Updates from the Legislative Session – Sine Die Edition
As your representative, it's truly an honor to take your priorities to the Arizona State House. While national politics gets the lion's share of attention, it is actually the decisions being made right here in our state legislature that have the biggest impact on our daily lives.
My priority is to ensure that you and all working families get the opportunity to thrive. This year, Arizona had an unexpected $5.3 Billion budget surplus which gave us the opportunity to address some long-standing needs.
Since we just completed this year's session, here's a quick summary of some of the bills and budget items that came out of it that will have an impact on you and your family.
Education - the Good and Bad News
I hear you. Investing in our public schools is one of your top priorities - and as a longtime teacher, I know how vital it is for all of us that every child get the great education they deserve. Arizona's been at the bottom of the nation in per pupil investment for too long and as a result teachers are fleeing the classroom for other states or careers that allow them to support their families.
The Good News
With $5.3 Billion in discretionary revenue this year, I'm happy to report that my Democratic colleagues and I negotiated for additional $1 Billion in our state budget for public schools without raising a penny in taxes on anyone.
This investment will help make-up for the $1 billion in voter-approved Prop 208 funds that the majority found a way to reverse earlier this year. This investment will allow schools to increase teacher salaries, reduce class sizes, expand career education programs, and provide better assistance to special education and low income students.
Arizona's been in such a deep hole that even these funds won't bring us up to where we need to be, but it's a step in the right direction and a good down payment on future annual investments we still need.
The REALLY, REALLY BAD News
In a separate bill (HB2853), the majority pushed through the nation's largest private school voucher expansion ever. It will give away our tax dollars to wealthy parents who already send their students to private and religious schools, and require absolutely no transparency or accountability. Now, working families like yours and mine will be subsidizing tuition for wealthy families at schools that get to cherry pick their students. And even with our tax dollars footing the bill, we don't even get to know what they're teaching or whether students are learning anything.
In contrast, our public schools are open to all students, share curriculum and student standardized test scores and success publicly, and are accountable to parents and all tax payers. Yet, this voucher expansion will likely drain that billion we added for the public schools chosen by the vast majority of families right back out and into the pockets of the wealthy.
Check out the AZ Legislature Weekly Update and the SOSAZ Weekly Education Report for the final status of the many bills to control and censor public education this session.
Water
I hear you. We must act NOW to conserve the little water we have so that we can continue to LIVE and THRIVE in Arizona.There is no end in sight to our 20-year drought, the Colorado River is over allocated, and our reservoirs are at record lows and dropping.
The problem got dramatically worse this month. In addition to already planned cuts, we need to conserve an additional 2-to-4-million-acre feet of water. Because we share Colorado River waters, the Bureau of Reclamation recently told the seven basin states, including Arizona, that we need to make a plan by August 16, or they will do it for us.
Multiple cities in the valley including Scottsdale, Phoenix, and Glendale have activated their drought management plans this month. While these don't include mandatory water restrictions, without action they may be required.
So, as part of our budget this past week, we also made a $1.4 Billion bipartisan financial plan to address our water shortage crisis. Much more will need to be invested, but we made a strong start that begins with conservation NOW while it takes time to develop a desalination plant or other water importation infrastructure.
Transportation
I'm proud to have co-sponsored legislation to build a desperately needed sound barrier at 16th Street and the 101 in our district and see it included in our state transportation budget. Intense freeway noise has long been a plague for our neighbors in that area.
You will also be seeing a measure on November's ballot to extend the half-cent sales tax for much-needed on-going transportation projects across Maricopa County. I urge you to vote yes on this measure. It will NOT increase our taxes, but will approve funding for a carefully negotiated plan developed cooperatively by the county and cities. I'll share more on this as November approaches.
Affordable Housing & Healthcare
We're all deeply concerned about skyrocketing housing and healthcare costs - and with good reason. Too many people can't find affordable housing which is also contributing to an increase in homelessness. We allocated $60 Million to the Housing Trust Fund, but we must do more, including allowing cities to create their own zoning and regulation for short term rentals that are driving up the cost of rent for Arizonans.
For the past several years, our healthcare programs have also been unable to even find workers. A recent nonpartisan study showed that they need significant annual investment to address this shortage. To that end, this budget included:
$56.7 M to DD Provider Rate increases toward the great need for caregivers for people with long-term disabilities.
$10 M pregnancy care provider rate increase and expansion of postpartum Care. Arizona has a shocking maternal mortality rate. Extending care from 6 weeks to one year can help keep mothers alive for their babies and children.
$3.4M for the AZ Early Intervention Program (AZEIP)that provides services for families of infants and toddlers with disabilities or delays. Early treatment is crucial to a child's development.
$7.5M behavioral provider rate increases as a start on the better investment we must make toward desperately needed mental health.
$50M for an Accelerated Nursing Program to meet the great demand for healthcare professionals
We're also helping children in the Foster Care system do better by providing the same level of monthly support for grandparents or other extended family as is provided to other foster families. It just makes sense.
Workforce Development
I was shocked to learn that over 700,000 working age adults in Arizona do not yet have a high school diploma. That's a disaster for all of us.
That's why I'm enormously proud to have my Workforce Development proposal included in this year's budget. Over the past two years, I've worked across the aisle to better invest in our community college co-enrollment programs. It allows adults to earn their high school equivalency diploma AND an industry certification or Associates degree at the same time, while also providing the wrap-around services like career counseling, transportation, and child care that adults need to succeed.
It's a win that will allow people to lift themselves out of poverty, provide employers with a strong, educated workforce, and ultimately benefit all of us. We all do better when every Arizonan gets their chance to thrive.
Abortion
The Supreme Court's decision to overturn our most personal fundamental freedom to our own bodies doesn't end abortion, it only ends SAFE abortion.
Abortion has been Constitutionally protected for 50 years. And it's a slippery slope when government inserts itself into our most personal business. What's next? Justice Clarence Thomas' recent comments suggest that contraception and same-sex relationships are now at risk.
It's now up to state legislatures like ours to step up and protect our most fundamental freedoms at the state level. Sadly, earlier this session, our current majority forced through its own abortion ban with no exceptions for rape, incest or other circumstances (which are no business of politicians anyway).
None of us can know what other people are facing. Whether to continue a pregnancy is a highly personal decision that should be respected. Here's my floor statement about my own family's abortion story.
This November we MUST elect a NEW MAJORITY that will protect our most basic human rights. My running mate, Jeanne Casteen, who will represent us in the State Senate and I are committed to being part of that new majority that will stand up for your ability to make your own decisions.
Our district is one of only five swing districts across Arizona. Your vote is crucial to creating that new majority that will work to ensure that every Arizona family can thrive. Vote!
For More Information
Ever feel like you just don't hear about what's happening at our own State Capitol? Actually, you just need to know where to look. I suggest
The AZ Legislature Weekly Update. Here's a link to their end of session re-cap. You can subscribe - for free by using the link at the top of every issue.
AZMirror.com This free online news source focuses on the state legislature and all AZ politics. It accepts donations, but you can subscribe for free to receive each morning's edition in your inbox.
AZCentral.com. Yes, our local newspaper. It's vital that we have one to keep tabs on politicians, but also for a shared sense of everything that's going on in our community. Much of its content is available for free, but a mere $5.00 for a monthly subscription helps keep journalism alive in our state.
Arizona Agenda. Here's a link to their end of session re-cap, but their Daily Agenda will give you the inside scoop on what's going on in the legislature and elsewhere.
