{"id":554,"date":"2022-01-22T23:38:00","date_gmt":"2022-01-22T23:38:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/stand.org\/arizona\/?p=554"},"modified":"2026-01-05T22:03:03","modified_gmt":"2026-01-05T22:03:03","slug":"note-to-arizona-lawmakers","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/stand.org\/arizona\/our-stories\/note-to-arizona-lawmakers\/","title":{"rendered":"Note to Arizona lawmakers"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

This piece was published on the Arizona Republic<\/a> on January 22nd, 2022.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Note to Arizona lawmakers: Do an end-around on huge tax cuts at your own risk<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/strong>Opinion: Voters don’t want tax cuts for the wealthy while schools remain woefully underfunded. It’s risky for lawmakers to do an end-around their wishes in an election year.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Arizona Republicans want to repeal and replace the huge tax cuts for the wealthy, which they forced through in the 11th hour last legislative session, to avoid a citizen\u2019s referendum that has halted them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This referendum should be on the November ballot as Proposition 307. Arizona voters demanded the opportunity to weigh in on the GOP maneuver.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Yet it\u2019s clear that these politicians don\u2019t want to hear what Arizonans have to say. They remain hellbent on favoring tax cuts that dramatically favor the wealthiest individuals, while our schools and public services remain woefully underfunded.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Voters are tired of improperly funded schools<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Our volunteers \u2013 parents, teachers and everyday citizens \u2013 spent countless hours in the summer heat collecting hundreds of thousands of citizens\u2019 signatures, and repeatedly heard from voters of all political stripes that enough was enough.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Voters are tired of the legislative majority ignoring Arizonans\u2019 consistent and repeated demands for more state revenue to properly fund education. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

They see firsthand in their schools the impact of having the worst teacher pay in the nation (50th), the most crowded class size in the nation (23.5, compared to the national average of 16), and a school counselor to student ratio of 848 to 1, compared to the national average of 424 to 1 (the recommended ratio is 250 to 1).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If any \u201crepeal and replace\u201d were to happen, it would be carried out by 47 Republican legislators and the governor turning their backs on the 1.7 million Arizonans who voted yes to fund education. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

That makes no sense in a new election year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Most don’t want a ‘repeal and replace’<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Polling conducted on behalf of Stand for Children Arizona in December shows that these legislators are vulnerable despite redistricting. A full 55% of voters say that they would be less likely to vote for a candidate for state office who worked to \u201crepeal and replace\u201d Senate Bill 1828 and nullify Proposition 307. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

More than 60% of voters are convinced that \u201crepeal and replace\u201d shouldn\u2019t happen because the Legislature shouldn\u2019t use dishonest gimmicks to push through their tax cut for the wealthy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And they believe legislators must be held accountable in next November\u2019s election for undermining the will of the voters.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Meanwhile, 71% of Arizona voters still insist on additional funds for public schools, with 48% saying that there is a \u201cgreat need.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Proposition 208 \u2013 Invest in Education election victory in November 2020 shows that our coalition knows how to turn polling into reality.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How lawmakers can help schools<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

If legislators are smart, and if they truly believe the budget can be improved from last year, they should consider:<\/p>\n\n\n\n