Pulling Ourselves Up By Our Bootstraps Requires Boots
Stop Shifting the Tax Burden to Working Families – LIFTING OURSELVES UP BY OUR BOOTSTRAPS
The American Dream is based on the idea that here in this country people can lift themselves up by their own bootstraps. It’s what makes us the “land of the free, and home of the brave.” But there are no bootstraps when people don’t even have boots.
We all do better when everyone has the basic “footwear” of education and healthcare – that allow people to have a fighting chance at their American Dream.
Yet despite the fact that Arizona is already underfunding schools, healthcare, roads, prisons and almost every other area, the majority is now proposing over $1 BILLION dollars in tax cuts that would mainly benefit the rich while shifting even more of the tax burden onto working families.
We’re still in a pandemic. Now more than ever we should be using the unexpected surpluses in the state coffers to ensure that those who have been hit the hardest have the bootstraps that will let them do that lifting. It will help us all do better.
NO MORE VOUCHERS!
SB1452, the massive ESA voucher expansion bill is on this Wednesday’s 9 am agenda for the House Ways & Means Committee. While proponents say it’s about school choice, the reality is that for every one child who’s family chooses a voucher, 90 families choose their local public schools.
Voters demanded better funding for public schools with both Props 305 and 208. But SB1452 is one of several ways the majority continues to ignore the will of the people – and undercut our public schools. Please call – and email the members of the House Ways & Means committee to tell them to vote NO on SB1452! Use their newsletter to find out about more bad bills we need your help to stop this week.
PROTECT OUR VOTING RIGHTS
The AZ legislature is second only to Georgia in the number of bills being introduced to restrict voting access.
Why? An attorney for Arizona’s Republican Party offered a blunt reason for voting restrictions before the Supreme Court on Tuesday: because voting restrictions help Republicans win. It comes down to a partisan advantage, not fairness or integrity.
I believe our goal should be the protection of the fundamental right to vote for ALL citizens by assuring that voting is as accessible and as well as secure as possible. Our democracy is stronger when more qualified citizens vote.
So I will be voting NO on SB1485, Sen Ugenti-Rita’s bill to purge voters from the Permanent Early Voting List. and NO on SB1713 Sen Mesnard’s bill to require a copy o f photo ID in ballot envelopes. You can find your representative here if you wish to urge them to vote NO as well.
This week the House Government Committee, chaired by Rep John Kavanaugh who favors voting restrictions, is hearing more bills that propose voting restrictions. Learn more about them in the Legislature Weekly Update at this link.
Fulfilling My Promise to You
WORKING TOGETHER FOR AN ARIZONA WHERE EVERYONE CAN THRIVE
I’m happy to report that my Adult Ed bill, HB2824, has passed out of the State House and will be heard in the Senate Education Committee this Tuesday. It will eliminate the 3,000 person waitlist to get into our state’s current Adult Ed program and create a co-enrollment program at community colleges across the state so that learners can earn their GED and earn a Certified Industry Credential or AA degree at the same time.
This bipartisan bill will leverage federal dollars to give thousands of low wage workers the chance to lift themselves out of poverty, provide employers with a strong, qualified workforce, and strengthen the economy for all of us.
CALL TO ACTION
Please email or call the Senate Education Committee members and urge them to vote YES on HB2824! You can find their names here – and their contact info here.
Watch our Live Proceedings Thursday
MARCH IS WOMEN’S HISTORY MONTH
Since March is Women’s History Month, it gives us an important opportunity to shine a light on the extraordinary legacy of women and girls of every race, class and ethnic background who have built, shaped and improved our state and nation.
Among those are many right in our own neighborhoods, including Rivko Knox, a first generation American whose parents immigrated from Eastern Europe and taught her the importance of speaking out on important issues and voting. Those of you who know her, know that throughout her eight decades, she has been a tireless champion for the rights of all people, and a fighter to ensure every citizen can cast their ballot freely.
It’s my privilege as a member of the AZ House of Representatives, to get to honor her with a proclamation which will be read this Thursday, March 18 at about 10:05 am. You can watch the Live Proceedings to see Rivko so honored at this link.
