polls in November, don’t be fooled by the misdirection orchestrated by our Arizona legislature. These ballot measures have not been fully vetted nor have the potential costs been adequately analyzed. Vote NO on these legislative ballot measures, vote YES for the “Make Elections Fair” Initiative and elect representatives who are committed to representing the voters. Click here to read more about these ballot measures.
1 “Petition drive halts new school voucher for now as foes try to send it to 2024 ballot”, September 9, 2022, Mary Jo Pitzl, Arizona Republic.
2 “Arizona Faces Sweeping Budget Cuts, Driven by Flat Tax and Private School Vouchers”, July 2, 2024. Center on Budget and Policy Priorities.
3 “Arizona Legislature Refers 11 Measures to the General Election Ballot, Most on Record Since 1984”, June 21, 2024. Ballotpedia.
4 “GOP has a genius plan to bankrupt Arizona and turn it into one big “Tent City””. March 23, 2024, Opinion, E.J. Montini. Arizona Central Newspaper.
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